Geographical study on "landscape fragmentation" in grazing lands

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12575
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04010:Geography-related
• Research Institution: Setsunan University
• Principal Investigator: TESHIROGI KOKI 摂南大学, 外国語学部, 講師 (10635080)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 景観 / 乾燥地 / 放牧地 / 分断化 / 砂漠化 / 植生 / 家畜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research focuses on rangelands that are widely distributed across the globe but have been left behind from development. The objective of this study is to elucidate the reality of "landscape fragmentation" that has developed in rangelands due to privatization and enclosure of land, establishment of protected areas, and changes in land use. During the research period, COVID-19 prevented us from conducting the overseas survey, which was the most important part of the project, sufficiently. On the other hand, the results of the literature study revealed that rangelands with increasing landscape fragmentation are found in many parts of the world, and that there are commonalities worldwide regarding grazing systems and changes in the natural environment of rangelands. Based on these results, we plan to position the landscape fragmentation in the arid region of Namibia, the study area, as a global trend and disseminate the results.

Free Research Field

地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

放牧地における景観の分断化は、多様な景観へのアクセスを減少させ、放牧地の資源に依存して暮らす牧畜民に負の影響をもたらしている。こうした事実は、グローバルな気候変化に起因する放牧地周辺の環境変化にともなって、ますます自然資源利用が不確実性を増している現在、景観の多様性(不均一性)がますます重要になってきていることを示唆しているといえ、景観の多様性を保全していく必要性を提示できた点に学術的・社会的な意義がある。