The sustainable development of grassland-livestock systems on the Tibetan plateau: problems, strategies and prospects

Shang, Zhanhuan; Gibb, M. J.; Leiber, Florian; Ismail, Muhammad; Ding, Luming; Guo, Xusheng; Long, Ruijun

doi:10.1071/rj14008

Cited by 124 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Our results suggest that a future wetter climate will be beneficial to rangeland quality, while a future dryer climate could induce forage deficiency. Without efficient adaptation strategies, overgrazing may be more frequent and severe in dryer regions, resulting in accelerated rangeland degradation (Li et al., ; Shang et al., ). Therefore, local governments should pay more attention to balance the stocking rate and forage production in reduced‐precipitation regions on the Tibetan Plateau.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimentally simulating warmer and wetter climate additively improves rangeland quality on the Tibetan Plateau

Zhu

Zhang

et al. 2018

Journal of Applied Ecology

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The vast expanses of rangeland on the Tibetan Plateau, which support the livelihood of c. 9.8 million local inhabitants, have experienced rapid climate warming over the past 50 years. At the same time, precipitation has increased in large parts of the Plateau but decreased in other parts, particularly in the northwest. These trends are predicted to continue into the future. However, their potential effects on rangeland quality remain unclear. We conducted a two‐factor field experiment in which we manipulated temperature (control or warming by 1.5–1.8°C) and precipitation (control or 50% reduction or increase in rainfall) in an alpine grassland on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, starting in 2011. From 2014 to 2016, we measured forage production and community composition, and in 2015 forage quality (crude protein, cell‐soluble contents, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and digestibility) was represented by seven abundant species. Overall, warming did not change total forage production at plant community level, but increased legume production and decreased non‐legume forb production. Increased and reduced precipitation enhanced and decreased forage production by 18.2% and 12.9% respectively. Increased precipitation in particular increased grass and sedge production, but not legume production. Forage quality showed species‐specific responses to the simulated climate changes. At community level, warming and reduced precipitation improved forage quality, which were mainly caused by a shift in community composition towards more legumes, rather than the direct effects of simulated climate changes. Meanwhile, increased precipitation did not reduce forage quality, despite the precipitation‐induced increase in forage production. Integrating forage production and quality into nutrient production as a measure of rangeland quality, we found that warming and increased precipitation additively improved rangeland quality, while reduced precipitation decreased it. Synthesis and applications. Rangeland quality, an important ecosystem provisioning service, will benefit from a warmer climate on the Tibetan Plateau in the regions with a predicted increase in precipitation, but not in those regions where precipitation might be reduced in the future. We suggest management strategies, including reseeding native legumes, establishing sustainable pastures and assisting the exchange of harvested forage, to cope with the challenges posed by these different climate change scenarios.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimentally simulating warmer and wetter climate additively improves rangeland quality on the Tibetan Plateau

Zhu

Zhang

et al. 2018

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…The Chinese government cites overgrazing as a major cause of grassland degradation on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (Harris , Shang et al. ); however, Harris () clearly questioned those official assumptions about the causes of Tibetan grassland degradation. According to the government Forestry Bureau in 2010, overgrazing rates were estimated as follows: 38% (Tibet), 25% (Qinghai), 37% (Sichuan), and 36% (Gansu; Zhang et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing management options for restoration of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

et al. 2018

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In an attempt to alleviate the problem of grassland degradation on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau in China, state and local authorities in 2003, initiated the “Retire Livestock and Restore Pastures” ecological engineering program, requiring the use of enclosure fencing to enable grazing exclusion and rotational grazing. A five‐year controlled grazing experiment was conducted to determine the effects of this program on (1) sheep live weight gain; and (2a) standing herbage biomass; and (2b) species diversity. Effects of temporal within‐year variation in precipitation and temperature on livestock productivity, standing herbage biomass, and species diversity were also investigated. At the end of 5 yr, grazing exclusion showed no significant difference in standing herbage biomass or in species diversity, compared with either continuous grazing or rotational grazing. Rotational grazing at the high stocking rate significantly promoted sheep live weight gain per hectare, but not per sheep; neither standing herbage biomass, nor species diversity, whether under continuous (i.e., traditional) or rotational grazing, showed a significant difference. Under rotational grazing, higher standing herbage biomass and species diversity were required to maintain or increase sheep liveweight, compared with continuous grazing. Temporal distribution of precipitation and temperature had more influence on alpine grassland parameters, than did grazing. Results of this study suggest that herders’ local traditional knowledge and expertise might be useful in modifying Government guidelines to fine tune grazing management with the dynamics of the alpine meadow ecosystem, and that it is important to consider equilibrium and non‐equilibrium theory in formulating a policy which benefits both herders and grassland. Traditional continuous grazing at a carefully chosen light stocking rate appears to be the most appropriate way to manage livestock and grassland in this region.

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“…Consequently, nutrition levels for livestock have declined, resulting in reduced quantities of high-quality milk being produced per animal. For example, on the Tibetan steppe region of Tianzhu (Gansu Province), a woman milks an average of four yaks daily and each yak produces only 1.5-2 kg of milk per day, which is considerably less than what was produced twenty years ago (Long et al 2008, Shang et al 2014. Zhu et al (2015) concluded that 'reducing stocking rates on heavily grazed grasslands of Northern China to moderate grazing levels would enhance NEE, and benefit biomass and animal production'.…”

Section: Carbon Management By Women Through Animal Products In Alpinementioning

confidence: 97%

Role of Tibetan Women in Carbon Balance in the Alpine Grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau. A Review

Shang¹,

White²,

Degen³

et al. 2016

Nomadic Peoples

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Males and females often contribute differently to the ecosystem as a result of their different roles and labour responsibilities. This is especially true in remote areas like the Tibetan alpine grasslands, where women handle most household chores and agricultural labour. Within this framework, women are involved physically in carbon balance to a much greater extent than are men. The collection and use of livestock dung for fuel (dung-fuel) and the production of livestock commodities are two female activities that are extremely important in the carbon cycle in grassland ecosystems. More than ninety per cent of fuel in the alpine grassland areas in China comes from livestock dung, which is collected and burnt by women. In addition, animal carbon leaves the grassland ecosystems through the selling of milk products by women. The burning of dung reduces the use of fossil fuels and wood in alpine areas, but causes severe indoor air pollution in homes and greatly increases health risks, mainly among women. Women should receive more education on and made aware of these dangers. Because of their heavy work load and busy time schedule, however, Tibetan women have little time for other activities. Consequently, their education is at an extremely poor level and their health issues are often neglected. Steps should be taken to improve the status of women in the community, involve them more in decision-making, promote their education and health standards, and encourage more gender equality in agricultural labour tasks. These changes for women have been implemented in other pastoral societies and have proven to be successful.From the pre-industrial period to 2010, the atmospheric concentration of CO 2 has increased by thirty-nine per cent, from 280 ppm to 390 ppm. This

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The sustainable development of grassland-livestock systems on the Tibetan plateau: problems, strategies and prospects

Cited by 124 publications

References 69 publications

Experimentally simulating warmer and wetter climate additively improves rangeland quality on the Tibetan Plateau

Experimentally simulating warmer and wetter climate additively improves rangeland quality on the Tibetan Plateau

Grazing management options for restoration of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

Role of Tibetan Women in Carbon Balance in the Alpine Grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau. A Review

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