村规民约对牧民减畜决策行为的影响

牧民的减畜行为在草原退化过程中起着关键的作用。村规民约作为一种基层自治方式,在一定程度上,对实现草原环境治理的制度化和法制化具有积极作用。因此,本研究通过探讨村规民约对牧民减畜决策行为的影响,以期从非正式制度视角,提出控制牧民超载过牧行为的政策建议。本研究在对村规民约对牧民草原保护决策行为影响机制进行分析的基础上,以内蒙古和新疆193户牧民的实地调研数据为依据,运用Double-Hurdle模型,实证分析村规民约对牧民草原生态保护决策行为的影响。研究发现,以书面形式制定,且近5年内容未发生变化的村规民约,可显著提高牧民的减畜意愿;宗教信仰对牧民的减畜意愿有显著的制约作用;汉语水平越好的牧民,其减畜意愿越高。本研究认为村规民约对其生产生活影响程度越高的牧民,其减畜比例越高;牧民的受教育水平和家庭收入水平与其减畜比例均显著负相关。因此,重视村规民约制定形式的规范性和内容的稳定性,提高牧民对村规民约的遵守程度和认可程度,定期开展牧民汉语培训工作,提高牧民的汉语水平等方式对引导牧民做出有利于保护草原生态的决策行为有积极作用。     

肃北县草原资源调查

通过应用3S技术一体化与固定样地、路线调查相结合,对肃北县天然草原资源进行调查,确定了肃北县草地类型、面积、分布及物种组成,并对草地盖度、高度和产草量进行了监测研究。结果表明,1)肃北县有天然草原5 181 889 hm2,划分为9个类,17个亚类,19个组,29个型;2)肃北县各类草原鲜草产量从高到低依次为:低平地草甸5 093 kg/hm2,温性草原化荒漠3 094 kg/hm2,高寒草甸2 561 kg/hm2,高寒灌丛草甸1 933 kg/hm2,高寒荒漠1 822 kg/hm2,温性荒漠化草原1 665 kg/hm2,温性荒漠1 183 kg/hm2,高寒草原1 143 kg/hm2,温性草原760 kg/hm2;3)肃北县天然草原年总产鲜草886 091.71万kg,折合干草(风干)304 763.85万kg;肃北天然草原理论载畜量为135.42万羊单位,目前全县各类牲畜折40.75万羊单位;4)肃北县具有丰富而珍贵的植物资源,南部祁连山区分布的植物有210种,分属42科129属,其中中低等以下的牧草有185种,占植物群落的88%;中等以上的有25种,占12%;马鬃山区分布的植物种有86种,分属23科54属,其中优良牧草有70种,占植物群落的81%。     

景泰绿洲3种小谷物的产草量与牧草营养成分预测

为了预测景泰绿洲春小麦(Triticum aestivum)、燕麦(Avena sativa)、黑麦(Secale cereale)的产草量和营养品质,通过田间试验,测得牧产草量、株高和分蘖,室内测定粗蛋白、粗脂肪、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维、粗灰分和可溶性碳水化合物,分析各指标之间的相关性。结果表明,收获干草的3种小谷物分蘖和株高均与可溶性碳水化合物之外其它5个营养指标存在显著相关性(P0.05),模拟轮牧的春小麦和黑麦株高与营养指标均无相关性(P0.05),燕麦和黑麦的分蘖与6个营养指标均呈显著相关(P0.05)。建立了根据株高预测产草量和营养品质的模型、用分蘖预测牧草营养品质的模型、用产草量预测牧草营养品质的模型、用分蘖和产草量两个因子综合预测营养品质的模型。经过与实测值对比,各预测模型的准确性均较高。     

禁牧休牧监管立法的分析与探讨

禁牧休牧已成为保护和培育生态植被的一种主要方式,是遏制草原荒漠化的有效手段。相对于禁牧休牧的制度需求,其监管立法却存在诸多问题需要完善,本文从立法层级、监管体制、法律责任等方面分析了禁牧休牧监管立法中存在的问题,着重论述其完善途径,并提出了相应的立法建议。     

Heavy grazing effects on stem elongation and internode allometry: Insights from a natural pasture grass

Limited plant stem elongation is hypothesized to be the primary cause of decreased plant growth in response to long‐term heavy grazing (LHG). However, it remains largely unknown how LHG‐induced changes in stem elongation are mediated by internode traits. Accordingly, we experimentally investigated the effects of LHG (defined as twice the stocking rate recommended by the local government) on plant stem elongation and internode allometry in Leymus chinensis in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Plant size and internode traits, including internode length (IL), internode diameter (ID), and internode number (IN), from plant individuals were measured according to their phytomer position from base to apex. The results revealed that IN and their distributions were changed in response to LHG. Although LHG negatively affected IL and ID of each L. chinensis internode from base to apex and eventually stem length, the plasticity index of IL and ID increased initially and then decreased from the lowermost to the uppermost internode in response to LHG. These contrasting responses of internode traits were result of allometry between internode traits determined by both LHG and internode position. Ultimately, IL and IN were identified to be key traits influencing stem length reduction under LHG conditions and explaining 52.51% and 47.49% of variation in stem length, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that the limitation of L. chinensis stem elongation induced by LHG is mediated by the plasticity and allometry of internode traits. This result emphasizes the sensitivity of individual plants to LHG and is potentially valuable for optimal grassland management.     

Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. II. Impact of defoliation system and nitrogen input on nitrate leaching losses

A field experiment was conducted over a 4‐year period to determine NO₃ leaching losses from grassland on a freely draining sandy soil. The experiment consisted of all combinations of five defoliation systems; cutting‐only (CO), rotational grazing (GO), mixed systems with one (MSI) or two silage cuts (MSII) plus subsequent rotational grazing, and simulated grazing (SG), four mineral nitrogen (N) application rates (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg N ha^?1 year^?1), and two slurry levels (0 and 20 m³ slurry ha^?1 year^?1). Due to the high N return by grazing animals, leaching losses in the rotational grazing systems generally were associated with NO₃‐N concentrations which exceeded the EU limit for drinking water. NO₃ leaching losses in a rotational grazing system could be reduced by lowering the N fertilizer intensity and the inclusion of one or two silage cuts in spring. However, even in the unfertilized mixed systems, N fixation by white clover exceeded the amounts of N removed via animal products, which resulted in NO₃‐N concentrations well above the EU limit for drinking water. In terms of leaching losses, the cutting‐only system was the most advantageous treatment. NO₃ leaching losses on grassland could be predicted by the amount of soil mineral N at the end of the growing season and by the N surplus calculated from N balances at the field scale. From the results obtained a revised nitrogen fertilization policy and a reduced grazing intensity by integrating silage cuts are suggested.     

An economically based evaluation index for perennial and short‐term ryegrasses in New Zealand dairy farm systems

Grazed pastures based on ryegrass species provide most of the feed for dairy cattle in New Zealand. There are many cultivars of perennial (Lolium perenne), annual and Italian (L. multiflorum), and hybrid (L. boucheanum) ryegrasses available for dairy farmers to use in pasture renewal. This study describes an index which ranks ryegrass cultivars relative to a genetic base according to the estimated economic value (EV) of seasonal dry matter (DM) traits. A farm system model was used to derive EVs (Grazed pastures based on ryegrass species provide most of the feed for dairy cattle in New Zealand. There are many cultivars of perennial (Lolium perenne), annual and Italian (L. multiflorum), and hybrid (L. boucheanum) ryegrasses available for dairy farmers to use in pasture renewal. This study describes an index which ranks ryegrass cultivars relative to a genetic base according to the estimated economic value (EV) of seasonal dry matter (DM) traits. A farm system model was used to derive EVs ($ ha^?1 calculated as change in operating profit divided by unit change of the trait) for additional DM produced in different seasons of the year in four regions. The EV of early spring DM was consistently high across all regions, whereas EV for late spring DM was moderate to low. Genotype × environment analysis revealed significant reranking of DM yield among ryegrass cultivars across regions. Hence, separate performance values (PVs) were calculated for two mega‐environments and then combined with the corresponding season and region EV to calculate the overall EV for twenty‐three perennial ryegrass and fifteen short‐term ryegrass cultivars. The difference in operating profit between the highest ranked and lowest ranked perennial ryegrass cultivar ranged from $556 ha^?1 to $863 ha^?1 year^?1 depending on region. For short‐term ryegrasses used for winter feed, the corresponding range was $394 to $478 ha^?1 year^?1. Using PV for DM yield, it was estimated that plant improvement in perennial ryegrass has added $12–$18 ha^?1 year^?1 (depending on region) operating profit on dairy farms since the mid‐1960s.     

Factors affecting a sheep vegetation management system in British Columbia, Canada

A silvopastoral agroforestry system involving sheep is an important silvicultural issue. We examined the factors that affect the continuation or discontinuation of sheep vegetation management (SVM) in British Columbia. A questionnaire was used to conduct interviews with a randomly selected sample of contractors and farmers who were involved in SVM in British Columbia (BC). Based on a stepwise discriminant analysis, we found that the profitability of SVM, and the practitioners' commitment (number of ewes owned by the farmer or contractor), experience (number of years the farmer or contractor has practiced SVM on public lands in BC) and trust or confidence (number of years the farmer or contractor has consistently worked for the landlord) contributed to the farmer's or contractor's continuation or discontinuation of SVM practice. The factors we defined seemed to be validated (corroborated) by a complex of determinants voiced by various experts concerning the relationship between SVM and the forestry economy in BC, the scale of sheep farming in BC, the relative absence of an agricultural infrastructure to support sheep farming in BC, and the continuity of SVM from year to year. Further investigation into these factors and others is required to advance our understanding of SVM in British Columbia. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dietary habits of grazers influence their suitability as biological controls of fouling macroalgae in ex situ mariculture

The dietary habits of the sea urchin Salmacis sphaeroides and the gastropod Trochus maculatus in ex situ mariculture were examined. Fouling algal assemblages on terracotta tiles were exposed to the grazers and compared. Except for Day 0, the assemblages on Days 2, 13 and 27 differed significantly across treatments. S. sphaeroides rapidly consumed most algae, leaving an assemblage dominated by turf algae and bare tile. T. maculatus primarily fed on green filamentous algae, resulting in an even distribution of other algal functional groups, while control tiles were dominated by green filamentous algae. Using three representative fouling algae species (Bryopsis corymbosa, Hypnea spinella and Lobophora variegata), the consumption rates of both grazers and dietary preferences of S. sphaeroides were examined through a single‐diet and a choice experiment respectively. The single‐diet experiment revealed differential algal consumption rates for S. sphaeroides (H. spinella = B. corymbosa > L. variegata) and T. maculatus (B. corymbosa > H. spinella = L. variegata). The choice experiment showed that S. sphaeroides preferred H. spinella over the other two species. These experiments highlighted the importance of understanding the dietary habits of grazers as this has direct implications on their effectiveness as biological controls of fouling macroalgae in mariculture.