Evolution of the Grass–Animal Energy Pump: A Theoretical Framework for Intelligent Pasture Transformation and System Resilience

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtag064

J Plant Ecol ›› Advance articles DOI:10.1093/jpe/rtag064

Evolution of the Grass–Animal Energy Pump: A Theoretical Framework for Intelligent Pasture Transformation and System Resilience

Jing Zhang¹, Muhammad Usman¹, Naeem Ahmad¹, Muhammad Bilal Hafeez¹, Xiaoping Xin³, Fujiang Hou^1*, Nurlan Serekpayev², Zhibiao Nan¹

¹ China-Kazakhstan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Grassland Ecological Restoration; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China.
² Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, S.Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University, 010011, Kazakhstan
³ Institute of Aeicultural Resources and Regional Planning, CAAS, 100081, Beijing, China
^*Corresponding authors: cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn.

Received:2025-12-28 Accepted:2026-02-28 Published:2026-03-27
Supported by:
This study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, Grant/Award Number: 2021YFD1300504, the National Key Research and Development Program, Grant/Award Number: 2025YFE0212000, the Innovative Research Team in University, Grant/Award Number: IRT_17R50, ‘Lanzhou City’s Scientific Research Funding Subsidy to Lanzhou University, Grant/Award Number: GSRCZC2021001.

草–畜能量泵演化：牧场智慧化转型与系统韧性的理论框架

Abstract

Abstract: The seasonal imbalance between forage supply and livestock demand remains a fundamental constraint on sustainable grassland animal husbandry. Addressing this challenge, this study proposed the novel “Grass–Animal Energy Pump (GEP)” framework to elucidate the mechanism of energy flow evolution during the smart transformation of pastures. Rooted in grassland ecosystem dynamics, the GEP converts solar energy into biological energy through plant-animal-microbe synergy, governed by soil carbon sequestration, primary productivity, animal conversion efficiency, and environmental regulation. Tracing the developmental trajectory of ranching, we identified three distinct evolutionary stages: traditional rotational grazing (GEP–A), mechanized and informatized coupling systems (GEP–B), and AI-driven intelligent ranches (GEP–C). Each stage represents a progressive enhancement in energy pump efficiency, facilitating the regulation of grass-livestock balance. Furthermore, we expanded the GEP concept to the “Soil–Grass–Animal–Environment Energy Pump (SEP)” framework, which integrates soil health, environmental dynamics, and market forces to holistically restructure the system. Our results demonstrated that intelligentization optimizes the speed, direction, and efficiency of energy flow through technological and institutional innovations, thereby resolving seasonal imbalances and bolstering ecological sustainability. Future efforts must transcend the paradigms of the industrial era to establish a “Digital Nomadism” model that merges technological empowerment with traditional ecological wisdom. By prioritizing multi-element synergy, the SEP ensures that technology serves ecosystem restoration while maintaining the natural equilibrium of grasslands. This approach provides a global blueprint for pasture intelligence, balancing productivity with ecological resilience, and offers a theoretical foundation for sustainable livestock systems worldwide.

This study proposes the “Grass-Animal Energy Pump” framework to elucidate the evolutionary mechanism of energy flow, guiding the smart transformation of pastures to resolve grass-livestock imbalances and enhance system resilience.

Key words: Grass-Animal energy pump (GEP), Intelligence ranch, Sustainable development, Grass–Livestock balance

摘要：
饲草供给与家畜需求之间的季节性失衡，始终是制约草地畜牧业可持续发展的根本性瓶颈。针对这一挑战，本研究提出了“草畜能量泵”（GEP）这一创新性理论框架，旨在阐明牧场智慧化转型过程中的能量流演变机制。GEP框架植根于草地生态系统动力学，通过植物–家畜–微生物的协同作用，将太阳能转化为生物能；该过程受土壤固碳、初级生产力、家畜转化效率及环境调节等多重机制的共同调控。追溯畜牧业的发展轨迹，本研究划分了三个显著的演化阶段：传统轮牧模式（GEP– A）、机械化与信息化耦合系统（EP– B）以及人工智能驱动的智慧牧场（GEP– C）。每一阶段均代表着能量泵效率的递进式提升，从而有效促进草畜平衡的调控。进一步地，本研究将GEP概念拓展为“土–草–畜–环境能量泵”（SEP）框架，该框架通过整合土壤健康、环境动态及市场驱动力实现了对系统的全要素重构。研究结果表明，智慧化转型通过技术与制度创新，优化了能量流动的速率、方向与效率，从而有效缓解季节性供需矛盾，显著提升生态可持续性。未来的发展亟需超越工业时代的范式，构建一种融合技术赋能与传统生态智慧的“数字游牧”模式。SEP框架强调多要素协同，旨在确保技术服务于生态系统修复的同时，维护草地的自然平衡。该路径为牧场智慧化提供了统筹生产力与生态韧性的全球性蓝图，并为全球可持续畜牧系统的构建奠定了坚实的理论基础。

关键词: 草畜能量泵, 智慧牧场, 可持续发展, 草畜平衡

Jing Zhang, Muhammad Usman, Naeem Ahmad, Muhammad Bilal Hafeez, Xiaoping Xin, Fujiang Hou, Nurlan Serekpayev, Zhibiao Nan. Evolution of the Grass–Animal Energy Pump: A Theoretical Framework for Intelligent Pasture Transformation and System Resilience[J]. J Plant Ecol, DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtag064.