What is the main cause of grassland degradation? A case study of grassland ecosystem service in the middle-south Inner Mongolia

Wang, Zhan; Deng, Xiangzheng; Song, Wei; Li, Zhihui; Chen, Jiancheng

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2016.11.014

Cited by 139 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The EcoC-G model used in this study is a newly developed model. It is developed from the repast example sugar model; the structure and method functions have referenced the mature agent-based models, including Bai et al's model [3] and Yan et al's model [10]. It is presented in accordance with the ODD + D (Overview, Design Concepts, Details, and Human Decision-making) protocol [46].…”

Section: Ecoc-g Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Inner Mongolia, which is a vulnerable ecological region in China, the problems mentioned above also exist [7,8]. Over the past 30 years, pasture has been utilized intensively, with continuous overgrazing in the area to meet the requirements of the increasing population and the changing lifestyle from a traditional nomadic style to a modern settled-down style [9], which has resulted in unprecedented overgrazing and tremendous land degradation [10]. From 1985 to 1999, the degraded steppe in the Xilin River Basin of Inner Mongolia increased to 7689.3 km 2 , which comprised 72% of the whole Basin [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Agent-Based Modeling of Sustainable Ecological Consumption for Grasslands: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China

et al. 2019

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Sustainable ecosystem services consumption is of vital importance to the survival and development of human society. How to balance the conflicts between ecosystem protection and ecosystem services consumption by local residents has been a serious challenge, especially in ecologically vulnerable areas. To explore the reasonable ecosystem services consumption approaches of grassland ecosystems for sustainable land system management, this study takes Hulun Buir of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as a case study region and develops an EcoC-G (ecological consumption of grassland) model based on herders’ livelihood behaviors using the agent-based model technique to simulate the dynamics of ecosystem pressure, livestock production, and living quality of herders under different grassland management scenarios over the next 30 years. The EcoC-G model links the supply and consumption of grassland ecosystem services by calculating the ecosystem net primary productivity (NPP) supply and household NPP consumption. The model includes three sub-models, namely, the individual status transferring sub-model, the households’ grassland-use decision sub-model, and the ecosystem pressure sub-model. In accordance with multi-objective grassland management practices, the following four land management scenarios were simulated: (1) baseline scenario, (2) increasing household’s living standard, (3) ecosystem protection, and (4) balancing living standard improvement with the protection of the ecosystem. The result indicates that by focusing on the NPP supply and consumption of the grassland ecosystem, the EcoC-G is capable of simulating the impacts of herders’ livelihood behaviors on grassland ecosystems. If timely grassland management strategies are implemented, it is possible to relieve the ecosystem pressure and improve the livelihood of local herders. The specific scenario simulation results are: (1) Under the current grassland management mode, the pasture could never be overgrazed, and herders could achieve the basic living standard, but the accumulated wealth decreased due to the decline of livestock. (2) With grazing control, herders can accumulate wealth by increasing the breeding amount and reducing the marketing rate, but the ecosystem consumption pressure can reach a maximum of 2.3 times. (3) With strict restrictions on the livestock number, the pressure on the ecosystem decreases; however, herders might not achieve basic living standards. (4) Modest regulation leads to rational ecological consumption intervals, meaning the ecosystem pressure will become stable and herders can gradually accumulate wealth with the achievement of basic living standards in advance.

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Section: Ecoc-g Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agent-Based Modeling of Sustainable Ecological Consumption for Grasslands: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China

et al. 2019

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“…Bunch grass and rhizome grass grasslands are the most common types and are widely distributed in this region (Kang et al, 2007). However, because overgrazing has caused severe grassland degradation over the past decades, (Wang, Deng, Song, Li, & Chen, 2017), long-term fencing has been widely implemented.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Litter accumulation alters the abiotic environment and drives community successional changes in two fenced grasslands in Inner Mongolia

Hou

Changcheng

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Fencing is an effective and practical method for restoring degraded grasslands in northern China. However, little is known about the role of excess litter accumulation due to long‐term fencing in regulating abiotic environment and driving changes in community structure and function. We conducted a three‐year field experiment in two fenced grasslands in Inner Mongolia, and monitored light quantity, soil temperature, and soil moisture continuously, and determined community height, community aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), and the relative dominance of different plant functional groups. Litter accumulation reduced light quantity and soil temperature but increased soil moisture. The regulating effects of litter accumulation on soil temperature and soil moisture fluctuated temporally and gradually weakened over the growing season. Litter accumulation also altered community vertical structure and function by increasing community height and ANPP. The increase in soil moisture increased the relative dominance of rhizome grasses but suppressed bunch grasses, thereby shifting bunch grass grasslands to rhizome grass grasslands. Our findings provide a potential mechanism for community succession in the context of litter accumulation in fenced grasslands and indicate that the vegetation and ecosystem services of degraded grasslands are improved after appropriate fencing.

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“…In the context of global warming, the hydrological cycle is undergoing many changes [1][2][3][4], and it profoundly affects the function and stability of the terrestrial ecosystem [5,6]. These transitions are particularly prominent in the arid and semi-arid regions [7,8], thereby exacerbating water scarcity in inland river basins [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Alpine Precipitation and Their Vertical Differentiation: A Case Study from the Upper Shule River

Qing-feng

Gao²

2017

Water

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Abstract:Alpine precipitation is an important component of the mountain hydrological cycle and may also be a determinant of water resources in inland river basins. In this study, based on field observation data of the upper Shule River and daily precipitation records of the Tuole weather station during 2009-2015, temporal distribution characteristics of alpine precipitation and their vertical differentiation were evaluated mainly using percentages of precipitation anomalies (Pa), coefficient of variation (Cv), precipitation concentration degree (PCD) and concentration period (PCP). The results indicated that the inter-annual variability of annual precipitation was generally small, with a Pa that was only somewhat larger in low altitude zones for individual years; the inter-annual fluctuation of monthly precipitation increased noticeably, but the Cv and precipitation can be described as a power function. Annual distribution was basically consistent; more than 85.6% of precipitation was concentrated during the period from May to September; PCD ranged between 0.71 and 0.83 while the PCP was located within the 37th-41st pentads. Diurnal variation of precipitation was defined, mainly occurring from 1500 to 0100 Local Standard Time, and displayed a vertical change that was dominated by precipitation intensity or precipitation frequency. The temporal distribution of alpine precipitation has a noticeable vertical differentiation, and this is likely to originate from the diversity of precipitation mechanisms in mountainous terrain areas.

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What is the main cause of grassland degradation? A case study of grassland ecosystem service in the middle-south Inner Mongolia

Cited by 139 publications

References 38 publications

Agent-Based Modeling of Sustainable Ecological Consumption for Grasslands: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China

Agent-Based Modeling of Sustainable Ecological Consumption for Grasslands: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China

Litter accumulation alters the abiotic environment and drives community successional changes in two fenced grasslands in Inner Mongolia

Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Alpine Precipitation and Their Vertical Differentiation: A Case Study from the Upper Shule River

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