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Zhan N, Liu W, Ye T, Li H, Chen S, Ma H. High-resolution livestock seasonal distribution data on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in 2020. Sci Data 2023; 10:142. [PMID: 36932126 PMCID: PMC10023705 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02050-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Incorporating seasonality into livestock spatial distribution is of great significance for studying the complex system interaction between climate, vegetation, water, and herder activities, associated with livestock. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has the world's most elevated pastoral area and is a hot spot for global environmental change. This study provides the spatial distribution of cattle, sheep, and livestock grazing on the warm-season and cold-season pastures at a 15 arc-second spatial resolution on the QTP. Warm/cold-season pastures were delineated by identifying the key elements that affect the seasonal distribution of grazing and combining the random forest classification model, and the average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model is 0.98. Spatial disaggregation weights were derived using the prediction from a random forest model that linked county-level census livestock numbers to topography, climate, vegetation, and socioeconomic predictors. The coefficients of determination of external cross-scale validations between dasymetric mapping results and township census data range from 0.52 to 0.70. The data could provide important information for further modeling of human-environment interaction under climate change for this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Weihang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Tao Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Hongda Li
- Qinghai General Station of Grassland, Xining, Qinghai, 810008, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Heng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disasters, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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Zhao Y, Liu S, Dong Y, Wang F, Liu H, Liu Y. Effect of fencing on regional ecological networks in the northern Tibetan Plateau. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1051881. [PMID: 36798709 PMCID: PMC9928204 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1051881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fencing is an essential measure for the rehabilitation and conservation of grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, its construction could change the distribution and migration of wildlife, thus affecting the integrity of the ecological networks for local wild animal movement. It is of great significance to quantify the potential impact of fencing on ecological network connectivity associated with land-use changes at regional scale. In this study, taking the northern Tibetan Plateau as the study area, we explored the ecological network change using circuit theory approach under different scenarios at county scale. Among them, this study set up four different scenarios according to the economic growth rate, population growth rate and the sustainable development of society and environment. The results showed that: 1) with increased grazing intensity and enhanced human activities from 1990 to 2015, the grasslands of the northern Tibetan Plateau were greatly degraded, most of which was converted into the barren land, and the conversion proportion was as high as 90.84%, which lead to a decreasing trend of the current density of ecological network in most counties and deterioration of ecological connectivity; 2) fencing construction has reduced regional current density, while fencing intensity is positively correlated with current density loss at county scale. Among them, the counties with serious current density loss were distributed in the northwest and southeast regions. The maximum loss ratio is 39.23%; 3) under four different future land use scenarios, coordinated economic, social and environmental development will have a positive effect on the ecological network. The results of the study have important ecological significance for developing reasonable conservation measures for grassland restoration, protecting wildlife, and maintaining regional ecological balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shiliang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhong Dong
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yixuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Guo C, Wesche K, Mărgărint MC, Nowak A, Dembicz I, Wu J. Climate overrides fencing and soil mineral nutrients to affect plant diversity and biomass of alpine grasslands across North Tibet. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1024954. [PMID: 36570963 PMCID: PMC9773210 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1024954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Overgrazing and warming are thought to be responsible for the loss of species diversity, declined ecosystem productivity and soil nutrient availability of degraded grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Mineral elements in soils critically regulate plant individual's growth, performance, reproduction, and survival. However, it is still unclear whether plant species diversity and biomass production can be improved indirectly via the recovery of mineral element availability at topsoils of degraded grasslands, via grazing exclusion by fencing for years. METHODS To answer this question, we measured plant species richness, Shannow-Wiener index, aboveground biomass, and mineral element contents of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn, K and P at the top-layer (0 - 10 cm) soils at 15 pairs of fenced vs grazed matched sites from alpine meadows (n = 5), alpine steppes (n = 6), and desert-steppes (n = 4) across North Tibet. RESULTS Our results showed that fencing only reduced the Shannon-Wiener index of alpine meadows, and did not alter aboveground biomass, species richness, and soil mineral contents within each grassland type, compared to adjacent open sites grazed by domestic livestock. Aboveground biomass first decreased and then increased along with the gradient of increasing Ca content but did not show any clear relationship with other mineral elements across the three different alpine grassland types. More than 45% of the variance in plant diversity indices and aboveground biomass across North Tibet can be explained by the sum precipitation during plant growing months. Structural equation modelling also confirmed that climatic variables could regulate biomass production directly and indirectly via soil mineral element (Ca) and plant diversity indices. DISCUSSION Overall, the community structure and biomass production of alpine grasslands across North Tibet was weakly affected by fencing, compared to the robst climatic control. Therefore, medium-term livestock exclusion by fencing might have limited contribution to the recovery of ecosystem structure and functions of degraded alpine grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenrui Guo
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Karsten Wesche
- Department of Botany, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz, Görlitz, Germany
- International Institute (IHI) Zittau, Technische Universität Dresden, Zittau, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mihai Ciprian Mărgărint
- Department of Geography, Geography and Geology Faculty, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, Iaşi, Romania
| | - Arkadiusz Nowak
- Botanical Garden Center for Biological Diversity Conservation in Powsin, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Biology, University of Opole, Opole, Poland
| | - Iwona Dembicz
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Conservation, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jianshuang Wu
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Geography, Geography and Geology Faculty, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, Iaşi, Romania
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Livelihood Sustainability of Herder Households in North Tibet, China. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14095166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The livelihood sustainability of rural residents has attracted a great deal of attention across the globe, especially in remote mountain areas. In this study, we interviewed 696 householders who were randomly selected from ‘Changtang’ (also called ‘North Tibet’), Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. Under the sustainable livelihood index (SLI) framework, we evaluated the livelihood sustainability of herder households and examined the differences between low- and high-sustainability groups. Our findings revealed the following: (1) The livelihood sustainability of all herder households was generally low; low-sustainability households accounted for 87.07% of the samples. (2) Social, human, and physical capitals accounted for 81.6% of the variance in the SLI of herder households. Less physical capital was the main reason for a lower SLI. (3) Compared with high-SLI households, low-SLI families were characterized by having a higher dependency on natural resources, fewer fixed assets, weaker personal ability, and less participation in social organizations. Moreover, low-sustainability households were more vulnerable to medical expenses. Our study suggests that policymakers should pay closer attention to skills training, promote livelihood diversification, and strengthen social capital security. These actions are recommended for global poverty reduction and to promote the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
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Jian T, Xia Y, He R, Zhang J. The influence of planting Carex praeclara and Leymus secalinus on soil properties and microbial community in a Zoige desertified alpine grassland. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Examining Soil Erosion Responses to Grassland Conversation Policy in Three-River Headwaters, China. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13052702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Soil erosion in the Three-River Headwaters (TRH) region has continued to intensify in recent decades due to human activities and climate change. To reverse this situation, the Chinese central government has launched the Subsidy and Incentive System for Grassland Conservation (SISGC). As a sign of the effectiveness of SISGC implementation, the dynamic changes of soil erosion can provide timely feedback for decision makers and managers. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was used to simulate the spatial distribution of soil erosion before and after SISGC implementation, and Mann–Kendall (MK) test to reveal the effect of policy implementation. The results showed that: (1) the soil erosion in the TRH was mainly mild (83.83% of the total eroded area), and the average soil erosion rate and the total erosion were 13.63 t ha−1 y−1 and 323.58 × 106 t y−1 respectively before SISGC implementation; (2) SISGC implementation has curbed soil erosion. After SISGC implementation, the total soil erosion decreased by 3.80%, which showed obvious differences between grassland types; (3) The influences of SISGC were mainly because it has increased vegetation cover, further decreasing soil erosion. However, soil erosion in Alpine grassland has deteriorated, indicating direct targeted policymaking should be on the agenda. Furthermore, SISGC should be continued and grassland-type-oriented to restore the grassland ecosystem.
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Wu J, Li M, Zhang X, Fiedler S, Gao Q, Zhou Y, Cao W, Hassan W, Mărgărint MC, Tarolli P, Tietjen B. Disentangling climatic and anthropogenic contributions to nonlinear dynamics of alpine grassland productivity on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 281:111875. [PMID: 33378737 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are sensitive and vulnerable to climate change and human activities. Climate warming and overgrazing have already caused degradation in a large fraction of alpine grasslands on this plateau. However, it remains unclear how human activities (mainly livestock grazing) regulates vegetation dynamics under climate change. Here, alpine grassland productivity (substituted with the normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI) is hypothesized to vary in a nonlinear trajectory to follow climate fluctuations and human disturbances. With generalized additive mixed modelling (GAMM) and residual-trend (RESTREND) analysis together, both magnitude and direction of climatic (in terms of temperature, precipitation, and radiation) and anthropogenic impacts on NDVI variation were examined across alpine meadows, steppes, and desert-steppes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results revealed that accelerating warming and greening, respectively, took place in 76.2% and 78.8% of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The relative importance of temperature, precipitation, and radiation impacts was comparable, between 20.4% and 24.8%, and combined to explain 66.2% of NDVI variance at the pixel scale. The human influence was strengthening and weakening, respectively, in 15.5% and 14.3% of grassland pixels, being slightly larger than any sole climatic variable across the entire plateau. Anthropogenic and climatic factors can be in opposite ways to affect alpine grasslands, even within the same grassland type, likely regulated by plant community assembly and species functional traits. Therefore, the underlying mechanisms of how plant functional diversity regulates nonlinear ecosystem response to climatic and anthropogenic stresses should be carefully explored in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianshuang Wu
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China; Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Theoretical Ecology, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Meng Li
- Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China; School of Geographic Sciences, Nantong University, 226007, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xianzhou Zhang
- Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Sebastian Fiedler
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Theoretical Ecology, 14195, Berlin, Germany; University Bayreuth, Department of Ecological Modelling, 95448, Bayreuth, Germany; Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Qingzhu Gao
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China
| | - Yuting Zhou
- Department of Geography, Oklahoma State University, OK, 74078, Stillwater, USA
| | - Wenfang Cao
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China; Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Waseem Hassan
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China
| | - Mihai Ciprian Mărgărint
- Department of Geography, Geography and Geology Faculty, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, 700505, RO, Iaşi, Romania
| | - Paolo Tarolli
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Britta Tietjen
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Theoretical Ecology, 14195, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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Spatiotemporal Variation of Vegetation on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Influence of Climatic Factors and Human Activities on Vegetation Trend (2000–2019). REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12193150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Vegetation is the terrestrial ecosystem component most sensitive to climate change. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), characterized by a cold climate and vulnerable ecosystems, has experienced significant warming in previous decades. Identifying the variation in vegetation coverage and elucidating its main driving factors are critical for ecological protection on the QTP. In this study, MOD13A2 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data in the growing season (May to September) was used to represent QTP vegetation coverage during 2000–2019. The univariate linear regression, partial correlation analysis, residual analysis, and the Hurst exponent were used to detect the vegetation spatiotemporal dynamic, analyze the relationship between the vegetation and main driving factors, and predict the future vegetation dynamic. The growing season NDVI (GNDVI) of the QTP showed an extremely significant rate of increase (0.0011/a) during the study period, and 79.29% of the vegetated areas showed a greening trend. Over the past 20 years, the northeast, mid-east, and western edges of the plateau have been cooling and wetting, while the southwest, mid-west, and southeast have been warming and drying. Different climatic conditions lead to spatial differences in the response of plateau vegetation to climatic factors with generally 1–4 months lag time. The vegetation in the north of the plateau was mainly positively correlated with moisture, and negatively correlated with temperature, while the southern part showed positive correlation with temperature and negative correlation with moisture. Due to the enhancement of cooling and wetting trend in the last decade (2010–2019), especially in the south of the plateau, the greening trend of the plateau vegetation slowed down appreciably and even degraded in some areas. Human activities were mainly concentrated in the eastern part of the plateau—and its positive effect on vegetation was gradually increasing in most areas during study period, especially in the northeastern part. However, vegetation degradation caused by human activities in the southeast of the plateau should not be ignored. The future vegetation dynamic based on the Hurst exponent showed that the plateau faces a higher risk of vegetation degradation, which deserves more attention. This study explored the effect of climatic factors and human activities on vegetation of the QTP, thereby providing some guidance for the study of vegetation dynamic in the alpine areas.
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Sun J, Liu M, Fu B, Kemp D, Zhao W, Liu G, Han G, Wilkes A, Lu X, Chen Y, Cheng G, Zhou T, Hou G, Zhan T, Peng F, Shang H, Xu M, Shi P, He Y, Li M, Wang J, Tsunekawa A, Zhou H, Liu Y, Li Y, Liu S. Reconsidering the efficiency of grazing exclusion using fences on the Tibetan Plateau. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2020; 65:1405-1414. [PMID: 36659220 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Grazing exclusion using fences is a key policy being applied by the Chinese government to rehabilitate degraded grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and elsewhere. However, there is a limited understanding of the effects of grazing exclusion on alpine ecosystem functions and services and its impacts on herders' livelihoods. Our meta-analyses and questionnaire-based surveys revealed that grazing exclusion with fences was effective in promoting aboveground vegetation growth for up to four years in degraded alpine meadows and for up to eight years in the alpine steppes of the TP. Longer-term fencing did not bring any ecological and economic benefits. We also found that fencing hindered wildlife movement, increased grazing pressure in unfenced areas, lowered the satisfaction of herders, and rendered substantial financial costs to both regional and national governments. We recommend that traditional free grazing should be encouraged if applicable, short-term fencing (for 4-8 years) should be adopted in severely degraded grasslands, and fencing should be avoided in key wildlife habitat areas, especially the protected large mammal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Sun
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Miao Liu
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bojie Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - David Kemp
- Agricultural Systems Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia
| | - Wenwu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Guohua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Guodong Han
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China
| | - Andreas Wilkes
- Values for Development Ltd, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3EQ, UK
| | - Xuyang Lu
- Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Youchao Chen
- Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Genwei Cheng
- Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tiancai Zhou
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ge Hou
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Tianyu Zhan
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Fei Peng
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hua Shang
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, School Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Ming Xu
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, School Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; The College of Environment and Planning of Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Peili Shi
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yongtao He
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Meng Li
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jinniu Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Atsushi Tsunekawa
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Tottori, 6800001, Japan
| | - Huakun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology for Cold Regions in Qinghai, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yurui Li
- Synthesis Research Centre of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shiliang Liu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Li WJ, Liu SS, Li JH, Zhang RL, Rang KZC, Zhou HK, Yao BQ, Wang JF. Plant Traits Response to Grazing Exclusion by Fencing Assessed via Multiple Classification Approach: A Case from a Subalpine Meadow. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2019.67.1.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China,
| | - Shuang Shuang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China,
| | - Jin Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China,
| | - Ru Lan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China,
| | - Ka Zhuo Cai Rang
- Grassland Professional Team of Henan Mongolis Autonomous County, Henan 811500, Qinghai, China
| | - Hua Kun Zhou
- Key laboratory of restoration ecology of cold area in Qinghai province, Northwest institute of plateau biology, Chinese academy of sciences, Xining, 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Bu Qing Yao
- Key laboratory of restoration ecology of cold area in Qinghai province, Northwest institute of plateau biology, Chinese academy of sciences, Xining, 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Jun Feng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, Jilin, China
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Cao Y, Wu J, Zhang X, Niu B, Li M, Zhang Y, Wang X, Wang Z. Dynamic forage-livestock balance analysis in alpine grasslands on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 238:352-359. [PMID: 30856595 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Forage-livestock balance is important for sustainable management of alpine grasslands under global change, but the robustness of diverse algorithms for assessing forage-livestock balance is still unclear. This study compiled long-term (2009-2014) field observations of aboveground biomass (AGB). Using climate and remote sensing data, we evaluated the inter-annual dynamics of the forage-livestock balance on the Northern Tibetan Plateau (NTP). Here, we assumed that AGB dynamics in fenced grasslands (AGBF) is only driven by climate change; whereas AGB dynamics in open grasslands grazed by livestock (AGBG) is driven by a combination of climate change and human activities. Thus, human-induced change in AGB (AGBH) could be estimated via the difference between AGBF and AGBG. Furthermore, differences in the temporal trends between AGBF and AGBH could indicate the state of forage-livestock balance, overgrazed or not, in alpine grasslands. Our results showed that the overall status of the forage-livestock balance from 2000 to 2006 was overgrazed owing to poor climatic conditions. Ecological projects and economic policies for alpine grassland conservation had not been implemented at that time, which also resulted in local overgrazing. From 2006 to 2014, the alpine grasslands in some areas were in a less-grazed state. We suggest that the livestock number could potentially increase in northern NTP and should be reduced or strictly controlled to maintain the balance between livestock and forage in the southern and southeast areas. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the evaluation of the forage-livestock balance in the NTP should include the local climatic conditions and make better use of grassland resources while ensuring ecological security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Cao
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianshuang Wu
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Biodiversity/Theoretical Ecology, Altensteinstraße 34, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Xianzhou Zhang
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Ben Niu
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Meng Li
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiangtao Wang
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Temporal Variability of Precipitation and Biomass of Alpine Grasslands on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. REMOTE SENSING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/rs11030360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The timing regimes of precipitation can exert profound impacts on grassland ecosystems. However, it is still unclear how the peak aboveground biomass (AGBpeak) of alpine grasslands responds to the temporal variability of growing season precipitation (GSP) on the northern Tibetan Plateau. Here, the temporal variability of precipitation was defined as the number and intensity of precipitation events as well as the time interval between consecutive precipitation events. We conducted annual field measurements of AGBpeak between 2009 and 2016 at four sites that were representative of alpine meadow, meadow-steppe, alpine steppe, and desert-steppe. Thus, an empirical model was established with the time series of the field-measured AGBpeak and the corresponding enhanced vegetation index (EVI) (R2 = 0.78), which was used to estimate grassland AGBpeak at the regional scale. The relative importance of the three indices of the temporal variability of precipitation, events, intensity, and time interval on grassland AGBpeak was quantified by principal component regression and shown in a red–green–blue (RGB) composition map. The standardized importance values were used to calculate the vegetation sensitivity index to the temporal variability of precipitation (VSIP). Our results showed that the standardized VSIP was larger than 60 for only 15% of alpine grassland pixels and that AGBpeak did not change significantly for more than 60% of alpine grassland pixels over the past decades, which was likely due to the nonsignificant changes in the temporal variability of precipitation in most pixels. However, a U-shaped relationship was found between VSIP and GSP across the four representative grassland types, indicating that the sensitivity of grassland AGBpeak to precipitation was dependent on the types of grassland communities. Moreover, we found that the temporal variability of precipitation explained more of the field-measured AGBpeak variance than did the total amount of precipitation alone at the site scale, which implies that the mechanisms underlying how the temporal variability of precipitation controls the AGBpeak of alpine grasslands should be better understood at the local scale. We hypothesize that alpine grassland plants promptly respond to the temporal variability of precipitation to keep community biomass production more stable over time, but this conclusion should be further tested. Finally, we call for a long-term experimental study that includes multiple natural and anthropogenic factors together, such as warming, nitrogen deposition, and grazing and fencing, to better understand the mechanisms of alpine grassland stability on the Tibetan Plateau.
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Wu J, Li M, Fiedler S, Ma W, Wang X, Zhang X, Tietjen B. Impacts of grazing exclusion on productivity partitioning along regional plant diversity and climatic gradients in Tibetan alpine grasslands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 231:635-645. [PMID: 30390448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.10.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The biodiversity-productivity relationship is critical for better predicting ecosystem responses to climate change and human disturbance. However, it remains unclear about the effects of climate change, land use shifts, plant diversity, and their interactions on productivity partitioning above- and below-ground components in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. To answer this question, we conducted field surveys at 33 grazed vs. fenced paired sites that are distributed across the alpine meadow, steppe, and desert-steppe zones on the northern Tibetan Plateau in early August of 2010-2013. Generalized additive models (GAMs) showed that aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) linearly increased with growing season precipitation (GSP) while belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) decreased with growing season temperature (GST). Compared to grazed sites, short-term fencing did not alter the patterns of ANPP along climatic gradients but tended to decrease BNPP at moderate precipitation levels of 200 mm < GSP <450 mm. We also found that ANPP and BNPP linearly increased with species richness, ANPP decreased with Shannon diversity index, and BNPP did not correlate with the Shannon diversity index. Fencing did not alter the relationships between productivity components and plant diversity indices. Generalized additive mixed models furtherly confirmed that the interaction of localized plant diversity and climatic condition nonlinearly regulated productivity partitioning of alpine grasslands in this area. Finally, structural equation models (SEMs) revealed the direction and strength of causal links between biotic and abiotic variables within alpine grassland ecosystems. ANPP was controlled directly by GSP (0.53) and indirectly via species richness (0.41) and Shannon index (-0.12). In contrast, BNPP was influenced directly by GST (-0.43) and indirectly by GSP via species richness (0.05) and Shannon index (-0.02). Therefore, we recommend using a joint approach of GAMs and SEMs for better understanding mechanisms behind the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function under climate change and human disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianshuang Wu
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, 100101 Beijing, China; Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Biodiversity/Theoretical Ecology, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Meng Li
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Sebastian Fiedler
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Biodiversity/Theoretical Ecology, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Weiling Ma
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Xiangtao Wang
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, 100101 Beijing, China; Xizang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry College, Department of Animal Sciences, 860000 Linzhi, China
| | - Xianzhou Zhang
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa National Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modelling, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Britta Tietjen
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Biodiversity/Theoretical Ecology, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Li S, Wu J, Gong J, Li S. Human footprint in Tibet: Assessing the spatial layout and effectiveness of nature reserves. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 621:18-29. [PMID: 29175618 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Humanity is causing dramatic changes to the Earth, and we may be entering a human-dominated era referred to as the Anthropocene. Mapping the human footprint and assessing the spatial layout and effectiveness of protected areas facilitate sustainable development. As the core region of the third pole, Tibet is an important area for biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services. In this study, five categories of human pressure were summed cumulatively to map the human footprint in Tibet for 1990 and 2010, and the spatial relationship between the human footprint and national and provincial nature reserves (NRs) in Tibet was analyzed. In addition, the human footprint map was also used to evaluate the effectiveness of national and provincial NRs for reducing the impact of human activities. A comprehensive assessment was undertaken for the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon (YZGC) NR. There were several key findings from this study. First, the human footprint scores (HFS) in Tibet for 1990 and 2010 were low, and increased by 32.35% during 1990-2010, which was greater than the global value of 9% for 1993-2009, indicating that Tibet is seriously threatened by human pressure. Grazing intensity and road disturbance intensity contributed significantly to the increase in the HFS. Second, the average HFS for 1990 in NRs was lower than that for the entire Tibet, but the spatial layout and extent of some reserves (e.g., the Qomolangma NR) needs to be optimized further. Third, the establishment of NRs in Tibet was effective in reducing human activities. No leakage phenomena were identified in the regions surrounding the YZGC reserve. However, the management of NRs in Tibet is still challenging in terms of reducing human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicheng Li
- Department of Land Resource Management, School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, 430074, Wuhan, China; Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jianshuang Wu
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Biodiversity/Theoretical Ecology, Altensteinstraße 34, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jian Gong
- Department of Land Resource Management, School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, 430074, Wuhan, China; Key Labs of Law Evaluation of Ministry of Land and Resources of China, 430074 Wuhan, China.
| | - Shaowei Li
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China.
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Study on Livelihood Assets-Based Spatial Differentiation of the Income of Natural Tourism Communities. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10020353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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16
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Identifying the Relative Contributions of Climate and Grazing to Both Direction and Magnitude of Alpine Grassland Productivity Dynamics from 1993 to 2011 on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. REMOTE SENSING 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/rs9020136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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