component of the local livelihoods’ subsistence and source of
employment, and it contributes significantly to national dairy-milk
production (Ravera et al. 2011). Within this relatively small region,
a variety of pastoral management practices is found that respond to
multiple environmental rationalities (Ravera et al., 2014). New
regulation rules in management practices of grasslands were
introduced at the beginning of the 1990s when the area was
declared “Terrestrial Protected Landscape”, such as the restriction
in the use of fire (MARENA, 2004).
The soils in the semi-arid plateau are classified as Entic Udic
Haplusterts and Typic Haplustults (SSS, 2006). Table 1 summarises
general soil characteristics of vertisol, the major soil type in the
studied area. The soil development is influenced by a strongly
contrasted seasonal climate. During the wet winter season, the soil
remains in saturated conditions and becomes completely dry and
desiccated throughout the soil profile in the summer season.
Expandable smectite clay minerals (montmorillonites) are
responsible for the repetitive expansion and shrinkage accompanying
flood/drought cycles and generate deep cracks and gilgai
micro-relief. Note should be taken of the high amount of organic
carbon in the soil surface (3.1%). The high Cation-Exchange Capacity
(CEC)/clay ratio (1.7) indicates that smectite is the major contributor
to the elevated CEC values (39.7 meq 100 g1). This result
shows that soils in the studied area have high fertility, but only if
they have been managed adequately (IUSS Working Group WRB.,
2006).