Transformative changes of pastoral livestock production and its consequences on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau

Abstract

The Qinghai–Xizang Plateau is a critical grassland region for China's ecological security and sustainable pastoral development. Its grassland animal husbandry currently confronts systemic challenges: extreme seasonal nutritional imbalance in forage, multi‑type consumer co‑grazing competition involving livestock, wild ungulates, rodents, and phytophagous insects, escalating ecology–production–livelihood tensions, and ongoing climate change. To address these challenges, this perspective proposes a framework for achieving high-quality development of ecological conservation-oriented grassland animal husbandry. The core objective is to shift from the singular pursuit of production efficiency to the integrated enhancement of both production and ecological functions. The main innovations of this work lie in (1) a multidimensional carrying capacity framework that integrates grass–livestock balance, protein balance, multi‑type consumer dynamics, and fodder supplement capacity; (2) a high‑yield, high‑quality cultivated grassland technology system to overcome seasonal nutrient deficits; and (3) three regional transformation models: the Hainan Prefecture Model focusing on synergy between ecological restoration and clean energy, the Biodiversity Conservation+ Model combining technology and multi‑stakeholder governance, and the Three‑Grassland‑Type Coupling Model for spatial optimization of nature reserve, livestock grazing, and cultivated grasslands. The resulting systematic pathway supports a sustainable development paradigm that harmonizes ecological security, resource efficiency, and socioeconomic benefits for the Plateau and similar alpine pastoral regions worldwide.