1988-2016年洞庭湖大型底栖动物群落变化及驱动因素分析

洞庭湖是我国第二大淡水湖泊,其水文条件对湖泊湿地生态系统健康的维系发挥着不可替代的作用.近年来,水环境恶化日益威胁湖区水生态系统健康.然而,有关底栖动物水生态健康评价的研究仍然停留在物种群落结构方面,缺乏底栖动物群落功能对水污染响应的研究,尤其在较长时间尺度上.因而,本研究分析了19882016年近30 a来洞庭湖的水质和底栖动物群落数据,探寻底栖动物群落功能对水环境恶化的响应规律.结果表明,洞庭湖水体总氮浓度是威胁底栖动物物种和功能群落变动的主要因素.此外,不断恶化的水环境驱动底栖动物物种和功能群落结构改变,表现为敏感水生昆虫的比例下降,寡毛类、小型软体动物比例的上升,并伴随着体长为1.00~1.99 cm、背扁型、侧扁型、不移动等功能性状类别比例的下降.同时,水环境恶化降低物种丰富度、功能丰富度和劳氏二次熵多样性.基于距离的冗余分析结果显示,水体氮营养盐、重金属离子和有机污染物共同驱动底栖动物物种群落结构的变异,而营养盐类与无/有机污染物决定着其功能群落结构的变异.鉴于洞庭湖水质不断恶化的状况,本研究建议采取一系列措施,包括合理管控湖区周边废水直排入湖、取缔湖区内的非法采砂以及调控枯水季洞庭湖水位等.生物监测和评价方面,建议将底栖动物物种和功能群落一并纳入评价体系,且优先选用物种丰富度、功能丰富度和劳氏二次熵指数评估换水周期较短的大型浅水湖泊水质变化对底栖动物物种和功能多样性的影响.     

不同营养水平下浮游细菌群落对盐度干扰的响应与稳定性

微生物群落是湖泊生态系统的重要组成部分,其结构和功能的稳定性对于生态系统正常执行功能和服务具有至关重要的作用。以营养富集和盐度增加为特征的全球变化深刻影响湖泊生态系统,揭示这些因素对微生物群落结构及其稳定性的影响机理具有重要意义。本研究以浮游细菌群落为研究对象,开展2个营养水平和3个盐度干扰强度水平(对照组、3‰和9‰)的室内模拟实验;基于同一时间点的实验组和对照组之间细胞密度的差异,计算反应力、抵抗力、恢复力和时间稳定性等多个稳定性指标,尝试揭示群落的稳定性机制;借助细菌16S rRNA基因高通量测序对群落结构进行分析,阐明不同营养水平下浮游细菌群落不同类群对盐度干扰的响应。研究发现,浮游细菌的细胞密度和物种丰富度在盐度干扰后降低,对盐度敏感类群相对丰度减少;盐度干扰后水体中溶解性有机碳增加,促进了适应干扰后环境的浮游细菌生长。更高的干扰强度显著降低了细胞密度,导致了更低的抵抗力;盐度干扰和营养水平在反应力、恢复力和时间稳定性方面存在显著交互作用,在9‰盐度干扰下,高营养水平群落表现出最低的稳定性。多数稳定性指标之间表现出了显著的正相关,可以协同指示浮游细菌群落的稳定性;抵抗力和恢复力之间并不显著相关,但是可以从不同角度反映群落稳定性。未来淡水生态系统的富营养和盐度增加将显著降低浮游细菌群落稳定性,多个稳定性指标的应用和高频次观测有助于了解浮游细菌群落对干扰的响应与稳定性机制。     

基于综合指标法的鄱阳湖生态系统健康评价

由于湖泊生态问题日益突出,湖泊生态系统安全状态已经成为人们关注的热点问题,了解湖泊水生态系统的状况并根据湖泊生态系统健康状况开展精准治理和生态修复与保护尤为重要。本文基于对鄱阳湖及其流域生态环境的长期监测数据和资料收集,采用综合指标体系法,从物理形态、水文、水环境、水域生态、湿地生态和社会服务6个方面构建了鄱阳湖生态系统健康评估的指标体系,主要涵盖了湖泊口门状况、“五河”入湖径流变异程度、入湖河流水质达标率等26个指标。依据设置的阈值等级得到鄱阳湖生态系统健康评价各层次健康状况等级,通过对各湖泊生态系统各指标得分进行加权计算,得出生态系统健康评估准则层和目标层的得分,最终对鄱阳湖生态系统健康进行了客观的评价。结果表明,构建的湖泊生态系统健康评价体系针对性强、科学全面、具有可操作性,可为鄱阳湖及类似通江湖泊的生态系统健康评价提供案例和方法借鉴。评价结果表明鄱阳湖健康体征状况目标层得分为73.45分,评价结果为亚健康,鄱阳湖水生态系统健康主要受泄流能力、水文节律变化、富营养化程度和物种多样性的影响。最后根据鄱阳湖的水生态系统健康评分等级探讨了鄱阳湖水生态系统中亟需解决的问题,针对性地提出了...     

eDNA监测方法标准化框架及未来图景

eDNA (environmental DNA)是指从环境样品（水体、土壤、沉积物、空气、混合物等）中提取的DNA,是各种生物的DNA混合物,区别于传统从单物种样品中提取的DNA。eDNA监测是指从环境样品中提取DNA,用物种特异性引物或特定DNA metabarcoding引物对其进行扩增测序、分类学分析、相对丰度分析、功能预测等,以监测环境中是否存在某特定物种,或者获得环境中物种组成、群落结构、生态功能等相关信息。eDNA监测主要应用在特定物种监测检出、生物多样性调查评估、群落结构和功能分析、生态系统过程分析评估等领域。eDNA监测可以应用在陆地、水体、空气、器物表面、生物（内）表面等任何有可能存在不确定DNA的场景。因为eDNA监测的非侵入性、灵敏检出、大类群检出、易标准化方法与结果、低人力物力时间成本、结果可核查等特点,未来很有希望发展成为一种常规的物种监测、群落功能预测、生态过程分析的方法,对象可涵盖所有生境条件下的所有生物类群。但要实现这个图景,需要从普遍性和特殊性层面完成eDNA监测技术链条中10个关键环节的技术标准化：样品重复数设计、采样时间设计、采样点设计、采样方法设...     

溞类(Daphnia)反捕食的表型可塑性及其研究进展

表型可塑性指的是生物体在生物或非生物环境发生变化时会呈现出不同的表型能力,是生物在不稳定的生活环境中维持生存的一种主要策略.在淡水生态系统,大量研究表明浮游动物能通过捕食者释放的化学信息物质感知捕食风险的存在,从而导致反捕食的表型可塑性反应的发生.溞类是一类很好的研究浮游动物对捕食者释放的信息素产生表型可塑性反应的模式生物.本文综述了捕食者释放的化学信息素对溞类的生活史、形态特征、行为活动以及生理指标等表型的影响,探讨了其形成机制和生态意义.溞类对捕食风险信息素的表型可塑性是特定种群与捕食者长期相互作用下适应性进化产生的.加强这些研究对了解物种的形成和生物的进化有非常重要的意义.     

环境因子对浮游甲壳动物群落功能多样性的影响

基于功能性状的生物多样性分析是当前生态学研究中的常用方法之一.浮游动物作为水生态系统食物网的重要组成成分,其功能多样性受关注的程度远不如其重要性.本文通过对14个水体浮游甲壳动物群落结构的研究,分析了环境因子对其功能多样性指数,包括功能丰富度(FRic)、功能均匀度(FEve)、功能离散度(FDiv)和功能分散度(FDis),以及功能群分布的影响.结果显示,亲缘关系近的物种(在分类学上相近)由于具有相似的功能性状,均很好地聚为一类.相关分析显示,FRic、FEve和FDiv与环境因子之间不存在显著的相关关系;FDis与总溶解性氮、总溶解性磷、氨氮和悬浮物C/P比存在显著的相关关系.回归分析发现,随着水体总溶解性磷浓度的上升,浮游甲壳动物的物种数表现出下降趋势,功能群数量、功能群Shannon-Wiener指数和FDis均显著下降;另外,FRic和FDis与功能群数量均呈显著正相关.这些结果表明水体富营养化能促进浮游甲壳动物群落功能性状的趋同,环境选择是群落结构变异的主要驱动力之一.     

近200 a来云南阳宗海摇蚊群落多样性及稳定性变化

云南省拥有丰富的生物多样性,其生态系统稳定性对于发挥生态系统服务功能十分重要,但近几十年以来的人类活动以及气候变化带来的干扰削弱了该区域的生态系统功能.本文以阳宗海为研究对象,探讨了1820s—2006年间人类活动背景下摇蚊群落多样性和稳定性的变化过程,并进一步探讨阳宗海摇蚊群落多样性与稳定性之间的关系.利用沉积物中的营养指标(总有机碳(TOC)含量、总氮(TN)含量和TOC/TN摩尔比)及摇蚊分别重建了湖泊营养变化及摇蚊群落物种丰富度、均匀度、相似度和稳定性(ar1),利用PCA第1轴代表摇蚊群落以检测突变点.研究发现摇蚊群落组成与湖泊营养变化有较好的一致性,二者在1990年左右发生突变,物种丰富度、均匀度和相似度指数分别在1950s、1990s初以及1970s初升高,说明摇蚊群落组成逐渐多样化,种属分布更加均匀.通过检测发现摇蚊群落稳定性在1960s初开始降低,比湖泊系统突变提前30 a左右.摇蚊群落的物种丰富度、均匀度以及稳定性指标伴随着湖泊外源营养物质输入比例增加而升高,群落多样性与稳定性之间的相关性分析表明群落稳定性随物种丰富度的升高而降低.     

不同沉水植物叶片附着细菌群落多样性及网络结构差异

沉水植物叶表附着大量细菌,与沉水植物构成了复杂的共生体系.叶片附着细菌是水生态的重要组成部分,能影响沉水植物自身生长和水体物质循环过程.目前,对于沉水植物多样性对植物叶片附着细菌群落的影响知之甚少.本研究比较了不同沉水植物物种多样性对浮游细菌和叶片附着细菌群落的影响,同时探究不同植物——苦草(Vallisneria natans)、穗状狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)、微齿眼子菜(Potamogeton maackianus)和黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)叶片附着细菌的群落结构和多样性特征.结果表明,浮游细菌和叶片附着细菌的群落α多样性和β多样性具有显著差异.与单一植物物种体系相比,高植物物种多样性体系中植物叶片附着细菌群落α多样性较高.在高植物物种多样性体系中,黑藻叶片附着细菌群落的α多样性显著较高而β多样性显著较低,苦草叶片附着细菌群落的α多样性较低.沉水植物叶片附着细菌群落优势菌群属于变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes).高植物物种多样性体系中苦草的物种共现网络最具模块性.嗜甲基菌(g_Methylophilus)、红杆菌(f_Rhodobacter)、黄杆菌(g_Flavobacterium)是物种共现网络的关键物种.本文研究植物物种多样性对淡水湖泊细菌群落结构的影响,并强调宿主植物对附着细菌群落的重要选择作用,加深对细菌群落在水生植物叶片定殖机制的理解.     

洱海近50a来沉水植被演替及其主要驱动要素

依据文献报道的洱海水质、水文(水位)和沉水植被(物种组成、生物量及分布面积)数据,分析了近50年来洱海的水质变化、水位波动情况以及沉水植被的演替过程,探讨了驱动洱海沉水植被演替的主要环境因子.分析表明,洱海沉水植被群落经历了原生、过渡、顶级和衰退等主要阶段;自1980s以来,流域入湖营养盐增加、水质持续下降、藻类生物量逐年升高、沉水植被群落结构简单化和抑藻功能退化等因素是驱动洱海沉水植被演替与分布的原动力,水位大幅波动加速了洱海水生态系统由清水态向浊水态转变,并导致沉水植物大量衰退和某些特有物种消失.因此,在洱海水生态系统的治理以及沉水植被的恢复过程中,应优先考虑降低外源营养盐输入和优化水位调控.     

古生态记录揭示的长江中下游太白湖生态系统稳态转换过程

长江中下游浅水湖泊在过去百年内受到强烈的人类活动影响,生态系统状态发生显著的变化,服务功能逐渐丧失.为了更科学有效地管理浅水湖泊,当前迫切需要了解湖泊的生态系统转变过程.以长江中下游典型富营养化浅水湖泊太白湖为例,结合历史资料和监测数据,基于铅铯同位素重建年代序列,利用粒度、地化指标和沉积物中硅藻群落的时间序列数据,对太白湖过去百年间生态系统转变进行分析.基于T检验的STARS法检测硅藻群落的结果显示,有2个稳态转换分别发生在1950s末和1990s末.1950s末太白湖硅藻群落代表的生态系统状态发生了显著突变,这主要归因于由于建闸筑坝造成的水文条件和营养条件的改变;1990s期间的湖泊生态系统整体转变则是由长期营养输入和渔业活动加强导致的生态系统弹性损失引起的.讨论了不同阶段太白湖生态系统主要要素间反馈机制在水文条件改变和营养富集影响下的变化,加深了对人类活动干扰下太白湖生态系统结构变化过程的理解,为建立浅水湖泊系统动力学模型提供基础.     

Interactive effects of environmental variability and human impacts on the long-term dynamics of an Amazonian floodplain lake and a South Atlantic coastal lagoon

Human activities are exposing freshwater ecosystems to a wide range of stressors, whose direct and indirect effects can be alleviated or exacerbated through interactive effects with dynamic environmental drivers. This study used long-term data from two Neotropical lacustrine freshwater systems (Batata Lake, an Amazonian floodplain lake and Imboassica lagoon, an Atlantic coastal lagoon) subjected to different kinds of environmental fluctuations (i.e., flood pulse and sandbar opening) and anthropogenic impacts (i.e., siltation and eutrophication). Our objective was to determine whether the effects of human perturbations are contingent on modifications of important biotic and abiotic characteristics through environmental variability. For both ecosystems, environmental variability consistently interacted with anthropogenic perturbations to alter most of the variables analyzed, such as nutrient dynamics, chlorophyll-a concentration, zooplankton and benthic invertebrate species richness, and temporal community stability, which indicates that interactive effects between environmental variability and anthropogenic perturbations may impact a myriad of ecosystem properties. Furthermore, the nature of these interactive effects was highly dependent on the variable considered and on the ecosystem analyzed. For example, at Imboassica lagoon, sandbar openings interacted synergistically with trophic state to increase the phosphorus concentration in the water column. At Batata Lake, flooding generally alleviated the negative effects of siltation on species richness by both diluting inorganic suspended material concentration and by promoting local recruitment from the regional species pool. Such results indicate that our ability to understand and predict the outcome of anthropogenic impacts on inland aquatic systems can be hampered if we consider human stressors as “static” phenomena disconnected from dynamic interactions with major local environmental drivers.     

湖泊生态系统的水鸟监测意义

水鸟的多样性及其变化趋势是保护水鸟必需的信息,也是其柄息湿地环境质量的指示因子之一.本文综述了水鸟与湖泊生态系统关系的研究成果,认为水鸟的物种多样性与丰富度可以快速反映湖泊的水生植物、鱼类的生物量和湖泊水位、营养状况的变化,集群繁殖的食鱼水鸟可用于湖泊生态系统中持久性有毒化学污染物的生态监测;同时阐述了水鸟通过取食水生...     

Plankton of the Baltic estuarine ecosystems with emphasis on Neva Estuary: a review of present knowledge and research perspectives

Different levels of eutrophication and pollution in the Baltic coastal waters in general, and in estuaries particularly define variations in the buffering capacity of ecosystems of these important filter zones between rivers and the adjacent Baltic Proper. Phyto- and zooplankton in the estuaries form important components of the pelagic food webs that participate in producing and structuring the matter, energy, and information fluxes in the ecosystems. Due to salinity gradients, estuaries provide a large variety of aquatic habitats for native populations of marine, brackish and fresh water plankton species. Non-indigenous planktonic species that expand their bio-geographical range and invade the Baltic coastal ecosystems also find favourable environments, establish permanent populations there, and impact aboriginal ecosystems. The dynamics of abundance, species diversity, population structure, productivity of planktonic communities, and peculiarities of trophic interactions in different Baltic estuaries are influenced by a number of common environmental factors. Being measured on the unified basis and monitored, changes (or stability) of structural and functional parameters of plankton communities can serve as indicators of alterations to the ecosystems. Comparative analyses and quantitative estimates of long-term changes in phyto- and zooplankton can contribute to evaluation of functional response of Baltic coastal ecosystems to anthropogenic stress. Both theoretical (modeling) and empirical studies of interactions within plankton communities aimed at the assessment of the role of planktonic organisms in water quality regulation, and applicability of these data for the evaluation of the status of ecosystems and their management can be considered as major goals for the future investigations in Baltic estuaries.     

青藏高原湖泊沉积物与水体细菌群落共发生网络和群落构建过程差异解析

研究高原湖泊沉积物和水体细菌群落结构的差异对于水生态治理与保护具有重要的科学意义。本文选取青藏高原中东部共19个湖泊为研究对象,采集沉积物和水体样本,使用高通量测序技术和统计分析,解析湖泊沉积物和水体细菌群落结构、空间分布特征、共发生网络模式、群落构建过程的差异及其原因。研究结果表明沉积物细菌群落alpha多样性指数(Chao1指数、Shannon多样性指数、Faith’s系统发育指数和Pielou均匀度指数)均显著高于水体细菌群落。沉积物和水体细菌的优势门均为Proteobacteria(相对丰度为45.33%和41.77%),而水体细菌群落结构具有较强的空间异质性。主坐标分析和相似性分析结果表明沉积物和水体中细菌群落结构差异极显著,海拔和纬度分别是青藏高原湖泊沉积物和水体细菌群落结构变化最显著的驱动因子。沉积物和水体细菌群落均具有明显的距离衰减模式,而沉积物细菌比水体细菌群落在空间上的周转率小。采样湖泊沉积物细菌群落共发生网络复杂度和稳定性高于水体细菌。沉积物和水体细菌群落的平均归一化随机率值分别为0.24和0.72,表明确定性过程在沉积物细菌群落构建的过程中起到了重要的作用,而水...     

Long-term modification of Arctic lake ecosystems: Reference condition, degradation under toxic impacts and recovery (case study Imandra Lakes, Russia)

In this study, published data on Lake Imandra, north-west Russia, have been synthesised to investigate trends in lake contamination and recovery due to changing inputs of heavy metals and nutrients over time. Records of water chemistry, phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish communities have been used to determine the status of aquatic ecosystem health in three distinct phases of Lake Imandra's recent history. Firstly, background (reference) conditions within the lake have been established to determine lake conditions prior to anthropogenic influences. Secondly, a period of ecosystem degradation due to anthropogenic inputs of toxic metals and nutrients has been described. Finally, evidence of lake recovery due to recent decreases of toxic metals and nutrients has been explored. Pollution of Lake Imandra began in the 1930s, reaching a peak in the 1980s. Increases in heavy metal and nutrient inputs transformed the typical Arctic ecosystem. During the contamination phase, there was a decrease in Arctic species and in biodiversity. During the last 10 years, pollution has decreased and the lake has been recolonised by Arctic water species. Ecosystem recovery is indicated by a change of predominant species, an increase in the individual mass of organisms and an increase in the biodiversity index of plankton communities. In accordance with Odum's ecosystem succession theory, this paper demonstrates that the ecosystem has transformed to a more stable condition with new defining parameters. This illustrates that the recovery of Arctic ecosystems towards pre-industrial reference conditions after a reduction in anthropogenic stresses occur, although a complete return to background conditions may not be achievable. Having determined the status of current ecosystem health within Lake Imandra, the effect of global warming on the recovery process is discussed. Climate warming in Arctic regions is likely to move the ecosystem towards a predominance of eurybiontic species in the community structure. These organisms have the ability to tolerate a wider range of environmental conditions than typical Arctic inhabitants and will gain advantages in development. This indicates that the full recovery of Arctic ecosystems in a warming climate may not be possible.     

Diagnostic monitoring of a changing environment: an alternative UK perspective

Adaptive management of the marine environment requires an understanding of the complex interactions within it. Establishing levels of natural variability within and between marine ecosystems is a necessary prerequisite to this process and requires a monitoring programme which takes account of the issues of time, space and scale. In this paper, we argue that an ecosystem approach to managing the marine environment should take direct account of climate change indicators at a regional level if it is to cope with the unprecedented change expected as a result of human impacts on the earth climate system. We discuss the purpose of environmental monitoring and the importance of maintaining long-term time series. Recommendations are made on the use of these data in conjunction with modern extrapolation and integration tools (e.g. ecosystem models, remote sensing) to provide a diagnostic approach to the management of marine ecosystems, based on adaptive indicators and dynamic baselines.     

Predicting river ecosystem response to glacial meltwater dynamics: a case study of quantitative water sourcing and glaciality index approaches

Glacier retreat and thinning are occurring in many regions of the world, leading to significant changes in river discharge, water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, it is increasingly necessary for environmental scientists and managers to develop and adopt methods that link changes in meltwater dynamics and biotic response to better understand and predict future ecosystem change in glacially influenced rivers. To this end, two approaches have been developed recently: (1) the ARISE quantitative meltwater contribution approach of Brown et al. (Freshw Biol 54:1357–1369, 2009b) and (2) the glaciality index (GI) of Ilg and Castella (Freshw Biol 51:840–853, 2006), which provides a measure of glacial runoff influence on stream ecosystems based on four environmental variables (water temperature, channel stability, electrical conductivity and suspended sediment concentration). However, the relative performance and potential complementarities of these two approaches have yet to be evaluated. We conducted a methodological comparison using detailed hydrological, water quality and biological datasets collected over two summers in the French Pyrénées. Analyses revealed strong and significant correlation between ARISE meltwater contributions and the GI. However, the ARISE approach performed better when differentiating glacial influence between streams and over time. Both approaches were significant predictors of macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness, beta diversity, the number of EPT genera and total abundance, although regression models were typically stronger for the ARISE meltwater contribution approach. At the species level, ARISE performed better for predicting the abundance of 13 of the 20 most common taxa. We propose both approaches are valuable for assessing the effects of decreasing meltwater contributions on river ecosystems at the community level but this case study suggests ARISE was better able to identify subtle differences in hydrological change, community response and the abundance of individual taxa. Comparative studies from other catchments are required to further evaluate the two methods.     

太湖富营养化湖区秋季水体和沉积物中硝化微生物分布特征及控制因素

微生物参与下的氮循环是富营养化湖泊十分重要的生物地球化学循环过程.采用基于amoA功能基因和16S rRNA基因的荧光定量PCR、PCR-DGGE与高通量测序等分子生物学技术,调查秋季太湖不同水体和表层沉积物中氨氧化古菌(AOA)、氨氧化细菌(AOB)和亚硝酸盐氧化菌(NOB)群落丰度和组成,探讨影响硝化微生物分布的关键环境因子.结果表明,中度富营养化的梅梁湾湖区水体表层、中层和底层水样和表层底泥中AOA amoA基因的丰度分别低于轻度富营养化的湖心区,而不同层水样中AOB amoA基因的丰度分别高于湖心区.梅梁湾湖区和湖心区水样中AOA群落组成基本相似,2个湖区表层沉积物样品中AOA群落组成亦基本相似,水体中AOA群落组成与表层沉积物中AOA群落组成有差异,AOA群落丰度显著受硝态氮、pH和DO影响;表层沉积物中AOB群落丰度有明显差异且显著受总氮含量影响,表层沉积物中NOB群落丰度也有明显差异且显著受亚硝态氮含量影响.太湖梅梁湾湖区和湖心区水体与表层沉积物AOA群落包括Nitrosopumilium和Nitrosotalea两大属;表层沉积物AOB群落主要包括亚硝化单胞菌(Nitrosomonas)和亚硝化螺菌(Nitrosospira)两大属,NOB群落主要包括硝化刺菌(Nitrospina)和硝化螺菌(Nitrospira)两大属,其中硝化螺菌属是淡水湖泊中比较少见的亚硝酸盐氧化菌.影响太湖水体和沉积物中AOA和AOB丰度的最主要环境因子为总氮、总磷与铵态氮.研究表明典型富营养指标(总氮、总磷、铵态氮、硝态氮和硝态氮等)是影响太湖梅梁湾和湖心区水体和沉积物中AOA或AOB丰度以及硝化微生物群落丰度的重要因素.     

Impacts of permafrost changes on alpine ecosystem in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Alpine cold ecosystem with permafrost environment is quite sensitive to climatic changes and the changes in permafrost can significantly affect the alpine ecosystem. The vegetation coverage, grassland biomass and soil nutrient and texture are selected to indicate the regime of alpine cold ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The interactions between alpine ecosystem and permafrost were investigated with the depth of active layer, permafrost thickness and mean annual ground temperature (MAGTs). Based on the statistics model of GPTR for MAGTs and annual air temperatures, an analysis method was developed to analyze the impacts of permafrost changes on the alpine ecosystems. Under the climate change and human engineering activities, the permafrost change and its impacts on alpine ecosystems in the permafrost region between the Kunlun Mountains and the Tanggula Range of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are studied in this paper. The results showed that the per- mafrost changes have a different influence on different alpine ecosystems. With the increase in the thickness of active layer, the vegetation cover and biomass of the alpine cold meadow exhibit a significant conic reduction, the soil organic matter content of the alpine cold meadow ecosystem shows an exponential decrease, and the surface soil materials become coarse and gravelly. The alpine cold steppe ecosystem, however, seems to have a relatively weak relation to the permafrost environment. Those relationships resulted in the fact that the distribution area of alpine cold meadow decreased by 7.98% and alpine cold swamp decreased by 28.11% under the permafrost environment degradation during recent 15 years. In the future 50 years the alpine cold meadow ecosystems in different geomorphologic units may have different responses to the changes of the permafrost under different climate warming conditions, among them the alpine cold meadow and swamp ecosystem located in the low mountain and plateau area will have a relatively serious degradation. Furthermore, from the angles of grassland coverage and biological production the variation characteristics of high-cold eco- systems in different representative regions and different geomorphologic units under different climatic conditions were quantitatively assessed. In the future, adopting effective measures to protect permafrost is of vital importance to maintaining the stability of permafrost engineering and alpine cold eco- systems in the plateau.