%0 Journal Article %A ZHANG Jiping %A ZHANG Linbo %A LIU Weiling %A QI Yue %A WO Xiao %T Livestock-carrying capacity and overgrazing status of alpine grassland in the Three-River Headwaters region, China %D 2014 %R 10.1007/s11442-014-1089-z %J Journal of Geographical Sciences %P 303-312 %V 24 %N 2 %X

The Three-River Headwaters region in China is an ecological barrier providing environmental protection and regional sustainable development for the mid-stream and downstream areas,which also plays an important role in animal husbandry in China. This study estimated the grassland yield in the Three-River Headwaters region based on MODIS NPP data,and calculated the proper livestock-carrying capacity of the grassland. We analyzed the overgrazing number and its spatial distribution characteristics through data comparison between actual and proper livestock-carrying capacity. The results showed the following:(1) total grassland yield (hay) in the Three-River Headwaters region was 10.96 million tons in 2010 with an average grassland yield of 465.70 kg/hm2 (the spatial distribution presents a decreasing trend from the east and southeast to the west and northwest in turn);(2) the proper livestock-carrying capacity in the Three-River Headwaters region is 12.19 million sheep units (hereafter described as "SU"),and the average stocking capacity is 51.27 SU [the proper carrying capacity is above 100 SU/km2 in the eastern counties,60 SU/km2 in the central counties (except Madoi County),and 30 SU/km2 in the western counties];and (3) total overgrazing number was 6.52 million SU in the Three-River Headwaters region in 2010,with an average overgrazing ratio of 67.88% and an average overgrazing number of 27.43 SU/km2. A higher overgrazing ratio occurred in Tongde,Xinghai,Yushu,Henan and Zêkog. There was no overgrazing in Zhiduo,Tanggula Township and Darlag,Qumerleb and Madoi. The remainder of the counties had varying degrees of overgrazing.

%U https://www.geogsci.com/CN/10.1007/s11442-014-1089-z