Agriculture is an important source of economic survival of rural populations, and with great power for poverty reduction in the economy. For this reason farming systems that are most efficient have to be sought. This ...Agriculture is an important source of economic survival of rural populations, and with great power for poverty reduction in the economy. For this reason farming systems that are most efficient have to be sought. This paper explores crop-based and pastoralism farming systems under conflicting land use relations. Incidences of violent conflicts are highlighted, which usually assume a depoliticised expression as inter-group conflicts. Competition for resources (land and water) is an important reason for such conflict, but the role of the state in protection of property rights is also advocated to nurture rivalry. Very wide difference in conception, that to the pastoralists property is cattle, land is common property open to herds, while to crop farmers land is property, which is divided between households, complicates the conflict resolution. State bias exists in the protection of property rights. Mechanisms for the state bias arebriefly cited. This paper suggests a farming systems educational approach as a way to reduce environmentally stressful practice, and strengthen the study of administrative regulation that harmonizes equity in conflicting land use.展开更多
Camel plays a pivotal role in the subsistence pastoral economy of diverse ecozones extending from Gobi Desert and India in central Asia to Somalia and Ethiopia in the horn of Africa.Camel has special attributes includ...Camel plays a pivotal role in the subsistence pastoral economy of diverse ecozones extending from Gobi Desert and India in central Asia to Somalia and Ethiopia in the horn of Africa.Camel has special attributes including its appearance and ability to survive in hot,harsh and versatile arid environments.Camel has fascinated mankind as it can tolerate many stresses like heat;scarcity of water;water with high salinity and shortage of feed.Camel can digest dry matter and coarse crude fiber better than any other ruminants.Among domestic animals,the dromedary is most important animal being survive in hot,arid and semi-arid regions and has potential to produce higher quality foods(meat and milk)under extreme environments at lower costs.Camel can tolerate solar radiations,higher temperatures and water scarcity.Camel consume those feed materials which remain un-utilized by other domestic animals,thus thrive well on sandy deserts with poor vegetation.Adaptation of Camelids in Pakistan is very well to their native environment as they are performing and well sustaining a life in hostile deserts.The dromedaries provide milk and meat to the pastorals and herders in those areas where the survival of other livestock species is very tough.So,camels equilibrate the food security chain in the deep deserts and provide nourishment to its keepers;proving it to be a good candidate of food security and sovereignty in the desert ecosystem.展开更多
Hay production is a flagship project under drought risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs in pastoralism livestock systems in Kenya. For decision-makers to plan and evaluate their projects, they need lo...Hay production is a flagship project under drought risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs in pastoralism livestock systems in Kenya. For decision-makers to plan and evaluate their projects, they need localized data on hay production and supply and to understand what attitudes influence demand for hay by pastoralists. A cost-benefit analysis on 23 hay farms and a questionnaire knowledge, attitude and practice survey on 340 pastoralists in Kajiado Central were undertaken. This study provides the hay production versus hay deficit figures in Kajiado Central County. The study also measures the financial losses livestock keepers incur during drought migration and correlates these losses against livestock keeper’s decision to buy hay for their animals. The study established that the drought in 2017, Kajiado Central County had a 48% hay deficit (2,580,000 hay bales) worth about KES 902 million needed to cover three months of the severest period of the drought. At the same time, hay production and supply were 49,138 grown hay and 3292 purchased hay bales and 6177 bags of commercial feeds and forage. The study also found that 86% of livestock keepers buy hay only when their animals started dying at the severest period of the drought. Hay buying mainly occurs in drought years, and averagely for three months only. From 2005 to 2020, there have been five years of severe drought. Because hay production is a critical climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy for droughts, Kajiado needs to reduce the hay deficit by 67% (average of 2015 & 2017), disaster management planners need to align the hay supply to hay purchasing practices. In addition, decision-makers need to address the low hay supply by tackling the challenges of hay production. Furthermore, disaster management planners could use the study to determine the trigger points to start disaster response for livestock feed.展开更多
André Gide is one of the most important writers in the history of French literature in the 20th century.His works are highly distinctive:on the one hand,there is strong coherence and beautiful language between hi...André Gide is one of the most important writers in the history of French literature in the 20th century.His works are highly distinctive:on the one hand,there is strong coherence and beautiful language between his works,which gives them a strong musicality.On the other hand,his works delve deeper into the struggle between the“soul”and the“body”under the oppression of“religious concepts”,which is most evident in one of his representative works:Pastoral Symphony.This article will analyze and explore the contradiction between“soul”and“body”reflected in the work of“Pastoral Symphony”from three aspects:“modernity”,“aesthetics”,and“characters’prototypes”.展开更多
For the purpose of contributing to the establishment of optimized eco-productive paradigm, a new layout of land use of the Loess Plateau was carried out and the associated forage potential was estimated. Results indic...For the purpose of contributing to the establishment of optimized eco-productive paradigm, a new layout of land use of the Loess Plateau was carried out and the associated forage potential was estimated. Results indicated that the percentages of the area of grassland, woodland, basic farmland and orchard to the total productive land area were 44%, 22%, 20% and 14% respectively according to this new land use scenario. Based on the datasets of 197 counties in the Loess Plateau, the estimated forage potential would amount to 104 881 028 ton/a (hay), which can raise 104 881 028 productivity sheep unit/ a. According to the unchanged price in 1999, pastoral gross product value would amount to 52 440.51 million yuan RMB/a, which is as much as 5.3 times of that in 1999 and exceeds the agricultural gross product in 1999 by 14%. In addition, there are ca. 59% of counties whose mean pastoral product value per person would be more than 1 000 yuan RMB/a, while ca. 41% of counties whose mean pastoral product value per person would be less than 1 000 yuan RMB/a. On the other hand, the estimated agricultural gross product on the Loess Plateau would amount to 11 472 2.34 million yuan RMB/a and ca. 46% of the total would come from pastoral industry, 27% from orchid industry, 14% from forestry and 13% from farmland. From the perspective both ecologically and economically, this paper holds that the herbi-vore-based pastoral industry is a promising industry bolstering the ecological improvement and economical development on the Loess Plateau.展开更多
China is increasingly attaching importance to coordination and scientific development between humanist and economic constructions, especially for protection on rural pastoral cultural landscape. For eco-village theory...China is increasingly attaching importance to coordination and scientific development between humanist and economic constructions, especially for protection on rural pastoral cultural landscape. For eco-village theory, planning and construction of pastoral culture landscape is just a breakthrough. The research used modern landscaping technology and analyzed pastoral landscape culture, facilitating transformation of agricultural production pattern and ushering in a new trend in terms of retaining rural cultural landscapes with Chinese characteristics and inheriting and innovating rural culture.展开更多
Over the last decades, the reduction of manpower for herd management has led to an increase of continuous grazing systems(CGS) in the Italian Alps, which allow cattle to roam freely. Under CGS, due to high selectivity...Over the last decades, the reduction of manpower for herd management has led to an increase of continuous grazing systems(CGS) in the Italian Alps, which allow cattle to roam freely. Under CGS, due to high selectivity, livestock exploit grasslands unevenly, over-and under-using specific areas at the same time with negative effects on their conservation. To counteract these effects, a specific policy and management tool(i.e. Grazing Management Plan) has been implemented by Piedmont Region since 2010. The Grazing Management Plans are based on the implementation of rotational grazing systems(RGS), with animal stocking rate adjusted to balance it with grassland carrying capacity. A case study was conducted on alpine summer pastures to test the 5-year effects produced by the implementation of a Grazing Management Plan in grasslands formerly managed under several years of CGS on 1) the selection for different vegetation communities by cattle, 2) the abundance of oligo-, meso-, and eutrophic plant species(defined according to Landolt N indicator value), and 3) forage yield, quality, and palatability. A total of 193 vegetation surveys were carried out in 2011 and repeated in 2016. Cows were tracked yearly with Global Positioning System collars to assess their grazing selectivity, and forage Pastoral Value(PV) was computed to evaluate forage yield, quality, and palatability. Five years after RGS implementation, cow selectivity significantly decreased and the preference for the different vegetation communities was more balanced than under CGS. The abundance of meso-and eutrophic species increased, whereas oligotrophic ones decreased. Moreover, the abundance of moderately to highly palatable plant species increased, whereas non-palatable plant species decreased, with a consequent significant enhancement of the PV. Our findings indicate that the implementation of Grazing Management Plans can be considered a sustainable and effective management tool for improving pasture selection by cattle and forage quality in mountain pastures.展开更多
Process interactions on catenas have supported grazing adapted ecosystems and sustained biodiversity values in the source zone of the Yellow River in western China for millennia.In recent decades,anthropogenic disturb...Process interactions on catenas have supported grazing adapted ecosystems and sustained biodiversity values in the source zone of the Yellow River in western China for millennia.In recent decades,anthropogenic disturbance and climate change have threatened the integrity of these systems,impacting upon environmental values and their capacity to sustain local livelihoods.Collaborations between local experts and a team of international researchers during a workshop and field excursion to this area in July 2019 developed a cross-disciplinary,process-based model of alpine meadow catenas.This paper relates the contemporary health of these grassland-wetland systems to their‘best achievable state’under prevailing boundary conditions,differentiating stages of degradation and recovery in relation to climate and land use changes.Recovery is underway for alpine meadow catenas at Maqin.Reduced land use pressures(stocking rates)and longer growing seasons have enhanced grasslandwetland conditions.However,recovery prospects are limited for local areas of extremely degraded grasslands(heitutan),as breached abiotic thresholds have resulted in soil and nutrient loss and reduced capacity for water retention.While lagomorphs and rodents act as ecosystem engineers when alpine meadows are in a healthy state,irruptions locally increase the proportion of bare ground and inhibit recovery potential.Management options that support recovery of alpine meadows are presented for differing stages of degradation.展开更多
Rotational grazing is considered as one of the nature-based solutions(NbS)to grassland protection by natural scientists.However,its effects on improving grassland quality are still unclear when it is adopted by herder...Rotational grazing is considered as one of the nature-based solutions(NbS)to grassland protection by natural scientists.However,its effects on improving grassland quality are still unclear when it is adopted by herders.Using a householdlevel panel data from field survey in two main pastoral provinces of China,empirical results from fixed-effect model and instrumental approach show that rotational grazing practices have insignificant short-term effects on grassland quality,but have positive long-term effects.In addition,rotational grazing practices can improve grassland quality when villages invest public infrastructure or herders have private supporting measures for more efficiency livestock production.Further analysis shows that herders adopting rotational grazing have higher grazing intensity,higher supplementary intensity and more livestock-house-feeding days,which indicate herders can utilize more efficient livestock management without increasing pressure on natural grassland.We also find that herders with pastoral income are more likely to adopt rotational grazing practice.These insightful findings offer policy implications on promoting grassroot NbS for ecosystem protection and resource utilization in developing pastoral countries.展开更多
This paper addresses the role Robert Frost has played in world nature and pastoral poetry with comparison between nature poet and pastoral poet and between Frost’s and Wordsworth’s nature poems.Through some analysis...This paper addresses the role Robert Frost has played in world nature and pastoral poetry with comparison between nature poet and pastoral poet and between Frost’s and Wordsworth’s nature poems.Through some analysis of Robert Frost’s "The Wood-Pile" and other poems,the author concluded some features of his nature poetry,that is,the contrast between human and nature,ambiguities of feelings and bittersweet qualities.Finally,the author reached a conclusion which still needs further study.展开更多
With the rapid development of social economy and urban−rural integration,the phenomenon of farmland aban-donment worldwide has proved to be one of the main trends of land use and land cover change(LUCC),and profoundly...With the rapid development of social economy and urban−rural integration,the phenomenon of farmland aban-donment worldwide has proved to be one of the main trends of land use and land cover change(LUCC),and profoundly affected the rural landscape and regional ecological environment.Restricted by the natural environ-ment,economic development and backward agricultural technology,the phenomenon of farmland abandonment is also common in the Qingzang Plateau(QP).Therefore,this paper adopted the spatial autocorrelation method to analyze the spatial pattern of abandonment in the agricultural and pastoral areas of the Qingzang Plateau(APA−QP)in 2017,and the geographically weighted regression(GWR)model to explore the effects of geograph-ical resources,socio-economic development and location conditions on farmland abandonment.This study found that:1)From 2015 to 2017,the abandoned farmland area in the APA−QP was approximately 18.23×10^(4)ha,with an overall abandonment rate of 15.18%.On the whole,it showed the distribution characteristics of“strong in the south and weak in the north,strong in the east and weak in the west”.2)There were positive spatial correlation between both abandoned area and abandonment rate in the APA−QP,showing“concave”and“convex”patterns,respectively,mainly concentrated in the Huang−shui Valley and the Southeast Tibet;while in the western and northern regions,the degree of abandonment was relatively low.3)Farmland abandonment in the APA−QP was mainly driven by the geographical environment changes and farmers’decision−making on farmland utilization.There was significant spatial heterogeneity on farmland abandonment associated with the impact of geographical resources,socio−economics and location conditions.The geographical resource factors had a positive impact on the abandonment,and were strongly constrained by natural geographic conditions such as altitude and slope.The farmland resources in the Qingzang Plateau are limited,but are of strategic significance for the sustainable development of agriculture in the whole Qingzang Plateau.In order to realize the rational distribution of agricul-ture and animal husbandry and the sustainable utilization of farmland resources in the plateau region,land use strategies should be implemented according to regional differences and regional advantages in order to ensure the ecological environment security of Qingzang Plateau.展开更多
As a new form of industry proposed in the context of the rural revitalization strategy,the pastoral complex has sprung up under the support of various policies.However,there are also various problems in the developmen...As a new form of industry proposed in the context of the rural revitalization strategy,the pastoral complex has sprung up under the support of various policies.However,there are also various problems in the development of pastoral complex.The functional positioning of pastoral complex is not proper and there is serious homogeneous problem.These greatly restrict the development of pastoral complex.This study,taking the rural revitalization strategy as the background,analyzed the functional positioning of pastoral complex from production,ecology,and living.Besides,taking Pavlo Eco Valley in Gaoan City of Jiangxi Province as an example,it studied its functional positioning and came up with pertinent recommendations for its further development.展开更多
The author decided to explore Maslow’s theory of needs within a Catholic hospital in which 80%of the medical and service staff are non-Christians.The requirements to be focused on include a vision of medical care and...The author decided to explore Maslow’s theory of needs within a Catholic hospital in which 80%of the medical and service staff are non-Christians.The requirements to be focused on include a vision of medical care and service in accordance with the values and mission of Catholicism,and in the context of the highest level of attachment of employees to Cardinal Tien Hospital.The author also wondered whether there was evidence of a shift in employee needs for a sense of meaning in the workplace.If so,how should,or could,the organization and its leaders respond to it?展开更多
William Wordsworth and Wang Wei are both great pastoral poets in their times.Yet they are different in various ways,which could be reflected just by two kinds of flowers.It is meaningful to analyze the differences and...William Wordsworth and Wang Wei are both great pastoral poets in their times.Yet they are different in various ways,which could be reflected just by two kinds of flowers.It is meaningful to analyze the differences and explore the reasons behind them.The following passage is a trail to compare two poems of them and serves as an initiative for more researches.With a brief introduction to the two poets their poems,the present paper will discuss the differences between the two flowers and analyze the main causes of them,and finally reach a conclusion that the cultural backgrounds against which the two poets lived contribute a lot to their differences in literary creation.展开更多
Migratory livestock raising has been one of the most important livelihood options for people residing in high mountain areas and has made a significant contribution to the economy of the Hindu Kush Himalayan(HKH) regi...Migratory livestock raising has been one of the most important livelihood options for people residing in high mountain areas and has made a significant contribution to the economy of the Hindu Kush Himalayan(HKH) region, both in terms of supporting households and in export earnings. However, in recent decades, changes in the socioeconomic situation and increasing climate variability have led to a need to enhance adaptation by building the resilience of local socio-ecological systems, including economic diversification and sustainable management of natural resources. Based on semistructured interviews with pastoral communities in six countries within the pastoral HKH region, this paper discusses the situation, trends and driving forces behind the diversification of pastoral livelihood. For internal diversification the study highlights the need for enhancement of pastoral livelihoods through value-adding activities in the pastoral sectors. For external diversification changes on policy changes are needed to support free out-migration, market exploitation, and multiple resource use. Finally the paper highlights the role of education in determining household adaptation strategies in the face of various socio-ecological pressures and recommends integrating innovative and indigenous knowledge to develop appropriate methods for risk management and resource management in the pastoral HKH region.展开更多
The proposal of rural revitalization strategy has brought new opportunities and driving forces for rural development. The pastoral complex, as a new concept and new goal, is a new breakthrough in the thinking mode of ...The proposal of rural revitalization strategy has brought new opportunities and driving forces for rural development. The pastoral complex, as a new concept and new goal, is a new breakthrough in the thinking mode of rural development. Promoting the construction of pastoral complex is not only an important measure to effectively solve the problems of agriculture, rural areas and farmers, narrow the gap between urban and rural areas, and promote the modernization of the rural and the agriculture, but also a concrete practice to promote the development of rural green economy. First of all, this paper gives an overview of the rural revitalization strategy and the pastoral complex. Secondly, it analyzes the necessity of the construction of Guizhou pastoral complex. And then, considering the reality in Guizhou, it analyzes the constraints of the construction for pastoral complex. Finally, it makes us think upon the measures to the construction of pastoral complex in Guizhou, and put forward some reasonable suggestions.展开更多
This paper examines the changing climatic scenarios and the associated effects on livestock farming in the arid lands(ASALs)of Kenya which covers over 80%of the country.This study was carried out in the semi-arid Muko...This paper examines the changing climatic scenarios and the associated effects on livestock farming in the arid lands(ASALs)of Kenya which covers over 80%of the country.This study was carried out in the semi-arid Mukogodo Division of Laikipia District.This division received a mean annual rainfall of about 507.8 mm and the main source of livelihood was livestock farming.Questionnaire, structured interview,observation and literature展开更多
Urbanization,often coupled with industrialization,is generally considered as a boost for improving livelihood as well as alleviating ecological pressures of the rural areas.However,this experience needs to be tested i...Urbanization,often coupled with industrialization,is generally considered as a boost for improving livelihood as well as alleviating ecological pressures of the rural areas.However,this experience needs to be tested in less industrialized areas,particularly where the urbanization is driven by non-economic factors such as urban public services and relevant government policies rather than employment opportunities.Taking two villages on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as examples,through the field investigation by using semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews,and statistical data analysis,we explored the impacts of urbanization on migrants’livelihoods and the ecological conditions of their original village rangeland.We found that the disposable income and savings of emigrant households were less than the stay households,which might be correlated to the limited employment due to the lagged industrialization in the local township,and the mismatch between their traditional labor skills and the demands of urban services.Their home-village rangeland overuse was not alleviated since the increasing grazing pressure caused by the stay households,though the emigrant households intended to decrease the number of livestock on their home pasture.We concluded that the urbanization misaligned with local industrialization may fail to improve migrant livelihoods and local ecological conditions in less industrialized areas.Our research supplements the previous urbanization theory by highlighting the non-industrialization driven urbanization,and is particularly pertinent for the transitional countries worldwide.展开更多
The present paper examines the changing climatic scenarios and associated effects on livestock farming (pastoralism) in the arid and semi arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya, which cover over 80 % of the country. The study...The present paper examines the changing climatic scenarios and associated effects on livestock farming (pastoralism) in the arid and semi arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya, which cover over 80 % of the country. The study was carried out in the semi arid Mukogodo Division of Laikipia District in Kenya. This division received a mean annual rainfall of approximately 507.8 nun and the main source of livelihood was pastoralism. Questionnaire, structured interview, observation and literature review were the main methods of data collection. Rainfall was used in delineating changes in climate. Standardized precipitation index (SPI) and Markov process were used in analyzing drought severity and persistence, respectively. Approximately 38% of all droughts between 1975 and 2005 were prolonged and extremely severe, with cumulative severity indices ranging between -2.54 and -6.49. The probability that normal climatic conditions persisted for two or more consecutive years in Mukogodo Division remained constant at approximately 52%. However, the probability of wet years persisting for two or more years showed a declining trend, while persistence of dry years increased with duration. A drying climatic trend was established. This drying trend in the area led to increased land degradation and encroachment of invasive nonpalatable bushes. The net effect on pastoralism was large-scale livestock loss through starvation, disease and cattle rustling. Proper drought monitoring and accurate forecasts, community participation in all government interventions, infrastructural development in the ASAL and allocation of adequate resources for livestock development are some of the measures necessary for mitigating the dwindling pastoral economy in Kenya and other parts of the world.展开更多
文摘Agriculture is an important source of economic survival of rural populations, and with great power for poverty reduction in the economy. For this reason farming systems that are most efficient have to be sought. This paper explores crop-based and pastoralism farming systems under conflicting land use relations. Incidences of violent conflicts are highlighted, which usually assume a depoliticised expression as inter-group conflicts. Competition for resources (land and water) is an important reason for such conflict, but the role of the state in protection of property rights is also advocated to nurture rivalry. Very wide difference in conception, that to the pastoralists property is cattle, land is common property open to herds, while to crop farmers land is property, which is divided between households, complicates the conflict resolution. State bias exists in the protection of property rights. Mechanisms for the state bias arebriefly cited. This paper suggests a farming systems educational approach as a way to reduce environmentally stressful practice, and strengthen the study of administrative regulation that harmonizes equity in conflicting land use.
文摘Camel plays a pivotal role in the subsistence pastoral economy of diverse ecozones extending from Gobi Desert and India in central Asia to Somalia and Ethiopia in the horn of Africa.Camel has special attributes including its appearance and ability to survive in hot,harsh and versatile arid environments.Camel has fascinated mankind as it can tolerate many stresses like heat;scarcity of water;water with high salinity and shortage of feed.Camel can digest dry matter and coarse crude fiber better than any other ruminants.Among domestic animals,the dromedary is most important animal being survive in hot,arid and semi-arid regions and has potential to produce higher quality foods(meat and milk)under extreme environments at lower costs.Camel can tolerate solar radiations,higher temperatures and water scarcity.Camel consume those feed materials which remain un-utilized by other domestic animals,thus thrive well on sandy deserts with poor vegetation.Adaptation of Camelids in Pakistan is very well to their native environment as they are performing and well sustaining a life in hostile deserts.The dromedaries provide milk and meat to the pastorals and herders in those areas where the survival of other livestock species is very tough.So,camels equilibrate the food security chain in the deep deserts and provide nourishment to its keepers;proving it to be a good candidate of food security and sovereignty in the desert ecosystem.
文摘Hay production is a flagship project under drought risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs in pastoralism livestock systems in Kenya. For decision-makers to plan and evaluate their projects, they need localized data on hay production and supply and to understand what attitudes influence demand for hay by pastoralists. A cost-benefit analysis on 23 hay farms and a questionnaire knowledge, attitude and practice survey on 340 pastoralists in Kajiado Central were undertaken. This study provides the hay production versus hay deficit figures in Kajiado Central County. The study also measures the financial losses livestock keepers incur during drought migration and correlates these losses against livestock keeper’s decision to buy hay for their animals. The study established that the drought in 2017, Kajiado Central County had a 48% hay deficit (2,580,000 hay bales) worth about KES 902 million needed to cover three months of the severest period of the drought. At the same time, hay production and supply were 49,138 grown hay and 3292 purchased hay bales and 6177 bags of commercial feeds and forage. The study also found that 86% of livestock keepers buy hay only when their animals started dying at the severest period of the drought. Hay buying mainly occurs in drought years, and averagely for three months only. From 2005 to 2020, there have been five years of severe drought. Because hay production is a critical climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy for droughts, Kajiado needs to reduce the hay deficit by 67% (average of 2015 & 2017), disaster management planners need to align the hay supply to hay purchasing practices. In addition, decision-makers need to address the low hay supply by tackling the challenges of hay production. Furthermore, disaster management planners could use the study to determine the trigger points to start disaster response for livestock feed.
基金This essay is supported by the China Scholarship Council Program(ID:202408440417).
文摘André Gide is one of the most important writers in the history of French literature in the 20th century.His works are highly distinctive:on the one hand,there is strong coherence and beautiful language between his works,which gives them a strong musicality.On the other hand,his works delve deeper into the struggle between the“soul”and the“body”under the oppression of“religious concepts”,which is most evident in one of his representative works:Pastoral Symphony.This article will analyze and explore the contradiction between“soul”and“body”reflected in the work of“Pastoral Symphony”from three aspects:“modernity”,“aesthetics”,and“characters’prototypes”.
文摘For the purpose of contributing to the establishment of optimized eco-productive paradigm, a new layout of land use of the Loess Plateau was carried out and the associated forage potential was estimated. Results indicated that the percentages of the area of grassland, woodland, basic farmland and orchard to the total productive land area were 44%, 22%, 20% and 14% respectively according to this new land use scenario. Based on the datasets of 197 counties in the Loess Plateau, the estimated forage potential would amount to 104 881 028 ton/a (hay), which can raise 104 881 028 productivity sheep unit/ a. According to the unchanged price in 1999, pastoral gross product value would amount to 52 440.51 million yuan RMB/a, which is as much as 5.3 times of that in 1999 and exceeds the agricultural gross product in 1999 by 14%. In addition, there are ca. 59% of counties whose mean pastoral product value per person would be more than 1 000 yuan RMB/a, while ca. 41% of counties whose mean pastoral product value per person would be less than 1 000 yuan RMB/a. On the other hand, the estimated agricultural gross product on the Loess Plateau would amount to 11 472 2.34 million yuan RMB/a and ca. 46% of the total would come from pastoral industry, 27% from orchid industry, 14% from forestry and 13% from farmland. From the perspective both ecologically and economically, this paper holds that the herbi-vore-based pastoral industry is a promising industry bolstering the ecological improvement and economical development on the Loess Plateau.
文摘China is increasingly attaching importance to coordination and scientific development between humanist and economic constructions, especially for protection on rural pastoral cultural landscape. For eco-village theory, planning and construction of pastoral culture landscape is just a breakthrough. The research used modern landscaping technology and analyzed pastoral landscape culture, facilitating transformation of agricultural production pattern and ushering in a new trend in terms of retaining rural cultural landscapes with Chinese characteristics and inheriting and innovating rural culture.
文摘Over the last decades, the reduction of manpower for herd management has led to an increase of continuous grazing systems(CGS) in the Italian Alps, which allow cattle to roam freely. Under CGS, due to high selectivity, livestock exploit grasslands unevenly, over-and under-using specific areas at the same time with negative effects on their conservation. To counteract these effects, a specific policy and management tool(i.e. Grazing Management Plan) has been implemented by Piedmont Region since 2010. The Grazing Management Plans are based on the implementation of rotational grazing systems(RGS), with animal stocking rate adjusted to balance it with grassland carrying capacity. A case study was conducted on alpine summer pastures to test the 5-year effects produced by the implementation of a Grazing Management Plan in grasslands formerly managed under several years of CGS on 1) the selection for different vegetation communities by cattle, 2) the abundance of oligo-, meso-, and eutrophic plant species(defined according to Landolt N indicator value), and 3) forage yield, quality, and palatability. A total of 193 vegetation surveys were carried out in 2011 and repeated in 2016. Cows were tracked yearly with Global Positioning System collars to assess their grazing selectivity, and forage Pastoral Value(PV) was computed to evaluate forage yield, quality, and palatability. Five years after RGS implementation, cow selectivity significantly decreased and the preference for the different vegetation communities was more balanced than under CGS. The abundance of meso-and eutrophic species increased, whereas oligotrophic ones decreased. Moreover, the abundance of moderately to highly palatable plant species increased, whereas non-palatable plant species decreased, with a consequent significant enhancement of the PV. Our findings indicate that the implementation of Grazing Management Plans can be considered a sustainable and effective management tool for improving pasture selection by cattle and forage quality in mountain pastures.
基金funded by the Qinghai Science and Technology Department(Grant No.2020-ZJ-904)the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(Grant No.31872999)+4 种基金the 111 Project(Grant No.D18013)Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(Grant No.2019QZKK1002)Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University,MOE(Grant No.IRT_17R62)local authorities for their support for this workUniversity of Auckland for their commitment to the Three Brothers Project。
文摘Process interactions on catenas have supported grazing adapted ecosystems and sustained biodiversity values in the source zone of the Yellow River in western China for millennia.In recent decades,anthropogenic disturbance and climate change have threatened the integrity of these systems,impacting upon environmental values and their capacity to sustain local livelihoods.Collaborations between local experts and a team of international researchers during a workshop and field excursion to this area in July 2019 developed a cross-disciplinary,process-based model of alpine meadow catenas.This paper relates the contemporary health of these grassland-wetland systems to their‘best achievable state’under prevailing boundary conditions,differentiating stages of degradation and recovery in relation to climate and land use changes.Recovery is underway for alpine meadow catenas at Maqin.Reduced land use pressures(stocking rates)and longer growing seasons have enhanced grasslandwetland conditions.However,recovery prospects are limited for local areas of extremely degraded grasslands(heitutan),as breached abiotic thresholds have resulted in soil and nutrient loss and reduced capacity for water retention.While lagomorphs and rodents act as ecosystem engineers when alpine meadows are in a healthy state,irruptions locally increase the proportion of bare ground and inhibit recovery potential.Management options that support recovery of alpine meadows are presented for differing stages of degradation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72173004 and 71773003)the Major Consulting Project of Chinese Academy of Engineering(2022-HZ-09)。
文摘Rotational grazing is considered as one of the nature-based solutions(NbS)to grassland protection by natural scientists.However,its effects on improving grassland quality are still unclear when it is adopted by herders.Using a householdlevel panel data from field survey in two main pastoral provinces of China,empirical results from fixed-effect model and instrumental approach show that rotational grazing practices have insignificant short-term effects on grassland quality,but have positive long-term effects.In addition,rotational grazing practices can improve grassland quality when villages invest public infrastructure or herders have private supporting measures for more efficiency livestock production.Further analysis shows that herders adopting rotational grazing have higher grazing intensity,higher supplementary intensity and more livestock-house-feeding days,which indicate herders can utilize more efficient livestock management without increasing pressure on natural grassland.We also find that herders with pastoral income are more likely to adopt rotational grazing practice.These insightful findings offer policy implications on promoting grassroot NbS for ecosystem protection and resource utilization in developing pastoral countries.
文摘This paper addresses the role Robert Frost has played in world nature and pastoral poetry with comparison between nature poet and pastoral poet and between Frost’s and Wordsworth’s nature poems.Through some analysis of Robert Frost’s "The Wood-Pile" and other poems,the author concluded some features of his nature poetry,that is,the contrast between human and nature,ambiguities of feelings and bittersweet qualities.Finally,the author reached a conclusion which still needs further study.
基金This research was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China(Grant No.20&ZD090)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(Grant No.2019QZKK0405)the Na-tional Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42071249,Grant No.42001199).
文摘With the rapid development of social economy and urban−rural integration,the phenomenon of farmland aban-donment worldwide has proved to be one of the main trends of land use and land cover change(LUCC),and profoundly affected the rural landscape and regional ecological environment.Restricted by the natural environ-ment,economic development and backward agricultural technology,the phenomenon of farmland abandonment is also common in the Qingzang Plateau(QP).Therefore,this paper adopted the spatial autocorrelation method to analyze the spatial pattern of abandonment in the agricultural and pastoral areas of the Qingzang Plateau(APA−QP)in 2017,and the geographically weighted regression(GWR)model to explore the effects of geograph-ical resources,socio-economic development and location conditions on farmland abandonment.This study found that:1)From 2015 to 2017,the abandoned farmland area in the APA−QP was approximately 18.23×10^(4)ha,with an overall abandonment rate of 15.18%.On the whole,it showed the distribution characteristics of“strong in the south and weak in the north,strong in the east and weak in the west”.2)There were positive spatial correlation between both abandoned area and abandonment rate in the APA−QP,showing“concave”and“convex”patterns,respectively,mainly concentrated in the Huang−shui Valley and the Southeast Tibet;while in the western and northern regions,the degree of abandonment was relatively low.3)Farmland abandonment in the APA−QP was mainly driven by the geographical environment changes and farmers’decision−making on farmland utilization.There was significant spatial heterogeneity on farmland abandonment associated with the impact of geographical resources,socio−economics and location conditions.The geographical resource factors had a positive impact on the abandonment,and were strongly constrained by natural geographic conditions such as altitude and slope.The farmland resources in the Qingzang Plateau are limited,but are of strategic significance for the sustainable development of agriculture in the whole Qingzang Plateau.In order to realize the rational distribution of agricul-ture and animal husbandry and the sustainable utilization of farmland resources in the plateau region,land use strategies should be implemented according to regional differences and regional advantages in order to ensure the ecological environment security of Qingzang Plateau.
文摘As a new form of industry proposed in the context of the rural revitalization strategy,the pastoral complex has sprung up under the support of various policies.However,there are also various problems in the development of pastoral complex.The functional positioning of pastoral complex is not proper and there is serious homogeneous problem.These greatly restrict the development of pastoral complex.This study,taking the rural revitalization strategy as the background,analyzed the functional positioning of pastoral complex from production,ecology,and living.Besides,taking Pavlo Eco Valley in Gaoan City of Jiangxi Province as an example,it studied its functional positioning and came up with pertinent recommendations for its further development.
文摘The author decided to explore Maslow’s theory of needs within a Catholic hospital in which 80%of the medical and service staff are non-Christians.The requirements to be focused on include a vision of medical care and service in accordance with the values and mission of Catholicism,and in the context of the highest level of attachment of employees to Cardinal Tien Hospital.The author also wondered whether there was evidence of a shift in employee needs for a sense of meaning in the workplace.If so,how should,or could,the organization and its leaders respond to it?
文摘William Wordsworth and Wang Wei are both great pastoral poets in their times.Yet they are different in various ways,which could be reflected just by two kinds of flowers.It is meaningful to analyze the differences and explore the reasons behind them.The following passage is a trail to compare two poems of them and serves as an initiative for more researches.With a brief introduction to the two poets their poems,the present paper will discuss the differences between the two flowers and analyze the main causes of them,and finally reach a conclusion that the cultural backgrounds against which the two poets lived contribute a lot to their differences in literary creation.
基金The financial supports received from the ICIMOD innovation fundDeutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)+1 种基金Austrian Development Agency (ADA)UK Department for International Development (DFID)
文摘Migratory livestock raising has been one of the most important livelihood options for people residing in high mountain areas and has made a significant contribution to the economy of the Hindu Kush Himalayan(HKH) region, both in terms of supporting households and in export earnings. However, in recent decades, changes in the socioeconomic situation and increasing climate variability have led to a need to enhance adaptation by building the resilience of local socio-ecological systems, including economic diversification and sustainable management of natural resources. Based on semistructured interviews with pastoral communities in six countries within the pastoral HKH region, this paper discusses the situation, trends and driving forces behind the diversification of pastoral livelihood. For internal diversification the study highlights the need for enhancement of pastoral livelihoods through value-adding activities in the pastoral sectors. For external diversification changes on policy changes are needed to support free out-migration, market exploitation, and multiple resource use. Finally the paper highlights the role of education in determining household adaptation strategies in the face of various socio-ecological pressures and recommends integrating innovative and indigenous knowledge to develop appropriate methods for risk management and resource management in the pastoral HKH region.
文摘The proposal of rural revitalization strategy has brought new opportunities and driving forces for rural development. The pastoral complex, as a new concept and new goal, is a new breakthrough in the thinking mode of rural development. Promoting the construction of pastoral complex is not only an important measure to effectively solve the problems of agriculture, rural areas and farmers, narrow the gap between urban and rural areas, and promote the modernization of the rural and the agriculture, but also a concrete practice to promote the development of rural green economy. First of all, this paper gives an overview of the rural revitalization strategy and the pastoral complex. Secondly, it analyzes the necessity of the construction of Guizhou pastoral complex. And then, considering the reality in Guizhou, it analyzes the constraints of the construction for pastoral complex. Finally, it makes us think upon the measures to the construction of pastoral complex in Guizhou, and put forward some reasonable suggestions.
文摘This paper examines the changing climatic scenarios and the associated effects on livestock farming in the arid lands(ASALs)of Kenya which covers over 80%of the country.This study was carried out in the semi-arid Mukogodo Division of Laikipia District.This division received a mean annual rainfall of about 507.8 mm and the main source of livelihood was livestock farming.Questionnaire, structured interview,observation and literature
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant number 41971256 and 42271290)。
文摘Urbanization,often coupled with industrialization,is generally considered as a boost for improving livelihood as well as alleviating ecological pressures of the rural areas.However,this experience needs to be tested in less industrialized areas,particularly where the urbanization is driven by non-economic factors such as urban public services and relevant government policies rather than employment opportunities.Taking two villages on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as examples,through the field investigation by using semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews,and statistical data analysis,we explored the impacts of urbanization on migrants’livelihoods and the ecological conditions of their original village rangeland.We found that the disposable income and savings of emigrant households were less than the stay households,which might be correlated to the limited employment due to the lagged industrialization in the local township,and the mismatch between their traditional labor skills and the demands of urban services.Their home-village rangeland overuse was not alleviated since the increasing grazing pressure caused by the stay households,though the emigrant households intended to decrease the number of livestock on their home pasture.We concluded that the urbanization misaligned with local industrialization may fail to improve migrant livelihoods and local ecological conditions in less industrialized areas.Our research supplements the previous urbanization theory by highlighting the non-industrialization driven urbanization,and is particularly pertinent for the transitional countries worldwide.
文摘The present paper examines the changing climatic scenarios and associated effects on livestock farming (pastoralism) in the arid and semi arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya, which cover over 80 % of the country. The study was carried out in the semi arid Mukogodo Division of Laikipia District in Kenya. This division received a mean annual rainfall of approximately 507.8 nun and the main source of livelihood was pastoralism. Questionnaire, structured interview, observation and literature review were the main methods of data collection. Rainfall was used in delineating changes in climate. Standardized precipitation index (SPI) and Markov process were used in analyzing drought severity and persistence, respectively. Approximately 38% of all droughts between 1975 and 2005 were prolonged and extremely severe, with cumulative severity indices ranging between -2.54 and -6.49. The probability that normal climatic conditions persisted for two or more consecutive years in Mukogodo Division remained constant at approximately 52%. However, the probability of wet years persisting for two or more years showed a declining trend, while persistence of dry years increased with duration. A drying climatic trend was established. This drying trend in the area led to increased land degradation and encroachment of invasive nonpalatable bushes. The net effect on pastoralism was large-scale livestock loss through starvation, disease and cattle rustling. Proper drought monitoring and accurate forecasts, community participation in all government interventions, infrastructural development in the ASAL and allocation of adequate resources for livestock development are some of the measures necessary for mitigating the dwindling pastoral economy in Kenya and other parts of the world.