Effects of religion on peoples cognition of grassland function and management pattern in the Gannan region

Abstract: The religion affects the ability of people to recognize the natural things by specific religious rites and activities. Questionnaires were used to determine the effect of religion on people's cognition of grassland Function and Management pattern in the Gannan region. This study showed that the religious believers showed an obvious difference in importance of grassland, agreement between productive function and ecological function of grassland, and relationship between human and grassland; however, all religious believers considered anthropic factor as main driver causing grassland degradation. This study also showed that the effect of religion on management pattern of grassland showed a complicated trend, indicating that the Buddhist believers paid a highest attention to management pattern of grassland, while the Christian believers showed the lowest attention; the Taoism believers were most satisfactory with current life under present grassland management, while the Catholic believers showed the lowest satisfaction; Most Buddhist believers agreed to reform the present management pattern of grassland. Reforming of present management pattern of grassland was encouraged by protecting environment for Christian believers and by increasing income and good education of children for Buddhism, Islam, Taoism believers. This study suggested that religion believers not only shared in a common for cognition of grassland Function and Management pattern, but also showed a difference.