Woody Plant Encroachment: Causes and Consequences

Woody vegetation in grasslands and savannas has increased worldwide over the past 100–200 years. This phenomenon of “woody plant encroachment” (WPE) has been documented to occur at different times but at comparable rates in rangelands of the Americas, Australia, and southern Africa. The objectives of this chapter are to review (1) the process of WPE and its causes, (2) consequences for ecosystem function and the provision of services, and (3) the effectiveness of management interventions aimed at reducing woody cover. Explanations for WPE require consideration of multiple interacting drivers and constraints and their variation through time at a given site. Mean annual precipitation sets an upper limit to woody…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1235828, 0531691, DEB-1235828, 1413900, DEB-1413900, 1557262
• UD
  U.S. Department of Agriculture

  Award: 67019
• NI
  National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• UB
  U.S. Bureau of Land Management