Desertification processes due to heavy grazing in sandy rangeland, Inner Mongolia

Zhao, Hao; Zhao, Xia; Zhou, Rui‐Lian; Zhang, T.-H.; Drake, Sam

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2004.11.009

Cited by 190 publications

(108 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Soil erosion has been associated with grazing in many rangelands worldwide, e.g. in North America (Neff et al 2008), Northern Europe (Evans 1997, Humle et al 1999, McHugh et al 2001, Dahl et al 2013 and China (Zhao et al 2005). The effects of grazing animals on soil erosion depend on vegetation and soil type, climate and historical land uses (Olofsson et al 2001, Austrheim et al 2007).…”

Section: Ecological Impacts Of Sheep Grazing In Icelandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the ecological impacts of extensive sheep grazing in Iceland

Marteinsdóttir¹,

Barrio²,

Jónsdóttir³

2017

IAS

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The sustainability of sheep grazing in Iceland has been repeatedly questioned as in some areas high stocking rates have been associated with extensive soil erosion and ecosystem degradation. We synthesized all available information on the effects of sheep grazing on vegetation, soil properties and other organisms in the rangelands of Iceland, with special focus on the grey literature. We compiled 347 documents, but only 44 contained extractable data, reporting on 16 studies. The scarcity of studies prevented us from drawing general conclusions for most ecological variables across environmental conditions, but some consistent trends were found. The extent of bare ground was significantly higher in grazed areas and grazing affected plant community structure. The potential for increased soil erosion in grazed areas remains a problem in Icelandic rangelands. A better understanding of the ecological impacts of sheep grazing is required to inform sustainable grazing practices adapted to the local conditions of this region.Keywords: extensive grazing, rangeland, soil erosion, sustainable management, tundra YFIRLIT Áhrif sauðfjárbeitar á íslensk vistkerfiSjálfbaerni sauðfjárbeitar á Íslandi hefur oft verið dregin í efa enda tengja margir beit við mikla jarðvegseyðingu og hnignun vistkerfa. Hér tökum við saman þaer rannsóknir sem birtar hafa verið um áhrif sauðfjárbeitar á vistkerfi íslenskra úthaga. Alls fundust 16 rannsóknir, birtar í 44 skjölum, flest á skýrsluformi. Fyrir flestar vistfraeðibreytur voru rannsóknirnar of fáar til að draga maetti almennar ályktanir útfrá þeim. Safngreining (e. meta analysis) sýndi þó að beit hefur áhrif á uppbyggingu plöntusamfélaga og eykur rof í gróðurþekjunni. Úthaginn verður þar af leiðandi viðkvaemari fyrir jarðvegsrofi. Ljóst er að afla þarf betri þekkingar á áhrifum beitar á vistkerfi íslenskra úthaga svo tryggja megi sjálfbaera sauðfjárbeit sem haefa aðstaeðum á hverju svaeði fyrir sig.

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Section: Ecological Impacts Of Sheep Grazing In Icelandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the ecological impacts of extensive sheep grazing in Iceland

Marteinsdóttir¹,

Barrio²,

Jónsdóttir³

2017

IAS

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“…It is argued that unless the mechanisms are understood, 1953 1957 1961 1965 1969 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 Year restoration will be more costly and likely to fail. Grazing weakens the ability of grasses and plant communities to withstand stresses, biomass decreases Zhao et al 2005), and spaces relinquished by plant death are often taken by unpalatable plant species. Species richness decreased with grazing intensity.…”

Section: Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rangeland degradation and restoration management in China

et al. 2008

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Abstract. Rangelands of China have for centuries provided forage for livestock but now their role in water, soil, and biodiversity conservation is being recognised by Governments and people. However, much of the rangelands has recently degraded and desertification is now a widespread problem. The cause of the degradation is over-grazing and over-cultivation. Climate change is exacerbating the problem. The Chinese Governments have begun to address these severe problems through policy adjustments and projects. In parallel, some research and development is taking place. There are major impediments to addressing the problem; the importance of rangelands to China and its people are generally underestimated, legislative protection is incomplete and often ineffective, little attention is paid to scientific knowledge for development of management of natural resources, there is insufficient technological support, and Governments are not able to invest sufficiently to effectively restore and develop rangeland natural resources. However, with this background we propose how the problems might be more effectively addressed in the future.

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“…In the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, and Gansu, dust (and sand) was by far the dominant absorber, as indicated by the yellow-brown color of the filters. These areas are used for grazing, and the density of grazing animals is high, reducing the vegetation cover and eroding the soil (Zhao et al 2005). Much of the dust in the snow is coarse grained and sourced in the immediate vicinity, sometimes from only a few centimeters away where a sheep's hoof broke through the thin snow and kicked up sand.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%