Nomadic pastoralism in the Aru basin of Tibet's Chang Tang

Næss, Marius Warg; Lhagyal, Dondrup; Yangzom, Drolma; Mathiesen, Per; Fox, Joseph L.; Bårdsen, Bård‐Jørgen

doi:10.7557/2.24.4.1722

Cited by 14 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The winter pastures are bound to areas with low snowfall risk and direct access to the (then frozen) wetland vegetation (Goldstein et al 1990; Miller 2005; Behrendes 2008). Currently, pastoral nomads are increasingly sedentarized (Long 2003; Næss et al 2004; Behrendes 2008), and goats and sheep are the dominant stock in the alpine steppes (only 4% yak, Miller 2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpine steppe plant communities of the Tibetan highlands

Miehe¹,

Bach²,

Miehe³

et al. 2011

Applied Vegetation Science

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Aim: To present a first description of plant communities of the Tibetan alpine steppes based on floristically complete vegetation records as a baseline reference for future ecological and palaeoecological studies. These constitute the world's largest alpine biome, but their vegetation is virtually unknown. Due to their vast extent, they are relevant for functioning of large-scale climatic systems. In turn, arid and alpine biomes are suspected to be highly sensitive to ongoing climate change, underwent climate-driven changes during the Last Glacial Maximum and have been subject to overgrazing and desertification.Location: Northwestern Tibetan highlands (China: Xizang, Qinghai), 4200 to 5400 m a.s.l., total area ca. 800 000 km 2 .Methods: Two hundred and fifty-three vegetation records with absolute percentage cover were classified based on expert knowledge and analysed by DCA; composition of plant functional types related to grazing resilience was also assessed.Results: Ten communities of alpine steppe were distinguished. A set of 11 alpine steppe species is distributed throughout the highlands, with a precipitation gradient between 350 mm yr À1 (southeast) and 20 to 50 mm yr À1 (northwest). The elevational range of more than 80% of species is larger than 1000 m. The data set comprises 30% endemic species, with ten endemic genera. Conclusions:The wide thermal and hygric range of many species and high rate of endemism do not support the idea of high sensitivity to climate change or occurrence of past climate-driven extinctions. The prevailing plant functional types are grazing resilient, and evidence for overgrazing is very limited. Cushion plants and dwarf shrubs, however, become increasingly rare around settlements, because they are uprooted for fuel. Hence, the world's largest arid alpine biome is apparently resilient to climatic changes and grazing. This contradicts common perceptions about arid and alpine ecosystems and therefore deserves intense multi-disciplinary research efforts.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpine steppe plant communities of the Tibetan highlands

Miehe¹,

Bach²,

Miehe³

et al. 2011

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…Other products such as hair and hides. Two types of yak hair are used to process into different materials: coarse belly hair is used for tent materials and finer inner wool (khullu) is processed into ropes and blankets [93]. Yak dung is used as a fuel.…”

Section: Bjops Laya Lunana Lingzhi Soe and Nara Wangdue Phordangmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnic and Cultural Diversity amongst Yak Herding Communities in the Asian Highlands

et al. 2020

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Yak (Bos grunniens L.) herding plays an important role in the domestic economy throughout much of the Asian highlands. Yak represents a major mammal species of the rangelands found across the Asian highlands from Russia and Kyrgyzstan in the west to the Hengduan Mountains of China in the east. Yak also has great cultural significance to the people of the Asian highlands and is closely interlinked to the traditions, cultures, and rituals of the herding communities. However, increasing issues like poverty, environmental degradation, and climate change have changed the traditional practices of pastoralism, isolating and fragmenting herders and the pastures they have been using for many years. Local cultures of people rooted in the practice of yak herding are disappearing. Therefore, it is very important to document the socioeconomic and cultural aspects of yak herding. The broad aim of this paper was to provide a brief overview on the geographical distribution of yak in the Asian highlands and to provide in-depth information on yak-herding ethnic communities, the sociocultural aspect associated with yak herding, and challenges and emerging opportunities for yak herding in the Asian highlands. Altogether, 31 ethnic groups in 10 different countries of Asia and their cultures are documented herein. Yak was found to be utilized for many different household purposes, and to have cultural and religious aspects. Unfortunately, yak rearing and related traditions have been losing their charm in recent years due to modernization and several other environmental issues. Lastly, we suggest that there is an urgent need to take action to minimize the challenges faced by yak-herding mountain communities to conserve the traditional pastoral system and associated cultures of these ethnic communities.

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“…Empirical studies demonstrating that pastoralism is more productive per hectare than commercial ranching or sedentary livestock keeping in similar environmental conditions have been conducted by large number of scientists (Hesse, 2009;Simel, 2009). Similarly resilience and adaptability of the pastoralists has widely been described by Dyson-Hudson & Dyson-Hudson (1980), Chatty & Sternberg (2015), Farming Matters (2016), McCabe (1997), Galaty & Johnson (1990), Naess (2004), Roe et al (1998), Homewood (2009) and UNOCHA (2007). On the issues of rangeland enclosure, grabbing, land use change, fragmentation of landscape, habitat loss and effect on sustainability of livelihoods various authors have documented.…”

Section: Brief Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 87%

“…Short term tactics include punctuated movements to take advantage of new grass, depriving humans of milk to feed calves, or keeping animals within the home to increase security." Therefore, pastoral strategies are not viewed so much as directed towards maximizing animal numbers, but rather directed primarily towards securing a predictable food supply in a highly unpredictable environment (Naess, 2004). Roe et al (1998) argue: "[…] that the central concern of pastoralist is to manage a predictably unpredictable environment better, so as to establish a reliable flow of life-sustaining goods and services from rangeland ecosystems that are in fact an endogenous part of their production system."…”

Section: Brief Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of the Indigenous Technical Knowledge of Cattle Pastoralists of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India

Siripurapu,

Moola,

Sharma

et al. 2024

P&P

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Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) of livestock breeding is often tacit and not necessarily expressed in conventional forms of scientific research and documentation. Indigenous livestock breeding systems rely mostly on qualitative traits than pure quantitative qualities. Qualitative traits are difficult to measure and most of the indigenous knowledge systems are in forms of qualitative traits. The lack of documentation and predominant qualitative nature makes it difficult to validate the ITK related to livestock breeding. In this context a study was conducted to examine the traditional breeding practices associated with two heritage cattle breeds of the Deccan Plateau region of India. The study examines the criteria used for selection of the breeding bulls of the indigenous Poda Thurpu and Nallmala-Pasa/Kamma, cattle breeds native to the study area. Results of the study identifies fourteen traits specific to breeding bulls and four traits that are generic to the breeding stock/cows. These traits/characteristics are ‘deemed desirable’ by the local cattle breeders for the ‘heritage breeds’, believed to have been bred and managed by them for generations. Observations of the present study supports the notion that traditional breeders of heritage breeds lay more emphasis on qualitative traits (ability to warding-off predators, fending off-springs, coat colour and texture, gait of the animal, temperament, and response and obedience to instructions of the master) than quantitative traits. It was found that local breeders give significant importance to the fertility of bovine bulls than cows. Breeding bulls are meticulously chosen with extreme caution and care, following a very long and meticulous selection process that could last for four years. Traditionally local cattle breeders of the study follow open nucleus breeding system for breeding and are strictly against promotion of inbreeding among their cattle herds. Only men are involved in cattle breeding in the study area and women usually stay away.

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Nomadic pastoralism in the Aru basin of Tibet's Chang Tang

Cited by 14 publications

References 10 publications

Alpine steppe plant communities of the Tibetan highlands

Alpine steppe plant communities of the Tibetan highlands

Ethnic and Cultural Diversity amongst Yak Herding Communities in the Asian Highlands

Validation of the Indigenous Technical Knowledge of Cattle Pastoralists of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India

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