Grasslands are an important natural resource in Nebraska providing critical ecosystem services, for example, supporting the local cattle\beef production by forage production. To achieve the goal of developing adaptive grazing management strategies and operating adaptive grazing systems in Nebraska, it is necessary to understand the forage production patterns and dynamics. This presentation describes trends in forage production, responses of forage production to weather factors and management, and effects of forage condition on cattle grazing, through monitoring and assessing forage production on grazed grasslands in Nebraska.

Quadrat-sampling data, drone-based remotely sensed data, and cattle GPS collar data are used in studies of this dissertation. Results of this dissertation are informative for shaping adaptive grazing management strategies in Nebraska, which provides knowledge and improves our understanding of forage production patterns in grazed grasslands in the face of climate change, various grassland management practices and grazing activities.