Sustainable rangeland management using a multi-fuzzy model: how to deal with heterogeneous experts' knowledge

Fuzzy Union to Assess Climate Suitability of Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)

The Law of the Minimum is often implemented using t-norm or fuzzy intersection. We propose the use of t-conorm or fuzzy union for climate suitability assessment of a grass species using annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) as an example and evaluate the performance for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). The ORF and ANDF models, which are fuzzy logic systems based on t-conorm and t-norm between temperature and moisture conditions, respectively, were developed to assess the quality of climate conditions for crops. The parameter values for both models were obtained from existing knowledge, e.g., the EcoCrop database. These models were then compared with the EcoCrop model, which is based on the t-norm. The ORF model explained greater variation (54%) in the yield of annual ryegrass at 84 site-years than the ANDF model (43%) and the EcoCrop model (5%). The climate suitability index of the ORF model had the greatest likelihood of occurrence of annual ryegrass compared to the other models. The ORF model also had similar results for alfalfa and sorghum. We emphasize that the fuzzy logic system for climate suitability assessment can be developed using knowledge rather than presence-only data, which can facilitate more complex approaches such as the incorporation of biotic interaction into species distribution modeling.

Exploring appropriate livelihood alternatives for sustainable rangeland management

Rangeland degradation and vulnerability of livelihoods are two major challenges facing pastoralists, rangeland managers and policy-makers in arid and semi-arid areas. There is a need to make holistic informed decisions in order to protect rangelands and sustain livelihoods. Through a comprehensive literature review on rangeland management policies and livelihood strategies of ‘rangeland users’, it is shown how such policies have affected sustainable rangeland management, how strategies to sustain livelihoods have been incomplete and how there has been a lack of a multi-disciplinary approach in acknowledging them. Accordingly, a set of appropriate livelihood alternatives is introduced and, thenceforth, a framework for their evaluation is developed. Supportive strategies for enhancing resilience are discussed as a research and policy-making gap. In this study, the keys to achieve sustainable livelihoods are acknowledged as ‘livelihoods’ resilience’, where livelihoods need to be supported by access to capital, means of coping with the contexts of vulnerability as well as by enhancing policies, institutions and processes. The paper proposes a set of ‘livestock-based livelihoods’ regarding ‘traditional pastoralism’ as well as ‘their mitigation and adaptation’. Moreover, their transformation to ‘commercial pastoralism’, ‘resource-based livelihoods’, ‘alternative livelihoods’ and ‘migration’ strategies is recognised to be employed by rangeland users as useful alternatives in different regions and under future changing conditions including climate change. These strategies embrace thinking on resilience and are supported by strategies that address social and ecological consequences of climate change consisting of mitigation, adaptation and transformation. It is argued that sustainable livelihoods and sustainable rangeland management will be achieved if they are supported by policies that build and facilitate a set of appropriate livelihood alternatives and keep them in a sustainable state rather than being limited to supporting ‘vulnerable livelihoods’. Finally, future directions for analysing and policy-making in selecting the best alternative to achieve sustainable livelihoods are indicated.

Drawing together the knowledge of forestry and pastoralism experts in the construction of a technical support tool for silvopastoralism

A growing body of literature documents emphasizes the value of the hybridisation of different types of knowledge for environmental management. This is particularly true for silvopastoralism: although silvopastoralism appears to be a relevant way to manage large forests areas in the northern Mediterranean region, knowledge pertaining to silvopastoralism is distributed between foresters and pastoralists, with a lack of shared knowledge making joint action difficult. The consensus about the need of knowledge hybridisation, however, is not enough to make it happen and a whole field of research investigates the methods which can be used to create shared knowledge. This paper studies one of these methods - the participation of experts in modelling - used in a French research development program to design a technical support tool for silvopastoralism. After having described the modelling process conducted by forestry and pastoralists experts, it presents the conceptual silvopastoralism model they produced and analyses the shared knowledge - especially intermediary concepts and expert typologies - it contains. The paper finally outlines the conditions needed for the participation of experts in modelling to create shared knowledge, its limitations in generating quantitative expertise and discusses how the knowledge created can be shared with a wider audience.

Attitudes of rangeland holders towards sustainable range management in Iran: a case study of the Semnan rangelands

Rangeland depletion is a persistent problem in many developing countries and is often a result of inappropriate management activities such as overstocking, particularly in the regions of West Asia and North Africa (WANA). To convert to a sustainable system of range management, programs aimed at improving rangeland condition, such as range management or livestock development plans, which are mainly based on the range succession model, have been developed and implemented by several governments. A primary objective of these programs is to maintain stocking rates at a sustainable level. However, in many cases, rangeland users’ ignorance of socioeconomic factors has caused ineffectual implementation and thus a reduction in the effectiveness of these programs overall. In this study, a survey was conducted on rangeland communities in central northern Iran where the livestock population is 15% above the proposed carrying capacity 20 years after the inception of the Range Management Plan (RMP). The focus of this study was to investigate reasons that the RMP has not been successful, from the perspective of the rangeland holders. The data were collected using open-ended interviews. The data analysis indicated that the primary barriers to the successful implementation of the RMP are quite well matched with the description of the ‘diffusion of innovations’ theory. The three characteristics of the RMP innovation, including the lack of high relative advantages, incompatible structure of the RMP with the traditional rules, and lack of observability of short-term benefits from the RMP, were realised as the main barriers to the success of the RMP adoption. An additional concern for the rangeland holders was drought, which they felt was not adequately addressed or dealt with in the RMP. Lastly, the government’s failure to fulfil the initial commitments of the RMP, for instance financial supports, has resulted in a loss of confidence of rangeland holders in the enforcement agency and governmental policies.

Knowledge-driven institutional change: an empirical study on combating desertification in northern China from 1949 to 2004

Understanding institutional changes is crucial for environmental management. Here we investigated how institutional changes influenced the process and result of desertification control in northern China between 1949 and 2004. Our analysis was based on a case study of 21 field sites and a meta-analysis of additional 29 sites reported in the literature. Our results show that imposed knowledge-driven institutional change was often perceived as a more progressive, scientific, and rational type of institutional change by entrepreneurs, scholars, experts, and technicians, while voluntary, knowledge-driven institutional change based on indigenous knowledge and experiences of local populations was discouraged. Our findings also demonstrate that eight working rules of imposed knowledge-driven institutional change can be applied to control desertification effectively. These rules address the issues of perception of potential gains, entrepreneurs' appeals and support, coordination of multiple goals, collaboration among multiple organizations, interest distribution and conflict resolution, incremental institutional change, external intervention, and coordination among the myriad institutions involved. Imposed knowledge-driven institutional change tended to be more successful when these rules were thoroughly implemented. These findings provide an outline for implementing future institutional changes and policy making to combat desertification and other types of ecological and environmental management.

Rangeland degradation in North China: perceptions of pastoralists

Rangeland degradation, a worldwide problem, is serious in China, especially in the Northern provinces. To assess the pastoralists' perceptions toward rangeland trend and degradation, a survey was conducted in Ningxia, North China. Data were collected from a total of 284 pastoralists in six Ningxia counties. Findings showed that the majority of respondents believe the rangelands in Ningxia have been degraded, although there are some disparities among the counties that illustrate differing severity of degradation. Findings also clarified that the pastoralists have more knowledge about the "technical" and "supportive" aspects of conditions, while remaining less aware of "economic" and "management" factors of this issue. Yet, a high disparity was revealed between pastoralists' perceptions among the counties in this study. The correlation matrix showed that most of their perceptions do not act independently. Findings also showed that those pastoralists who believe that their rangeland trend is "improved" have broader management and social perceptions than those who believe their rangeland is "degraded". Finally, correlation analysis showed that the management and social perceptions have a negative correlation with degradation severity. Based on the findings, recommendations for possible interventions through extension/educational programs to diminish rangeland degradation are made. The programs are suggested to be presented in three packages including "management", "social", and "economic" issues in rangeland degradation.