Altitude-dependent responses of dryland mountain ecosystems to drought under a warming climate in the Qilian Mountains, NW China

Ma, Zhimin; Dong, Chunyu; Tang, Zhiguang; Wang, Naiang

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130763

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Research on mountain vegetation ecosystems has advanced over the past few years, and the effect of mountainous terrain has gradually attracted widespread attention [13][14][15]. The structure and spatial pattern of vegetation, characterized by significant vertical heterogeneity, have a significant impact on the formation and diversity of vegetation ecological functions [16]. However, the effects of different altitude gradients on the ecological function of vegetation in mountainous areas remain unclear.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in the Altitudinal Gradient Evolution of Vegetation Ecological Functions in Mountainous Areas

Niu,

Huang,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Forests

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Natural vegetation protects, maintains, and improves the environment through its ecological functions and is, thus, an important component of Earth’s ecosystems. The distribution of natural vegetation and its corresponding ecological roles vary with the topographic gradient. Understanding this role is essential for effective ecosystem management and conservation efforts. This study analyzes vegetation composition across altitude gradients and the spatiotemporal evolution of water conservation, soil conservation, and carbon storage in the southern hill and mountain belt of China. We then explored the drivers of the ecological functions of vegetation at different altitude gradients. The results showed that water conservation increased by 108.56%, soil conservation increased by 97.04%, and carbon storage increased only slightly. The ecological functions of vegetation varied across altitude gradients, with the 500–800 m gradient exhibiting markedly higher ecological functions than the other gradients. The effect of precipitation on soil conservation increases with altitude. In addition, at higher altitudes, evergreen coniferous forests had a greater effect on carbon storage. Based on the results, we propose vegetation management measures for different altitudes. This study provides a reference for decision-makers to develop and adjust ecological restoration programs in mountainous areas for the improvement of the local ecological environment.

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