each state during the interviews with local users and validated
through transect walks with key informants. Six ecological states
were identified by local farmers, four of which (states 1, 3, 4 and 5)
were characterised through ecological sampling. This led to more
detailed descriptions of the main states, including species composition.
The model specifically included information on possible
warning signals and features of land degradation in pastoral systems
(e.g. bush encroachment) according to local users.