Solving the Beef

The nonprofit Asombro Institute for Science Education and the Southwest Sustainable Beef Project have released a fun, educational game: Solving the Beef. Our game was developed to support at home high school instruction due to school closures in response to the health crisis. Solving the Beef inspires wonder about agricultural science and New Mexico’s ecosystems.
The game is based on the Sustainable Southwestern Beef Project, in which scientists are studying supply chain options, precision ranching, and heritage genetics for Raramuri Criollo cattle. These topics inspired the game’s current four scenarios: Precision Ranching Tools, Criollo Cattle, Grass-Fed Labeling, and Movement & Rangeland. Scenarios are based on the latest information from the project and were reviewed by a project scientist.
Players randomly choose scenario and constraint cards. The teams have a time limit to think of the problem presented by the constraint for the chosen scenario and then brainstorm as many solutions as possible. After the time has expired, teams alternately suggest solutions. Each unique solution earns a point, and after all solutions have been offered, the team with the most points wins.
For example, if players choose Precision Ranching Tools and the Cost constraint, a player could state that it would be very expensive to set up LoRa and GPS equipment. To “solve the beef,” players would then come up with ways to lower cost, increase revenue, or otherwise minimize the impact of the cost on getting these tools for ranching.
This game encourages players to think broadly, innovatively, and creatively. It also aligns with the high school Next Generation Science Standard (HS-ETS1-3): “Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, and reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.” We look forward to hearing about solutions that students propose, and we will share these possible solutions with the project’s science and extension teams. Over the next four years, the game will be updated regularly, adding scenarios as additional information is published in this study.
Though designed for high school students, adults and younger students have also been playing this game. It’s fun for novices and experts alike. Visit the website (www.asombro.org/solvingthebeef) for all you need to start Solving the Beef too!
By Emilia Linley
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Riparian/Bosque:

Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) forests or Bosques are unique and biodiverse riparian forests. Bosques occur primarily along high floodplains in riparian ecosystems below 1200 m in elevation. Today, bosques are composed of dense stands of small young trees. Mesquite is the dominant overstory species with a variety of small shrubs and herbaceous plants making up the understory. With a deep root system almost reaching the water table and a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Mesquite is a highly productive species promoting biodiversity and providing habitat to wildlife. With this high biodiversity, Mesquite Bosques has a higher density of breeding bird species than any other habitat in the southwest (Stromberg, 1993).

Species Composition

There are three native mesquite species found in the Bosques of the southwest; honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and velvet mesquite (P. velutina) which are in riparian and upland ecosystems and screwbean mesquite or tornillo (P. pubescens) which is restricted to riparian ecosystems and floodplains. Less than 25% of overstory trees in bosques are species other than mesquite (Stromberg, 1993) mainly including cottonwood and willow species (Carothers et al., 2020) (table x). Bosques have a middle stratum comprised of vine and shrub species and an herbaceous understory (Stromberg, 1993).

Table 4. Bosque Overstory Vegetation Species. Adapted from Stromberg (1993)

Common Name Scientific Name
Honey mesquiteProsopis glandulosa
Velvet mesquiteProsopis velutina
Screwbean mesquite/tornilloProsopis pubescens
Fremont cottonwoodPopulus fremontii
Goodding willowSalix gooddingii
Catclaw acaciaAcacia gregii Gray
Netleaf hackberryCeltis reticulata
Blue palo verdeCercidium floridum
Arizona walnutJuglans major
Texas muberryMorus microphylla
Desert willowChilopsis linearis
Velvet AshFraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh, ssp. velutina
Mexican elderSambucus mexicana
SoapberrySapindus saponariaL. var. drummondii


Historical Conditions

Historically, Bosques were the most abundant riparian forest type in the southwest. At one point, these forests occupied floodplains and often spanned hundreds of kilometers along rivers such as the Gila and Colorado (Stromberg, 1993). Today, bosques are significantly reduced to remnants as anthropogenic changes have eliminated or significantly reduced this forest type. Many species rely on Bosques so this reduction in forest area, has also led to a loss of other plant and animal species (Carothers et al., 2020; Stromberg, 1993).

Climate Impacts 

Human activities such as groundwater pumping, land clearing, and livestock grazing threaten Southwestern Bosques. Few bosques remain and few to none are in pristine condition (Stromberg, 1993). Despite the significant decline from historic composition, Bosques are well-adapted to arid environments. Mesquites have Dimorphic root with a deep tap root that reach alluvial aquifers and lateral roots that reach surface water and flooding (Leenhouts et al., 2006), allow them to replace willow and cottonwood in these systems (Carothers et al., 2020) escape seasonal droughts by storing viable seeds in seed banks, long life span (Stromberg, 1993).