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Purpose: Transhumance has rarely been analyzed through LCA approaches, and there is little evidence about its emissions level when conducted under different practices (by truck or on foot) or compared to sedentary livestock systems. Moreover, mobile pastoralism is strongly linked to natural resources by its seasonal grazing patterns, thereby occupying the niche of wild herbivores. Considering natural emission baselines in these ecosystems could have relevant effects when estimating their carbon footprint. Materials and methods: Inventory data of 20 sheep farms was collected to estimate the carbon footprint (CF) of lamb meat produced. Farms were divided into three sub-groups representing typical management practices in the region: (1) sedentary (SED), (2) transhumance by truck (THT), and (3) transhumance on foot (THF). Livestock GHG emissions were modeled according to herd structure and IPCC guidelines. Off-farm emissions from external feeds and fuels were accounted based on existent LCA databases. A natural baseline of wild herbivores was established from the population of red deer reported in a hunting preserve, previously considered to be a reference for the natural carrying capacity in Mediterranean ecosystems. GHG emissions of wild herbivores were estimated through two methods based on (1) IPCC guidelines and (2) allometric regression equations. Results and discussion: Carbon footprint ranged from 16.5 up to 26.9 kgCO2-eq/kg of lamb liveweight (LW). Significant differences were identified among sedentary and transhumant farms, the latter consistently showing lower CF values (SED: 25.1 kg CO2-eq/kg LW, THT: 18.3 kg CO2-eq/kg LW, THF: 18.2 kg CO2-eq/kg LW). Sedentary farms resulted in higher GHG emissions (+ 27%) and higher CO2 and N2O, contributions derived from the consumption of additional feeds. Both methods applied to compute emissions for wild herbivores led to similar results (25.3–26.8 Mg CO2-eq/km2), comparatively lower than estimation for transhumant sheep (47.7 Mg CO2-eq/km2). When considering natural baseline emissions, the CF of transhumant lamb meat is reduced by almost 30%, reaching values quite below those reported for intensive lamb production systems in Spain. Conclusions: From our results, mobility of grazing livestock can be considered as a strategy promoting climate change mitigation. This is achieved mainly by reducing the need of external feeds, while maximizing the use of local forage resources that otherwise would be difficult to valorize. Further reductions in the CF result when considering natural baseline emissions. The application of this new GHG accounting perspective could have relevant implications when aiming at climate neutrality of grazing-based ruminant systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We propose a behaviour model for West-African pastoral mobility based on a long-term survey of agropastoral cattle herds in Senegal. We combined position and activity statistics with satellite land-use data. Our findings on behaviour and herding practices align with literature and field observations and shed light on nocturnal foraging, transhumance phases and individual fallowing. We describe and discuss our methodology to provide tools for future research. In agrarian systems where animal mobility is crucial for feed management, nutrient cycles and household economy, there is a notable lack of precise data on livestock mobility and herding practices. We introduce a methodology leveraging GPS-based behavioural models to analyse and document pastoral mobility in the Sahel. Over 2.5 years, we conducted a continuous collection of GPS data from transhumant and resident cattle herds in the Senegalese agropastoral semiarid rangelands. We developed a Hidden Markov Model robustly fitted to these data to classify recordings into three states of activity: resting (47% overall), foraging (37%) and travelling (16%). We detail our process for selecting the states and testing data subsets to guide future similar endeavours. The model describes state changes and how temperature affects them. By combining the resulting dataset with satellite-based land-use data, we show the distribution of activities across landscapes and seasons and within a day. We accurately reproduced key aspects of cattle mobility and characterised rarely documented features of Sahel agropastoral practices, such as transhumance phases, nocturnal grazing and in-field rainy season paddocking. These results suggest that our methodology, which we make available, could be valuable in addressing issues related to the future of Sahelian pastoralism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the ongoing transformation of agrarian territories in peripheral geographies across the world through extended urbanisation, this paper delves into the persistence of peasant and pastoral strategies amidst the closing down effects of land enclosure and fragmentation. Based on ethnographic research conducted with transhumant pastoralists in Delhi National Capital Region, this paper finds that instead of diminishing under agrarian‐urban transformation, pastoralists reassign use value to the fallows, wastelands, and surpluses of real estate speculation, thereby crafting a transhumance urbanism beyond the sedentary ontology of land and property. Understood as an urban otherwise, this urbanism remakes the fragments of material incompletion inherent within the agrarian‐urban transformation, offering socio‐ecological alternatives beyond the current impasse. The paper discusses the tentative, unsettled, and transient nature of this urbanism, which is always inter‐mixed with its non‐urban other. Contributing further to the scholarship emerging at the interstices of urban and agrarian studies, this paper calls for further comparative research on the territorial adaptation of peasant and pastoral populations routinely excluded from capitalist urbanisation processes unfolding in peripheral regions where sizeable itinerant populations coexist with extreme pressures of land enclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research project is the investigation of the forgotten landscape of transhumance in mainland Greece, focusing on areas that have been abandoned by modern society and their historical significance. The goal is to make these lands functional again by preserving their cultural heritage and developing a sustainable community that meets the needs of people, livestock, and the environment. The investigation employs a dual approach: examining transhumance as a cultural and natural practice while analyzing vernacular architecture to preserve collective memory. This involves extensive historical research and a simultaneous analysis of spatial, social, symbolic, and architectural elements. This study identifies points of convergence between cultural practices and architectural heritage, applying these insights to contemporary redevelopment scenarios. Findings reveal a significant interplay between transhumance practices and the region's anonymous architecture. Key characteristics of the landscape and its spatial identity are documented, providing insights into effective preservation and redevelopment strategies. Specific case studies validate these strategies, demonstrating their relevance to current and future efforts. This study concludes that understanding the historical context and spatial identity of transhumance landscapes is crucial for sustainable redevelopment. By preserving cultural practices and architectural heritage, this project provides a framework for revitalizing these landscapes, ensuring a balanced coexistence of people, livestock, and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the background of ecological fragility in western China, the northward migration of the livestock industry, and the "carbon peak" in China, it is practically significant to discuss the evolution of carbon dioxide equivalent emission intensity (CEI) in major livestock (pigs, cattle and sheep) rearing in the Shaanxi–Gansu–Ningxia (SGN) region. This discussion aims to protect the ecology of western China, achieve sustainable and healthy development of the livestock industry, and realize the national goal of "double carbon". In this study, we utilized statistical data from 2010 to 2021 for pigs, cattle, and sheep at the municipal level in the SGN region. We applied the methodology provided by the IPCC to comprehensively measure the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CEs), explore spatial and temporal trends, and analyze the driving forces behind spatial variations in the intensity with the assistance of GeoDetector. The following conclusions were drawn: Firstly, the total CEs generally exhibit fluctuating and increasing patterns. Moreover, the total CEs in different cities (states) within the region show obvious variations, with a tendency to shift toward the north. Secondly, the CEI demonstrates a clear downward trend. However, the CEI in different cities (states) exhibits increasing spatial heterogeneity. Furthermore, the western part of the region is evolving toward high-value areas, while the eastern part is evolving toward low-value areas. Lastly, the results of the GeoDetector indicate that the core driving factors are the pig, cattle, and sheep rearing structure; the urban population proportion; and the per capita gross national product. In summary, the total amount of CEs demonstrates a fluctuating increase, while the intensity shows a clear downward trend. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce CEs from livestock rearing in this region by optimizing the rearing structure of pigs, cattle, and sheep, promoting low-carbon consumption, and moderately importing livestock products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaque année, la Commission foncière de Dioungani tente de gérer les conflits entre usagers des ressources. L’objectif de l’article est d’analyser les acquis et les limites de la Commission foncière. La méthodologie est qualitative et se focalise sur les pratiques et les dynamiques des acteurs. Les outils d’enquête utilisés sont le guide d’entretien et le carnet de terrain. Les enquêtes ont porté sur 08 villages. Les résultats révèlent que les acquis de la Commission s’expliquent par l’implication de tous dans la gestion des conflits ; que les limites de la Commission sont dues à des difficultés liées à son fonctionnement.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of tourist and economic interest in transhumance in Sardinia and more generally Italy. Previously viewed as a hindrance to sheep farming development and associated with isolation, sacrifice, and uncertainty for the people involved, transhumance is now being reconsidered. This study aims to explore the impact of this renewed attention by examining the new transhumance routes, identifying its advocates, and understanding why pastoral mobility was once deemed as a sign of cultural backwardness but is now celebrated as a heritage object and identity trait. The paper also investigates how transhumance has been integrated into territorial marketing efforts, often through rhetorical appeals to pastoral identity and authenticity and nostalgic and poetical depictions of a mythologized past. In fact, the emotional peak following UNESCO’s recognition of transhumance as intangible heritage is not the sole driver of this trend, as Sardinia has been focusing on the heritage value of pastoral mobility since the early 2000s. This paper emphasizes the role that rural space and landscape revaluation, sustainable tourism promotion, new pastoralism models, and local agri-food production revitalization play in driving this shift, aligning with current environmental and cultural heritage conservation and enhancement policies.

This research is an incursion into the topic of memory and recollection as processes of identity reconstruction, but also as a dimension of the heritage creation process. In the context of current social mobility and alienation, this issue receives new values, especially in the contemporary context of mobility (leaving rural communities in favour of urban living in the country or abroad). This uprooting led to the demolition of old houses with traditional architecture. The text presents a case study: the example given by a local entrepreneur, whose intention is to set up a touristic pension complex and thus, he buys old houses from all the villages in Țara Oașului (a region situated in the North-west Romania). In order to prepare the houses for their new location, detailed research was carried on, in order to find out the story of the family that lived there, the use of the objects that were discovered there. The article describes this endeavour for the house of the shepherd, making reference to the lifestyle of shepherds of yesteryear, and the objects they used. All in a strong connection with the people who actually inhabited and used the house, and the objects found inside. Last but not least, the research approach is an autoethnographic one. The insider position of the researcher is assumed and instrumentalized in the work of ethnographic description.

The collective volume stands as pivotal research in recent pastoralism studies. Using a multisituated and pluridisciplinary perspective, it addresses the need to understand integratively the dynamic responses of grazing communities across Europe in the context of the new “heritage turn,” in conjunction with environmental stresses, social transformations, global institutions and their policies. Providing in-depth descriptions of the numerous challenges that transhumance in Europe faces today—security of land holding, new market relations, the growing pressures of governments, processes of social change and modernization—it reveals the complex interplay of these drivers of change and analyzes numerous examples of loss and adaptations of grazing practices to the new heritage scenario. In its attempt to ground a more holistic view on mobile pastoralism under global frictions, it proposes reframing it as biocultural heritage.

The movement of Fulani pastoralists and their cattle in search of greener pastures remains one of the most problematic security crises facing African countries. Despite spirited efforts at addressing this problem, several of these Fulani pastoralists have continued to refer to the old grazing routes, the ECOWAS Protocol on Transhumance (1998), ECOWAS Supporting Regulation (2003), and by extension the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods to justify their unregulated grazing. This has oftentimes led to confrontations among Fulani and host communities with grave human insecurity challenges. Existing studies on the subject matter have focused on this human insecurity in a general sense and this justifies the need to interrogate other possible security threats occasioned by Fulani pastoralists and host communities fracas. Relying on secondary sources, this study argues that despite local initiatives to address these ongoing clashes, there have been more violent attacks in Africa especially in the Sahel region with no end in sight. Given the tendency for misinterpretation of these regional initiatives as a license for unregulated grazing, there is a compelling need for governments especially ECOWAS and the African Union to re-educate concerned parties about their salient points and workings as this remains the sine qua non for peace and stability across the region especially in the Sahel.

The aim of this research project is the investigation of the forgotten landscape of transhumance in mainland Greece, focusing on areas that have been abandoned by modern society and their historical significance. The goal is to make these lands functional again by preserving their cultural heritage and developing a sustainable community that meets the needs of people, livestock, and the environment. The investigation employs a dual approach: examining transhumance as a cultural and natural practice while analyzing vernacular architecture to preserve collective memory. This involves extensive historical research and a simultaneous analysis of spatial, social, symbolic, and architectural elements. This study identifies points of convergence between cultural practices and architectural heritage, applying these insights to contemporary redevelopment scenarios. Findings reveal a significant interplay between transhumance practices and the region’s anonymous architecture. Key characteristics of the landscape and its spatial identity are documented, providing insights into effective preservation and redevelopment strategies. Specific case studies validate these strategies, demonstrating their relevance to current and future efforts. This study concludes that understanding the historical context and spatial identity of transhumance landscapes is crucial for sustainable redevelopment. By preserving cultural practices and architectural heritage, this project provides a framework for revitalizing these landscapes, ensuring a balanced coexistence of people, livestock, and the environment.

This study, part of a request for UNESCO to protect the practice of transhumance, provides a reflection carried out by shepherds in dialogue with pastoral agents who have accompanied them for several years. The dynamics of transhumance, a multi-millennial practice, links to a group of populations and a particular civilisation characterised by a historical, linguistic, cultural and social specificities. Transhumant pastoralism belongs to their cultural identity. Considering current governance systems, the problem exposed will be studied according to what constitutes the phenomenon of transhumance and its historical evolution. How are the shepherds situated in terms of resilience and resistance? What are their vulnerabilities and their capacities for adaptation? What is their conception of appropriate governance while respecting their traditional culture? This text intends to give some answers that they provided.

Grazing livestock in uplands was a widespread practice in late Medieval and early modern Europe, but there can be uncertainty about the date and function of archaeological sites associated with herding. This paper reviews fieldwork on such sites in northern and northwestern Europe and reports on the excavation of a hut and enclosure in the mountains of southwestern Ireland. The hut was found to have been built in the 16th or 17th centuries a.d. and was probably used to oversee dairy animals (likely cows). The enclosure was dated to the early 18th or early–mid-19th century a.d. and is more likely associated with goat milking. The excavations demonstrate that construction dates can be obtained for pastoral sites in uplands of northwestern Europe. Furthermore, with careful reading of features in the surrounding landscape and consideration of documentary and ethnographic evidence, fieldwork can help determine the nature of pastoral economies over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livelihoods associated with transhumance cattle production are increasingly decimated and threatened by serious loss of human lives due to increasing competition for resources as driven by cattle logic and capital logic, thus the plan and drive for livestock transformation have been subjected to the recalcitrance of transhumance in Nigeria. This study examined cattle farmers’ willingness and attitude towards the establishment of private grazing lands in Sokoto State Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 457 cattle farmers from 10 Local Government Areas of Sokoto State, from which data were collected through a structured questionnaire and subjected to frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation, Probit regression, and Principal component analysis. The results revealed that cattle farmers have unfavorable attitudes and are unwilling to establish private grazing lands. The determinants of cattle farmers’ willingness and attitude to the establishment of grazing lands overlap and include age (t = 1.97; p < 0.05); marital status (t = -11.35; p < 0.05); educational level (t = -2.73; p < 0.05); credit amount (t = -44.56; p < 0.05); source of credit (t = -5.01; p < 0.05); herd composition (t = -2.20; p < 0.05); attitude (t = 8.82; p < 0.05) and constraints (t = 1.97; p < 0.05). The Principal Component Analysis extracted factors are Factor 1 (Resource utilization), Factor 2 (Environment concerns), Factor 3 (practice suitability), and Factor 4 (cattle productivity) and accounted for 21.59%, 6.93%, 6.20%, 5.35% of the variance respectively; with a cumulative 40.06% variance. These results affirm Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity with a value of X2 = 1991.43, p = 0.00, and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy of 0.835. It is recommended that a clear distinction of logic for curtailing transhumance which is responsible for farmer-herder conflicts be established and limitations of cattle movements defined within their immediate surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Landscape‐scale LiDAR‐based studies are becoming increasingly prevalent in archaeology, mainly focusing on detecting archaeological sites to create datasets for spatial analysis. However, the representativeness of these datasets in accurately reflecting the surviving distributions of archaeological sites has often been overlooked. This paper discusses issues of sampling and representativeness in LiDAR‐derived datasets, particularly within the scope of large‐scale landscape studies in Mediterranean contexts. Drawing insights from the Ancient Hillforts Survey, which analysed 15 296 km2 in south‐central Italy, the study examines the variability in the visibility of different site typologies in open‐source but low‐resolution LiDAR data. Through an examination of hillforts, platform farms, settlements, field systems, traces of Roman centuriation, and transhumance routes, the paper highlights significant variability in the identification and mapping within and across different site types. Recognizing the need to account for this variability in the development of spatial analysis, the paper discusses the use of sampling areas to address this variability. This approach aims to effectively mitigate potential biases in analysis, emphasizing the necessity for nuanced methodologies in interpreting LiDAR data for archaeological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the current challenges of extensive and transhumant grazing, by comparing European and American processes. In the first case, Italian Molise's experiences are analyzed, in the second case from North Argentine Patagonia. It investigates the footprints of passing cattle, searching the double recognition made by institutions and populations. It seeks to understand the strands that link the meanings of practices, addressing the socio-environmental challenges of territories between marginal and essentialized, which refer to structural aspects, customs and specific practices. The cases are compared by understanding them within the Anthropocene. To make visible their crossing tensions, it appeals to the Capitalocene critical theories, which associate sustainable development, dissemination and education with a new discourse on global heritage. From here, and in the light of experiences, relationships between intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development around livestock farming are made explicit, based on the shared difficulties in recognizing the activity outside of an essentializing perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transhumance is a territorial management model based on an adaptive learning process demonstrated in the ecological knowledge accumulated by transhumant shepherds over generations, shaping landscapes of high heritage value. The aim of our study is to provide an overview of the current state of transhumance in Gran Canaria, also drawing on its historical evolution. This research employs a methodology that combines historical and geographical analysis, including in-depth interviews with the last 23 transhumant shepherds on the island, and the representation of territorial outcomes using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Through this work, for the first time in the scientific field, specific data contributions regarding the current reality of this activity in Gran Canaria are made. It is concluded that transhumance is at great risk of disappearing on the island, although the practice of transhumant herding generates numerous ecological, economic, and social advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Historical Studies of the Landscape" presents different approaches and methods for studying the relationship between landscape and history. It highlights the importance of understanding past and current landscapes, as well as the interaction between the environment and the societies that inhabit them. The article also mentions several specific studies that focus on different regions, such as Central America, Central Europe, and Spain. These studies analyze the evolution of plant landscapes, changes in land use, coastal dune fixation, and the impact of transhumance on the landscapes of Gran Canaria. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of adopting an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to understanding historical landscapes. [Extracted from the article]

This study, part of a request for UNESCO to protect the practice of transhumance, provides a reflection carried out by shepherds in dialogue with pastoral agents who have accompanied them for several years. The dynamics of transhumance, a multi-millennial practice, links to a group of populations and a particular civilisation characterised by a historical, linguistic, cultural and social specificities. Transhumant pastoralism belongs to their cultural identity. Considering current governance systems, the problem exposed will be studied according to what constitutes the phenomenon of transhumance and its historical evolution. How are the shepherds situated in terms of resilience and resistance? What are their vulnerabilities and their capacities for adaptation? What is their conception of appropriate governance while respecting their traditional culture? This text intends to give some answers that they provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study of the decline and revitalisation of transhumance in the Valles Occidentales challenges the dominant narrative that transhumance is a practice of the past without present-day relevance and viability. Drawing from interviews and participant observation with current and former transhumant herders in 2010 and 2018, this case illustrates that transhumance remains an important adaptation to take advantage of varying forage availability over space and time, using a production system that is more profitable than semi-extensive management with winter stable feeding. Social concerns, rising winter-forage costs and declining labour availability led most herders in the Valles to abandon transhumance in the 1980s. In the 2010s, increasing profitability, changing technology and increasing cooperation facilitated revitalisation, while shifting social norms and gender roles both facilitated and challenged continuity of transhumance. This case study suggests a number of interventions that could support revitalisation and continued viability of transhumance in other regions of Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and related effects such as water scarcity is a major issue for transhumant who need to develop sustainable adaptation strategies. We highlighted both the perceived climate change effects and the main socio-economic drivers of the decisions to use specific adaptation strategies. Our study used primary data collected through a survey approach from 100 transhumant randomly selected in two municipal areas in the northern of Benin. We used descriptive statistics and a multivariate regression model to analyze our data. Transhumant herders perceived climate change effects through variability of rainfall, of temperature and of wind direction. In response to the perceived changes, they adopted several strategies, including cattle complementary feed search, water for drinking and improving genetic performance for their cattle. The perceived changes and sociodemographic characteristics including religion, sociocultural group, etc. negatively influenced the adoption of some adaptation strategies such as forage reserves and changing transhumance area and routes. In the other hand, the perceived changes and socioeconomic characteristics including age, education, religion, etc. positively influenced the adoption of food stockpiling, of prayers and offering to deities, of changing the transhumance period, etc. The perception of the climate change effects and the sociodemographic characteristics of the transhumant herders affected the adoption of adaptation strategies in many ways. Policy makers could deliver climate information for strengthening the resilience of transhumant herders.

The helminth fauna of cattle in the Russian Federation is represented, on average, by 80 parasite species, including 10 trematode species, 13 cestode species and 57 nematode species. In Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan, up to 65–100% of cattle population are Strongylata and Anoplocephalata infected, up to 87% are Dicrocoelium infected, up to 40% are Fasciola infected, and up to 23% are Echinococcus infected. Continuous helminth fauna monitoring tests and studies of the epizootic patterns of helminth infections in transhumant livestock in the North Caucasus are an urgent task. Parasitological examinations were carried out on the farms of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic that practise vertical transhumance at different altitudes in 2018–2022. The animals of various ages were observed on a year-round basis. The examinations covered transhumant cattle in the subalpine and alpine-subnival subzones of the mountain zone of the Republic, 100 animals per subzone. In the subalpine subzone of the mountain zone of Kabardino-Balkaria, 25 helminth species were detected in the transhumant cattle in the summer and autumn periods, and 7–11 helminth species were detected in the winter and spring periods. The following species prevailed: Dicrocoelium lanceatum, Paramphistomum cervi, Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Oesophagostomum radiatum, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Nematodirus helvetianus, Nematodirus spathiger, Ostertagia ostertagi, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Ostertagiella occidentalis, Haemonchus placei. In the alpine-subnival subzone of the mountain zone of the Republic, 16 helminth species were detected in the transhumant cattle in the summer and autumn periods, and 3–7 helminth species were detected in the winter and spring periods. The following species were found to prevail in this subzone: Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Dicrocoelium lanceatum, Nematodirus helvetianus, Ostertagia ostertagi, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Haemonchus placei, Oesophagostomum radiatum.

Transhumance and its associated heritage are extremely complex and dynamic systems, and their conservation requires the analysis of interdisciplinary factors. To this end, fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) and Delphi surveys were applied for the first time in the field of heritage conservation. The model was applied to the tangible and intangible transhumance heritage of Andorra to determine its current state of conservation and to evaluate strategies for its preservation. Two panels of experts worked on the development of the model. Five experts with profiles related to conservation and transhumance heritage formed the first panel, which designed the preliminary FCMs, while seven experts in Andorran cultural heritage (panel 2) adapted the preliminary FCM model to Andorran transhumance heritage using Delphi surveys. The FCM model allowed us to analyze the influence of different variables on the conservation of transhumance heritage and to assess policy decisions. Further studies will focus on the implementation of this model in other countries to establish common recommendations for the conservation of the cultural heritage of transhumance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cross‐border livestock mobility through transhumance is mainly practiced in West African countries for seasonal access to resources and market. Cross‐border herds are involved in the dynamic of transboundary animal diseases among them brucellosis taken as model. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease causing abortion. Objectives: This study explores the seroprevalence of brucellosis according to mobility and infection spread between Mali and Côte d'Ivoire in the context of seasonal cross‐border transhumance. Methods: From February to April 2021, a transversal serological survey of brucellosis was conducted on 521 cattle from 111 transhumant herds and 283 cattle from 59 sedentary herds, all from Mali. Results: The global individual seroprevalence for Brucella spp. in transhumant and sedentary cattle from Mali was 8.2% (95% CI = 6.0–10.5). At herd level, seroprevalence was 21.2% with a significant variation between transhumant (11.7%) and sedentary (39.0%) herds. For herds in transhumance, cattle seropositivity was associated with a previous infection suspected by herdsmen odds ratio (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.1–18.1) and unknown abortion aetiology (OR = 4.3; 95% CI = 1.0–17.3). The departure region (coming from Sikasso) and previous brucellosis infection or unexplained abortion could be used to predict Brucella infection in transhumant herds with a probability of around 60%. The risk of brucellosis introduction in host regions was high despite the individual animal seroprevalence of 3.6% and a low sale rate in transhumant cattle. Conclusions: The findings suggest that testing transhumant during border control and survey of cattle markets and sales could improve risk control of the spread of disease at regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based natural resource governance is increasingly valued by the leading international organizations that promote environmental conservation and sustainable development. At the same time, the ecosystems of the northeastern Andalusian mountains are intrinsically related to the long-standing presence of pastoralism and its different communal forms that have favored a very particular biocultural diversity and sustainable socio-ecological systems locally. Through a transdisciplinary anthropological and ecological study, we aimed to compare how different types of communal governance and pastoral mobilities impact pasturelands in the region. We focused on three contiguous mountain pastoral commons, those of Castril, Santiago de la Espada, and Pontones, which exhibit different forms of communal organization and two main transhumant types of mobility: long-distance and short-distance transhumance. We conducted long-term ethnographic fieldwork with year-round participatory observations of social life, pastoral practices, and governance systems, and performed botanical and soil analyses. As a general result, we found that local pastoralism positively impacts the environment. There were differences between commons and mobility regimes, with a positive impact related mainly to closer forms of cooperation between herders and daily guiding of flocks, along with seasonal long-distance transhumance, especially when the latter is combined with stricter formal community rules. Within the current context highly determined by public subventions, particularly from the EU, primarily directed at pastureland management's administrative and economic aspects, local governance increasingly favors these methods over the conservation of traditional, sustainable uses of pastures. This innovative research marks the first step towards a sounder intertwining of anthropological and ecological approaches towards a more holistic understanding of pastoral commons in general and in the Mediterranean region specifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In agrarian systems where animal mobility is crucial for feed management, nutrient cycles and household economy, there is a notable lack of precise data on livestock mobility and herding practices. We introduce a methodology leveraging GPS-based behavioural models to analyse and document pastoral mobility in the Sahel. Over 2.5 years, we conducted a continuous collection of GPS data from transhumant and resident cattle herds in the Senegalese agropastoral semiarid rangelands. We developed a Hidden Markov Model robustly fitted to these data to classify recordings into three states of activity: resting (47% overall), foraging (37%) and travelling (16%). We detail our process for selecting the states and testing data subsets to guide future similar endeavours. The model describes state changes and how temperature affects them. By combining the resulting dataset with satellite-based land-use data, we show the distribution of activities across landscapes and seasons and within a day. We accurately reproduced key aspects of cattle mobility and characterised rarely documented features of Sahel agropastoral practices, such as transhumance phases, nocturnal grazing and in-field rainy season paddocking. These results suggest that our methodology, which we make available, could be valuable in addressing issues related to the future of Sahelian pastoralism.

The study area, it includes Darkhan-Uul and Selenge provinces of Mongolia, is included in the most favourable natural-geographical areas, and the migration of people with livestock from the peripheral areas has led to an increase in the population, as well as a sharp increase in the number of grazing animals, resulting in the effects of natural and human activities. give an evaluation, develop the basis for the proper use of the land in the future. In Mongolia, the methods and principles of land evaluation differ depending on the general classification and purpose of land, so considering these characteristics, land evaluation is carried out by (1) the Department of Agriculture, (2) the Department of Urban Development, Industry and Mines, (3) the Department of Roads and Networks, (4) it is divided into types of land with forest reserves (Tserenbaljir, B. Naranchimeg, 2004). In the "instructions for land evaluation" issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1976, in the assessment of land quality, in addition to the main indicators of soil fertility and moisture, climate, land cover and use, chemical pollutions such as an alkaline acidity. In the ecological assessment study, data on land use, soil, vegetation, climate, natural conditions, resources, socio-economic, satellite and field studies were collected in numerical and tabular form. The Ecological assessment in intensive land use is divided into qualitative and quantitative assessment. The Qualitative assessment predicts ecological properties. The Quantitative methods use multi-species numerical methods to record ecological elements and calculate the overall percentage of ecological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop a yak/chauri-specific welfare assessment protocol, we sent a set of 31 potential welfare measures to 120 Nepalese experts and asked them to identify the measures that they thought would be useful and propose additional useful measures. Eighty-three experts responded, with 13 measures being identified by >50% of respondents as likely to be useful. These thirteen measures plus one new measure (hematology) were included in an assessment protocol that was tested in the second phase of this study in five chauri herds in two districts in northern Nepal. Animal-based evaluations along with sampling for mastitis, intestinal parasites, and hematology were undertaken during or just after morning milking. Resource- and record-based measures were assessed through structured interviews, with verifications on-site where possible. No chauris exhibited poor body conditions, skin injuries, significant locomotion issues, or significant subclinical mastitis. Fecal testing suggested a high prevalence of intestinal parasites at the herd level, while blood testing suggested no evidence of hematological abnormalities. However, for both results, we need more data to use these effectively as measures of welfare. The resource-based assessment revealed significant challenges across all resources, and veterinary services were reported as being inadequate. A high estimated annual mortality rate (10–21%) needs further investigation. This protocol provided a useful start towards developing a welfare assessment protocol for yak/chauri and identified issues that need addressing to optimize chauri welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) practiced by pastoralists along the transhumance routes in southwestern Angola. Within the framework of three cooperation projects, we conducted 434 interviews, collecting information on 89 taxa used for treating 16 livestock diseases. The most cited species was Ptaeroxylon obliquum (132 citations), followed by Salvadora persica (59) and Elaeodendron transvaalense (49). Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) was the disease most cited (223 citations; 44 species), followed by wounds (95; 20) and Newcastle (86; 14). We found that 30 species and 48 uses have not been previously reported in the ethnoveterinary literature. Jaccard index (mean value = 0.13) showed a greatly diversified knowledge among the ethnic groups: Kuvale and Nyaneka were the most knowledgeable and should be included in the various strategies for disseminating EVM in the area. Most informants recognized that abundance of some species decreased in the last years as a result of human activities and climatic changes. Finally, we discuss challenges in preserving the EVM in the area. Our findings suggest that preservation of the EVM in southwestern Angola is widely impacted by the access to biomedicine. Future studies should investigate the opportunity to integrate traditional medicine into mainstream development projects, which is crucial for decolonizing the veterinary sector in Angola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Changthang region of Ladakh, India, pastoralism serves as the cornerstone of both the local economy and the local way of life. However, recent socioeconomic shifts and environmental constraints put this economic structure, which has been expertly adapted to the difficult trans-Himalayan geography, in danger of becoming unsustainable. To explore methods for balancing development, ecology, and Indigenous culture, this review analyzes pastoralism in Changthang. The sole dependable method of food production for generations has been mobile pastoralism, supported by high-elevation rangelands. Breeds of native livestock adapted to scant vegetation and seasonal variation have been selectively bred by generations of pastoralists. Sale of wool and cashmere provides financial stability for pastoralist families, mitigating income vulnerability to climate shocks and market fluctuations that would otherwise disrupt predominantly livestock-rearing livelihoods. However, traditional transhumance cycles and collective resource management have been hampered by sedentarization, population growth, conservation constraints, and market integration. Climate change and unrestricted grazing contribute to grassland degradation. Promising programs combine conventional methods with innovations like mobile veterinary services and satellite forecasting to preserve breeds and grazing resources while increasing productivity and climate resilience. These initiatives seek to support regulated grazing practices. Comanagement practices that involve communities in conservation planning are essential. This production system and culture can be maintained through integrated strategies respecting pastoralists' stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the heterogeneity of agricultural production systems is important both for the design of targeted and tailored policies and for providing effective extension services. In Switzerland, seasonal grazing of alpine pastures during summer is important for many farms, but also for biodiversity conservation. However, these so-called alpine summer farms are threatened by water scarcity due to climate change, the lack of skilled labor, and human–wolf conflict, resulting in the abandonment of farms and loss of biodiversity. Swiss agricultural policies govern alpine summer farms with uniform policy interventions through direct payments to address these challenges. However, these farms are highly heterogeneous in terms of socioeconomic and biophysical conditions, and we lack an understanding of their structure. We investigate the heterogeneous structure of Swiss alpine summer farms by using census data (N = 5900) and a mixed-methods approach combining unsupervised clustering techniques and expert assessment to generate a farm typology. Our methodological approach enriches the existing socioeconomic farm-level data with spatial data to depict the farms' infrastructure and biophysical environment. Our results suggest 6 types that differ in terms of organizational structure, herd composition, biophysical environment, and accessibility: (1) private dairy farms; (2) communal mixed cattle and dairy farms; (3) communal cattle farms; (4) remote farms; (5) small, private cattle farms; and (6) sheep farms. We also anticipate challenges for each cluster and discuss optimization and policy measures. This will help develop targeted policies tailored to specific alpine farm types, addressing both climate and farm structural change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Kyrgyzstan, most farming systems focus on animal husbandry, which depends on mixtures of crops and pastures around settlements and higher-elevation summer pastures. These farms face the problems of insufficient fodder production and pasture degradation due to overgrazing, resulting in low productivity of livestock and reduced household incomes. The spatial diversity of farms often hampers the development of interventions aimed at improving crop and animal productivity, as well as sustainable grassland management, while the absence of a comprehensive and systematic classification system that effectively encompasses the diverse range of livelihood strategies within farming systems presents a significant obstacle to the advancement of initiatives promoting sustainable livelihoods. This study aimed to develop a consistent typology of smallholder farms in the Tien Shan using multivariate analysis. By analyzing data from 235 farm-households and evaluating key classification variables, we identified two distinct farming systems, upper mountain farms and lower mountain farms, based on socioeconomic and agro-ecological characteristics. Our typology considers elevation, grazing period, cultivated area, and off-farm income and better captures the diversity of farming activities and household income compared to current classification models. These findings will inform and tailor policies and interventions suitable for enhancing sustainable livelihoods in Kyrgyzstan's mountain farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is an incursion into the topic of memory and recollection as processes of identity reconstruction, but also as a dimension of the heritage creation process. In the context of current social mobility and alienation, this issue receives new values, especially in the contemporary context of mobility (leaving rural communities in favour of urban living in the country or abroad). This uprooting led to the demolition of old houses with traditional architecture. The text presents a case study: the example given by a local entrepreneur, whose intention is to set up a touristic pension complex and thus, he buys old houses from all the villages in Ţara OaŞului (a region situated in the North- west Romania). In order to prepare the houses for their new location, detailed research was carried on, in order to find out the story of the family that lived there, the use of the objects that were discovered there. The article describes this endeavour for the house of the shepherd, making reference to the lifestyle of shepherds of yesteryear, and the objects they used. All in a strong connection with the people who actually inhabited and used the house, and the objects found inside. Last but not least, the research approach is an autoethnographic one. The insider position of the researcher is assumed and instrumentalized in the work of ethnographic description. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of tourist and economic interest in transhumance in Sardinia and more generally Italy. Previously viewed as a hindrance to sheep farming development and associated with isolation, sacrifice, and uncertainty for the people involved, transhumance is now being reconsidered. This study aims to explore the impact of this renewed attention by examining the new transhumance routes, identifying its advocates, and understanding why pastoral mobility was once deemed as a sign of cultural backwardness but is now celebrated as a heritage object and identity trait. The paper also investigates how transhumance has been integrated into territorial marketing efforts, often through rhetorical appeals to pastoral identity and authenticity and nostalgic and poetical depictions of a mythologized past. In fact, the emotional peak following UNESCO's recognition of transhumance as intangible heritage is not the sole driver of this trend, as Sardinia has been focusing on the heritage value of pastoral mobility since the early 2000s. This paper emphasizes the role that rural space and landscape revaluation, sustainable tourism promotion, new pastoralism models, and local agri-food production revitalization play in driving this shift, aligning with current environmental and cultural heritage conservation and enhancement policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In southern Transylvania, sibling relations among herdsmen constitute a framework for organizing local shepherding practices. Our field data point to the importance of the brothers' and sisters' joint work in terms of the apprenticeship of young shepherds, the task rotation during seasonal transhumance, the sharing of their parents' herds, and (as a result) the intergenerational continuity of pastoral ownership. Therefore, sibling relations among herders should be considered not only demographic evidence of consanguinity but more importantly a traditional pattern of sociality and economic mutual help, i.e., an institution. The functionality of such an institutional model is confirmed by the anthropological literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the drawings made by the French spies and envoys who visited Spain at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century with the intention of knowing and radiography the infrastructures associated with the treatment and washing of transhumant wool. The ultimate objective of these prospections was to transmit their operation and define its architecture as a means to replicate these archetypes in their own territory once plundered and finished with the Spanish wool monopoly. Through the located documentation we expose the itineraries that were carried out, the objects analysed and the main contributions of their drawings, which respond to the spirit of representation proposed by the French illustration. Based on these documentary sources, the only visual sample of the disappeared wool industrial heritage, the graphic reconstruction of one of the spied complexes is proposed in order to recover this unique heritage and promote its value and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transhumance activity, which has been carried on in the mountains of Türkiye for hundreds of years, has entered into a great change nowadays. NE Anatolia, the center of livestock grazing, is the region where these changes are experienced the most. This study focused on the problem of decrease in transhumance activity in Ardahan. The aim is to give the current status of transhumance and to determine the causes and consequences of the decline problem. Within the scope of the qualitative research method, interviews were conducted through semi-structured questions with people selected with stratified sampling among the plateau climbers in three districts of Ardahan. The findings were evaluated by content analysis while tables and figures were prepared. The most important finding is that grazing on pastures is experiencing a transition from agricultural management to family livestock farming. This situation is closely related to the shrinkage of pasture areas in the region, the decline of animal husbandry and ultimately rural migration. It is expected that the study will contribute to the literature on regional transhumance, local society and rural settlement geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rise in human disturbance in Comoé National Park (CNP) has led to lion (Panthera leo) extirpation. After the crisis, there have been numerous efforts to restore this ecosystem and CNP's management authority is considering reintroducing lions. This ideally requires an understanding of the earlier process of lion extirpation. We assessed the causes of lion extirpation through semi-structured questionnaires to 307 volunteer participants in surrounding 23 villages. Respondents reported that lions were extirpated two decades ago (19.75 years ± 8.15). Bouna was the sector that lions seem to have disappeared first (mean = 23.61 years± 9.14) and recently on Nassian and Téhini sectors (mean = 18.43 years ± 8.17 and 18.74 years ± 6.74 respectively). People identified civil war from 2002 as the main facilitator of lion extirpation (85%; n = 261), which led to the abandonment of CNP, and opened the way for all forms of anthropogenic pressures including illegal hunting and prey depletion (70%; n = 216), illegal gold mining (74%; n = 227), direct lion killing due to transhumance and human-wildlife conflict (15%; n = 45), and wildfires (23%; n = 72). Historically, prey density curves show a progressive decrease with a drastic drop during the civil war period before a post-crisis recovery from 2016 to 2022. We recommend intensifying CNP monitoring and local measures to limit anthropogenic disturbances and improve indigenous communities' involvement to ensure the success of potential lion reintroduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Context: The abandonment of traditional practices has transformed agro-pastoral systems, leading to a more frequent occurrence of passive rewilding of Mediterranean landscapes. Reconstructing ecosystem responses to climate under different grazing conditions (i.e., wild, and domestic ungulates) is important to understand the future of these ecosystems. Objectives: Here we study the different roles of domestic and wild herbivory in defining the climate-vegetation interaction. Specifically, we evaluated (1) the effect of climate on primary productivity at the landscape scale and (2) the long-term trends of vegetation biomass in response to passive rewilding or maintenance of traditional grazing systems. Methods: This study was carried out in South-eastern Spain. We used satellite images to generate NDVI time series that proxy primary productivity and vegetation biomass. We combined the NDVI and climate data from two key landscapes: one with wild ungulates and another predominantly with domestic ungulates. Results: We detected a secondary succession process in areas with only wild ungulates. In domestic herbivory areas, vegetation biomass remained constant throughout time (30 years). In domestic herbivory areas temperature and seasonal precipitation affected primary productivity. In areas with only wild herbivory, primary productivity was mainly driven by annual precipitation, and it was less dependent on seasonal precipitation. Conclusion: These results highlight the distinctive roles of herbivores in defining Mediterranean landscapes' adaptability to climate, through passive rewilding or traditional livestock use. Maintaining both ecosystems can enhance landscape heterogeneity and ecological sustainability in a context of climatic changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Cross‐border livestock mobility through transhumance is mainly practiced in West African countries for seasonal access to resources and market. Cross‐border herds are involved in the dynamic of transboundary animal diseases among them brucellosis taken as model. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease causing abortion. Objectives This study explores the seroprevalence of brucellosis according to mobility and infection spread between Mali and Côte d'Ivoire in the context of seasonal cross‐border transhumance. Methods From February to April 2021, a transversal serological survey of brucellosis was conducted on 521 cattle from 111 transhumant herds and 283 cattle from 59 sedentary herds, all from Mali. Results The global individual seroprevalence for Brucella spp. in transhumant and sedentary cattle from Mali was 8.2% (95% CI = 6.0–10.5). At herd level, seroprevalence was 21.2% with a significant variation between transhumant (11.7%) and sedentary (39.0%) herds. For herds in transhumance, cattle seropositivity was associated with a previous infection suspected by herdsmen odds ratio (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.1–18.1) and unknown abortion aetiology (OR = 4.3; 95% CI = 1.0–17.3). The departure region (coming from Sikasso) and previous brucellosis infection or unexplained abortion could be used to predict Brucella infection in transhumant herds with a probability of around 60%. The risk of brucellosis introduction in host regions was high despite the individual animal seroprevalence of 3.6% and a low sale rate in transhumant cattle. Conclusions The findings suggest that testing transhumant during border control and survey of cattle markets and sales could improve risk control of the spread of disease at regional scale.