The phenomenon of animals¡¦ grazing in greater numbers than the land can support in the long term. There may be a temporary economic gain in the short term, but the grassland (or other ecosystem) is destroyed, and its ability to support life in the long term is vastly diminished.
Grazing regrowth on grasses that have already been grazed once without an adequate rest period.
Grazing so heavily as to impair future forage production and cause range deterioration by damaging of the plants or soil or both. Cf. Grazing, conservative.
Grazing by a number of animals exceeding the carrying capacity of a given parcel of land.
Grazing so heavy that it impairs future forage production and causes range deterioration through damage to plants, soil, or both.
Continued overuse producing or maintaining a deteriorated range. The extent of overgrazing is measured by range condition.
Grazing of land which significantly reduces the growth, quality or species composition of vegetation (other than vegetation normally grazed to destruction) on that land.
The practice of grazing too many ruminants on land unable to recover its vegetation or of grazing ruminants on land not suitable for grazing because of its slope. Overgrazing exceeds the carrying capacity of a pasture.
Animal use of plant life during grazing at a rate faster than the regeneration rate of the vegetation.
Grazing that exceeds the recovery capacity of the individual species or the plant community.
Continued grazing of pasture or rangeland at a level that leads to land degradation.
Reducing forage supply by grazing and browsing animals to the point where key forage species production is threatened or is at too low a level to sustain beneficial use. Overgrazing is a function of numbers and time.
Repeated grazing of plants before a sufficient rest or growth recovery period has elapsed. Overgrazing results in a reduction of long-term forage productivity and a deterioration of range condition. It can also result in increased weeds and invasive plant species.
n: Destruction of vegetation when too many grazing animals feed too long and exceed the carrying capacity of a rangeland area.
In ecology and agriculture, overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to grazing for too long, or without sufficient recovery periods. It reduces the usefulness of the land and is one cause of desertification and erosion. Overgrazing is also seen as one cause of the spread of non-native plants.
