Increasing world human population, declining reserves of cheaply extracted fossil fuels, fresh water scarcity, and climatic instability will put tremendous pressure on world rangelands as the 21stcentury progresses.It is expected the world human population will increase by 40 percent by 2050 but fossil fuel and fresh water reserves will be drastically reduced. Avoiding food shortages and famine couldbe a major world challenge within the next 10 years. Under these conditions, major changes in basic world policies relating to economic growth and natural resource use seem essential. Human population stabilization; clean, renewable energy development; enhanced water yields and quality; increased livestock production; and changed land use policies that minimize agricultural landlosses to development and fragmentation will all be needed to avoid declining living conditions at the global level. The health and productivity of rangelands will need to receive much more emphasis as they are the primary sources of vital ecosystem services and products essential to human life. ...
Anderson, L., van Klinken, R. D., and Shepherd, D. (2008). Aerially surveying Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) in the Pilbara. In: 'A Climate of Change in the Rangelands. Prodeedings of the 15th Australian Rangeland Society Biennial Conference'. (Ed. D. Orr) 4 pages. (Australian Rangeland Society: Australia).
Full-text publications from the Australian Rangelands Society (ARS) Biennial Conference Proceedings (1997-), Rangeland Journal (ARS/CSIRO; 1976-), plus videos and other resources about the rangelands of Australia.