Spatiotemporal patterns of the forage-livestock balance in the Xilin Gol steppe, China: implications for sustainably utilizing grassland-ecosystem services
QU Yingbo1, ZHAO Yuanyuan1,2,*(), DING Guodong1,2, CHI Wenfeng3, GAO Guanglei1,2
1Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China 2Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China 3College of Resources and Environmental Economics, Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, Hohhot 010017, China
Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of the forage-livestock balance is imperative for regionally arranging animal husbandry production while ensuring sustainable grassland-ecosystem service use. The Xilin Gol steppe is an important native grassland resource in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. This study aimed to elucidate the dynamics of the forage-livestock balance in the Xilin Gol steppe during the period 2000-2015. We evaluated the forage production and corresponding livestock carrying capacity (LCC) in the growing seasons of 2000-2015 using remote sensing data and field surveys. The spatiotemporal patterns of the forage-livestock balance were then assessed at regional, city (including city, county and banner), and village scales using statistical and household survey data. The results showed that both forage production and LCC decreased in the Xilin Gol steppe from east to west. During the period 2000-2015, the regional average forage production and corresponding LCC fluctuated without following a distinct trend, but were consistent with the variations in precipitation. The forage-livestock balance varied with time, space, and scale. At the regional scale, steppes were overgrazed in the early 2000s, but a forage-livestock balance or even grazing potential was achieved in other years. At the city scale, approximately half of the region exhibited a "forage-livestock balance" since 2000. However, about half of the region still experienced overgrazing, which mainly located in the southwest sandy zones. Such changes may have been affected by the variations in grassland quality, forage production, compensation payment, and so on. We suggest a location-specific management scheme for grazing constraints, ecological compensation payment, and industry development to aid in harmonizing animal husbandry and environmental restoration, while promoting sustainable development goals by 2030.
Received: 16 August 2020
Published: 10 February 2021
QU Yingbo, ZHAO Yuanyuan, DING Guodong, CHI Wenfeng, GAO Guanglei. Spatiotemporal patterns of the forage-livestock balance in the Xilin Gol steppe, China: implications for sustainably utilizing grassland-ecosystem services. Journal of Arid Land, 2021, 13(2): 135-151.
Fig. 1Vegetation types in the Xilin Gol League, China
Fig. 2Spatial patterns of forage production density in the Xilin Gol League in 2005 (a) and 2015 (b) and forage production density (c) and annual average total forage production (d) of different steppe types. Bars mean standard errors.
Fig. 3Variations in the forage production density of different steppe types from 2000 to 2015
Fig. 4Spatial patterns of the livestock carrying capacity (LCC) in the Xilin Gol League in 2000 (a) and 2015 (b)
Year
Proper LCC (×106 cattle heads)
Actual livestock (×106 cattle heads)
Overgrazing rate (%)
2000
2.76
4.09
48.15
2001
2.61
3.34
28.03
2002
2.95
2.92
-0.82
2003
3.54
3.26
-8.12
2004
3.10
3.23
4.24
2005
3.26
3.15
-3.29
2006
3.06
3.15
3.14
2007
2.50
2.80
11.97
2008
3.41
2.93
-14.03
2009
3.03
2.94
-2.88
2010
3.19
2.94
-8.05
2011
3.42
2.83
-17.14
2012
4.33
2.95
-31.86
2013
4.07
3.20
-21.44
2014
3.73
4.08
9.55
2015
3.78
3.75
-0.66
Table 1 Forage-livestock balance dynamics from 2000 to 2015 in the Xilin Gol League
Fig. 5Overgrazing rate of different cities, counties and banners in the Xilin Gol League from 2000 to 2015. Overgrazing rate >0 means the actual carrying capacity is higher than the reasonable carrying capacity, and overgrazing rate <0 means actual carrying capacity is lower than the reasonable carrying capacity.
Town
Village
Proper LCC (cattle heads)
Actual livestock (cattle heads)
Overgrazing rate (%)
Baoshaodai Town
Halagaitu
1034
1791
73.21
Zhalute
1524
1271
-16.60
Chahannao
2114
1123
-46.88
Nairinao
2173
1959
-9.85
Nudugai
951
1320
38.80
Gaogesitai
1033
1649
59.63
Mandulatu
1985
2021
1.81
Dengji
1488
2073
39.31
Xiarinao
1568
2336
48.98
Herimutu
1257
1218
-3.10
Engeer
2124
1830
-13.84
Kuisuhe
1514
1690
11.62
Sumutuhe
456
1124
146.49
Bayinbaogeli
1161
1664
43.32
Zagstei Town
Bayinwulan
4820
4059
-15.79
Bayinnaoer
5332
4020
-24.61
Bayinhanggai
2979
4532
52.13
Bayinbaogela
1531
3049
99.15
Saihannaoer
7001
6304
-9.96
Hugejiletu
1215
1424
17.20
Xiretu
2958
2616
-11.56
Table 2 Overgrazing rate in 21 villages of the Zhenglan Banner
Study area
Study period
Steppe type
Forage production density (g/m2)
Reference
Inner Mongolia
2002-2005
Meadow steppe
196.70a (68.30-358.40)b
Ma et al. (2008)
Typical steppe
133.40a (17.00-310.10)b
Desert steppe
56.60a (9.50-175.10)b
Inner Mongolia
Scenario analysis and prediction 1981-1990
Forest steppe
204.00a
Niu (2001)
Typical steppe
150.00a
Desert steppe
63.00a
Inner Mongolia
1981-2010
Typical steppe
186.30a (Leymus chinensis steppe)
Han and Li (2012)
138.30a (Stipa grandis steppe)
Xilin Gol steppe
2005-2012
Temperate meadow-steppe
115.23a
Zhao et al. (2014)
Temperate steppe
69.10a
Temperate desert-steppe
27.23a
Xilin Gol steppe
2000-2015
Meadow steppe
86.18±10.95c
This study
Typical steppe
82.97±13.22c
Desert steppe
22.70±4.87c
Table 3 Comparison of the results of different studies
Fig. 6Correlation between overgrazing rate and forage production from 2000 to 2015
Fig. S1Changes in precipitation (a) from 2000 to 2015 and relationship between precipitation and total forage production (b) in the Xilin Gol steppe
Year
Forage production (×106 t)
Abag Banner
East Ujimqin Banner
Duolun County
Erenhot City
Sonid Right Banner
Sonid Left Banner
2000
1.17
3.36
0.20
0.03
0.50
0.68
2001
1.37
3.23
0.18
0.03
0.39
0.81
2002
1.66
3.57
0.19
0.05
0.48
1.01
2003
2.02
3.88
0.21
0.07
0.72
1.28
2004
1.52
3.59
0.22
0.06
0.64
0.99
2005
1.61
4.30
0.22
0.05
0.47
0.87
2006
1.58
3.53
0.23
0.05
0.56
0.98
2007
1.45
2.66
0.19
0.05
0.47
1.00
2008
1.89
4.20
0.23
0.06
0.58
1.09
2009
1.77
3.85
0.21
0.06
0.52
1.15
2010
1.65
4.15
0.21
0.05
0.52
0.95
2011
1.64
4.37
0.25
0.05
0.59
1.03
2012
2.66
5.09
0.24
0.08
0.79
1.55
2013
2.20
5.01
0.26
0.06
0.68
1.20
2014
1.99
5.01
0.25
0.06
0.58
1.13
2015
2.01
4.78
0.24
0.06
0.58
1.18
Year
Forage production (×106 t)
Taibus Banner
West Ujimqin Banner
Xilinhot City
Xianghuang Banner
Zhenglan Banner
Zhengxiangbai Banner
2000
0.21
1.99
0.82
0.41
0.82
0.38
2001
0.14
2.02
0.82
0.22
0.56
0.25
2002
0.16
2.00
1.03
0.29
0.61
0.28
2003
0.21
2.37
1.31
0.40
0.78
0.38
2004
0.20
2.07
1.09
0.38
0.77
0.38
2005
0.18
2.41
1.16
0.26
0.69
0.29
2006
0.20
2.13
1.07
0.33
0.75
0.35
2007
0.15
1.64
0.95
0.23
0.60
0.26
2008
0.20
2.34
1.21
0.30
0.71
0.31
2009
0.17
1.76
0.97
0.26
0.65
0.29
2010
0.17
2.27
1.19
0.25
0.60
0.26
2011
0.20
2.37
1.14
0.38
0.75
0.36
2012
0.21
2.88
1.60
0.38
0.80
0.39
2013
0.24
2.75
1.43
0.45
0.89
0.45
2014
0.21
2.65
1.34
0.29
0.80
0.37
2015
0.19
2.62
1.44
0.29
0.77
0.33
Table S1 Total annual forage production in the Xilin Gol League
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