RANGELANDS: Theory and Practice

A range is a broad, wide and unfenced area on which animals graze and roam. They comprise the low rainfall and variable climate, arid and semi-arid areas and, north of the Tropic of Capricorn and some seasonally high rainfall areas. The main ecosystem types are shrublands, native grasslands and woodlands. Boundaries to rangelands are not clearly defined; they vary according to variation in climatic condition. Rangelands are homes to a significant number of species of animals and plants with a high value in both scientific terms and leisure. The literature uses several terms for the main world¿s rangelands: South American savanna, African savanna, Eurasian steppe, Indian savanna, Australian grasslands and North American prairies. It is a broader term than grasslands, encompassing areas where woody vegetation is dominant; moreover, it is a term common in texts looking at land from the viewpoint of livestock production.