牧业制度变迁对草地退化的影响及其路径

草地是牧民基本的生计资产,也是中国北方的生态屏障。然而,严重的草地退化威胁着牧区可持续发展和生态安全。维持高度可变的、脆弱干旱环境中的自然资本是发展绿色经济的要求。本文梳理了20世纪80年代以来草原牧区的主要牧业制度变迁,分析其对草地退化的影响及其路径,以探讨在现行草地经营制度下如何在不减少草地自然资本的情况下发展畜牧业。研究揭示,牧业制度变迁通过"分畜到户-牲畜增加-公地悲剧"、"分草到户/草地确权-草地细碎化-围栏陷阱"以及"三权分置/草地租赁-不完善契约/产权不安全-草地过度利用"三条路径影响草地退化。"交互规模"理论解释了草地细碎化对草地退化的影响机制。本文利用面上调研资料、定点观测数据以及自然试验证据支持了以上假说。研究表明,采用适合地区特点的确权方式、规范草地租赁市场以及减轻草地细碎化从而提高"交互规模",可更好地平衡牧业生产中的"劳动力-草地-牲畜-生产性资产-水资源",促进牧业的可持续发展。

Impacts and mechanismsof grazing institutional transitions on grassland degradation

Grasslands are the basic livelihood assets of herder households as well as the ecological barrier in North China.However,severe grassland degradation threats sustainable development of grazing areas and ecological security of other areas.Maintaining the natural assets in a highly changeable and vulnerable environment is a requirement of developing the green economy.This paper aims at exploring how to develop animal husbandry under the current land tenure system with constant grassland natural assets by examining the paths,logics and results of pastoralism institutional transition on grassland degradation.The results show that pastoralism institutional reform impacted grassland degradation through"livestock distribution-livestock increase-common tragedy","grassland distribution/titlinggrassland fragmentation-fence trap"and grassland transfer.The Interaction Scale theory explains the mechanism of grassland fragmentation’sinfluence on grassland degradation.The above hypotheses are supported by surface survey data,fixed observation data and natural experimental evidence.It is confirmed that grazinginstitutional transitions may aggravate degradation due to fragmenting or/and overgrazinggrasslands.Improving land rental markets and reducing grassland fragmentation and enhancing the interaction scale will enhance the combination of"labor-grassland-livestock-productive assets-water"and sustainable livestock production.