An integrated framework to detect soil degradation under Brazilian rangelands

On the Ground • Detection of degraded rangelands is crucial for managing livestock areas but is complex as degradation is inherently related to soil quality, which in turn depends on the parent geologic material. • Complexity applies both to field and remote-sensing parameters used as indicators of degradation. • The vast majority of methods used to detect rangeland degradation ignore the role of geology and, hence, produce misleading results. • We propose an integrated approach based on various field and remotely sensed parameters, with a segmented application to different geologic types, which produced high-accuracy detection of degraded pastures in a region of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. • Besides this novel and significant advance in the accurate detection of degraded rangelands, our study is justified because of its application to a country where degraded pastures reach nearly 100 Mha and is also a world livestock producer.