Integrated Studies of Social and Natural Environmental Transition in Laos.
- 1st ed.
- 1 online resource (166 pages)
- Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research Series .
- Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research Series .
Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- Contributors -- Part I: Tradition and Development -- Chapter 1: Laos in Transition: The Runner in Front, Leading the Race or Lagging a Lap Behind? -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.1.1 From Landlocked Country to Land-Linked Country -- 1.1.2 Economic Development and Poverty Reduction -- 1.2 Forest Policies in Laos -- 1.2.1 Forest Policy Development -- 1.2.2 The LFAP Implementation -- 1.3 Demise of Swidden Agriculture -- 1.3.1 LFAP and the Involvement of an NGO -- 1.3.2 Land Use and Livelihood Changes by Implementing LFAP -- 1.4 Trans-Boundary Influence of Chinese Economy -- 1.4.1 Introduction of Contract Farming with Chinese Firms -- 1.4.2 Livelihood Change by the Inference of Outside the Village -- 1.5 Indigenous Eco-Knowledge and Thammasat -- 1.5.1 Vulnerability of Indigenous Eco-Knowledge -- 1.5.2 Thammasat -- 1.6 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 2: The Impact of Urbanization on Land Use and the Changing Role of Forests in Vientiane -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Urbanization in Laos -- 2.3 Recent Land Use Changes in Vientiane -- 2.4 Land Use Changes in Suburban Farming Villages -- 2.5 Forests and Urbanization -- References -- Chapter 3: Mountainous Livelihood in Northern Laos: Historical Transition and Current Situation of a Swidden Village -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Topography and Physical Conditions of Study Area -- 3.3 Present Swidden Practice in Kachet Village -- 3.4 Present Non-timber Forest Products in Kachet Village -- 3.5 Historical Transition and Events of Livelihood in Kachet Village -- 3.5.1 Historical Transition of Physical Condition -- 3.5.2 Historical Transition of Swidden Practice and Related Activity -- 3.5.3 Historical Transition of Non-timber Forest Products -- 3.5.3.1 Changes in Types of Non-timber Forest Products -- 3.5.3.2 Changes in Distribution of Non-timber Forest Products. 3.5.4 Historical Transition of Food Culture -- 3.5.5 Historical Transition of Plant Utilization -- 3.5.6 Changes in Land Utilization -- 3.5.7 Recent Disasters and Responses -- 3.6 Conclusion -- References -- Part II: Natural Environment -- Chapter 4: Grazing Behavior and Local Management of Cattle and Buffaloes in Rural Laos -- 4.1 The Importance of Livestock in Developing Countries -- 4.2 Animal Husbandry in Laos -- 4.2.1 Cattle and Water Buffalo Grazing -- 4.2.2 Changes in Cattle and Water Buffalo Husbandry -- 4.3 Use of Biologging Techniques in Ethological Research -- 4.4 Ethnological Survey of Free-Grazing Livestock -- 4.4.1 Survey Objectives and Methods -- 4.4.2 Overview of the Study Sites -- 4.4.3 Analysis of Cattle Home Ranges -- 4.4.4 The Impact of Various Grazing Methods -- 4.4.5 Analysis of the Behavioral Rhythms of Water Buffalo -- 4.5 The Current State and Challenges Facing Livestock Grazing in Swidden Fallow -- 4.6 The Future of Livestock Grazing in Laos -- References -- Chapter 5: Analysis of Monsoon Climate Variability for Swidden Agriculture in Northern Laos -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Methodology -- 5.2.1 Dataset -- 5.2.2 Data Analysis -- 5.2.2.1 Rain Index Related to Pre-monsoon Season -- 5.2.2.2 Determination of Monsoon Onset and Termination -- 5.2.3 Surveyed Village -- 5.3 Result -- 5.3.1 General Rainfall Characteristics of Kachet Village -- 5.3.2 Interview Results -- 5.3.3 Rainfall Trends of Climatology and 50-Day Period -- 5.3.4 Trends of Onset, Termination and Duration of Rainy Season -- 5.3.5 Teleconnection Between Study Site and Three Major Regions of Pacific Ocean -- 5.4 Discussion -- References -- Part III: Human-Nature Interaction -- Chapter 6: Land Use Management and Plant Utilization of a Swidden System in Northern Laos: A Case Study of Kachet Village, Nam... -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Study Site -- 6.2.1 Kachet Village. 6.2.2 Swidden Agriculture in Kachet Village -- 6.3 Plant Utilization -- 6.3.1 Fallow Period and Upland Rice Production -- 6.3.2 Fallow Period and NTFPs with Economic Value -- 6.3.2.1 Benzoin (Styrax tonkinensis) -- 6.3.2.2 Cardamom (Amomum villosum) -- 6.3.2.3 Konjak (Amorphophallus spp.) -- 6.3.2.4 Galangal fruit and root (Alpinia galanga) -- 6.3.2.5 Broom grass (Thysanolaena latifolia) -- 6.3.2.6 Bamboo shoot (Indosasa sinica, Dendrocalamus spp., Phyllostachys spp.) -- 6.3.3 Fallow Period and Forest Products -- 6.4 Fallow Management -- 6.4.1 Historical Changes in the Period of Fallow and the Rotation Cycle -- 6.4.2 Fallow Area -- 6.4.3 Swidden Cycle -- 6.5 Discussion -- References -- Chapter 7: Spatial Analysis of Flood Area and Its Impact on Rice Production on Vientiane Plain -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Impact of 2011 Flooding on Rice Cropping Area and Rice Production -- 7.2.1 GPS Survey of Paddy Field Distribution -- 7.2.2 Interviews of Deputy Village Head and Villagers -- 7.2.2.1 Deputy Village Head Interview -- 7.2.2.2 Villager Interviews -- 7.3 Variability of Flood Area Distribution -- 7.3.1 Flood Model -- 7.3.1.1 River Flows -- 7.3.1.2 Floodplain Flow -- 7.3.1.3 Overflow -- 7.3.1.4 Dataset -- 7.3.2 Result and Discussion -- 7.3.2.1 Comparison of Simulation with Water Boundary Data -- 7.3.2.2 Flooding in 2011 and Its Relationship to Change of Paddy Fields -- 7.3.2.3 Assessment of Mak Hiao River Improvement -- 7.4 Flood Risk Impacts and Spatial Analysis -- 7.4.1 Data and Methodology -- 7.4.2 Results of Satellite Images -- 7.5 Discussion and Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 8: Influence of Human Activity on Water and Soil Conditions of Agricultural Land in Laos -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Influence of Land Use Change to Soil Condition -- 8.2.1 Introduction -- 8.2.2 Collection and Analysis of Soil Samples -- 8.2.3 Results and Discussion. 8.2.3.1 Water Retention Ability -- 8.2.3.2 Three Phase Distribution -- 8.2.3.3 Soil Fertility -- 8.3 Various Human Activities and the Other Factors Relating to Rice Production in Rain-fed Paddy Fields -- 8.3.1 Introduction -- 8.3.2 Methodology -- 8.3.3 Result and Discussion -- 8.3.3.1 Effects of Surface Water -- 8.3.3.2 Effects of Termite Mounds -- 8.4 Conclusion -- References -- Index.