Traditional Mobile Pastoralism in a Contemporary Semiarid Rangeland in Namaqualand,South Africa

Pastoral systems are regarded as complex social-ecological systems with components that interact and change over a range of spatial and temporal scales. As such, herd mobility has traditionally been used to respond to the dynamic nature of these systems. However, mobile pastoral systems around the world are becoming more constrained and increasingly fragmented with important implications for herd mobility. This study assessed the spatial distribution of 256 herds and their mobility patterns over a decade in the 10 villages that comprise the spatially constrained Leliefontein pastoral area in South Africa. We developed a hierarchical model of rangeland use, which showed that several stratified and connected socioeconomic, climatic, and environmental factors determined the spatial and temporal use of grazing areas in this 192 000-ha semiarid environment. At the highest level of use, access to the Leliefontein pastoral area is formally regulated. At the next level, the place of residence of herd owners largely defined which village commons was used by their livestock. At the third level of rangeland use, the wealth status of owners determined where in relation to human settlements their herds were located. At the lowest level in the hierarchy, the locations of water and croplands delineated seasonal grazing areas and the movement of stockposts. These stratified factors, together with the overall variability in grazing resource availability and the different decision making processes involved, resulted in high flexibility and diversity of herd mobility patterns at the lowest level of rangeland use. This, in turn, ensured heterogeneity in resource use over a range of spatial and temporal scales. It was concluded that policies should embrace the complexity of the pastoral system and enable the adaptive management of herds. This could reduce the level of vulnerability experienced by pastoralists to climate variability and wider societal change.     

五省（区）应用C·肉毒杀鼠素灭治草地害鼠的效果

１９９６年４月青海省草原总站，青海省兽医生物药品厂派员辽宁彰武，内蒙古乌审，河北沽源，新疆昌吉和乌苏。四川石渠等地，在当地的支持和配合下，应用Ｃ·肉毒杀鼠素进行灭鼠试验和推广应用。结果表明：毒素饵适宜的浓度为０．１％￣０．１２％；小麦，草颗粒、滨藜籽、玉米糁均可作为载体；     

高寒草场荒漠化及其控制技术

对高寒干旱区草场荒漠化特征和引发机理的总结，查明了荒漠化草场奶穹的主要原因是气候巨变、不合理农垦、过牧及鼠害等。通过建立牧业生态户，对严重退化草场围封，进行人工补植优良牧草，灭除不可食毒、杂草，消灭鼠害，暖棚养畜；并将木本植物引入草场，设置灌木、半灌木绿篱，探求时空立体型牧场等多项试验措施。经4年治理，提出一套以牧业生态户为单元，防止高寒草场荒漠化，解决青藏高原雪灾问题的畜牧业可持续发展的路子和模式。     

Spatial occupancy patterns and activity of arid rangeland cattle grazing small riparian pastures

The spatial occupancy patterns and activity of cattle grazing three riparian pastures was investigated in northeastern Oregon using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars logging at 1‐sec intervals. Cattle consistently selected plant communities as grazing areas that had forage in sufficient volume to meet their requirements and favored communities as resting areas that were dry and open. Cattle were stationary for more than 50% of the time in each pasture and consistently rested between dark and 04:00 hours. Interaction with stream channels was found to be 1‐2% of total occupancy time and occurred on less than 10% of channel length. Cattle were indifferent or avoided channel areas relative to their area and, when in this zone, they spent most of their time moving not resting. Cattle did not prefer the stream bank zone and spent only 2% of their time in that zone. When occupied, the stream bank zone was used as a travel corridor to gain access to water or cross the channel to access other pasture areas. These results are in contrast with the general belief that cattle are a primary occupant of the stream bank/channel area; additional research is needed to define factors influencing cattle occupancy.     

蹄耕法改良山地退化草地技术应用研究

采用人工撒播、羊喂播,牛、羊背播等方法结合家畜放牧蹄耕技术,在新疆坡度较大无法进行机械作业的山地退化草地进行补播改良,试验结果表明:放牧蹄耕法技术改良最适宜的草地类型为山地草甸草原。最佳补播时期为早春播种,最适合牧草品种为红豆草;最好的补播方法为人工撒播,最适宜坡度为20°为好。通过蹄耕法改良后,草地植被覆盖度在原有的基础上最高提高了35%,优质牧草比重增加了25%,鲜草产量提高了3~4倍。     

天祝县草地资源特征及其生产力分析

对甘肃省天祝县天然草地资源类型、分布规律和特点及生产力进行分析和总结.结果发现,该区天然草地主要有温性草原、山地草甸、高寒草甸、灌丛草甸和疏林草甸5类;不同地区、年际和季节间的草地生产力与营养成分差异很大,草地饲用植物种类多,产量低.品质差.建议综合利用草地培育措施,实行草畜系统的半放牧半舍饲经营,以恢复草地植被,发展...     

草地对全球气候变化的响应及其碳汇潜势研究

 本研究用综合顺序分类法（ＣＳＣＳ）分析了１９５０－２０００年和２００１－２０５０年期间的草原类型演替及碳汇动态。证明中国草地的碳汇主体依次是冻原和高山草地、温带湿润草地、斯泰普草地和半荒漠草地大类,占中国潜在草地总面积的８５．５２％,年碳汇潜力占中国潜在草地年碳汇潜力的９３．２９％。全球草地的碳汇主体是萨王纳、冻原和高山草地大类,两者的面积和占全球潜在草地总面积的４８．５０％,年碳汇潜力占全球潜在草地年碳汇潜力的７２．２２％。在全球气候暖干化的强（Ａ２ａ）、弱（Ｂ２ａ）情景下,与当前（１９５０－２０００年）情景相比,中国将呈现草地面积减少,林地面积增加的态势;与中国的趋势相反,全球将呈现草地面积增加,林地面积减少的态势。在全球暖干化的Ａ２ａ和Ｂ２ａ模式下,草地年碳汇潜力,中国将分别提升１４．６％和１８．５％,全球将分别提升１７．３％ 和１６．８％。但两者的增长方式不同,全球是以温带湿润草地大类年碳汇潜力大幅增加为特征,而中国是以负增长为特征。我国的暖干化趋势在草地年碳汇潜力上的反映较之全球更强烈。尽管造成全球气候暖干化的自然因素远非人力所能控制,但系统问题只能靠系统综合的办法治理。这是草地工作者当前的使命。     

Effects of Fire Exclusion on Previously Fire-Managed Semiarid Savanna Ecosystem

Long-term (> 100 yr) fire exclusion is associated with numerous ecological consequences in grasslands and savannas, including transitions into shrub- or tree-dominated systems. Several studies have reported differences in woody vegetation after multiple fires among burned and unburned rangelands, but none have reported the impacts of fire exclusion after a period of fire management. We evaluated effects of fire exclusion on herbaceous and woody canopy cover and herbaceous biomass in semiarid savanna of southwest Texas in pastures with known burn histories. Pastures were burned in summer and winter in 1994, 2000, and 2006, followed by 11 yr of fire exclusion. Between 2006 and 2017, woody subcanopy increased (5–21%) in all treatments while overstory canopy remained unchanged. Herbaceous cover decreased (5–18%) in all treatments but remained higher in burned treatments. From 2006 to 2017, herbaceous biomass declined in all treatments by > 650 kg·ha⁻¹ and was not statistically different among treatments. These trends support other research demonstrating the importance of historical mean fire return interval in maintaining grasslands and savannas.     

Seasonal changes in pasture biomass and grazing behaviour of cattle in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana

Spatial and temporal availability of pasture vegetation and cattle grazing behaviour in three seasons (intermediate season [IM], peak season [PS] and dry season [DS]) in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana was examined. The frequency of occurrence of three species groups (grass, legume and forbs) and biomass yield was estimated in 1 m² plots. The grazing behaviour of 18 cows from six herds was monitored over three days per animal. Season affected the prevalence of species groups with grasses being most dominant in all seasons. Most grazing lands were heavily grazed in IM and DS but moderately grazed in PS. Whilst harvested rice fields represented the most frequently grazed land in DS, fallowed hard pans were used in PS and IM. Biomass yield was highest in DS owing to the contribution of crop residues from harvested farmlands. Carrying capacity was linked to biomass production and averaged 0.55 in DS, 0.38 in PR and 0.21 in IM. Animals spent less time outside the kraal in PS than IM and DS. Walking time was higher in DS than in IM and PS. Less than 20% of the time on pasture was spent on resting, watering and social interaction across seasons.     

干草原牧草贮藏碳水化合物含量变化规律的研究

１９９３年在内蒙古正蓝旗于草原对１０种牧草贮藏碳水化合物含量的变化规律进行了研究。在植物生长期内，每１５天采样一次，分析牧草茎基部和根部的总糖和还原糖含量。试验结果表明，牧草在返青时都要消耗贮藏碳水化合物，分蘖后开始积累贮藏碳水化合物，在拔节和抽穗时又要消耗贮藏碳水化合物，开花、结实后又积累贮藏碳水化合物。但有的牧草出现相反的情况。根据牧草贮藏碳水化合物含量变化的规律，作者对合理利用草地提出了一些意见和建议。