Viewpoint on objectives, boundaries, and rangeland carrying capacity

Abstract

This paper de-analyses a recent paper by Roe (1997, J. Range Manage., 50:467-472) entitled Viewpoint: On Rangeland Carrying Capacity. This response to that paper: (1) examines and demonstrates the importance of defining objectives and boundaries in management, science, management science and art, (2), reaffirms an earlier, objective-based concept of carrying capacity applicable to general systems and to models of them, and (3) implores minimal use of unnecessary jargon in range management science.