DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Maasai Traditional Fire Management: the Conflict Between Conservation and Pastoralism in Northern Tanzania

论文研究：马赛传统火灾管理：坦桑尼亚北部的保护与畜牧业之间的冲突

• 批准号: 0508678
• 负责人: Daniel Potter
• 金额: $ 1.58万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-07-15 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0508678&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Maasai; Traditional; Fire

Environmental degradation of savanna ecosystems is seen as one of the main factors leading to the increased vulnerability of African pastoral and agro-pastoral economies. While the knowledge base on the ecological effects of fire in sub-Saharan Africa is considerable, the specific dynamics surrounding anthropogenic burning and savanna systems remain largely understudied and poorly understood, especially in regard to the linkages among human burning practices, fire regimes, and savanna vegetation. Graduate student Ramona Butz, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Potter, will address land use conflict and the impact of pastoral fire management through an investigation of how plant community structure, species composition, and relative abundance differs between areas managed and unmanaged by Maasai pastoralists in two northern Tanzanian villages. The research will establish existing and historic burning conditions through observation, interviews, written history, and interpretation of available aerial photography. Ms. Butz will also determine whether burning practices alter species richness and structure of vegetation communities, particularly with respect to "green desertification," a form of savanna degradation involving the nearly complete replacement of perennial grasses by annual grasses and the widespread encroachment of acacia thornbush into grassland communities. The results of the previous stages will then be used to create conservation strategies and alternatives designed specifically for Maasai villagers, local conservation organizations, and governing officials. In addition to clarifying the historical and contemporary processes that govern plant community composition and its relationship with traditional fire management, this work has important implications for policy and conservation efforts. It is an opportunity to use science to influence critical policy decisions, not only for Tanzania, but as a model for other joint land use management systems. This award is co-funded by NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering.

稀树草原生态系统的环境退化被视为导致非洲牧区和农牧业经济脆弱性增加的主要因素之一。虽然关于撒哈拉以南非洲火灾生态影响的知识基础相当可观，但围绕人为燃烧和稀树草原系统的具体动态仍然很大程度上没有得到充分研究和了解，特别是在人类燃烧做法、火灾制度和稀树草原之间的联系方面植被。研究生 Ramona Butz 在 Daniel Potter 博士的指导下，将通过调查马赛牧民管理和非管理地区的植物群落结构、物种组成和相对丰度的差异来解决土地利用冲突和牧区火灾管理的影响在坦桑尼亚北部的两个村庄。该研究将通过观察、访谈、书面历史和对现有航空摄影的解释来确定现有和历史上的燃烧条件。布茨女士还将确定燃烧做法是否会改变植被群落的物种丰富度和结构，特别是在“绿色荒漠化”方面，这是一种稀树草原退化形式，涉及一年生草几乎完全取代多年生草，以及金合欢刺灌木的广泛侵蚀进入草原社区。前一阶段的结果将用于制定专门为马赛村民、当地保护组织和政府官员设计的保护战略和替代方案。除了阐明控制植物群落组成的历史和当代过程及其与传统火灾管理的关系之外，这项工作对政策和保护工作也具有重要意义。这是一个利用科学影响关键政策决策的机会，不仅对坦桑尼亚而言，而且可以作为其他联合土地使用管理系统的典范。 该奖项由美国国家科学基金会国际科学与工程办公室共同资助。