The Brittleness scale by Alan Savory

The Savory brittleness scale is used to describe the annual distribution of humidity in a particular environment. It was developed by Allan Savory, a Zimbabwean biologist. The scale is used in land management because the distribution of humidity affects the way that land, particularly when degraded, responds to being rested. The scale is designed to be used to guide the management of cattle or livestock in the maintenance and restoration of land that is brittle or subject to desertification

Effect of Brittleness:

While total rainfall is important for understanding the ability of an area to be productive during the growing season, brittleness is proposed to give an indication of the ability of insects and bacteria to degrade dead plant material throughout the year. A brittle environment may be characterized by grasses which grew during the rainy season and which died during periods of extended dryness and are still standing at the time the rains return. This lack of decay means the dead grasses shade new plant growth, reducing the productivity of the area during the rainy season.

Non-brittle lands, such as rain forests, recover quickly after they are cleared, whether or not they are rested from grazing. Continuous availability of moisture promotes a continuous cycle of the growth, death and decomposition of new plants, so space is made for following generations.

At the other end of the scale are brittle and very brittle lands. If left rested after being cleared these lands often recover only very slowly