Herdsmen's Perception Of Grassland Degradation And Their Behavioral Responses In Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The grassland ecosystem of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is not only an important ecological security barrier in China and the surrounding areas,but also provides the basic production materials for local herdsmen to survive and develop.Due to the disturbance of natural and human factors,the grassland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been degraded in different degrees in recent years.Many scholars have carried out a lot of studies on grassland degradation,but they mainly focus on remote sensing monitoring and field sample square measurement,it is relatively weak to analyze grassland degradation from the perspective of herdsmen's perception.As the main body of economic activities in pastoral areas,herdsmen are the most basic decision-making unit of grassland utilization and management.Studying the grassland degradation and understand its response mechanism from the perspective of herdsmen's perception can drive the positive succession of the grassland ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,it is also of great significance to realize the development of local herdsmen and the sustainable development of regional economy.This article combines the grassland ecosystem and human systems,regard "herdsmen's perception of grassland degradation—influence factors—behavioral response" as the analysis framework,use the method of random sampling in the Yushu prefecture in Qinghai and Naqu area in Tibet that located hinterland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,Gannan prefecture in Gansu and Aba prefecture in Sichuan province which located east edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,survey herdsmen's individual characteristics,family endowment and perception of grassland degradation of 297 households in total.Through the empirical analysis of descriptive statistics and econometric models of data,this paper aims to answer three questions: what is the herdsmen's perception of grassland degradation after the implementation of the subsidies and awards for grassland ecological protection in the pastoral areas ofthe Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in 2011? What are the main factors influencing herdsmen's perception of grassland degradation? Herdsmen's response behavior after perceiving the grassland degradation? This paper attempts to provide scientific reference for the long-term mechanism of grassland ecological protection in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.The research results are as follows:(1)67.34% of the herdsmen surveyed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are aware of the grassland degradation.Affected by the natural environment and human environment,herdsmen have regional differences in their perception of grassland degradation.The perceived intensity is Gannan prefecture,Yushu prefecture,Aba prefecture,and Naqu prefecture.(2)Herdsmen believe that overgrazing,drought and rodent damage are the main factors causing or accelerating grassland degradation.The actual high stocking rate and low marketing rate of fattened stock lead to obvious overload.Herdsmen are very sensitive to short-term or special year climate change,especially to the fluctuation of rainfall.In recent five years,the tendency of warm and dry climate in the research area makes herdsmen have the cognition of local grassland degradation.Herdsmen think rodent is also an important reason to accelerate grassland degradation(3)Individual characteristic variables and family endowment variables of herdsmen play an important role in herdsmen's perception of grassland degradation.The regression results of Logit model showed that under the herdsmen's perception,there was a significant positive correlation between the grassland degradation and the education level of the householder(P<0.1)and the number of the family animal husbandry(P<0.05).There was a significant negative correlation with the contracted area of grassland(P<0.01),joint household of grassland(P<0.1),per capita income of the caterpillar fungus(P<0.05),and per capita subsidies and awards for grassland ecological protection(P<0.01).(4)The feedback process of herdsmen's short-term response to grassland degradation mainly revolves around grass and livestock factors.The response behavior includes reducing the actual carrying capacity,livestock raising rate and self-use rate;Increasing the proportion of female livestock;Choose to lease pasture and supplementary feeding to achieve sustainable development of animal husbandry.(5)Under the influence of grassland degradation,herdsmen's livelihood shows obvious vulnerability.Livelihood ability and response of subsidies and awards for grassland ecological protection play a key role in herdsmen's behavior response.Based on the analysis results,this study proposes the following suggestions for grassland protection:(1)To further strengthen the publicity of grassland ecological protection policies,improve herdsmen's cognitive level and awareness of grassland protection,and the policy design process should improve herdsmen's right of speech and truly mobilize herdsmen's initiative and enthusiasm to participate in grassland protection.(2)Change traditional concept that raising livestock by nature is scientific raising livestock,breed and popularize improved livestock breeds,optimize the livestock structure,improve the scientific breeding technology and management level,and promote the high-quality development of grassland animal husbandry.At the same time,we should support economic cooperation organizations in pastoral areas,cultivate herdsmen's awareness of modern commodities,guide herdsmen to increase their livestock marketable fattened rate,and realize a win-win situation of increasing herdsmen's income and grassland ecological benefits on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.(3)Promote the joint household operation on the grassland,clarify the responsibilities,rights and interests of the joint household,and realize the intensive and professional development of animal husbandry.We should strengthen education on the cultural quality and training on labor skills of the surplus labor of joint households,optimize the livelihood mode of herdsmen through measures such as small loans,reduce herdsmen's dependence on grassland,and reduce grazing pressure.(4)Clarify the main status of herdsmen in the process of grassland contract right transfer,establish and improve the market mechanism of grassland transfer,and encourage herdsmen to carry out grassland transfer.At the same time,we should increase the technical support for herdsmen to plant artificial grass,and guide herdsmen to store and graze grass reasonably.(5)Fully understand the real demands of herdsmen,increase policy support,constantly improve the subsidy and incentive mechanism for grassland ecological protection,and build special fund subsidies for land renting,supplementary feeding and artificial planting of grass to improve the living standard of herdsmen.