Herders the perception for climate change and its countermeasures in the Alxa desert regionA case of study in the Alxa Left and Right Banner
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Abstract
The meteorological data and the participatory rural appraisal were used to analyze the climatic change characteristics in the Alxa desert region, and sampling herders was questioned to inquire about basic family status of Alxa herd, and their perception for climate change and countermeasures. The results of this study showed that the mean annual temperatures significantly increased in the Alxa left and right banner, but the mean annual precipitation faintly increased with fluctuation in the past 50 years. The herd perception of mean annual temperatures rise was the same as meteorological analysis. The herders recognized that grassland environment deteriorated because grassland production reduced and plant species receded in recent ten years. The level of grassland sandy soil, pests and mice increased, but surface water decreased. Extreme weather events were frequent in recent ten years, which seriously affected animals health, production and grass growth. The herdsmen took major action on providing sufficient feed in autumn during domestic animal production to face the climate change, meanwhile kept up production in captivity. Future climate change would continue and its impact on production and living of herdsmen would also continue. Finally, this study proposed the countermeasures to help herders for enhancing their adaptive capacity to climate change.
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