Soil organisms - Applications to Bureau of Land Management rangeland management

Livestock grazing management on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has evolved from a commodity oriented approach to an ecological approach that still includes sustainability of uses such as live stock grazing. The role of the soil organisms in rangeland management has r eceived little agency attention until recently. The implementation of Stand ards for Rangeland Health in 1997 has focused management attention on soil organisms relative to their roles in nutrient cycling, energy flow, and the hydrologic cycle. The challenge for land managers is to both understand th e functions of soil organisms and to apply this knowledge to improving the health of public rangelands managed by the BLM.