Measuring the social and ecological performance of agricultural innovations on rangelands: Progress and plans for an indicator framework in the LTAR network

TitleMeasuring the social and ecological performance of agricultural innovations on rangelands: Progress and plans for an indicator framework in the LTAR network
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsSpiegal S., Webb N, Boughton EH, Boughton RK, Brymer ABentley, Clark PE, Collins C D.Holifield, Hoover DL, Kaplan N.E, McCord S, Gwendwr M, Porensky LM, Toledo DP, Wilmer H, Wulfhorst J.D, Bestelmeyer BT
JournalRangelands
Pagination1-11
Date Published1/7/2022
ARIS Log Number387471
KeywordsAgricultural performance indicators, Benchmarks, Collaborative approaches, Coupled human-natural systems, Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR), Sustainable intensification
Abstract

On the Ground
• The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network launched the LTAR Agricultural Performance Indicator Framework to evaluate how agricultural innovations perform relative to sustainable intensification goals in five domains: Environment, Productivity, Economic, Human Condition, and Social.

• Here we describe our progress and plans for measuring the performance of agricultural innovations on rangelands.

• We present a method for measuring outcomes of management innovations against site-specific benchmarks, which can be applied in grazinglands worldwide.

• LTAR typically studies management on fine scales (ecological site, ranch); how to measure effects on broad scales (landscape, community) remains a persistent question.

• LTAR’s Agricultural Performance Indicator Framework will evolve with stakeholder engagement.
URLfiles/bibliography/22-011.pdf
DOI10.1016/j.rala.2021.12.005