Animal Development Microbes Are the Key to Improving Rangeland Soil Fertility David C. Johnson, Ph.D, of New Mexico State University discusses how his compost research shows tremendous promise for soil carbon sequestration, and the potential benefits that may have on climate change, our food system, rangelands and the wildlife they support. Microbes – ignored in most research – are the key. Transcript:
book review Book Review: The Cartel - A Novel The events depicted in this exhaustively researched book are verified by contemporary news reports, and confirmed by many Texas border ranchers. The staffs’ families of Circle Ranch and our neighbors have been the victims of horrific murders, similar to those described. Like 150,000 others – 20,000 last year alone
"Invasion Biology" Hunting Moose in Canada to Save Caribou From Wolves Wildlife interactions are often counterintuitive. When we oversimplify these unimaginably complex systems we do things that inadvertently damage wildlife and its habitat. NOTE: This post initially appeared on NYTimes.com on August 30, 2017 You like caribou. You like wolves. How do you preserve one without killing the other? Research
Bio-Diversity Increasing Soil Carbon Helps Restore Wildlife and Habitat The best and most restorative wildlife practices are those which increase soil fertility. If every wildlife decision were evaluated according to this outcome, wildlife & habitat ‘management’ would fundamentally change. Soil Solutions to Climate Problems – Narrated by Michael Pollan from Center for Food Safety on Vimeo.
"Invasion Biology" Planned Grazing and Deer “Properly grazed cattle can improve deer health. Cattle herds can replace the big nomadic grazers with which animals and plants evolved. Plants and animals are symbiotic: Plants need animals as much as animals need plants. What helps plants helps all animals. Biodiversity of plants and animals is good. Multiple species
climate change Return of La Niña? ”A weak and emerging La Niña could reduce precipitation, especially across Texas and New Mexico later this winter through next spring. Long-term trends towards warmer temperatures will dominate into 2018 which could point towards a higher-than-normal possibility of a prolonged reduction in soil moisture and subsequent reduced summertime rainfall.” Year-in-and-year-out,
"Invasion Biology" Circle Ranch Wildlife Cameras - Summer 2017 Every month we review 5,000 pictures and post a few of the most interesting. What is pictured here is biodiversity. Multiple species are complimentary – not competitive. Ranges need keystone grazers like bison or cattle, lots of predators and lots of prey species. Without all these, the systems come apart.
Grasslands and Red Mountain Summer and Winter at Circle Ranch. Note: This was originally posted May, 2010.
"Invasion Biology" Are Wolves the Pronghorn's Best Friend? Let’s look for a holistic solution to pronghorn decline in far-West Texas. As discussed in the article below, pronghorn fawn survival triples when wolves are present because wolves control the coyotes which otherwise kill the pronghorn fawns. Cattle removals, predator removals and so-called invasive species removals have drastically altered
"Invasion Biology" Desert Mule Deer "Management": Does Culling Low-Point Desert Mule Deer Bucks Help or Harm the Herd and Its Genetics? Culling Mule Deer – or whitetail – is scientifically unjustifiable, and does not improve herd genetics. Note: This post originally appeared on this blog in November 2014 Approach #1: Remove Cull Bucks to Improve Herd Genetics …Jerad Wayne Zachary, Deer Guide Dear Mr. Gill, I hope you are doing well. I just
Bio-Diversity Uninvited Vultures Coexist with Animals at San Antonio Zoo These vultures are neither “invasive” nor “invaders.” They’re just wild animals filling empty niches created by human impact. It’s nature’s way—and they should be left alone. NOTE: This post initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on September 15, 2017 They weren’t invited, but they’ve made
Bio-Diversity Why Are Florida’s Orange Trees Dying? “It is not the overpowering invader we must fear, but the weakened condition of the victim.” …William A. Albrecht (1888-1974), Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of Soils at the University of Missouri Other Albrecht quotes: * “Plants that have access to soil that contains the nutrients needed to develop its
"Invasion Biology" California Condor Takes Flight in Wild After Near Extinction The condor “once patrolled the sky from Mexico to British Columbia,” including far-West Texas. Perhaps someday soon they will again. While the majestic sight of a condor in flight makes it obvious why we should support national efforts to save endangered species, it is equally important to save less charismatic
"Invasion Biology" Richard Teague et al. on Benefits of Planned Grazing Here is peer reviewed, hard science from Texas A&M on the topic of holistic planned grazing. This paper by Texas A&M range scientists Richard Teague, Fred Provenza et al. studied the benefits of concentrated, rapidly moving cattle herds on rangeland health. Their peer-reviewed findings contradicted the
"Invasion Biology" Rare Big Bend Grass Added to Federal Endangered Species List Most agencies, universities and conservationists continue to blame cattle grazing for grassland decline. The biodiversity loss described in this article is real but the blame is misplaced. The real cause of grassland decline is lack of animal impact from periodic grazing of bison or cattle and abundant wild species. The
"Invasion Biology" Ranches for Free: Birdwell Creek - Planned Grazing Here is a Texas example of high density planned grazing, which means the owners greatly increased cattle numbers and animal density, improving habitat and forage production. The increase in productivity per acre is like getting a ranch (or two) for free. These results directly contradict the agency-university biases against cattle
Dr. David Briske et al. Synthesis Paper This paper was published in 2008. Texas A&M range scientist David Briske and several academic colleagues concluded that planned grazing is ineffective and has been disproved as a grazing method, and that low-density set-stocking, which means keeping fewer cattle in one place all the time, is the best
"Invasion Biology" Legislation Reclassifying Elk as 'Exotic' Here is the legislation that changed Texas’ native elk from treasured, protected game animals to vermin that are shot on sight at all state-managed lands in far-West Texas. The legislative declaration that elk are not native is scientifically incorrect and meaningless. This legislation was introduced under the normal “radar,” declaring
Bio-Diversity Scant Oversight, Corporate Secrecy Preceded U.S. Weed Killer Crisis Collusion between regulators and the companies they are supposed to regulate is as pervasive in food production as in every industry where power and control is concentrated in a few hands. NOTE: This article was originally published to Reuters.com on August 9, 2017 NEW YORK (Reuters) – As the U.
Cattle Trump Picks Susan Combs For Interior Post A terrific choice for America, for Texas, and, for Western ranchers, wildlife & habitat. NOTE: This article initially appeared on SAExpressNews.com on July 11, 2017 WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate former Texas Agriculture Commissioner and Comptroller Susan Combs to be assistant secretary of policy management
"Invasion Biology" Iowa State Fair Cow and Boy Taking Nap Wins the Internet After Photo Goes Viral This touching photo evokes the ancient connection between humans and livestock. Sadly, modern industrial agriculture – including much dairy and meat production – breaks this connection and increasingly disregards humane animal husbandry. NOTE: This post originally appeared on FOXNews.com on August 14, 2017 This here is a little story about a
"Invasion Biology" To Fight Climate Change, Heal the Ground Soil health and soil fertility should be the goal of every farmer and rancher. Imagine the changes in habitat and wildlife practices if every action and every inaction – such as using fertilizers and pesticides, or removing animals – were tested according to how that action would affect soil health and fertility.
Bio-Diversity Dying Vines: How Herbicides are Damaging, and Destroying, High Plains Vineyards That Supply Much of the Hill Country Grapes The agrochemical giants effectively control our agencies, legislatures, universities and conservation organizations. Their latest poison – which EPE rubber-stamped for general use – is 2,4-D, a primary component of Agent Orange, the infamous Vietnam poison. Agent Orange caused about 2-million birth defects in Cambodia and Vietnam. Over 60,000 American vets
Bio-Diversity TPWD Provides CWD Monitoring Results from 2016-2017 CWD could prove a disaster for far-West Texas mule deer and elk. High fences, artificial feeding and predator removals will accelerate the spread of CWD, as they have in South Texas. NOTE: This article was printed by Livestock Weekly and contributed to by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It is
"Invasion Biology" Gone With the Wind - Russian Thistle Thistle is a great rescue plant for desertified ranges. Quail love thistle seeds and the bugs it hosts, and many wild and domestic animals use it when it is young and tender. NOTE: This article appeared in the June 2017 edition of Texas Wildlife Magazine. The article is posted with
