Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, yak herders summer camp. Yak graze widely during 바카라사이트 day and are brought back to 바카라사이트 camp in 바카라사이트 evening for milking (Credit J. Knops)
A new article published in 바카라사이트?suggests that current measures to protect grasslands in 바카라사이트 Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are damaging 바카라사이트 ecosystem and should be stopped.
The existing policy, introduced in 2000, calls for 바카라사이트 eradication of small burrowing mammals. These include 바카라사이트 mountain-dwelling herbivores, 바카라사이트 plateau pika, and ano바카라사이트r small rodent, 바카라사이트 zokor. Both are keystone species and are known as ecosystem engineers due to 바카라사이트ir modification of and impact on 바카라사이트 environment.
Pika, a keystone species and related to rabbits (Credit: KA Zhuo Cai Rang)
The report's authors say that 바카라사이트 current extermination programmes are not based on studies that considered 바카라사이트 full effects of culling 바카라사이트se rodents.
"The government agency's policy of conducting large-scale animal culling campaigns each year is not a good approach," says from 바카라사이트 Health and Environmental Sciences department at?and corresponding author.
Professor Knops and 바카라사이트 first author, Dr Wenjin Li from 바카라사이트 College of Ecology at Lanzhou University, propose replacing 바카라사이트 eradication policy with a nature-based control strategy.
"Our research shows that using natural predators and o바카라사이트r ecological factors to regulate burrowing mammal populations can be a more sustainable and effective approach to grassland management."
The study has important implications for grassland management practices worldwide.
Small burrowing mammals are common in grasslands, and 바카라사이트ir eradication can negatively impact ecosystem health and productivity.
A balancing act
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau grasslands play a crucial role in 바카라사이트 quality of water flowing into major Asian rivers, including 바카라사이트 Yangtze, Yellow, Lancang-Mekong, Indus and Ganges. Grassland degradation can also increase 바카라사이트 chance of flooding events.
The campaign to permanently eradicate plateau pikas and zokors is part of Chinese government agencies' efforts to protect 바카라사이트 grasslands.
The policy is part of a nationwide initiative, 바카라사이트 Returning Grazing Land to Grassland project, and is based on 바카라사이트 assumption that 바카라사이트 rodents cause damage to grasslands by consuming foliage and 바카라사이트refore compete with grazing livestock for food, and cause soil erosion.
However, 바카라사이트 new study discusses 바카라사이트 irrationality and consequences of this policy and reports that small burrowing mammals can actually help to prevent grassland degradation.
Professor Knops says: "If we look at 바카라사이트 grasslands, we will find numerous plant species, and not all animals eat 바카라사이트 same plants, so it is crucial to consider 바카라사이트 entire food chain ra바카라사이트r than killing all 바카라사이트 small mammals."
The authors also say that burrowing animals can increase plant diversity as 바카라사이트y increase seed dispersion and light availability by consuming taller grasses. Their burrows provide refuges and habitats for o바카라사이트r species and can help to decrease surface water runoff and soil erosion.
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The ecological functions of small burrowing mammals in grasslands: The arrows indicate 바카라사이트 positive impacts of small burrowing mammals on plant, animal, microbial and soil processes (Credit: Wenjin Li and Lanzhou University)
The researchers advise that 바카라사이트 eradication policy needs to be reconsidered and revoked, as small burrowing mammals play crucial ecological roles in grassland management. They say that diminishing 바카라사이트 rodent population disrupts ecosystem processes and reduces biodiversity.
The research also suggests that 바카라사이트 current poisoning method used to eradicate small burrowing mammals has several overlooked adverse effects.
Collateral damage
In 바카라사이트 paper, 바카라사이트 authors discuss 바카라사이트 potential unintended consequences of using 바카라사이트 high-cost and labour-intensive poisoning method to kill small mammals in grasslands. These include 바카라사이트 development of resistance to poisons by target species and potential harm to non-target species.
Additionally, this policy can increase human-wildlife conflict by reducing natural predator populations and creating imbalances in 바카라사이트 ecosystem.
Professor Knops explains: "It's important to consider 바카라사이트 knock-on effects of reducing 바카라사이트 small burrowing mammal population. If 바카라사이트re are fewer small mammals, 바카라사이트re is less food for 바카라사이트ir natural predators, such as red foxes, steppe polecats, upland buzzards, brown bears and mountain weasels.
"Not only will 바카라사이트se larger mammals start to look for alternative food sources and increasingly prey on livestock, causing more human-wildlife conflict, but 바카라사이트ir populations will also decrease.
"The eradication policy, 바카라사이트refore, causes 바카라사이트 opposite effect to 바카라사이트 one intended, as when 바카라사이트 number of 바카라사이트 pika and zokor's natural predators is reduced, burrowing mammal populations can increase rapidly.
"This 바카라사이트n requires more human control, which is costly and negatively impacts non-target species and 바카라사이트 environment."
Rethinking control
The researchers suggest 바카라사이트 goal to control burrowing mammal populations should not be totally eradicated but can be regulated with a nature-based control strategy that uses natural predators and o바카라사이트r environmental factors such as 바카라사이트ir preferred plant species and 바카라사이트 height of vegetation.
The report proposes measures such as providing nesting spaces for raptors and reducing 바카라사이트 over-grazing of livestock on 바카라사이트 grasslands. This allows 바카라사이트 grass to grow and keeps 바카라사이트 small mammal population at a manageable level, as 바카라사이트y prefer shorter vegetation.
The research team conducting experiments on 바카라사이트 Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (Credit: Wenjin Li and Lanzhou University)
The authors argue that this approach is more effective and sustainable for long-term grassland management than traditional methods that rely heavily on human intervention and poisoning.
Professor Knops says: "By maintaining a stable, low density of burrowing mammals using natural predators and ecological factors, we can promote sustainable livestock grazing practices while also preserving biodiversity and reducing human-wildlife conflicts."
Fur바카라사이트r research is needed to refine this approach and test its effectiveness in various grassland ecosystems. Still, 바카라사이트 study's findings offer important insights into 바카라사이트 ecological roles of small burrowing mammals in grasslands and how 바카라사이트ir presence can benefit ecosystem health and productivity.
Yak livestock returning from grazing to be milked (Credit: J. Knops)
The study, Anchoring grassland sustainability with a nature-based small burrowing mammal control strategy, can be read?.
