Ethnoecology Of Arhorchin Grassland Nomadic Grazing System In Inner Mongolia

In order to gain the traditional knowledge of ecology in Arhorchin Grassland Nomadic Grazing System in Inner Mongo lia,the survey was conducted on Hundelen Summer Herd ing Place by the methods of ethnoecology.The results show that:(1)A total of 173 plant folk names are collected,corresponding with 134 species,4 varieties in plant taxonomy;109 animal folk names are collected,includ ing 68 vertebrate folk names,corresponding with 65 species in animal taxonomy;There are 41 invertebrate folk names,inc lud ing 35 insect folk names and 6 Spider folk names.(2)Seeing from the vocabularies of plants names,the majority of the local Mongo lian names are composed by 1-2 words,the minority of the local Mongolian names of wild plants and animals are composed by 3 or more than 3 words.(3)When naming the wild plants,the local herdsmen are not only according to plant morphological characteristics,usage,growing environment,color,inclusions but also combine with wild animals and livestock.Similarly,when naming the wild animals,they will be according to the animals' morphological characteristics,usage,growing environment,color,voice and behaivors,and also link with wild plants and livestock,depicting the unique characters of nomadic life.(4)Local folk classification of some plants and animals are similar with ones in plant and animal taxonomy,which shows a c ertain degree of scientific information;Some animal folk names have the significant sense of folk classification which is equivalent to class or order.(5)The trad itional use of wild plants inc ludes 6 aspects: edible use,medic inal use,forage use,architectural and technological use,economical use and cultural use.(6)There are 31 species folk traditional ed ible wild plants used by the Mongolians in Arhorchin Grassland Nomadic Grazing System.According to folk processing methods and purposes,edible wild plants are classified as wild grain,wild vegetables,wild fruits,substitude tea,condiments,and wild chewing p lants.There are 20 species of wild med icine,and 6 species used as veterinary drugs.There are 100 species of the forage p lants recognized and used by the local herdsmen includ ing 12 excellent species,22 fine species,28 medium species,15 low species,2 inferior species and 20 species which has no scientific records before.In addition,there are 6 species wild ec onomical plants.(7)The wild animals used by local herdsmen mainly include 3 aspects: edible use,fur use and medic inal use.The local herdsmen have the own understanding of poisonous and harmful animals with own preventive methods.(8)The local Mongo lian trad itional ecological culture has a positive effect on the local ecological environment.Traditional ecological knowledge of Mongolians in Nomadic Grazing System of Arhorchin Pasture is the s ignificant part of Mongo lians culture,which is scientific,practicable and rational.It is high time that we should take measures to protect,continuously use and inherit.