Optimization yak grazing stocking rate in an alpine grassland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

	Optimization yak grazing stocking rate in an alpine grassland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China
	Dong, Quan-Ming ; Zhao, Xin-Quan ; Wu, Gao-Lin ; Chang, Xiao-Feng ; Zhao, XQ (reprint author), Chinese Acad Sci, Northwest Plateau Inst Biol, Xining 810003, Qinghai, Peoples R China.
刊名	ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
	2015-03-01
英文摘要	A simple yak (Bos grunniens) production model developed in this study was to evaluate the health of the intensive livestock production system in the three rivers headwaters region, on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. An experiment conducted for 3 years showed that individual yak liveweight gain (kg/head) was negatively related to stocking rate (Sr) (head/ha). Yak liveweight gain per hectare (kg/ha) was modeled as a quadratic function of Sr, with an apparent optimum yak stocking rate (Sr-op). Following the model, the Sr-op rate was 1.67 heads/ha for the warm-season pasture (WSP), 0.72 head/ha for the cool-season pasture (CSP), and 0.63 head/ha for the yearlong periods grazing pastures, respectively. The corresponding maximum carrying capacity (when individual yak live weight gain was equal to zero) was 3.34, 1.44, and 1.26 head/ha for warm-season, cool-season, and yearlong periods grazing pasture, respectively. In comparison with modeled maximum stock carrying capacity, all the cold-season pasture in the three rivers headwaters region were overgrazed. By contrast, only 37.5 % of the warm-season rangeland area overgrazed. It indicated that reconstruction of the proportion of the seasonal rangeland area may be an effective strategy to prevent serious rangeland degradation in this alpine region. Moreover, adjustment of the stoking rate at optimum values may likely improve the income for local herders.; A simple yak (Bos grunniens) production model developed in this study was to evaluate the health of the intensive livestock production system in the three rivers headwaters region, on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. An experiment conducted for 3 years showed that individual yak liveweight gain (kg/head) was negatively related to stocking rate (Sr) (head/ha). Yak liveweight gain per hectare (kg/ha) was modeled as a quadratic function of Sr, with an apparent optimum yak stocking rate (Sr-op). Following the model, the Sr-op rate was 1.67 heads/ha for the warm-season pasture (WSP), 0.72 head/ha for the cool-season pasture (CSP), and 0.63 head/ha for the yearlong periods grazing pastures, respectively. The corresponding maximum carrying capacity (when individual yak live weight gain was equal to zero) was 3.34, 1.44, and 1.26 head/ha for warm-season, cool-season, and yearlong periods grazing pasture, respectively. In comparison with modeled maximum stock carrying capacity, all the cold-season pasture in the three rivers headwaters region were overgrazed. By contrast, only 37.5 % of the warm-season rangeland area overgrazed. It indicated that reconstruction of the proportion of the seasonal rangeland area may be an effective strategy to prevent serious rangeland degradation in this alpine region. Moreover, adjustment of the stoking rate at optimum values may likely improve the income for local herders.
内容类型	期刊论文
源URL	[http://ir.nwipb.ac.cn/handle/363003/5452]
专题	西北高原生物研究所_中国科学院西北高原生物研究所
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Dong, Quan-Ming,Zhao, Xin-Quan,Wu, Gao-Lin,et al. Optimization yak grazing stocking rate in an alpine grassland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES,2015.
APA	Dong, Quan-Ming,Zhao, Xin-Quan,Wu, Gao-Lin,Chang, Xiao-Feng,&Zhao, XQ .(2015).Optimization yak grazing stocking rate in an alpine grassland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China.ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES.
MLA	Dong, Quan-Ming,et al."Optimization yak grazing stocking rate in an alpine grassland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China".ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES (2015).