Alpine Grassland Degradation and Its Restoration in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Abstract

The alpine grasslands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau are one of the most famous grazing ecosystems in the world, providing a variety of ecosystem functions and services. The rate of grassland degradation has been slowed by the implementation of national grassland restoration projects, but the degradation of grasslands on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has not yet been fundamentally reversed, and some grasslands are still degraded to varying degrees. The main causes of grassland degradation on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau are both human and natural factors. Human factors include overgrazing, over-cultivation, indiscriminate digging and mining, mineral resource development, infrastructure construction and use, and tourism development. Natural factors include climate change, wildlife destruction, pests, etc. Based on the principles of restoration ecology, a number of effective practices and integrated management responses for restoring degraded grasslands have been developed on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The degraded grassland restoration practices include fencing, fertilization, sown grassland establishment, rodent control, and grazing management. Based on these practices, the comprehensive restoration of degraded grasslands and the establishment and sustainable management of sown grasslands in the alpine grasslands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau should be further strengthened, and research on the mechanisms of grassland degradation and restoration should be further developed.

Monitoring Grassland Variation in a Typical Area of the Qinghai Lake Basin Using 30 m Annual Maximum NDVI Data

“…Without proper management, the eventual outcome will be the development of black soil conditions, which pertains to the significant deterioration of grasslands caused by factors such as excessive grazing, rodent infestation, cycles of freezing and thawing as well as wind or water erosion. These factors lead to sparse vegetation and diminished land cover [74]. It is crucial to prioritize the monitoring of soil properties in alpine meadows as these properties significantly contribute to stabilizing and improving the ecosystem services offered by alpine grasslands against climate warming.…”

Spatial and Temporal Variation in Vegetation Cover and Its Response to Topography in the Selinco Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

“…Therefore, when implementing ecological environmental protection initiatives, it is crucial to zone the Selinco region according to its diverse topographic conditions and implement appropriate protection policies. For instance, establishing alpine meadow protection zones is essential for high-altitude areas dominated by alpine meadows [64], where measures such as returning pasture to grass and controlling grazing can be employed to improve the survival rate of high-altitude vegetation [65]. In regions with lower slopes, efforts should focus on strengthening ecological construction projects such as artificial grass planting [66] and implementing sustainable grazing practices [67].…”

Assessing the Impact of Soil Humic Substances, Textural Fractions on the Sorption of Heavy Metals (Cd, Pb)

“…The input of exogenous organic materials effectively improves soil organic matter [1]. The leading causes of grassland degradation are both human and natural factors [2][3][4]. Human factors include overgrazing, over cultivation, indiscriminate digging and mining, mineral resource development, infrastructure construction and use, and tourism development [2,3].…”

“…The leading causes of grassland degradation are both human and natural factors [2][3][4]. Human factors include overgrazing, over cultivation, indiscriminate digging and mining, mineral resource development, infrastructure construction and use, and tourism development [2,3]. Environmental pollution by heavy metals is not only determined by the total volume, but also by the forms of occurrence because different chemical forms of heavy metals in the soil display different environmental behaviours (climate change, wildlife destruction, pests, etc.)…”

“…Environmental pollution by heavy metals is not only determined by the total volume, but also by the forms of occurrence because different chemical forms of heavy metals in the soil display different environmental behaviours (climate change, wildlife destruction, pests, etc.) and biological effects [2][3][4]. The presence and behaviour of heavy metals in soil are influenced by many complex factors [5].…”