Halophytes as a resource for livestock and for rehabilitation of degraded lands

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

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2. Context

   1. Overview of problems and prospects for utilizing halophytes as a resource for livestock and for rehabilitation of degraded lands

      • Victor R. Squires

      Pages 1-6

   2. Global distribution and potential for halophytes

      • James W. O’leary, Edward P. Glenn

      Pages 7-17

   3. Salt affected soils as the ecosystem for halophytes

      • István Szabolcs

      Pages 19-24

3. Utilization of Halophytes

   1. Use of halophyte forages for rehabilitation of degraded lands

      • C. V. Malcolm

      Pages 25-41

   2. Utilization of halophytic plants for fodder production with brackish water in subtropic deserts

      • S. Miyamoto, E. P. Glenn, N. T. Singh

      Pages 43-75

   3. Utilization of halophytes by livestock on rangelands Problems and prospects

      • E. A. Gihad, H. M. EL Shaer

      Pages 77-96

   4. Halophytes in mixed feeds for livestock

      • R. Spencer Swingle, Edward P. Glenn, James J. Riley

      Pages 97-100

4. Regional Overviews

   1. Halophytic shrubs in semi-arid regions of Australia

      • A. D. Wilson

      Pages 101-113

   2. Halophytes and halophytic plant communities in Inner-Asia

      • Zhang Li-Yun, Xia Yang, Zou Yun

      Pages 115-122

   3. Forage halophytes and salt-tolerant fodder crops in the Mediterranean Basin

      • H. N. Le Houérou

      Pages 123-137

   4. Halophytes and halophytic plant communities in the Arab region

      • K. H. Batanouny

      Pages 139-163

   5. North American halophytes: Potential use in animal husbandry

      • E. P. Glenn, J. J. Riley, R. S. Swingle, C. U. Mota, M. C. Watson, V. R. Squires

      Pages 165-174

   6. Halophytes as a resource for livestock husbandry in South America

      • R. E. Brevedan, O. A. Fernández, C. B. Villamil

      Pages 175-199

   7. Halophytic coastal marsh vegetation in East Africa

      • R. K. Ruwa

      Pages 201-210

   8. Halophytes of the Indian desert-communities of the various ‘ranns’

      • S. K. Saxena

      Pages 211-215

   9. Banni grassland and halophytes

      • S. K. Saxena

      Pages 217-222

5. Case Studies from Irrigated Land

   1. Potentials for cultivation of halophytic crops on saline wastelands and sandy deserts in Pakistan to overcome feed gap for grazing animals

      • R. Ahmad, S. Ismail, M. A. Bodla, M. R. Chaudhry

      Pages 223-230

   2. Forage production from salt-affected and water-logged areas in Punjab, Pakistan: A case study

      • M. A. Bodla, M. Shabbir Baig, S. R. A. Shamsi

      Pages 231-234

   3. Prospects for saltbush (Atriplex spp.) as animal feed in irrigated and marginal lands in Sudan

      • Mohommed Ahmed, Mohommed Khair

      Pages 235-237

Desertification (land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting mainly from adverse human impacts) is the main environmental problem of dry lands, which occupy more than 40 per cent of the total global land area. The phenomenon threatens about 3.6 billion hectares and currently affects the livelihood of about 900 million people. Thl! world is now losing annually about 1.5 million hectares of total irrigated lands (240 million hectares) due mostly to salinization, mainly in drylands. Salt affected soils are widely distributed throughout the arid and semi-arid regions, and particularly severe in China (7 million ha), India (20 million ha), Pakistan (3.2 million ha), USA (5.2 million ha), as well as Near East, southern Europe and elsewhere. Demands on production have increased the pressure on existing productive land and moved the limits of production onto increasingly marginal lands. Wise land-use practices have yet to be developed for such conditions. The Executive Director of UNEP reported to the Governing Council in February 1992 concerning the "Status of Desertification and Implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action to Comtat Desertification (PACD)". The Report concludes that major efforts to implement the PACD had gJne into supporting measures rather than concrete corrective field operations. Little evidence of progrl!ss was found in irrigated croplands, rainfed croplands or rangelands. It was recommended that every piece of land should be used in keeping with its ecological characteristics, natural capabilities and constraints.

• biodiversity
• conservation
• plants