Matrix of Environmental Risks in
Semi-Arid Mobile Grazing Systems - LGS1

Resource base | Risks and opportunities | Underlying factors
Land Soil structure | (-) Soil compaction | Animal trampling
(+) Superficial crusting removal | Animal trampling
(-) Erosion | Excessive grazing and browsing
Land Soil fertility | (+) Nutrient cycling improvement | Animal faeces, natural manuring
(+) Nutrient tranfer to crop areas | Animal faeces, crop areas manuring
Water Underground reserve | (-) Increase of run-off, decrease of soil water reserve | Excessive grazing and browsing, animal trampling
Water Quality | (-) Organic pollution | Animal waste and faeces
(+) Access to good water for drinking | Drilling programmes for water supply
Atmosphere Gas emission | (-) Carbone dioxide emission | Bush fire for pasture maintenance
Atmosphere Air purity | (-) Dust and particles in suspension | Excessive grazing, removal of ground cover, wind erosion
Biodiversity Vegetation structure | (-) Degradation of ground cover | Excessive grazing and browsing
(+) Control of tree and shrub density | Good grazing management
(+) Reduction of fire hazard | Reduction of combustible material by grazing and browsing
Biodiversity Plant species | (-) Reduction of botanical diversity | Excessive grazing and browsing
(-) Weed invasion | Invasive weeds as a result of Poor Grazing Management and Seed dissemination by animals (and by humans or vehicles)
Biodiversity Animal species | (-) Reduction of wildlife and habitats | Competition for food and space between domestic animals and wildlife
(+) Protection of wildlife and habitats | Maintenance of natural or semi-natural ecosystem vs. agriculture

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