Institutional transition of grassland property rights and its impact on animal husbandry under the background of climate changes ——A case study from eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Climatic factors and grassland property right system have an important effect on livestock husbandry production. However, the association effect between them has been largely overlooked with lack of causal linkage. Using meteorological data (1961-2007) and livestock production statistical data from Hongyuan County in eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a study was made on the characteristics of climate change and the institutional transition of grassland property rights and its impact on livestock numbers, structures, and survival rate of pups and livestock mortality. The results indicated that as a whole, the temperature showed a warming trend with a rising rate of 0.27 ℃·10a-1, and the most evident warming occurred in winter. Precipitation had been found decrease with the rate of -11.98 mm·10 a-1. Moreover, an obvious tendency of drying had also been found in the last 50 years. In general, the climatic characteristics will improve the survival rate of calves and it is obvious that the extreme weather have great negative effects on livestock death. Compared to the impacts of climate change, the institutional transition of grassland property right plays a strong and leading role in livestock husbandry.