Rangelands are the most common form of terrain in both the United States (where it accounts for 61% of all land surface) and the world (70% of all land surface). Rangelands consist primarily of native plant communities managed, typically, for livestock production (Holechek et al. 1998). Because they can embrace extensive native plant communities, rangelands can serve as biodiversity repositories. However, in the Great Plains of the United States, where decisions about land use are made largely at the discretion of the private landowner, many plant and animal species dependent on rangelands are imperiled.
