Abstract
Biocultural approaches to conservation aim to provide ethically sound and effective mechanisms for confronting widespread cultural and biological homogenization. Here we use eight principles of biocultural approaches to conservation as an analytical framework to examine potential drivers of biological and sociocultural change in Inner Mongolia, China. We present two case studies to examine how national-level policy changes from the 1960s to early 2000s have either increased or decreased adherence to principles of biocultural conservation, as well as the subsequent impacts on social-ecological conditions in Inner Mongolia. We find that greater adherence to principles of biocultural conservation may be linked to potential increases in positive social and ecological outcomes. Our analysis also emphasizes that even long-standing trends in resource management institutions and their social and ecological implications can be reversed in relatively short time spans given the proper enabling conditions.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The Man Tzu originated in the twelfth century. It is the third largest ethnic minority group in China and is found in 31 provinces and regions throughout the country. More than 100,000 Man Tzu residents live in Inner Mongolia.
References
Ao RQ (2003) The changing and bring forth new ideas of the property in grassland [in Chinese]. Inn Mong Soc Sci 4:24–35
Ao RQ (2005) Institutional change and pastoral civilisation [in Chinese]. Inner Mongolia People’s Press, Huhehaote
Bedunah D, Schmidt SM (2004) Pastoralism and protected area management in Mongolia’s Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park. Dev Chang 35(1):167–191
Berkes F (2009) Evolution of co-management: role of knowledge generation, bridging organizations and social learning. J Environ Manag 90(5):1692–1702
Cao JJ, Xiong YC, Sun J, Xiong WF, Du GZ (2011) Differential benefits of multi-and single-household grassland management patterns in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau of China. Hum Ecol 39:217–227
Croquant (2007) The location of Hohhot Prefecture within Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. Wikipedia Open Source. Retrieved on 6th September, 2010 via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Location_of_Hohhot_Prefecture_within_Inner_Mongolia_(China).png
Da LT (2003) A study of the non-equilibrium ecosystem in Inner Mongolia grassland [in Chinese]. Friends Nat 3:34–39
Da LT (2008) The effects of institutional and policy changes to grassland ecosystems in Inner Mongolia [in Chinese]. In: Zheng YS (ed) A review of the environment and development in China. Social Science Academy Press, Beijing
Da LT, Si H (2006) The causes of desertification in Inner Mongolia [in Chinese]. Paper presented to the Friends of Nature Forum. Beijing
Davidson-Hunt IJ, Turner KL, Mead ATP, Cabrera-Lopez J, Bolton R, Idrobo CJ … Robson JP (2012) Biocultural design: a new conceptual framework for sustainable development in rural indigenous and local vommunities. S.A.P.I.EN.S. Surveys and Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society, (5.2). Retrieved from http://sapiens.revues.org/1382
Gavin M, McCarter J, Mead A, Berkes F, Stepp JR, Peterson D, Tang R (2015) Defining biocultural approaches to conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 30(3):140–145
Gavin MC, McCarter J, Berkes F, Mead ATP, Sterling EJ, Tang R, Turner NJ (2018) Effective eiodiversity conservation requires dynamic, pluralistic, partnership-based approaches. Sustainability 10(6):1846
Guo QS, Tan DY, Wang CL, Shi ZM, Ma C (2005a) Effects of Cistanche deserticola inoculation on undergrowth vegetation of natural Haloxylon ammodendron forest [in Chinese]. Ecology 8:15–19
Guo QS, Wang CL, Guo ZH, Tan DY, Shi ZM (2005b) Geographic distribution of existing Haloxylon desert vegetation and its patch character in China [in Chinese]. For Sci 5:23–27
Hu JT (2005) Public speech at the five-year anniversary of the great western development strategy by Hu Jintao [in Chinese]. Accessed on 17th September 2018 via http://www.gov.cn/ldhd/2005-02/05/content_9525.htm
Huang PX (2002) Excused irrigation vegetation and its restoration in arid area [in Chinese]. Science Press, Beijing
IMARFA (Inner Mongolia Autonomy Region Forestry Administration) (2016) The report of preventing desertification in Inner Mongolia [in Chinese]. Accessed on 17th Mar 2017 via http://www.nmglyt.gov.cn/xxgk/xwzx/lyyw/201612/t20161212_120771.html
International Society of Ethnobiology (2006) The ISE code of ethics. Retrieved on March 17th, 2010 via http://www.ethnobiology.net/what-we-do/core-programs/ise-ethics-program/code-of-ethics/
Jiang GM, Han XG, Wu JG (2006) Restoration and management of the Inner Mongolia grassland require a sustainable strategy. AMBIO J Hum Environ 35(5):269–270
Liu J, Dietz T, Carpenter SR, Alberti M, Folke C, Moran E et al (2007) Complexity of coupled human and natural systems. Science 317(5844):1513–1516
Mead ATP (2013) Sharing power: Māori and protected areas. In: Katene S, Mulholland M (eds) Governance and leadership in future challenges for Māori: He Kōrero Anamata. Huia Publishers, Wellington, pp 195–204
North DC (1991) Institutions. J Econ Perspect 5(1):97–112
Ostrom E (2010) Polycentric systems for coping with collective action and global environmental change. Glob Environ Chang Hum Pol Dimens 20(4):550–557
Peng H, Xu ZF (1996) The threatened wild plants used for medicine as Chinese medicinal herbs [in Chinese]. In: McKinnon J, Sung W (eds) Conserving China’s biodiversity. Environmental Science Press, Beijing, pp 175–189
Reed MS (2008) Stakeholder participation for environmental management: a literature review. Biol Conserv 141(10):2417–2431
Rozzi R (2007) Future environmental philosophies and their biocultural conservation interfaces. Ethics Environ 12(2):142–145
Rozzi R (2013) Biocultural ethics: from biocultural homogenization toward biocultural conservation. In: Rozzi R, Pickett STA, Palmer C, Armesto JJ, Callicott JB (eds) Linking ecology and ethics for a changing world, Ecology and ethics, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 9–32
SEE (Alashan SEE Ecological Association) (2005) The annual report of ecological protection projects, 2004–2005 [in Chinese]
SEE (Alashan SEE Ecological Association) (2015) The saxaul project [in Chinese]. Retrived on 5th March 2017 via http://www.see.org.cn/Foundation/Article/Detail/3
Sheng Y, Zheng WH, Pei KQ, Ma KP (2005) Genetic variation within and among populations of a dominant desert tree Haloxylon ammodendron in China. Ann Bot 96(2):245–252
Strauss A, Corbin J (1990) Basis of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques. Sage, Los Angeles
Tang R (2007) Linking traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable resource management of saxaul in the Alashan region, Inner Mongolia of China. Master thesis submitted to Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Tang R (2013) An analysis of traditional ecological knowledge and its conservation options. PhD thesis submitted to Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Tang R, Gavin M (2010) Traditional ecological knowledge informing resource management: saxaul conservation in Inner Mongolia, China. Soc Nat Resour 23(1):193–206
Tang R, Gavin M (2015) Degradation and re-emergence of the commons: the impacts of government policies on traditional resource management institutions in China. Environ Sci Pol 52:89–98
The National Bureau of Statistics China (2010) The statistical report of economy and development in Inner Mongolia, 2009 [in Chinese]. Accessed on 7th May 2010 via http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/ndtjgb/dfndtjgb/t20100302_402625748.htm
Wang XY (2009) Pastoral communities under environmental pressure: case studies of six villages in Inner Mongolia. [in Chinese]. Social Sciences Academy Press, Beijing
Williams DM (2000) Representations of nature on the Mongolian steppe: an investigation of scientific knowledge construction. Am Anthropol 102(3):503–519
Williams DM (2002) Beyond great walls – environment, identity and development on the Chinese grasslands of Inner Mongolia. Stanford University Press, Stanford
Zhao RW (2008) Reflection on the economic reform of China in the past thirty years [in Chinese]. Contemp Financ Econ 9:11–17
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tang, R., Gavin, M.C. (2018). The Dynamics of Biocultural Approaches to Conservation in Inner Mongolia, China. In: Rozzi, R., et al. From Biocultural Homogenization to Biocultural Conservation. Ecology and Ethics, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99513-7_26
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99513-7_26
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-99512-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-99513-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)