Abstract:

Using sample data for 183 herdsmen in the Nagqu region of Tibet on the Tibetan Plateau， a ‘double-hurdle’ model was used to explore the impact of various capital endowment factors on herders’ decisions to reduce livestock numbers. It was found that： 1） In the sample area， pastoral households have a high willingness to reduce livestock： 61.40% of herdsmen are willing to reduce livestock numbers， and of the herdsmen who are willing to reduce livestock， 67.16% are willing to reduce the number of livestock to 30% or less of the current breeding numbers. 2） Considering economic capital， the animal husbandry income and the value of real estate owned have a significant positive correlation with herdsmens’ willingness to reduce livestock， while family loans， government subsidies and the number of livestock owned have a significant negative association with the herdsman’s willingness to reduce livestock numbers. For those herdsmen willing to reduce livestock numbers， household loans， household savings， and fixed assets have a significant inhibitory effect on the herdsmens’ livestock reduction. 3） With respect to cultural capital， the level of education has a significant effect on the herdsmens’ willingness to reduce livestock numbers. 4） With respect to social capital， institutional trust and social networking have a significant positive promotional effect on the willingness to reduce livestock numbers， while the interpersonal network has a significant inhibitory effect on the willingness to reduce livestock numbers. Where herdsmen are willing to reduce livestock numbers， moral restraint has a significant inhibitory effect on herders’ reduction of livestock numbers.

Key words: livestock-reduction behavior, grassland ecological compensation policy, capital endowment, double-hurdle model