Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study
The neglect of wildlife in grassland ecosystem conservation may lead to severe ecological consequences. Humans use more than 99% of the natural grassland in China, but local herders' attitude and willingness to pay for wildlife conservation in grassland ecological restoration have not been stud...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003279 |
| _version_ | 1819243004561457152 |
|---|---|
| author | Yuxing Shi Chaoqiong Li Minjuan Zhao |
| author_facet | Yuxing Shi Chaoqiong Li Minjuan Zhao |
| author_sort | Yuxing Shi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The neglect of wildlife in grassland ecosystem conservation may lead to severe ecological consequences. Humans use more than 99% of the natural grassland in China, but local herders' attitude and willingness to pay for wildlife conservation in grassland ecological restoration have not been studied. This study evaluated local herders' preferences and willingness to pay for increasing the wildlife population in grassland ecosystem conservation through a choice experiment in Siziwang Banner and Damao Banner of Inner Mongolia, China. The results show that herders have a positive preference for improving vegetation coverage, grassland landscape, and groundwater level, but they are averse to the growth of the wildlife population, and their preferences toward the issue are heterogeneous. The sources of heterogeneity include the gender of the respondents, whether they are village cadres, whether their families raise sheep, whether they are preparing for migration and family size. Sheep farmers, female respondents, non-village cadres, smaller families, and those preparing for migration are more opposed to the increase in wildlife population than the other groups. An increase in wildlife will cause welfare loss among herders. Specifically, the average marginal willingness to pay for the rise in the frequency of wildlife sightings is −21.57 CNY (1 USD = 6.7744 CNY) per year, and the total welfare loss of herder households in the study area is 1.22 million CNY per year due to each unit increase in the frequency of wildlife sightings. We suggest that herders' support for wildlife conservation should be gained through education and ecological compensation to avoid unexpected grassland ecological consequences. Our results are applicable globally because most natural grasslands are under human use, and the conflict between wildlife and humans has been observed globally. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:48:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-79adc10de06a4ea89fa31188d02e030f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:48:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-79adc10de06a4ea89fa31188d02e030f2022-12-21T17:43:02ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942021-10-0130e01777Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment studyYuxing Shi0Chaoqiong Li1Minjuan Zhao2College of Economics and Management, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Economics and Management, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCorresponding author.; College of Economics and Management, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaThe neglect of wildlife in grassland ecosystem conservation may lead to severe ecological consequences. Humans use more than 99% of the natural grassland in China, but local herders' attitude and willingness to pay for wildlife conservation in grassland ecological restoration have not been studied. This study evaluated local herders' preferences and willingness to pay for increasing the wildlife population in grassland ecosystem conservation through a choice experiment in Siziwang Banner and Damao Banner of Inner Mongolia, China. The results show that herders have a positive preference for improving vegetation coverage, grassland landscape, and groundwater level, but they are averse to the growth of the wildlife population, and their preferences toward the issue are heterogeneous. The sources of heterogeneity include the gender of the respondents, whether they are village cadres, whether their families raise sheep, whether they are preparing for migration and family size. Sheep farmers, female respondents, non-village cadres, smaller families, and those preparing for migration are more opposed to the increase in wildlife population than the other groups. An increase in wildlife will cause welfare loss among herders. Specifically, the average marginal willingness to pay for the rise in the frequency of wildlife sightings is −21.57 CNY (1 USD = 6.7744 CNY) per year, and the total welfare loss of herder households in the study area is 1.22 million CNY per year due to each unit increase in the frequency of wildlife sightings. We suggest that herders' support for wildlife conservation should be gained through education and ecological compensation to avoid unexpected grassland ecological consequences. Our results are applicable globally because most natural grasslands are under human use, and the conflict between wildlife and humans has been observed globally.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003279Grassland ecosystemWildlifeChoice experimentPreference heterogeneityWillingness to pay |
| spellingShingle | Yuxing Shi Chaoqiong Li Minjuan Zhao Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study Global Ecology and Conservation Grassland ecosystem Wildlife Choice experiment Preference heterogeneity Willingness to pay |
| title | Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study |
| title_full | Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study |
| title_fullStr | Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study |
| title_short | Herders' aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation: Evidence from a choice experiment study |
| title_sort | herders aversion to wildlife population increases in grassland ecosystem conservation evidence from a choice experiment study |
| topic | Grassland ecosystem Wildlife Choice experiment Preference heterogeneity Willingness to pay |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003279 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuxingshi herdersaversiontowildlifepopulationincreasesingrasslandecosystemconservationevidencefromachoiceexperimentstudy AT chaoqiongli herdersaversiontowildlifepopulationincreasesingrasslandecosystemconservationevidencefromachoiceexperimentstudy AT minjuanzhao herdersaversiontowildlifepopulationincreasesingrasslandecosystemconservationevidencefromachoiceexperimentstudy |