Protecting the national parks and the world heritage sites in China: challenge and strategy

About 70% of its land area as mountains and plateaus, China is the largest mountain country in the world. Thanks to its vast territory (9.6 million km²), outstanding relief and varied climates, China boasts extremely plenty of ecosystems and landscapes. From south to north, it traverses almost all the temporal zones from tropical rainforest in the southernmost to frigid-temperate needle-leaved forest in the northernmost; from east to west, it sees a gradual transition fro humid forest landscape to extremely arid desert landscape; vertical change of landscapes is most striking owing to the existence of many high mountains (above 6000–7000 m, e.g., the Himalayas, the Kunlun, the Tianshan, the Hengduan, etc.) and plateaus, especially the immense Tibetan Plateau (averagely 4500 m above sea level). All of this give rise to the richness and diversity of ecosystems and landscape in China. Some of the ecosystems are endemic to China, e.g., alpine desert and alpine steppe in the Tibetan Plateau. As a result, China bears a great responsibility in the protection of global ecosystems and landscape.     

中国国家公园与世界遗产地保护——挑战与战略

About 70% of its land area as mountains and plateaus,China is the largest mountain countryin the world.Thanks to its vast territory (9.6 million km2),outstanding relief and varied climates,China boasts extremely plenty of ecosystems and landscapes.From south to north,it traverses almostall the temporal zones from tropical rainforest in the southernmost to frigid-temperate needle-leavedforest in the northernmost; from east to west,it sees a gradual transition fro humid forest landscape toextremely arid desert landscape; vertical change of landscapes is most striking owing to the existenceof many high mountains (above 6000-7000 m,e.g.,the Himalayas,the Kunlun,the Tianshan,theHengduan,etc.) and plateaus,especially the immense Tibetan Plateau (averagely 4500 m above sealevel).All of this give rise to the richness and diversity of ecosystems and landscape in China.Some ofthe ecosystems are endemic to China,e.g.,alpine desert and alpine steppe in the Tibetan Plateau.As aresult,China bears a great responsibility in the protection of global ecosystems and landscape.     

NPP vulnerability of the potential vegetation of China to climate change in the past and future

Using the Integrated Biosphere Simulator, a dynamic vegetation model, this study initially simulated the net primary productivity (NPP) dynamics of China’s potential vegetation in the past 55 years (1961–2015) and in the future 35 years (2016–2050). Then, taking the NPP of the potential vegetation in average climate conditions during 1986–2005 as the basis for evaluation, this study examined whether the potential vegetation adapts to climate change or not. Meanwhile, the degree of inadaptability was evaluated. Finally, the NPP vulnerability of the potential vegetation was evaluated by synthesizing the frequency and degrees of inadaptability to climate change. In the past 55 years, the NPP of desert ecosystems in the south of the Tianshan Mountains and grassland ecosystems in the north of China and in western Tibetan Plateau was prone to the effect of climate change. The NPP of most forest ecosystems was not prone to the influence of climate change. The low NPP vulnerability to climate change of the evergreen broad-leaved and coniferous forests was observed. Furthermore, the NPP of the desert ecosystems in the north of the Tianshan Mountains and grassland ecosystems in the central and eastern Tibetan Plateau also had low vulnerability to climate change. In the next 35 years, the NPP vulnerability to climate change would reduce the forest–steppe in the Songliao Plain, the deciduous broad-leaved forests in the warm temperate zone, and the alpine steppe in the central and western Tibetan Plateau. The NPP vulnerability would significantly increase of the temperate desert in the Junggar Basin and the alpine desert in the Kunlun Mountains. The NPP vulnerability of the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests would also increase. The area of the regions with increased vulnerability would account for 27.5% of China.     

Estimation of the Tibetan Wild Ass Population in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau based on the Belt Transect Method and Random Forest Model

As a typical representative of the herbivorous wild animals in Chang Tang Plateau, the number of Tibetan wild asses has increased significantly in recent years. Clarifying the distribution, population, and size of its habitats is conducive to formulating the protection plan for wild animals and managing the conflict between people and wild animals in Chang Tang Plateau. Based on the distribution probability of Tibetan wild ass habitats and environmental factors, the number of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau was calculated by using the belt transect method and random forest model, and due to the uncertainty of the calculations, the results were corrected and analyzed. The results show that the living environment of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau is at 4400-4600 m above sea level, 350-400 m away from the river, and the average temperature in the warmest season is 10-12 ℃. The vegetation types of habitats are generally temperate tufted dwarf grass, dwarf semi shrub desert grassland, alpine grass, Carex grassland, alpine cushion dwarf semi shrub desert, among others. On the basis of studying the environmental preferences of Tibetan wild asses, the random forest model was corrected by using the data of the second scientific survey sample line of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for three years. The approximate number of Tibetan wild asses in each of the different areas of Gaize County was obtained. The number of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize Town, Xianqian Township, Gumu Township, Chabu Township, Mami Township, Wuma Township and Dongcuo Township is 855, 3458, 2358, 1453, 743, 943 and 647, respectively. By studying the environmental preferences of Tibetan wild asses and analyzing the results of the belt transect survey, the random forest model can accurately estimate the number of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau.     

青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统CO2通量研究进展

高寒草甸是广布于青藏高原的主要植被类型,它是青藏高原大气与地面之间生物地球化学循环的重要构成部分,在区域碳平衡中起着极为重要的作用。基于对青藏高原主要高寒草甸生态系统类型CO2通量研究方面的综述,系统分析了高寒草甸生态系统CO2通量日、季、年等不同时间尺度的变化特征以及温度、光合有效辐射、降水等主要环境因子对高寒草甸生态系统CO2通量的影响;同时,结合其他地区草地生态系统,就青藏高原三种典型高寒草甸生态系统类型源汇效应和Q10值进行了比较;最后,结合青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统CO2通量研究的现实与需要,提出了当前存在一些不确定性和有待深入研究的问题。     

Influence of climate and tectonic movements on granite landforms in China

Present granite landform characteristics and distribution are the integrated result of climate, tectonics and lithology. Various types of granite landforms in China signify climate zonality and differential vertical movement of earth surface, while published research results on Chinese granite landforms are very rare, especially in international journals. Based on the process analysis of chemical weathering and physical disintegration, four granite landform regions in China are classified according to the present climate regime. On the Tibetan Plateau, the cold and freezing climate induced periglacial landscapes; the northeast region is characterized by physical disintegration and low round mounds are widespread; in the northwest region controlled by arid climate, wind-carved minor landscapes are extremely prominent. The most spectacular granite landscapes in China are presented in southeast as a result of longtime chemical weathering under humid and warm conditions, as well as the differential uplift after Neogene. Correlating the weathering crust in southern China, Tibetan Plateau and India, a possible unified planation surface in Neogene is proposed. With corestones as indicators of original weathering front, the differential uplift extent of dissected planation surfaces can be estimated. At least three landforms implying uplift can be identified in southeastern China, with elevations of 300–400 m, 2000 m and 3600 m above the sea level respectively.     

Pollen-based reconstructions of Holocene vegetation and climatic change of Tibetan Plateau

A synthesis of Holocene pollen records from the Tibetan Plateau shows the history of vegetation and climatic changes during the Holocene. Palynological evidences from 24 cores/sections have been compiled and show that the vegetation shifted from subalpine/alpine conifer forest to subalpine/alpine evergreen sclerophyllous forest in the southeastern part of the plateau; from alpine steppe to alpine desert in the central, western and northern part; and from alpine meadow to alpine steppe in the eastern and southern plateau regions during the Holocene. These records show that increases in precipitation began about 9 ka from the southeast, and a wide ranging level of increased humidity developed over the entire of the plateau around 8-7 ka, followed by aridity from 6 ka and a continuous drying over the plateau after 4-3 ka. The changes in Holocene climates of the plateau can be interpreted qualitatively as a response to orbital forcing and its secondary effects on the Indian Monsoon which expanded northwards     

青藏高原植被覆盖对水热条件年内变化的响应及其空间特征

利用1982-2000年NOAA/AVHRR卫星的NDVI数据(时间分辨率旬,空间分辨率8 km×8 km),结合同时期的气温和降水资料,基于时滞互相关方法和GIS工具,分析了青藏高原植被覆盖对水、热条件年内变化的时滞响应及其空间特征。结果如下:①除高寒荒漠、森林外,青藏高原植被NDVI与同期旬均温和旬降水相关性均呈高度正相关。其中,中等覆盖度的植被受水、热影响表现更为强烈。②青藏高原植被NDVI对气温和降水有滞后效应,且滞后水平存在空间差异,高原北部(柴达木盆地、昆仑山北冀)和高原南部植被对降水、和温度的响应比较迟缓,而高原中、东部地区植被对温度和降水的响应比较敏感。③不同植被类型对水热条件的响应程度也存在差异,由高到低依次是草甸、草原、灌丛、高寒垫状植被、荒漠,最后是森林。     

青藏高原和阿尔卑斯山山体效应的对比研究

山体效应不仅对气候产生重大影响,也对区域地理生态格局有深远影响,尤其是它对山地垂直带分布和结构类型等的影响已经为地理学家和地植物学家所认识。目前相关研究主要集中在山体效应定量化方面,缺少不同山地山体效应的对比研究,因此对山体效应的区域差异性了解不足。本文选择欧亚大陆上具有明显山体效应的两个山地青藏高原和阿尔卑斯山为研究对象,利用收集到的气象台站观测数据、林线和DEM数据以及基于MODIS地表温度估算的青藏高原和阿尔卑斯山气温数据等,通过对比分析青藏高原与阿尔卑斯山相同海拔高度上的气温以及林线分布高度等来探讨两个山地的山体效应差异性。分析结果表明青藏高原的山体效应比阿尔卑斯山更为强烈,表现为：① 由于山体效应影响,在相同海拔高度上（4500 m）,青藏高原内部气温远高于阿尔卑斯山的气温,尤其是在最热月高原内部气温比阿尔卑斯山内部气温高10~15℃,在最冷月高原内部气温比阿尔卑斯山内部气温高5~10℃。② 由于山体效应影响,青藏高原内部林线也远高于阿尔卑斯山内部林线,约高2000~3000 m。本研究将为山体效应的影响因素分析奠定基础,同时对于揭示欧亚大陆山地生态系统格局具有一定的科学意义。     

中国气候和构造运动对花岗岩地貌的影响

Present granite landform characteristics and distribution are the integrated result of climate, tectonics and lithology. Various types of granite landforms in China signify climate zonality and differential vertical movement of earth surface, while published research results on Chinese granite landforms are very rare, especially in international journals. Based on the process analysis of chemical weathering and physical disintegration, four granite landform regions in China are classified according to the present climate regime. On the Tibetan Plateau, the cold and freezing climate induced periglacial landscapes; the northeast region is characterized by physical disintegration and low round mounds are widespread; in the northwest region controlled by arid climate, wind-carved minor landscapes are extremely prominent. The most spectacular granite landscapes in China are presented in southeast as a result of longtime chemical weathering under humid and warm conditions, as well as the differential uplift after Neogene. Correlating the weathering crust in southern China, Tibetan Plateau and India, a possible unified planation surface in Neogene is proposed. With corestones as indicators of original weathering front, the differential uplift extent of dissected planation surfaces can be estimated. At least three landforms implying uplift can be identified in southeastern China, with elevations of 300–400 m, 2000 m and 3600 m above the sea level respectively.     

Effects of Enclosure on Plant and Soil Nutrients in Different Types of Alpine Grassland

Enclosure is one of the most widely used management tools for degraded alpine grassland on the northern Tibetan Plateau, but the responses of different types of grassland to enclosure may vary, and research on these responses can provide a scientific basis for improving ecological conservation. This study took one site for each of three grassland types (alpine meadow, alpine steppe and alpine desert) on the northern Tibetan Plateau as examples, and explored the effects of enclosure on plant and soil nutrients by comparing differences in plant community biomass, leaf-soil nutrient content and their stoichiometry between samples from inside and outside the fence. The results showed that enclosure can significantly increase all aboveground biomass in these three grassland types, but it only increased the 10-20 cm underground biomass in the alpine desert. Enclosure also significantly increased the leaf nutrient content of the dominant plants and contents of total nitrogen (N), total potassium (K), and organic carbon (C) in 10-20 cm soil in alpine desert, thus changing the stoichiometry between C, N and P (phosphorus). However, enclosure significantly increased only the N content of dominant plant leaves in alpine steppe, while other nutrients and stoichiometries of both plant leaves and soil did not show significant differences in alpine meadow and alpine steppe. These results suggested that enclosure has differential effects on these three types of alpine grasslands on the northern Tibetan Plateau, and the alpine desert showed the most active ecological conservation in the responses of its soil and plant nutrients.     

藏北高原高寒草地围栏禁牧和生长季降水对物种丰富度和多样性的影响(英文)

2009和2010年夏天沿藏北高原高寒草地样带调查了高寒草地生态系统(高寒草甸、高寒草原和荒漠草原)在围栏禁牧和自由放牧管理下的物种丰富度和多样性(Shannon-Wiener指数,Simpson优势度指数和Pielou均匀度指数)。研究结果显示:自2006年起藏北高原围栏禁牧在植被类型和区域尺度上没有显著改变物种丰富度和多样性。物种丰富度和多样性主要受生长季降水驱动,超过87%的变异可由生长季降水来解释。物种丰富度和多样性在自由放牧和围栏禁牧2类样地对生长季降水的响应方式一致。物种丰富度随降水呈指数型增长关系,多样性指数则呈现正线性关系。研究结果预示藏北高原地区生长季降水的变化对于物种丰富度和多样性管理至关重要,在未来高寒草地保护研究中应予以重视。     

青藏高原的主要环境效应

作为地球的"第三极",青藏高原越来越受到世界的关注,本文就青藏高原的环境效应问题进行了研究和探讨.青藏高原的隆起和抬升,形成了其自身独特的自然环境特征,促成了独特的高原季风系统,造就了中国现代季风格局,影响着全球气候的变化和亚洲植被格局的分布,导技致了亚洲干旱地带的北移和植被地带的不对称分布,形成了世界上著名的高原地带性植被格局.对中国东部、西北干旱区、亚洲的气候和植被格局乃至全球气候变化都具有深刻的影响.     

Vegetation Pattern in Northern Tibet in Relation to Environmental and Geo-spatial Factors

Environmental and Geo-spatial factors have long been considered as crucial determinants of species composition and distributions. However, quantifying the relative contributions of these factors for the alpine ecosystems is lacking. The Tibetan Plateau has a unique ecological environment and vegetation types. Our objectives are to quantify the spatial distributions of plant communities on the Northern Tibetan Alpine grasslands and to explore the relationships between vegetation composition, Geo-spatial factors and environmental factors. We established 63 field plots along a 1200-km gradient on the Northern Tibetan Plateau Alpine Grassland and employed the two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and the detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA). Fourteen communities of alpine grassland were identifiable along the transect and consisted of three vegetation types: Alpine meadow, Alpine steppe, and desert steppe. Vegetation composition and spatial distribution appeared to be largely determined by mean annual precipitation and less influenced by temperature. A large fraction (73.5%) of the variation in vegetation distribution was explained by environmental variables along this transect, somewhat less by Geo-spatial factors (56.3%). The environmental and Geo-spatial factors explained 29.6% and 12.3% of the total variation, respectively, while their interaction explained 43.9%. Our findings provide strong empirical evidence for explaining biological and environmental synergetic relationships in Northern Tibet.     

过去50年气候变化下中国潜在植被NPP的脆弱性评价

借助动态植被模型IBIS,首先模拟了过去50年（1961-2010年）气候变化下中国潜在植被NPP的动态变化,然后采用IPCC第五次评估报告选定的标准气候态时段（1986-2005年）平均气候状态作为“标准年气候”,并将该气候条件下的潜在植被NPP作为评价基准。通过与基准进行比较,计算每一年潜在植被NPP的波动情况,进而评价该年的气候条件是否使潜在植被“不适应”以及“不适应”的程度,最后根据过去50年的“不适应”次数和程度综合判断气候变化下潜在植被NPP的脆弱性。评价结果显示：在过去50年的气候变化下,天山以南的暖温带荒漠生态系统、北方温带草原生态系统以及青藏高原西部的高寒草原生态系统更容易受到气候变化的不利影响,NPP呈现出较高的脆弱性;而大部分以森林为主的生态系统则不容易受到气候变化的影响,NPP脆弱性较低,其中以常绿阔叶林和针叶林为主的生态系统NPP脆弱性更低。此外,天山以北的温带荒漠生态系统以及青藏高原中部和东部的高寒草原草甸生态系统NPP也呈现出较低的脆弱性。     

Variations of the alpine precipitation from an ice core record of the Laohugou glacier basin during 1960-2006 in western Qilian Mountains,China

The net accumulation record of ice core is one of the most reliable indicators for reconstructing precipitation changes in high mountains. A 20.12 m ice core was drilled in 2006 from the accumulation zone of Laohugou Glacier No.12 in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China. We obtained the precipitation from the ice core net accumulation during 1960-2006, and found out the relationship between Laohugou ice core record and other data from surrounding sites of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Results showed that during 1960-2006, the precipitation in the high mountains showed firstly an increasing trend, while during 1980 to 2006 it showed an obvious decreasing trend. Reconstructed precipitation change in the Laohugou glacier basin was consistent with the measured data from the nearby weather stations in the lower mountain of Subei, and the correlation coefficient was 0.619 (P<0.001). However, the precipitation in the high mountain was about 3 times more than that of the lower mountain. The precipitation in Laohugou Glacier No.12 of the western Qilian Mountains corresponded well to the net accumulation of Dunde ice core during the same period, tree-ring reconstructed precipitation, the measured data of multiple meteorological stations in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and also the changes of adjacent PDSI drought index. Precipitation changes of the Laohugou glacier basin and other sites of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau had significantly positive correlation with ENSO, which implied that the regional alpine precipitation change was very likely to be influenced by ENSO.     

中国热带,亚热带西部地区热量带的划分

我国热带，亚热带西部地区山多，高原广，垂直地带性的影响，给热量带的划分带来了困难，因为垂直气候都具有在该地区纬向气候带的基础上衍生而生的，因此，亚热带西部地区热量带的划分也应以纬向地带性为主，基带气候为中亚热带的云贵高原和金沙江河谷仍应归属于中亚热带，青藏高原破坏了纬向地带性规律，其东侧应有一条亚热带西界，这一界线应是北、中、南亚热带遇到青藏高原后的中断界线，而不是北、中、南亚热带与青藏高原寒气候     

青藏高原:地球动力学与环境演变研究进展

1 Introduction The TP is a spectacular field laboratory for analyzing fundamental processes of geodynamics and environmental change as well as their interrelationships (Kutzbach et al., 1993). Being the largest and highest continental plateau with a mean …     

巴丹吉林沙漠东南部湖泊和地下水的氢氧同位素特征

通过对巴丹吉林沙漠湖泊和地下水氢氧同位素分析,讨论了沙漠湖水和地下水的补给关系,并结合地下水可溶性固体总量的特征,进一步探讨了巴丹吉林沙漠的蒸发特性。根据氢氧同位素的分析结果,本研究区的蒸发趋势线方程为:δD=4.1δ18O-30.02‰（n=37,R2=0.94）较低的斜率显示了巴丹吉林沙漠强烈的蒸发环境特征。巴丹吉林沙漠东南部湖泊和地下水具有相似的蒸发趋势,推测两者之间存在补给关系。根据沙漠腹地地下水氧同位素值富集程度高于东南部地下水氧同位素值的特点,得出前者蒸发较后者强烈。进而对比其他干旱条件下盐湖的蒸发,结果显示巴丹吉林沙漠湖水存在过度蒸发效应。     

Biodiversity and conservation in the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau (Qinghai-Xizang Plateau) is a unique biogeographic region in the world, where various landscapes, altitudinal belts, alpine ecosystems, and endangered and endemic species have been developed. A total of 26 altitudinal belts, 28 spectra of altitudinal belts, 12,000 species of vascular plant, 5,000 species of epiphytes, 210 species of mammals, and 532 species of birds have been recorded. The plateau is also one of the centers of species formation and differentiation in the world. To protect the biodiversity of the plateau, about 80 nature reserves have been designated, of which 45 are national or provincial, covering about 22% of the plateau area. Most of the nature reserves are distributed in the southeastern plateau. Recently, the Chinese government has initiated the “Natural Forests Protection Project of China,” mainly in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. “No logging” policies have been made and implemented for these areas.