Exploratory analyses of local institutions for climate change adaptation in the Mongolian grasslands: An agent-based modeling approach

There has been a decrease in grazing mobility in the Mongolian grasslands over the past decades. Sedentary grazing with substantial external inputs has increased the cost of livestock production. As a result, the livelihoods of herders have become more vulnerable to climate variability and change. Sedentary grazing is the formal institutional arrangement in Inner Mongolia, China. However, this may not be an efficient institutional arrangement for climate change adaptation. Self-organized local institutions for climate change adaptation have emerged and are under development in the study area. In this study, we did exploratory analyses of multiple local institutions for climate change adaptation in the Mongolian grasslands, using an agent-based modeling approach. Empirical studies from literature and our field work show that sedentary grazing, pasture rental markets, and reciprocal pasture-use groups are three popular institutional arrangements in the study area. First, we modeled the social–ecological performance (i.e., livelihood benefits to herders and grassland quality) of these institutions and their combinations under different climate conditions. Second, we did exploratory analyses of multiple social mechanisms for facilitating and maintaining cooperative use of pastures among herders. The modeling results show that in certain value-ranges of some model parameters with assumed values, reciprocal pasture-use groups had better performance than pasture rental markets; and the comparative advantage of cooperative use of pastures over sedentary grazing without cooperation becomes more evident with the increase in drought probability. Agent diversity and social norms were effective for facilitating the development of reciprocal pasture-use groups. Kin selection and punishments on free-riders were useful for maintaining cooperation among herders.     

适应性治理与气候变化：内蒙古草原案例分析与对策探讨

适应性治理通过边学边做,针对各地方的社会经济条件、自然生态系统、地方知识文化等基本特征,基于一个动态、自下而上和自组织的过程不断测试和修正制度安排与知识体系,形成一个旨在解决实际问题的循环过程。通过内蒙古3个地区案例的对比分析研究,基于对其气候变化风险和社会脆弱性的评估,发现其在气候变化影响下形成的不同程度的社会脆弱性正是源于不同的草原利用机制和基于此的社会合作机制。正是因为3个案例地的牧民有着不同的社会资本和社会记忆,所以他们面对极端天气导致的自然灾害时,采取了不同的应对方式,有的牧户可以依赖于社会资本移动牲畜来渡过难关,有的牧户则可以在嘎查范围内重启社会记忆,通过合理安排草场利用和移动牲畜提高自身的抗灾能力,而有的牧户则只能通过买草料独立抗灾。这样不同的结果有力证明了适应性治理在提升这些地区气候变化应对能力方面的必要性和可行性。在地区层面引入适应性治理,可以满足各利益相关方的需求,有利于自然、社会及管理的多学科协同,与“未来地球计划”的协同设计、协同实施和协同推广理念不谋而合,是“未来地球”思想在气候变化适应研究中的实践。     

内蒙古高原中部主要气候因子及地表覆盖对沙尘暴影响分析

通过对内蒙古中部不同地表覆盖类型和土地利用方式下降水、气温、0 cm地温等气候因子和地表植被对沙尘暴频率和强度的影响分析, 认为:气温、降水等气候因子与地表植被覆盖对沙尘暴频率和强度的影响不具有普遍性, 降水影响相对明显, 地表植被覆盖的影响仅在农牧交错区和牧区草甸草原亚区表现明显。通过防治荒漠化来减少沙尘暴的危害需要因地制宜, 农牧交错区应该是植被恢复的重点区域。     

内蒙古草地类型与生物量气候区划

根据内蒙古自治区1961—2007年107个气象站资料,利用梯度距离平方反比法,推算出内蒙古自治区湿润度的千米网格数据图形。结合内蒙古实际植被类型的分布规律,确定了内蒙古5种草原类型和6个产草量等级的气候区划指标。利用得到的气候区划指标,对湿润度栅格数据进行分级,绘制了内蒙古自治区天然草原草地类型和产草量地理分布的区划图。应用2007—2009年65个野外考察样点数据和2004—2008年49个生态观测站点的数据,对气候区划结果进行了可靠性验证,分析表明:内蒙古草原类型区划结果和实际的草原类型分布具有较好的一致性,可以用于内蒙古草原气候区划。针对各分区进行评述,并提出了合理布局的对策建议,研究结果可为内蒙古自治区农业结构调整及畜牧业生产优化布局提供参考。     

Cross-boundary and cross-level dynamics increase vulnerability to severe winter disasters (dzud) in Mongolia

Dzud is the Mongolian term for a severe winter weather disaster. With global change dzud may increase in frequency and intensity, placing livestock and livelihoods at risk. We conducted in-depth case studies of dzud impacts and responses in two mountain-steppe and two Gobi desert-steppe districts in Mongolia. We used focus groups, key informant interviews, a household survey and photovoice to document individual and community experiences with dzud and identify the factors that make some households and communities more vulnerable to dzud and others less so. We found that dzud is a complex social–ecological phenomenon and vulnerability to dzud is a function of interacting physical, biological, socio-economic and institutional factors. Vulnerability was affected by factors within and interactions between communities as well as cross-level dynamics. Communities that are well prepared for dzud at the household level may suffer disproportionate losses if exposure is increased by in-migrating livestock from other districts. Relief aid that helps prevent loss of life, suffering and impoverishment in the short-term may contribute to long-term dependence syndromes, social disparities, and lack of initiative on the part of both herders and local government. Based on our findings, we recommend that dzud policies and programs promote: (1) increased individual responsibility for disaster preparedness; (2) greater cooperation and communication on disaster planning and response among different actors within communities and across governance levels; (3) sustained and scaled out investment in building local capacity for collective action through formal herder organizations; and (4) effective cross-level institutions to manage pastoral movements and pastures.     

Vulnerability of the Asian Typical Steppe to Grazing and Climate Change

The vulnerability of grassland vegetation in Inner Mongolia to climate change and grazing was examined using an ecosystem model. Grazing is an important form of land use in this region, yet there are uncertainties as to how it will be affected by climate change. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to study the effects of increased minimum and maximum temperatures, ambient and elevated CO₂, increased or decreased precipitation, and grazing on vegetation production. Simulations showed that herbaceous above ground net primary production was most sensitive to changes in precipitation levels. Combinations of increased precipitation, temperature, and CO₂ had synergistic effects on herbaceous production, however drastic increases in these climate scenarios left the system vulnerable to shifts from herbaceous to shrub-dominated vegetation when grazed. Reduced precipitation had a negative effect on vegetation growth rates, thus herbaceous growth was not sustainable with moderate grazing. Shifts in temporal biomass patterns due to changed climate have potentially significant implications for grazing management, which will need to be altered under changing climate to maintain system stability.     

Climate Variability and Land-use Change in Danangou Watershed, China—Examples of Small-Scale Farmers' Adaptation

With global concern on climate change impacts, developing countries are given special attention due their susceptibility. In this paper, change and variability in climate, land use and farmers' perception, adaptation and response to change are examined in Danangou watershed in the Chinese Loess Plateau. The first focus is to look at how climate data recorded at meteorological stations recently have evolved, and how farmers perceived these changes. Further, we want to see how the farmers respond and adapt to climate variability and what the resulting impact on land use is. Finally, other factors causing change in land use are considered. Local precipitation and temperature instrumental data and interview data from farmers were used. The instrumental data shows that the climate is getting warmer and drier, the latter despite large interannual variability. The trend is seen on the local and regional level. Farmers' perception of climatic variability corresponds well with the data record. During the last 20 years, the farmers have become less dependent on agriculture by adopting a more diversified livelihood. This adaptation makes them less vulnerable to climate variability. It was found that government policies and reforms had a stronger influence on land use than climate variability. Small-scale farmers should therefore be considered as adaptive to changing situations, planned and non-consciously planned.     

Riders under storms: Contributions of nomadic herders’ observations to analysing climate change in Mongolia

Predictions of climate change and its impacts are highly uncertain at regional and local levels. Downscaled models often operate with a too coarse scale and look at standard parameters that may be irrelevant to resource-dependent people. This article argues that a more robust analysis and prediction of climate change at local levels can be inferred from the integration of local people's observation of change with meteorological records and models.The example proposed here is the analysis of climate change in the desert-steppe region of Mongolia. While regional models and local analyses agree that Mongolia has become warmer, predictions either ignore or are contradictory about the changes in precipitations and sand storms. The Mongolian pastoral nomads on the other hand identify longer and more intense droughts and sand storms as the most important recent climatic changes, relevant to their livelihoods. In addition, they record detailed changes in the precipitations regime. Thus, they are unequivocal that rains have become patchy – ‘silk embroidery rains’ – (forcing pastoralists to move farther and more frequently), more intense (thus less effective due to runoff) and that summer rains are delayed (reducing the growing season).The observations of the pastoralists can only partly be investigated in light of meteorological records due to different parameters observed by the two systems. Nevertheless, additional evidence derived from the analysis of meteorological records resonates with the perceptions of the herders and adds elements for further investigation. This combined evidence suggests that due to a southern shift of the East Asian Monsoon, rains in southern Mongolia rely on re-circulated local moisture, leading to large-scale droughts and in turn more frequent sand storms.The analysis provided herein shows that combining the two knowledge systems (local people's observations and climatology) holds the potential to provide more reliant and relevant investigations of climate change and allow for better planned adaptations.     

Adaptation to climate change and variability: farmer responses to intra-seasonal precipitation trends in South Africa

We describe the nature of recent (50 year) rainfall variability in the summer rainfall zone, South Africa, and how variability is recognised and responded to on the ground by farmers. Using daily rainfall data and self-organising mapping (SOM) we identify 12 internally homogeneous rainfall regions displaying differing parameters of precipitation change. Three regions, characterised by changing onset and timing of rains, rainfall frequencies and intensities, in Limpopo, North West and KwaZulu Natal provinces, were selected to investigate farmer perceptions of, and responses to, rainfall parameter changes. Village and household level analyses demonstrate that the trends and variabilities in precipitation parameters differentiated by the SOM analysis were clearly recognised by people living in the areas in which they occurred. A range of specific coping and adaptation strategies are employed by farmers to respond to climate shifts, some generic across regions and some facilitated by specific local factors. The study has begun to understand the complexity of coping and adaptation, and the factors that influence the decisions that are taken.     

2008年2月29日影响内蒙古西部地区一次沙尘天气过程分析

利用常规观测资料和MICAPS提供的相关资料,对2008年2月29日至3月1日在我区阿拉善盟、巴彦淖尔市西部、鄂尔多斯市西部发生的区域性沙尘暴天气的环流形势及物理量进行分析。分析表明:(1)本次沙尘暴过程基本属于蒙古气旋和干冷锋混合型,有利的气候背景是本次沙尘暴的基础。(2)影响这次沙尘暴天气的高空急流主要是250hPa附近的西风急流,较强西风急流通过动量下传引起地面大风,造成地面减压,促进了蒙古气旋的发展,从而促进了沙尘暴的发展。(3)在40～45°N,95～109°E整层强烈辐合、上升造成很强的抽吸作用可导致强烈辐合,在近地面形成大风和沙尘的扬起提供了较好的条件。     

放牧强度对内蒙古半干旱草原地气间能量和物质交换的影响

利用涡度相关技术, 于2006年7月27日至8月10日在内蒙古半干旱草原三种放牧强度的下垫面进行微气象观测。本文分析了放牧强度对内蒙古半干旱草原地气间能量和物质交换的影响, 发现: (1)放牧降低植被覆盖率, 使地表反射率增大。(2)放牧使潜热通量减小。而放牧强度最大的锡林河河道潜热通量最大,表明土壤水分状况是半干旱草原地表能量收支的决定性因素。(3)羊草和冬季放牧观测点日平均CO2通量分别为-1.92 g?m-2?d-1和0.73 g?m-2?d-1, 表明放牧可以使草地由CO2的汇转变为源。锡林河河道为CO2的汇, 日平均CO2通量-3.35 g?m-2?d-1, 与羊草比较, 锡林河河道吸收CO2更多, 表明土壤湿度是影响半干旱草原CO2通量交换的重要因素。(4) 放牧通过减小叶面积指数, 减弱植被的光合作用能力。     

Overcoming cross-scale challenges to climate change adaptation for local government: a focus on Australia

This paper aims to identify key cross-scale challenges to planned adaptation within the context of local government in Australia, and suggest enabling actions to overcome such challenges. Many of the impacts of climate change and variability have or will be experienced at the local level. Local governments are embedded in a larger governance context that has the potential to limit the effectiveness of planned adaptation initiatives on the ground. This study argues that research on constraints and barriers to adaptation must place greater attention to understanding the broader multi-governance system and cross-scale constraints that shape adaptation at the local government scale. The study identified seven key enabling actions for overcoming cross-scale challenges faced by local governments in Australia when undertaking climate change adaptation planning and implementation. A central conclusion of this study is that a cooperative and collaborative approach is needed where joint recognition of the scale of the issue and its inherent cross-scale complexities are realised. Many of the barriers or constraints to adaptation planning are interlinked, requiring a whole government approach to adaptation planning. The research suggests a stronger role at the state and national level is required for adaptation to be facilitated and supported at the local level.     

内蒙古草原气候特点与草原生态类型区域划分

为了合理开发利用气候资源，给草原畜牧业生产的分区管理提供科学依据，文章对内蒙古草原气候特点及气候对牧草生长、畜种分布和土壤环境的影响进行了分析，发现内蒙古气候湿润度的某些等值线与土壤带的分界线几乎完全重合，表明土壤带的形成与气候条件密切相关。而气候和土壤环境是草场类型及其生态系统的主要影响因素，因此以气候湿润度为主要依据，结合内蒙古土壤带的水平分布特征，进行草原生态类型区域的划分不仅具有合理性，而且具有稳定性。指出近年来的气候增暖以及由此引起的其他气候变化，虽使草原生产力有一定的提高，但并未使内蒙古草原的生态类型有所改变。     

干旱严重指数（DSI）在内蒙古地区的适用性分析

利用MODIS遥感产品计算内蒙古地区2000—2019年植被生长季的干旱严重指数(DSI),并结合气象干旱综合指数(MCI)、植被状态指数(VCI)等干旱指数和典型干旱过程,对DSI在内蒙古地区的适用性进行分析。研究表明,DSI与MCI、VCI的平均相关系数为0.509和0.839,分别通过0.05和0.01的显著性检验,具有较好的一致性。与MCI相比,DSI具有更高的空间分辨率,能反映不同植被类型抗旱能力的差异和区域植被改善后抗旱能力的增强。与VCI相比,DSI受高植被覆盖区归一化植被指数(NDVI)饱和现象的影响更小,并在干旱缓解期的灵敏性更高。DSI在内蒙古地区的适用性较好,可在干旱监测研究与业务中进行尝试和使用。     

内蒙古地区气温异常变化特征及可能影响分析

基于内蒙古地区52个站点1961-2005年的逐月气温资料,利用趋势变化、累积距平统计、气温异常指标等方法,分析了内蒙古东冲、西部气温平均状态和异常波动特征。结果表明：1．内蒙古地区气温增暖特征显著,其增暖幅度高于全国平均水平．并且不同区域响应程度不同,内蒙古中西部地区大于东部地区。尤其在1986年发生气温突变以后,增温速率加快。2．目前年平均气温处于高气候平均态和高气候变率时期,致使20世纪90年代之后,异常暖年和极端暖年事件呈增加趋势。3．高温日数逐年增加和寒冷日数逐年的急剧减少,以及异常冷年出现在90年代之前和异常暖年发生在90年代之后等特征,进一步说明内蒙古地区气候变暖的事实。4．内蒙古地区极端气温事件出现频率较高．并在近20年主要以异常暖和极端暖事件为主。     

Cultural barriers to climate change adaptation: A case study from Northern Burkina Faso

Human adaptation to climate change is a heterogeneous process influenced by more than economic and technological development. It is increasingly acknowledged in the adaptation to climate change literature that factors such as class, gender and culture play a large role when adaptation strategies are either chosen or rejected at the local scale. This paper explores adaptation strategies by focusing on livelihood diversification in the face of the most recent of recurrent droughts in the Sahel. It is shown that for Fulbe, one of the two main ethnic groups in the small village in Northern Burkina Faso studied, culture acts as a major barrier to embracing four of the most successful livelihood strategies: labour migration, working for development projects, gardening, and the engagement of women in economic activities.     

The influence of community-based resource management institutions on adaptation capacity: A large-n study of farmer responses to climate and global market disturbances

An underlying understanding among adaptation and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) scholars is the existence of important feedbacks between local resource management institutions and individual adaptive capacity. The relationship between CBNRM and individual adaptive capacity is of global concern given the ubiquity of CBNRM worldwide, the patent impacts of global changes at local levels, and the recent calls for the integration of climate and rural development policies. So far, however, there have not been formal, large-n studies of that relationship. This study aims to fill that gap by testing whether the performance of community-based water management institutions and communal land regimes have an impact on the effectiveness of farmers’ adaptation responses to climatic and global market disturbances. For this purpose, the study relies on a unique dataset of individual and collective features obtained from water user associations (WUAs) and ejidos in Mexico. According to the regression results, well-functioning community-based water management institutions have a positive and significant impact on individual farmers’ self-reported response effectiveness. The impact of communal land property is also significant but negative. These effects, which hold only in the context of climate disturbances but not market disturbances, can be explained by looking at the support given by the associations to farmers, and issues of communal land marginalization, respectively. Policies that strengthen the autonomy and capacity for cooperation of WUAs and ameliorate structural deficits in communal land regimes shall not only guarantee a long-advocated path for rural development but also help farmers deal with some of the climatic uncertainties that increasingly threaten agriculture.     

Multipurpose agroforestry as a climate change resiliency option for farmers: an example of local adaptation in Vietnam

Increasing frequency, intensity and duration of severe weather events are posing major challenges to global food security and livelihoods of rural people. Agriculture has evolved through adaptation to local circumstances for thousands of years. Local experience in responding to severe weather conditions, accumulated over generations and centuries, is valuable for developing adaptation options to current climate change. This study aimed to: (i) identify tree species that reduce vulnerability of cropping systems under climate variability; and (ii) develop a method for rapidly assessing vulnerability and exploring strategies of smallholder farmers in rural areas exposed to climate variability. Participatory Rural Appraisal methods in combination with Geographical Information Systems tools and statistical analysis of meteorological data were used to evaluate local vulnerability to climate change and to investigate local adaptation measures in two selected villages in Vietnam, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The low predictability of severe weather events makes food crops, especially grain production, insecure. This study shows that while rice and rain-fed crops suffered over 40 % yield losses in years of extreme drought or flood, tree-based systems and cattle were less affected. 13 tree species performed well under the harsh local climate conditions in home and forest gardens to provide income, food, feed and other environmental benefits. Thus, this research suggests that maintenance and enhancement of locally evolved agroforestry systems, with high resilience and multiple benefits, can contribute to climate change adaptation.     

内蒙古地区采暖期变化特征及预测方法

利用内蒙古地区58个站点1961—2008年逐日平均气温资料,用数理统计等分析方法,参照采暖供热等相关规范,综合分析了内蒙古地区采暖期各要素变化特征,初步提出了采暖初日、终日和采暖期能源需求预测模型,并经过检验与实况基本相符。结果表明:①近48年内蒙古地区采暖初日推后、终日提前、采暖期缩短,说明随着气候变暖,内蒙古地区冬季变暖,寒冷期缩短。②内蒙古地区采暖期要素的变化与纬度的高低密切相关。纬度越高,采暖期缩短越多,使表征采暖能耗多少的采暖度日值减少越明显,采暖期能源消耗越少,节能减排潜力越大。③随着气候变暖,内蒙古地区冬季寒冷程度和寒冷期变短,采暖能源需求量减少,采暖能耗降低,其集中供热强度和耗热量降低,从而可减少CO_2、CH_4、SO_2等温室气体的排放强度。④采暖起止日、采暖长度以及采暖期能源需求与气温变化密切相关。由此构建的采暖初日、终日和能源需求预测模型,可信度较高,可根据月动力延伸预报产品,提早做出不同地区采暖起止日期和采暖期能源需求趋势预测,减少能源的浪费,为供热部门科学决策提供参考。     

内蒙古夏季降水特征及其与全球海温异常的统计关系

利用1961—2010年内蒙古自治区102个气象站夏季(6—8月)降水量资料,采用EOF、小波分析等方法,对内蒙古地区夏季降水量的空间分布特征和时间演变规律进行了诊断分析。结果表明:内蒙古夏季降水的空间分布既有整体的一致性,也存在东、西部相反变化的差异。近50a来,内蒙古地区夏季降水有减少趋势,并存在6⁸年周期变化;对内蒙古夏季降水与前一年1月到当年8月全球逐月海温求相关,选取影响内蒙古夏季(6—8月)降水的海温关键区(268年周期变化;对内蒙古夏季降水与前一年1月到当年8月全球逐月海温求相关,选取影响内蒙古夏季(6—8月)降水的海温关键区(26⁴2°S,9342°S,93¹40°W)及相应的关键时段(当年1—5月)进行分析,内蒙古夏季降水与关键区海温有很好的负相关关系,关键区海温的异常可预示内蒙古夏季降水异常。