Functions and services of woody plant encroachment in the territory of rangeland users

Most rangleands and grasslands around the world are changing and transitioning to new emerging ecosystems under the influence of many factors. The abundance or relative dominance of herbaceous plants and woody vegetation in these ecosystems has been very dynamic in different time scales. Over the past several decades, there has been a shift toward increasing abundance of woody vegetation worldwide.The aim of the research: Woody plant encroachment (WPE) in many rangeland and grasslands of the world, causes changes in ecosystem functions, goods and services in the affected areas compared to the services that were previously available in the region and creates new services that are unknown to some extent.

This study, reviews related research and identifies the functions, goods and services resulting from this phenomenon in these ecosystems.The geographical scope of the research: Living factors, including woody plants and non-living factors such as climate and soil in the territory of the distribution of woody plants and the geography of the presence of nomads and herders, have different effects on regulating exchanges between ecosystem responses to this phenomenon.

Considering the extent and effects caused by the occurrence of the phenomenon of WPE , identifying the functions, goods and services resulting from this phenomenon are of special importance that should be given special attention.

Following the WPE phenomenon, through identifying these goods, services, functions and benefits with regard to the replaced species, it is possible to take advantage of the potentials resulting from new functions, goods and services in order to improve the management and livelihood of local communities and rangeland users with paying attention to the size of the land and the affected population.