http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
Influence diagrams for modeling impact of landuse intensity in pastoral ecosystems in Northern Kenya
Changes in traditionally mobile pastoral societies in East
Africa associated with pressures promoting sedentarization
have prompted concern over the sustainability of these
production systems. Past rangeland research and development
programs in Africa have proven inadequate to alleviate these
concerns, largely because of difficulties in translating
knowledge about land degradation processes into terms which
may be used in design of appropriate and economically
justifiable land management interventions. Environmental
complexity, lack of reliable data and multiple, frequently
conflicting, management goals all contribute to this problem.
To resolve questions about the sustainability of pastoral
production systems, specialized tools consisting of simple
spatial models for estimating landuse intensity and its
impact on rangeland degradation risk were developed. The
models are based on influence diagram methodology and may be
parameterized using remotely-sensed and ancillary data. They
provide a probabilistic impact assessment about alternative
landuse intensities, on portions of pastoral home ranges, in
relation to predefined management goals. Analyses for
sensitivity and expected value of information were used to
highlight information gaps. The various methods were
demonstrated using a long-term dataset from a pastoral
"Major Subject: Rangeland Ecology and Management".
Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc.