Question

A herd of cattle was moved by a rancher to a different pasture. The carrying capacity of that pasture exceeded is known by the fact that
(a) The herd increased in size
(b) The pasture became overgrazed and barren
(c) The pasture had more grasses
(d) The cows gained weight
(e) The cows had more calves

Answer 1

Hint: Carrying ability is the overall population size of a species that can be sustained for an extended period by a certain climate. Once the population overtakes the carrying capacity, as at this point, pasture begins to decrease.

Complete answer:
A herd of cattle was shifted to a nearby pasture by a rancher. The carrying capacity of that pasture exceeded is known by the fact that the pasture became overgrazed and barren. Too many animals can decrease livestock weight gain, pregnancy rates, and body condition in a management unit or pasture and cause undesired changes in the soil and vegetation.

Additional Information: The amount of grazing animals a piece of land can sustain in the long term while sustaining or enhancing the resources of the rangeland (vegetation, soil, and water) is called carrying capacity.
The ground, vegetation, and soil characteristics decide the carrying ability, not the ground manager. Proper carrying capacity aims to balance all grazing species, both livestock, and wildlife, between long-term forage supply and forage consumption. It is an essential objective of any rangeland inventory or monitoring program to assess carrying capacity and forms the basis of stocking rate decisions.
Besides, a carrying capacity assessment will provide information on potential economic returns from the creation of ranches and forms a basis for ranch valuation in the real estate sector. The actual carrying capacity for any management unit varies over the years because the annual production of forage fluctuates due to variability in both the precipitation and temperature of the annual and growing season.
So, the answer is, “The pasture became overgrazed and barren.”

Note: - Determining carrying capacity and setting a proper stocking rate is the most significant decision for effective range management.
- Regardless of the grazing scheme, matching the number of grazing animals to the forage resource is an important management decision.
- Overgrazing occurs when, for prolonged periods, or without adequate recovery periods, plants are subjected to intense grazing. Either livestock in poorly controlled agricultural applications, game reserves, or nature reserves may be caused by it. It may also be caused by native or non-native wild animals' immobile, travel-restricted populations. It decreases the land's utility, productivity, and biodiversity and is one cause of desertification and erosion. Overgrazing is also seen as a cause of the spread of non-native plants and weeds from invasive species.