Pastoralism

Pastoralism or pastoral farming is a form of livestock grazing with natural grass and bush country whose other use is not attractive due to its sparse vegetation or its vastness and remoteness. When a nomadic pastoralism and sedentary form is distinguished. Approximately 25 % of the global land area is farmed in this way. The herds consist of camelids, cattle or small ruminants such as sheep. - If the pastoralism is associated with crop production, it is called Agropastoralismus.

Nomadic pastoralism

The nomadic pastoralism (traveling sheep-farming ) in areas of high climate variability usual (especially semi-arid climate). In North Africa and Central Asia, it is widely used, mainly for sheep production. The pastures are usually municipally owned ( common pool ). It is a traditional type of livestock and exposed by population growth, climate change, or market-based constraints strong challenges.

A special form of nomadic pastoralism, where one follows the natural migrations of animals, the reindeer pastoralism northern Eurasia. Since the animals are in most regions of Eurasia in mid-summer in the tundra and winter in the forest relatively stationary, the modern reindeer herders live today during this time basically in fixed residences. One should therefore rather speak of a semi-nomadic pastoralism, although the terms are often used not differentiated. The habitat of reindeer herdsmen, extending from the Lappish Fjellbergen on the northern Russian tundra and Waldtundren to the Chukchi Peninsula, is sometimes referred to in anthropology as cultural complex "Siberia".

Sedentary pastoralism

The sedentary pastoralism is a more modern form, which is often associated with a pioneering spirit ( cf. Cowboy ). He has spread to former colonial territories, such as the western United States, Australia or New Zealand. In the center of the pasture land there while Ranches (USA), Sheep Cattle stations or stations (Australia). This pastoralism is integrated in market structures, and ownership are governed, which may increase the willingness to invest for irrigation or amelioration of rangelands. There are also common measures of pastoralists such as the Dingo Fence in South Australia.