Overgrazing

Degrading land, emissions from animal agriculture and reducing the biomass in a ecosystem contribute directly to climate change[2] between grazing events.

[11][12] Turning to the aquatic environment, Ling et al. (2015)[13] have documented the phenomenon of catastrophic sea urchin overgrazing and its role in marine ecosystem regime shifts.

Their study underscores the urgent need for effective management and conservation strategies to mitigate the profound ecological impacts of overgrazing, highlighting the issue's global scope.

Similarly, on the Mongolian steppes, Liu et al. (2013)[14] found that approximately 60% of vegetation decline could be attributed to climate factors, with the rest significantly influenced by increased goat density due to overgrazing.

Further expanding our understanding, Stevens et al. (2016)[15] investigated woody encroachment in South African savannahs over a 70-year period, identifying overgrazing, global changes, and the ecological effects of megafauna extinction as key factors.

In a similar vein, the research by Cai et al. (2020)[17] presents a stark example of the terrestrial impact of overgrazing, showing how the fertile island effect collapses under extreme conditions in shrub-encroached grasslands.

This case study emphasizes the critical need for sustainable grazing practices to protect soil health and maintain ecosystem functionality, further illustrating the wide-reaching consequences of overgrazing across diverse habitats.

In Namibia, overgrazing is considered the main cause of woody plant encroachment at the expenses of grasses on a land area of up to 45 million hectares.

[23] Maisie Carr (1912-1988), Ecologist and Botanist, undertook significant research and studies in overgrazing and established consequences on the surrounding land in Australia.

In the Caribbean region, overgrazing is a threat to vegetation areas where there is livestock farming, which is an important source of livelihood and food security for many people.