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Agent-Based Modeling of Sustainable Ecological Consumption for Grasslands: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China

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  • Huimin Yan

    (Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
    College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Lihu Pan

    (College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Zhichao Xue

    (Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
    College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Lin Zhen

    (Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
    College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Xuehong Bai

    (Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

  • Yunfeng Hu

    (Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
    College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • He-Qing Huang

    (Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China)

Abstract

Sustainable ecosystem services consumption is of vital importance to the survival and development of human society. How to balance the conflicts between ecosystem protection and ecosystem services consumption by local residents has been a serious challenge, especially in ecologically vulnerable areas. To explore the reasonable ecosystem services consumption approaches of grassland ecosystems for sustainable land system management, this study takes Hulun Buir of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as a case study region and develops an EcoC-G (ecological consumption of grassland) model based on herders’ livelihood behaviors using the agent-based model technique to simulate the dynamics of ecosystem pressure, livestock production, and living quality of herders under different grassland management scenarios over the next 30 years. The EcoC-G model links the supply and consumption of grassland ecosystem services by calculating the ecosystem net primary productivity (NPP) supply and household NPP consumption. The model includes three sub-models, namely, the individual status transferring sub-model, the households’ grassland-use decision sub-model, and the ecosystem pressure sub-model. In accordance with multi-objective grassland management practices, the following four land management scenarios were simulated: (1) baseline scenario, (2) increasing household’s living standard, (3) ecosystem protection, and (4) balancing living standard improvement with the protection of the ecosystem. The result indicates that by focusing on the NPP supply and consumption of the grassland ecosystem, the EcoC-G is capable of simulating the impacts of herders’ livelihood behaviors on grassland ecosystems. If timely grassland management strategies are implemented, it is possible to relieve the ecosystem pressure and improve the livelihood of local herders. The specific scenario simulation results are: (1) Under the current grassland management mode, the pasture could never be overgrazed, and herders could achieve the basic living standard, but the accumulated wealth decreased due to the decline of livestock. (2) With grazing control, herders can accumulate wealth by increasing the breeding amount and reducing the marketing rate, but the ecosystem consumption pressure can reach a maximum of 2.3 times. (3) With strict restrictions on the livestock number, the pressure on the ecosystem decreases; however, herders might not achieve basic living standards. (4) Modest regulation leads to rational ecological consumption intervals, meaning the ecosystem pressure will become stable and herders can gradually accumulate wealth with the achievement of basic living standards in advance.

Suggested Citation

  • Huimin Yan & Lihu Pan & Zhichao Xue & Lin Zhen & Xuehong Bai & Yunfeng Hu & He-Qing Huang, 2019. "Agent-Based Modeling of Sustainable Ecological Consumption for Grasslands: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-24, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:8:p:2261-:d:222910
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bingzhen Du & Lin Zhen & Huimin Yan & Rudolf De Groot, 2016. "Effects of Government Grassland Conservation Policy on Household Livelihoods and Dependence on Local Grasslands: Evidence from Inner Mongolia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Zhichao Xue & Lin Zhen, 2018. "Impact of Rural Land Transfer on Land Use Functions in Western China’s Guyuan Based on a Multi-Level Stakeholder Assessment Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Bingzhen Du & Lin Zhen & Rudolf De Groot & Xin Long & Xiaochang Cao & Ruizi Wu & Chuanzhun Sun & Chao Wang, 2015. "Changing Food Consumption Patterns and Impact on Water Resources in the Fragile Grassland of Northern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Xuehong Bai & Huimin Yan & Lihu Pan & He Qing Huang, 2015. "Multi-Agent Modeling and Simulation of Farmland Use Change in a Farming–Pastoral Zone: A Case Study of Qianjingou Town in Inner Mongolia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-32, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. F. LeRon Shults & Wesley J. Wildman, 2020. "Human Simulation and Sustainability: Ontological, Epistemological, and Ethical Reflections," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Hossein Sabzian & Mohammad Ali Shafia & Mehdi Ghazanfari & Ali Bonyadi Naeini, 2020. "Modeling the Adoption and Diffusion of Mobile Telecommunications Technologies in Iran: A Computational Approach Based on Agent-Based Modeling and Social Network Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-36, April.
    3. Lei Hao & Shan Wang & Xiuping Cui & Yongguang Zhai, 2021. "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Vegetation Net Primary Productivity and Its Response to Climate Change in Inner Mongolia from 2002 to 2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-16, December.
    4. Lihu Pan & Fenyu Yang & Feiping Lu & Shipeng Qin & Huimin Yan & Rui Peng, 2020. "Multi-Agent Simulation of Safe Livability and Sustainable Development in Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, March.

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