Sustainable management of natural pastures in Buryatia

The article deals with the issues of sustainable pasture resources management on the example of the Tunkinsky district of the Republic of Buryatia. Sustainable pasture management contributes not only to the preservation of forests, but also to the promotion of adaptation to climate change, the preservation of biodiversity, and the improvement of the living standards of the local population. The use of pasture resources provides a long-term balance between livestock numbers, fodder production and pasture productivity, while maintaining the functionality and structure of the entire ecosystem. Pasture ecosystems are dominated by plants from the families Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae. Lack of grazing leads to the decreasing share of forage species to 47% (on average), as it not used in the ecosystem. For sustainable pasture exploitation, the experimentally established structure of ecological groups is recommended: 70% for forage grass, 15% for medicinal, 7% for ruderal, 5% for poisonous, 1% for others. Unsystematic grazing of animals on pastures leads to a 2.5-3 fold reduction in species of biodiversity (27-30 species), and the family representation becomes 2 times lower. In relation to animal grazing, a total of 5 ecological groups of plants were identified. More than that, their structure, ecosystem, and economic role in stabilizing the ecological situation of pastures were established. In the course of the research conducted in the study area in environmental, economic, financial, and institutional aspects, three scenarios for the management of pasture resources are highlighted: unstable, extensive, and balanced.