Short-Term Impacts of Livestock Grazing on Vegetation and Track Formation in a High Mountain Environment: A Case Study from the Himalayan Miyar Valley (India)

Abstract

Animals' activities are a significant geomorphologic factor. An important reliefogenic role is played by animals introduced by man; that is, livestock. The activity of livestock on the earth's surface can be direct (horizontal displacement of the soil), or indirect (preparation of ground for degradation). In this research the areas that livestock tread most often were put under examination, that is, places used for resting (e.g., during the night) and paths used for moving (e.g., while passing to and from grazing spots). The experimental research areas were divided into two groups. During the two-week study period it was noted that (1) the number of plants and their stems had declined by 9.5% and 19% respectively, and the paths had widened by 6%; (2) the soil level had decreased, uncovering the measurement pins by 3.5 mm up to 24 mm, depending on the slope of the ground, while in the comparison (control) areas the pins were uncovered only up to an average 1.8 mm.The results of the research show the scale of the phenomenon of zoogenic erosion caused by livestock. Based on the research the following formula has been elaborated y = (−0.005x + 0.0526) T×N×SP 100×0.86 . This provided the opportunity to calculate the average (hypothetical) data for soil loss (y), according to the slope degree (x), the number of animals (N), the time that those animals spend in the area (T), and the static pressure they caused on the ground (SP). The paper makes recommendations that could lead to a reduction in soil erosion caused by livestock.

Estimating soil degradation in montane grasslands of North-eastern Italian Alps (Italy)

“…More in details, we introduce the term Anthropo-zoogenic erosion (see also Apollo et al., 2018), which is (in this case), the adverse effect on soil due to trampling of livestock introduced by humans on alpine areas.…”

Trampling Intensity and Vegetation Response and Recovery according to Altitude: An Experimental Study from the Himalayan Miyar Valley

“…Trampling and additional grazing of livestock and pack animals in high mountain valleys undoubtedly affect changes to the flora [20,45]. During the growing season (extremely short in high-mountain areas), the plant must perform the intended vegetation cycle (the entire cycle in the case of annual plants, or a partial cycle in the case of biennial and perennial plants).…”

“…More than 50% (568 km 2 ) of the Miyar Valley area (975.7 km 2 ) is covered with glaciers [44]. Average temperatures and precipitation in the Miyar Valley vary widely: for Udaipur (2649 m), these values are 9.4 • C and 1057 mm; for Sucto village (3448 m), 5 • C and 605 mm; and in the higher parts (alpine and nival zones), the average annual temperature always stays below 0 • C [45]. According to Saini [46], the soil of the Miyar Valley can be classified into three types: Himalayan alluvial soils, mountain and hill soils, and high-altitude meadow soils.…”

Impact of Climate Change on Soil Erosion in the Lam Phra Phloeng Watershed

“…One problem is soil erosion, affecting the ecosystem, public utility system, and agricultural productivity [3]. Several factors affect soil erosion, such as water, ice (glacier), snow, air (wind), plants, animals, and human action [4].…”