What occurs when too many animals graze for too long on a given area, thus exceeding the carrying capacity of vegetation on the rangelands?
Explanation
Answer: C - Overgrazing occurs when too many animals graze for too long on a given area, thus exceeding the carrying capacity of vegetation on the rangelands.
Key Takeaway: Rangelands are extremely important land for livestock and wildlife survival, supplying land for vegetation for grass- and shrub-eating animals. In the United States, about 25 percent of the land is rangelands, most of it privately-owned. Rangelands for foraging can include shrub-lands, grasslands, prairies, lands along streams and rivers, open woodlands, desert scrub, and arctic tundra. Many of these lands are in danger of overgrazing, when too many animals graze for too long on a given area. Overgrazing can lead to massive amounts of erosion and nutrient-depletion of the soil.
