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This is a long video but its conclusions help explain something I had thought very odd. There was a study of ice cores that showed a marked increase in the methane levels right at the beginning of the Roman Empire. Those levels fell very (relatively, I suppose) quickly - neither of which made a lot of sense to me. Granted an empire as it grows prosperous - and people start living longer/becoming more urban - needs a higher livestock production, which presumably accounts in part for the increase - but why would the levels then fall? Evidently from the same livestock as the land improves.
I'm presenting this mostly for information. It does strike me that here, if correct, we see a dramatic overturn of established ecological science - something of a warning for the headlong rush into 'consensus'. I realize that's controversial but the idea that livestock can improve land isn't that new. Goat herds are used now commercially for exactly that purpose - and we're beginning to understand something of the incredible complexity of how soil actually works, which is aided by, rather than destroyed by, livestock.
Of course, over grazing is a thing - but that's always poor management, whether in ignorance, or as in Africa, artificially enforced by changing political realities. Herders won't historically deliberately over graze - it's simply bad for their animals and the land and they know - or knew - it.
I think, too, it's a lesson in learning from both history and the people. The guy who has never even heard of a university is still an expert in his own field - often far more so than we are willing to give credit.
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