A participatory survey on status and local pastoralists' consciousness to animal husbandry in alpine grassland——A case study from Zhuaxixioulong Township of Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County,Gansu Province

The alpine grassland plays a key role in the Tibetan Plateau in terms of economic development,culture inheritance and ecological security in China.We conducted field survey in Zhuaxixiulong township of ianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County,Gansu province to collect indigenous knowledge of grassland management,perception for climate change and countermeasures,as well as the public participation in decision-making and scientific research by using Participatory Rural Appraisal approach.The results showed that local pastoralists rely on traditional knowledge to maintain pastoral production and livelihood through sustaining the grassland management in the alpine region.The local herder have an intuitive feeling about the climate change and perception on grassland ecological problems,They have taken adaptive measures to deal with these problems by using their traditional knowledge.However,there are currently few opportunities for local pastoralists to take part in decision-making and relevant scientific researchers for sustainable grassland management.It was suggested that the indigenous knowledge should be introduced to grassland management in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,which can strengthen herder's capacity for climate change.