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Cited by 191Wildlife Ecology and ConservationRangeland Management and Livestock EcologyRangeland and Wildlife Management

Globalization of the Cashmere Market and the Decline of Large Mammals in Central Asia

BERGER, JOEL, BUUVEIBAATAR, BAYARBAATAR, MISHRA, CHARUDUTT·2013·Conservation Biology
DOI 10.1111/cobi.12100
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Abstract

As drivers of terrestrial ecosystems, humans have replaced large carnivores in most areas, and human influence not only exerts striking ecological pressures on biodiversity at local scales but also has indirect effects in distant corners of the world. We suggest that the multibillion dollar cashmere industry creates economic motivations that link western fashion preferences for cashmere to land use in Central Asia. This penchant for stylish clothing, in turn, encourages herders to increase livestock production which affects persistence of over 6 endangered large mammals in these remote, arid ecosystems. We hypothesized that global trade in cashmere has strong negative effects on native large mammals of deserts and grassland where cashmere‐producing goats are raised. We used time series data, ecological snapshots of the biomass of native and domestic ungulates, and ecologically and behaviorally based fieldwork to test our hypothesis. In Mongolia increases in domestic goat production were associated with a 3‐fold increase in local profits for herders coexisting with endangered saiga (Saiga tatarica) . That increasing domestic grazing pressure carries fitness consequences was inferred on the basis of an approximately 4‐fold difference in juvenile recruitment among blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) in trans‐Himalayan India. Across 7 study areas in Mongolia, India, and China's Tibetan Plateau, native ungulate biomass is now <5% that of domestic species. Such trends suggest ecosystem degradation and decreased capacity for the persistence of native species, including at least 8 Asian endemic species: saiga, chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni) , Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) , snow leopard (Panthera uncia) , khulan (Equus hemionus) , kiang (E. kiang) , takhi (E. przewalski ), and wild yak (Bos mutus ). Our results suggest striking yet indirect and unintended actions that link trophic‐level effects to markets induced by the trade for cashmere . Globalización del Mercado de Cachemira y la Declinación de Mamíferos Mayores en Asia Central

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  • A market economy can drive population changes, either by exerting a negative downward pressure or by encouraging northern communities to consider the economic potential and thus bolster conservation efforts.

    “A market economy can drive population changes, either by exerting a negative downward pressure (Berger et al. 2013), or by encouraging northern communities to consider the economic potential, and thus bolster conservation efforts.”

    From Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future (2020) · cites this paper as Berger et al. 2013

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Authors
BERGER, J., BUUVEIBAATAR, B., & MISHRA, C.
Affiliations
  • Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana, and Northern Rockies Field Office, Wildlife Conservation Society Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
  • Wildlife Conservation Society (US)
  • Nature Conservation Foundation (IN)
ORCID
Venue
Conservation Biology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2013-07-18
Volume
27
Issue
4
Pages
679-689
ISSN
  • 0888-8892 (ISSN-L)
  • 1523-1739
DOI
10.1111/cobi.12100
OpenAlex
W1568217162
Cited by
191
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2
FWCI
10.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Conservation Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Rangeland and Wildlife Management
Keywords
endangered ungulates, livestock grazing pressure, saiga, blue sheep, juvenile recruitment, ecosystem degradation, human-wildlife conflict, Trans-Himalayan region, Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia, Central Asia, wildlife trade, biodiversity loss
MeSH terms
Animals, Asia, Central, Commerce, Conservation of Natural Resources, Goats, Population Dynamics, Species Specificity, Wool, Biomass, Internationality, Endangered Species, Livestock

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