An international study involving Agrotecnio explores how to develop a harmonised monitoring framework to generate comparable data on rangeland ecosystems and better inform their management and restoration.
An international study involving Agrotecnio, published in the scientific journal Cambridge Prisms: Drylands, examines the current challenges in monitoring rangeland ecosystem health at a global scale. The study reviews different monitoring methodologies and explores how to move towards a harmonised framework that can provide more representative and comparable data on the condition of these ecosystems and how they change over time.
Rangeland ecosystems cover approximately half of the Earth’s land surface and play a fundamental role in biodiversity conservation, water cycle regulation, carbon storage and the livelihoods of millions of people. Despite their importance, they have historically received less attention than other ecosystems, such as forests, in conservation and restoration policies. This lack of attention is also reflected in monitoring systems, which remain fragmented and poorly harmonised.
The study reviews twenty years of experience with the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF), a methodology developed to assess soil health, land degradation and vegetation diversity. The LDSF is based on a systematic sampling design and standardised protocols that enable the collection of comparable data on different soil properties and vegetation characteristics. Combined with satellite data, this information makes it possible to produce maps showing ecosystem conditions, identify degraded areas and monitor changes over time. It also helps assess the outcomes of management and restoration interventions.
The article highlights the potential of the LDSF methodology, which has been implemented in more than 40 countries, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. However, a review of other monitoring systems reveals significant differences in the indicators and methods used to assess rangeland ecosystem health. This lack of harmonisation makes it difficult to compare results across territories and monitor changes in these ecosystems at a global scale.
Agrotecnio researcher Aida Bargués Tobella explains: “We cannot know whether rangeland ecosystems are degrading or recovering, or whether restoration interventions are working, unless we have reliable and comparable data. The challenge is to move towards common monitoring criteria that allow us to understand changes at a global scale without losing sight of the specific characteristics of each territory.”
The authors propose developing a harmonised monitoring framework based on a common set of core indicators that would enable comparisons at a global scale, complemented by additional indicators tailored to the characteristics and needs of each territory. This approach would provide more comprehensive and comparable information to guide land management and the restoration of degraded ecosystems, as well as to assess and communicate progress towards national and international sustainability and restoration targets.
The study also highlights the need to expand monitoring beyond traditional soil and vegetation indicators by incorporating aspects such as hydrological processes, fauna diversity, and the knowledge and perspectives of local communities. This would provide a more comprehensive understanding of rangeland ecosystem health.
More information:
- Winowiecki, L. A., Bargués-Tobella, A., Takoutsing, B., Ahmad, M. N., Ademola, D. A., Ateku, D., Bayala, J., Chacha, R., Magaju, C., Mwangi, L., Onkware, B., Robinson, N., Toure, I., Trautman, S., Valli, R., Weullow, E., & Vågen, T. G. (2026). Toward a global monitoring framework of soil and rangeland health: Building on 20 years of the LDSF. Cambridge Prisms: Drylands, 3, e25. https://doi.org/10.1017/dry.2026.10040
- Winowiecki, L. A., & Tobella, A. B. (2026, September 7). Towards a Global Monitoring Framework of Soil and Rangeland Health: Building on 20 years of the LDSF [Video recording]. Cassyni. Real World Challenges Seminar Series, September 7, 2026. https://doi.org/10.52843/cassyni.my7szk
Photografh: Kevin Trautman – ICRAF