Overgrazing

Overgrazed area in western New South Wales (Australia), by loss of native flora, in the upper right corner

Satellite image of the border between Israel and Egypt. The Egyptian side, to the left, is overgrazed.

Penned goats in an overgrazed landscape (Norte Chico, Chile)

Huge herd of migratory wildebeest in Masai Mara during their annual migration shows landscape not overgrazed

Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, game reserves, or nature reserves. It can also be caused by immobile, travel restricted populations of native or non-native wild animals.

Overgrazing reduces the usefulness, productivity and biodiversity of the land and is one cause of desertification and erosion. Overgrazing is also seen as a cause of the spread of invasive species of non-native plants and of weeds. Degrading land, emissions from animal agriculture and reducing the biomass in an ecosystem contribute directly to climate change between grazing events.