Ecological Carrying Capacity of Grasslands and Animal Husbandry Sustainability in Central Asia

Grassland ecosystems are one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems on the earth. Central Asia has the largest contiguous grazing area in the world and good conditions for the development of animal husbandry. However, in the past 30 years, the grassland ecosystem in Central Asia has experienced significant degradation, and the livestock industry has also experienced an overall decline to the point that livestock products are now dependent on imports. The ecological footprint method was used to analyze the change trend and characteristics of grassland ecological carrying capacity and ecological occupation in Central Asia. The grassland ecological capacity in Central Asia was found to be much higher than the global level, and great potential still remains for further development and utilization. The international trade of livestock products in Central Asian countries showed a deficit, and the net import of livestock products increased year by year. Net imports reached 9.5% in 1992-2016, and the dependence on foreign countries increased significantly, which is not conducive to the sustainable development of animal husbandry in Central Asia. In the future, the counties of Central Asia should optimize the aspects of policy, management and technology to improve the productivity of grassland animal husbandry, strengthen grassland ecological protection, and realize the coordinated and sustainable development of their grassland ecological economic systems.     

Research on Ecological Carrying Pressure in the Greater Dunhuang Region based on the Relationship between Supply and Consumption

The Greater Dunhuang Region has experienced ecological degradation in the past 100 years caused by human factors such as ecological immigration, expansion of arable land, and the construction of reservoirs. At present, through the restoration of various ecological projects, the progress of ecological deterioration has slowed down. Ensuring that the development and construction of the Greater Dunhuang Region Cultural Tourism Economic Circle does not threaten ecological security is the top priority of the regional sustainable development plan. Based on the balance between supply and consumption of the ecosystem, this study assesses the pressure of ecological consumption in the Greater Dunhuang Region, and analyzes the patterns and trends in the ecological carrying status. The results reveal three important aspects of the ecological carrying pressure in this Region. (1) After 2000, the ecological supply in the Greater Dunhuang Region experienced a fluctuating growth trend. In the entire ecosystem, the farmland ecosystem provides more than 55% of the ecological supply, and areas with relatively high supply capacity are concentrated in a small number of valleys. (2) The Greater Dunhuang Region is under greater production pressure and there is less pressure from living consumption. The production consumption intensity has exceeded the ecological supply since 2014. The production and consumption structure of the Greater Dunhuang Region is dominated by animal husbandry production and consumption, accounting for more than 65% of the total production and consumption. (3) The Greater Dunhuang Region has been in a state of rich and surplus from 2000 to 2017. However, Dunhuang City turned into a surplus state in 2017 due to the pressure of the fast-growing tourist population. The Greater Dunhuang Region urgently needs to alleviate the ecological pressure through the development of eco-friendly industries. It is necessary to develop an ecological protection resource utilization model that focuses on the development of ecological and cultural services in pastoral areas to ease the pressure on the ecosystem from animal husbandry production.     

中国草畜平衡状态时空演变指示的草地生态保护格局

中国草原牧区作为重要生态安全屏障和草地畜牧业生产基地,其草畜平衡状态直接影响草地退化与恢复,进而影响草地生态系统服务能力的强弱。本文分析了2000—2015年主要草原牧区草地植被覆盖、牧草供给、草畜平衡状态的时空变化特征,深入探讨草地退化与恢复及载畜压力下草地生态系统保护与恢复空间格局。结果表明：过去16年主要草原牧区草地面积净减少约163万hm²,6.7%的草地出现植被覆盖退化,而5.4%的草地呈现植被覆盖明显恢复。天然草地牧草供给量以增加为主,年增率约0.3 kg/hm²,然而其载畜压力亦持续增加,不考虑补饲的载畜压力指数高达3.8,除内蒙古东北部、青藏高原中部仍有载畜潜力,其余多处于超载状态;考虑实际冷季补饲的载畜压力指数约3.1,内蒙古中东部有所缓解;假设冷季全额补饲则载畜压力指数减至1.9,内蒙古、青藏高原等区域明显缓解。叠加上述数据,本文针对自然保护地、牧区、半农半牧区和农区等不同区域的草地生态保护格局,提出了平衡草地生态保护与畜牧生产利用的不同发展策略。     

Towards Regional Synergy: Reconciling Rangeland Ecological Functioning with Forage Production of Cultivated Pasture

Animal husbandry and crop farming are specialized for development in separate areas on the Tibetan Plateau. Such a pattern of isolation has led to current concerns of rangeland and farming system degradation due to intensive land use. The crop-livestock integration, however, has been proven to increase food and feed productivity thorough niche complementarity, and is thereby especially effective for promoting ecosystem resilience. Regional synergy has emerged as an integrated approach to reconcile rangeland livestock with forage crop production. It moves beyond the specialized sectors of animal husbandry and intensive agriculture to coordinate them through regional coupling. Therefore, crop-livestock integration (CLI) has been suggested as one of the effective solutions to forage deficit and livestock production in grazing systems. But it is imperative that CLI moves forward from the farm level to the regional scale, in order to secure regional synergism during agro-pastoral development. The national key R & D program, Technology and Demonstration of Recovery and Restoration of Degraded Alpine Ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau, aims to solve the problems of alpine grassland degradation by building up a grass-based animal husbandry technology system that includes synergizing forage production and ecological functioning, reconciling the relationship between ecology, forage production and animal husbandry, and achieving the win-win goals of curbing grassland degradation and changing the development mode of animal husbandry. It is imperative to call for regional synergy through integrating ecological functioning with ecosystem services, given the alarming threat of rangeland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau. The series of papers in this issue, together with those published previously, provide a collection of rangeland ecology and management studies in an effort to ensure the sustainable use and management of the alpine ecosystems.     

吐鲁番盆地天然草场资源评价及其合理利用

本文讨论了吐鲁番盆地天然草场类型及其资源评价，利用中存在的问题，并提出几点合理利用的意见。     

祁连山区草原畜牧业的可持续发展问题与发展模式

以祁连山区的肃南县为实验基地,通过对山区生态保护和经济发展之间现存问题的分析,提出了以草原管理、牲畜繁育和产业发展为主要内容的山区草原畜牧业发展模式。它突破了山区的地域限制,将山区与山下绿洲作为一个完整的生态-经济耦合系统,使用跨学科的方法,将山区草原的生态保护与农户的经济增长兼容起来,从而成为山区草原畜牧业的一个可持续发展模式。     

The conservation patterns of grassland ecosystem in response to the forage-livestock balance in North China

Being a key ecological security barrier and production base for grassland animal husbandry in China,the balance between grassland forage supply and livestock-carrying pressure in North China directly affects grassland degradation and restoration,thereby impacting grassland ecosystem services.This paper analyzes the spatiotemporal variation in grassland vegetation coverage,forage supply,and the balance between grassland forage supply and livestock-carrying pressure from 2000 to 2015 in North China.We then discuss the spatial pattern of grassland ecological conservation under the impacts of grassland degradation and restoration,and livestock-carrying pressure.Over the last 16 years,the total grassland area in North China decreased by about 16,000 km2,with vegetation coverage degraded by 6.7％ of the grasslands but significantly restored by another 5.4％ of grasslands.The provisioning of forage by natural grassland mainly increased over time,with an annual growth rate of approximately 0.3 kg/ha,but livestock-carrying pressure also increased continuously.The livestock-carrying pressure index without any supplementary feeding reached as high as 3.8.Apart from the potential livestock-carrying capacity in northeastern Inner Mongolia and the central Tibetan Plateau,most regions in North China are currently overloaded.Considering the actual supplementary feeding during the cold season,the livestock-carrying pressure index is about 3.1,with the livestock-carrying pressure mitigated in central and eastern Inner Mongolia.Assuming full supplementary feeding in the cold season,livestock-carrying pressure index will fall to 1.9,with the livestock-carrying pressure alleviated significantly in Inner Mongolia and on the Tibetan Plateau.Finally,we propose different conservation and development strategies to balance grassland ecological conservation and animal husbandry production in different regions of protected areas,pastoral areas,farming-pastoral ecotone,and farming areas,according to the grassland ecological protection patterns.     

The Rangeland Livestock Carrying Capacity and Stocking Rate in the Kailash Sacred Landscape in China

Maintaining the health and productivity of rangelands by controlling the livestock stocking rate to remain within carrying capacity is of significance to ensure sustainable management of rangeland ecosystems. But we know little about the safe carrying capacity in particular rangeland landscapes. This has hampered efforts to use rangelands in a risk-averse manner in fluctuating rainfall environments, and especially in arid and semiarid areas. To address this lack of information, we took Kailash Sacred Landscape in China (KSL-China) as our study site and used remote sensing data, meteorological data and statistical data from 2000 to 2015 to analyze rangeland carrying capacity, stocking rate, and major influencing factors. Rangeland carrying capacity presented an increasing trend, while stocking rate was gradually decreasing, resulting in an increase of carrying rate in the study area. The increased carrying capacity was closely related to increased rainfall. Stocking rate declined owing to government regulations, particularly implementation in 2004 of the national policy of Returning Grazing Land to Grassland. There was a sharp reduction of livestock number below 200 000 standard sheep units (SU) after 2005. The decrease of stocking rate had a stronger effect on rangeland carrying rate than did the increase of carrying capacity. Ecosystem restoration programs have provided subsidies to pastoralists to encourage them to reduce livestock numbers. Our findings suggest that a safe rangeland carrying capacity is ca. 170 000 SU in KSL-China. There is a carrying capacity surplus of ca. 50 000 SU for safe animal husbandry development in the study area. More importantly, future climate warming and increases in grazing may jointly play a key role in affecting rangeland carrying capacity.     

内蒙古农牧交错带生态工程成效实证调查和分析

作为生态工程的参与者和受影响者,农牧民对生态工程成效的评价、对未来生态工程措施的选择倾向具有重要的决策参考价值。将结构化问卷调查与开放式访谈相结合,对内蒙古自治区武川县、四子王旗和太仆寺旗3个旗县生态工程建设情况进行了调查研究。结果表明:退耕还林还草、围封禁牧以及季节性休牧是本区主要的生态工程类型;基于个体体验,农牧民并不认为生态工程取得了良好的、显著的生态效益;生态工程对农牧民的影响表现为"减产、提效、增收";对于未来的工程措施,农牧民优先选择限制牲畜数量,其次是退耕以及保护退化草地;绝大多数农牧民支持有补偿条件下进一步退耕和生态移民。本文进而给出了一些研究和政策建议。     

中国北方农牧交错带风水蚀复合区的粮食与退耕还林(草)问题

中国北方农牧交错带风水蚀复合区是一个非常特殊的生态脆弱区,通过对该类型区60个典型县域的实地考察和统计资料分析表明：①该类型区的人均粮食产量自给有余,但粮食单产较低,较高的人均粮食产量是以扩大耕地面积,牺牲生态为代价的,今后粮食增产的主要潜力重点应放在提高水浇地单产上。②从区域和国家生态安全角度考虑,该类型区不适宜大规模开垦耕地,而应在粮食自给的基础上逐渐转变为以牧为主的发展方向,退耕还林(草)正是实现这一重要转变的最有效途径和措施。③农户调查结果表明,退耕对农户粮食产量和家庭经济收入的影响不大,大部分农户能够自觉接受退耕还林(草)政策,但目前正处于相持阶段,仍需要国家给予适当经济补偿。因此,该类型区的退耕还林(草)工程不但不能压缩,而且应该进一步扩大规模,加大投资力度。     

青藏高原草地地上生物量和理论载畜量

准确模拟和预测草地地上生物量(Aboveground biomass,AGB)和理论载畜量对于维持草地生态系统平衡、优化放牧管理至关重要。当前很多研究以围栏外草地AGB为基础,估算了青藏高原草地AGB的现存量。但是,牛羊啃食后的草地AGB现存量无法准确评估草地理论载畜量。围栏内草地不受家畜采食影响,其年际变率由环境因子驱动,可视为草地潜在AGB (potential AGB,AGB_p),更适用于草地理论载畜量的评估。本研究以青藏高原345个围栏内AGB观测数据为基础,结合气候、土壤和地形数据,利用随机森林算法构建草地潜在地上生物量估算模型,并对当前气候条件(2000-2018年)和未来20年(2021-2040年)4种气候变化情景(SSP1-2.6、SSP2-4.5、SSP3-7.0和SSP5-8.5)下的草地AGB_p和高寒草地理论载畜量进行模拟与预测。结果表明:(1)随机森林算法可准确模拟当前气候条件下的青藏高寒草地AGB_p(R²=0.76,P<0.001);2000-2018年青藏高寒草地AGB_p平均值为102.4 g m^-2,时间上增加趋势不明显(P>0.05);AGB_p年际波动和生长季降水显著正相关(R²=0.57,P<0.001),和生长季温度日较差显著负相关(R²=0.51,P<0.001)。(2)当前气候条件下,青藏高寒草地平均理论载畜量为0.94 SSU ha^-1(standardized sheep unit ha^-1);在过去20年约有54.1%草地理论载畜量呈提升状态。(3)和当前相比,未来20年青藏高原中部和北部草地AGB_p和理论载畜量呈下降态势。因此,建议未来在厘清气候变化影响下草畜关系的基础上进行有针对性的草牧业规划和管理,以缓解区域气候变化引起的草畜矛盾。     

甘南黄河上游水源补给区“黑土滩”型退化草地现状、成因及综合治理对策

 通过对黄河上游水源补给区“黑土滩”型退化草地现状的调查发现,“黑土滩”型退化草地是由于气候的异常扰动、过度放牧、鼠类破坏、人为影响的综合因素引起的。从而提出了生态综合治理有效途径应以遵循自然规律,因势利导为出发点,减轻放牧压力,防止退化草地面积进一步扩张和蔓延;对不同程度退化草地应采用防治结合的模式,以草定畜,优化畜牧业管理模式;同时应及时灭鼠和防治毒杂草,全面贯彻落实家庭牧场政策、增加投入和高效管理,大力发展教育事业,加强法制建设,实现黄河上游水源补给区草与畜的可持续发展。     

2000—2015年中国荒漠化土地识别和监测

荒漠化是生态退化的极端表现形式,包括气候变异和人类活动在内的种种因素造成的干旱、半干旱和亚湿润干旱区的土地退化。快速和准确地识别中国荒漠化地区,是防范和治理荒漠化的关键。针对2000-2015年我国陆地生态系统NPP的变化趋势、稳定性和荒漠化敏感性进行了综合分析,构建了识别荒漠化土地的技术方法。结果表明：（1）近16 a以来,我国内蒙古阴山以南、新疆天山以北、西藏阿里地区、长江以南大部地区,植被净初级生产力均出现了不同程度的下降趋势,且一半以上的区域处于植被生态系统不稳定状况;在全国56.2%的国土属于荒漠化敏感区内,上述区域容易受气候、自然条件、人为干扰等影响而发生荒漠化。（2）2000年以来,我国土地荒漠化退化区域面积约20.74×10⁴ km²,占国土总面积的2.16%。主要为五大分布区域,即内蒙古高原中部的典型草原和荒漠化草原区、新疆天山-阿尔泰山山地草原区、新疆塔里木河下游的温带荒漠和绿洲区、青藏高原的阿里-昆仑山高寒荒漠区、青海省的青南山高寒草原区。（3）荒漠化进程伴随有生产力下降、植被盖度降低和地表温度不断攀升的地表关键参数演变特征,荒漠化的形成受气候影响显著,降雨的减少是造成土地荒漠化进程突出的主要因素;人类活动、不合理的种植业、畜牧业等在一定程度上对土地荒漠化起到推动作用。     

区域农牧业可持续发展决策支持系统研究

以区域农牧业可持续发展为研究对象,采用地理信息系统(GIS)、遥感(RS)、全球定位系统(GPS)的"3S"技术和数据库技术,建立了区域资源环境、社会经济空间和属性数据库.通过计算机技术、GIS技术和数据库技术构建了区域农牧业可持续发展决策支持系统,集成了耕地利用评估模型和草地建设管理模型,并进行了山西省雁门关生态畜牧经济区的实证研究.区域农牧业可持续发展决策支持系统将为农业结构调整、农牧业可持续发展提供决策支持.     

青海共和盆地土地沙漠化影响因子的定量分析

通过对青海共和盆地土地沙漠化影响因子:农牧业人口、牲畜总数、耕地面积、降水量和大风日数42 a资料的主成分分析,结果表明,作为最主要综合指标的第一主成分中的人口、牲畜总数及耕地面积的影响,贡献率是46.5%;第二主成分中的降水量和大风日数的作用,贡献率为24.6%;第三主成分中的自然、人为因素,贡献率为14.9%。土地沙漠化是众多因子综合作用下生态与经济不相协调的产物,其中人口压力下生态不合理的土地利用是其主要原因。     

新疆畜牧业碳排放格局与公平性研究

对新疆畜牧业碳排放进行相关研究,能够更好促进新疆低碳农业发展。运用碳排放系数法计算畜牧业碳排放量,从生产效率、经济效率两个方面构建畜牧业碳排放公平性评价模型,分析考察14个地（州、市）畜牧业碳排放的时空演变规律及公平性。结果显示：新疆畜牧业碳排放总量呈现波动上升态势,万元GDP碳排放量下降趋势明显;少数民族集聚区、水草资源丰富的地（州、市）碳排放量较大,二三产业发达、水草资源欠缺的地（州、市）碳排放量较小;畜牧业碳排放生产效率和经济效率的基尼系数分别为0.42和0.47,均处于“差距偏大”的不公平状态,超出了“0.4”的分配差距警戒线;从生产效率和经济效率对畜牧业碳排放公平性分类结果为：乌鲁木齐市、克拉玛依市、吐鲁番市、哈密市四市和昌吉州属于“高-高”型,阿克苏地区、喀什地区属于“高-低”型,巴州、塔城地区属于“低-高”型,伊犁州直属、阿勒泰地区、博州、克州、和田地区属于“低-低”型。最后提出新疆发展低碳畜牧业的对策建议。     

羌塘草原野生动物保护的生态补偿成本研究(英文)

生态保护的成本是生态补偿标准的核心组成部分,一般由直接成本、机会成本和发展成本构成。本文以羌塘自然保护区涉及的那曲地区为例,采用恢复成本法和机会成本法对牧民参与野生动物保护的直接成本和机会成本进行了核算。研究过程中,借用中国草地承载力评估中的标准羊单位,把草地生态系统、草食性野生动物和价值评估有机地联系起来,为草原地区野生动物保护的生态补偿提供了一个有效的评估工具。评估结果表明,那曲地区牧民参与野生动物保护的成本是每年5.69亿元,其中直接成本是1.19亿元,机会成本是4.5亿元,机会成本占总成本的79%。机会成本是由于草食性野生动物的啃食与踩踏导致草场必须禁牧致使牧民放弃的经济收入。显然,羌塘自然保护区草食性野生动物对草场的损害构成了生态补偿的主体。如果按照那曲地区中度以上退化草地的面积计算,则牧民保护野生动物的单位面积成本是每年57元,按照那曲地区人口计算,参与野生动物保护的人均成本是每年1482元。这一结果并不等于生态补偿标准,但可以作为补偿标准的低限。     

Pastoral nomadism in the forest-steppe of the Mongolian Altai under a changing economy and a warming climate

The population structure, educational level and the livelihoods of 82 households of pastoral nomads, the organization of livestock husbandry and its impact on the grassland and forest ecosystems of the Dayan high valley (>2000 m a.s.l.) in the Mongolian Altai, western Mongolia, were surveyed using interviews and secondary information from official sources. Changes following the transition from centrally planned (before 1990) to market economy were analyzed. Two thirds of the monthly mean income of ca. 310 USD per nomad household is cash (ca. 55 USD) or non-cash (ca. 165 USD) income from livestock husbandry. Cashmere sale accounts for 70% of the cash income from livestock husbandry, which has led to a strong increase of goat numbers after 1990. Forests are used for livestock grazing, fuel wood collection, logging, and fruit collection. Livestock breeding and the seasonal migration of the nomad households are no longer organized by the government. To avoid transportation costs, two thirds of the families have reduced their seasonal migrations. This trend was favored by rising temperatures and earlier snowmelt during the last few decades, but resulted in a shortage of fodder and intensified forest use. Therefore, the use of grasslands and forests in the Mongolian Altai is no longer considered to be sustainable.     

Effects of grazing and climate change on sandy grassland ecosystems in Inner Mongolia

To understand the effects of grazing activities and climate change on sandy grassland ecosystems in northern China, a livestock field grazing and enclosure experiment was conducted from 1992 to 2006 in Horqin Sand Land, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that sustained heavy grazing resulted in serious degradation of the vegetation; moderate grazing can maintain vegetation stabilization; and light grazing can promote rapid restoration of degraded vegetation. The livestock productivity was the highest in the moderate grazing grassland, and sustained heavy grazing resulted in rapid decrease of the livestock productivity. Heavy grazing can cause a retrogressive succession of grassland vegetation, whereas moderate and light grazing may promote progressive succession of plant species. The effects of changing climate on succession processes were not significant in the short term; a warm-humid climate is favorable to restoration of degraded vegetation, whereas a sustained warm-drought climate may result in degradation of grassland vegetation. Heavy livestock grazing should be stopped for the sustainable use of grassland; the proper grazing intensity for sandy grassland is two to three sheep or sheep equivalents per hectare in Inner Mongolia.     

中国北方农牧交错带农业经营方向初探——以晋陕蒙甘宁青地区为例

农业(包括农林牧副渔业等)是对生态环境依附性很强、影响又大的基础产业。要使农业快速、稳定发展,又不损害生态环境,实现可持续农业发展,必须选择正确的农业经营方向。从农牧交错带的资源状况、农业生产对生态环境的负面影响以及建立特色产业3个方面,肯定了研究区宜牧而不宜农,探讨了牧农错位的原因和过程,以及由以农为主向以牧为主经营方向转变的有利条件,并提出了大力发展草食性畜牧业的对策建议。