Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach

To address the gap in evaluating herders' livelihood resilience with a comprehensive methodology, this research harnessed survey data from 758 pastoralists within the Three River Headwater Region (TRHR) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Augmented by focus group discussions and transect walks,...

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Main Authors: Tong Li, Lizhen Cui, Zhihong Xu, Xiaoyong Cui, Yanfen Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Science Talks
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772569324001245
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author Tong Li
Lizhen Cui
Zhihong Xu
Xiaoyong Cui
Yanfen Wang
author_facet Tong Li
Lizhen Cui
Zhihong Xu
Xiaoyong Cui
Yanfen Wang
author_sort Tong Li
collection DOAJ
description To address the gap in evaluating herders' livelihood resilience with a comprehensive methodology, this research harnessed survey data from 758 pastoralists within the Three River Headwater Region (TRHR) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Augmented by focus group discussions and transect walks, we pioneered a livelihood resilience evaluation index that integrates key dimensions of buffer capacity, self-organization, and learning capacity, offering a holistic view of resilience factors. At the heart of our analytical approach is the entropy-TOPSIS method, utilized to dissect the livelihood resilience and sustainability of local herders, revealing intricate spatial resilience patterns through spatial autocorrelation analysis. This nuanced application allows for a detailed mapping of resilience across the TRHR, highlighting variances and spatial trends. Our findings illustrate a spectrum of resilience levels, with the Yellow River headwater area displaying a relative resilience zenith, indicated by a score of 0.931 in Zeku County, and a contrasting low in Yushu County with a resilience score of 0.532. This delineates a clear “high in the east and low in the west” resilience gradient across the counties, underpinned by significant differences in self-organization, buffer, and learning capacities among the pastoral communities. Employing a methodological framework that blends empirical data with advanced analytical tools like entropy-TOPSIS and spatial autocorrelation, this study not only unveils the layered resilience landscape within the TRHR but also contributes a methodological blueprint for future resilience assessments in similar pastoral ecosystems.
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spelling doaj-art-5740c9eae95d42ed8799620c9a53bf182025-08-20T02:40:24ZengElsevierScience Talks2772-56932025-03-011310041610.1016/j.sctalk.2024.100416Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approachTong Li0Lizhen Cui1Zhihong Xu2Xiaoyong Cui3Yanfen Wang4College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; Corresponding authors at: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author at: College of Life Sciences, Universtiy of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, AustraliaCollege of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Beijing Yanshan Earth Critical Zone National Research Station, Beijing 100409, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Beijing Yanshan Earth Critical Zone National Research Station, Beijing 100409, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.To address the gap in evaluating herders' livelihood resilience with a comprehensive methodology, this research harnessed survey data from 758 pastoralists within the Three River Headwater Region (TRHR) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Augmented by focus group discussions and transect walks, we pioneered a livelihood resilience evaluation index that integrates key dimensions of buffer capacity, self-organization, and learning capacity, offering a holistic view of resilience factors. At the heart of our analytical approach is the entropy-TOPSIS method, utilized to dissect the livelihood resilience and sustainability of local herders, revealing intricate spatial resilience patterns through spatial autocorrelation analysis. This nuanced application allows for a detailed mapping of resilience across the TRHR, highlighting variances and spatial trends. Our findings illustrate a spectrum of resilience levels, with the Yellow River headwater area displaying a relative resilience zenith, indicated by a score of 0.931 in Zeku County, and a contrasting low in Yushu County with a resilience score of 0.532. This delineates a clear “high in the east and low in the west” resilience gradient across the counties, underpinned by significant differences in self-organization, buffer, and learning capacities among the pastoral communities. Employing a methodological framework that blends empirical data with advanced analytical tools like entropy-TOPSIS and spatial autocorrelation, this study not only unveils the layered resilience landscape within the TRHR but also contributes a methodological blueprint for future resilience assessments in similar pastoral ecosystems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772569324001245Stress and changeLivelihood assetsAlpine grasslandEntropy techniqueThree River Headwaters Region (TRHR)
spellingShingle Tong Li
Lizhen Cui
Zhihong Xu
Xiaoyong Cui
Yanfen Wang
Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach
Science Talks
Stress and change
Livelihood assets
Alpine grassland
Entropy technique
Three River Headwaters Region (TRHR)
title Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach
title_full Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach
title_fullStr Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach
title_short Evaluating livelihood resilience in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's pastoral communities: Insights from an entropy-TOPSIS and geospatial analysis approach
title_sort evaluating livelihood resilience in the qinghai tibet plateau s pastoral communities insights from an entropy topsis and geospatial analysis approach
topic Stress and change
Livelihood assets
Alpine grassland
Entropy technique
Three River Headwaters Region (TRHR)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772569324001245
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