Cao, Jianjun and Adamowski, Jan F. and Deo, Ravinesh C. and Xu, Xueyun and Gong, Yifan and Feng, Qi (2019) Grassland degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: reevaluation of causative factors. Rangeland Ecology and Management. ISSN 1550-7424
Abstract
In light of Harris (2010) finding insufficient evidence to assert a causal linkage between any of the seven previously proposed causative factors and grassland degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), more recent empirical studies on QTP grassland degradation were explored to ascertain whether, in fact, these factors are casually linked to grassland degradation. The mischaracterization of the underlying causes of grassland degradation among policymakers has and continues to be an obstacle to sustainable regional grassland management practices. Accumulating evidence suggests that privatization and sedentarization, small mammals, climate change, harsh environments, fragile soils, and overgrazing contribute to grassland degradation. However, neither obsolete livestock husbandry methods nor the recent conversion of rangelands to agriculture had a meaningful influence. Estimates of the total area of degraded grasslands and the establishment of grassland degradation criteria have not been properly addressed in the literature. Both omissions constitute the basis for investigating the causes of grassland degradation across the QTP and the adoption of measures to manage these grasslands sustainably.
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| Item Type: | Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C) |
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| Refereed: | Yes |
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Published online: 9 August 2019. Permanent restricted access to ArticleFirst version, in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Aug 2019 06:57 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Aug 2019 06:57 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | alpine rangelands; causative factors; degradation criteria; ecosystem degradation; grassland contract policy; group action |
| Fields of Research : | 05 Environmental Sciences > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050299 Environmental Science and Management not elsewhere classified |
| Socio-Economic Objective: | E Expanding Knowledge > 97 Expanding Knowledge > 970105 Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences |
| Identification Number or DOI: | 10.1016/j.rama.2019.06.001 |
| URI: | http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/36902 |
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