Transition of Mountain Pastoralism: An Agrodiversity Analysis of the Livestock Population and Herding Strategies in Southeast Tibet, China.

Vertical mobile grazing is typical in undulating mountain landscapes. However, recent social, economic, and political changes in China are impacting these traditional practices. This paper presents findings of a study conducted in the Tibetan communities of southwest China to assess the current status of mountain pastoralism and its future viability. Rangeland environment, livestock variety, and grazing form were found to be significantly related factors, which made it possible to analyze livestock distribution. The yak population-the main mobile grazer in alpine pasture- is currently stagnating while the population of cattle raised around settlements is steadily increasing. This situation is likely closely related to labor shortages in households, which have triggered the imbalanced distribution of livestock. The fact that the key to rangeland sustainability is to stimulate mobile grazing runs counter to current privatization policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]