Grassland Degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: Reevaluation of Causative Factors

Cao, Jianjun; Adamowski, Jan; Deo, Ravinesh C.; Xu, Xueyun; Gong, Yifan; Feng, Qi

doi:10.1016/j.rama.2019.06.001

Cited by 103 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 106 publications

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“…Globally, the constant degradation of grasslands is a universal problem [33][34][35]. Grassland degradation, due to climate change and anthropogenic activities, has been regarded as one of the primary sustainable development barriers in the 21st century ( Figure 1) [17,30,36,37].…”

Section: Status Of Grassland Degradation On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is an undeniable fact with substantial shreds of evidence from the scientific community and local stockholders that the QTP grasslands have been experiencing degradation over the past decades [2,31,40]. A recent review by Cao et al [34] noted those harsh environmental conditions, overgrazing, climate change, fragile soil, small mammals, privatization, and sedentarization are the principal factors causing the degradation of the QTP's grasslands. According to other reports, nearly two million km 2 of the grasslands on the QTP have been depleted, leading to a 30% reduction in productivity over the past two decades [3,27].…”

Section: Status Of Grassland Degradation On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The quantification of degraded grasslands across the QTP has been contentious with conflicting estimates by various authors and local authorities [41,43]. Reaching a consensus on the exact percentage of degraded grasslands has been a challenge in the past [34,41,44] and present. A couple of quantification methods have been employed to assess the rate of grassland degradation on the QTP appropriately, but the estimated values are inconsistent [45].…”

Section: Quantification Attempts Of Degraded Grasslands On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overgrazing by livestock has been recorded to degrade grasslands by accelerating soil erosions [69]. It also serves as a critical factor that influences productivity, vegetation structure, and grassland nutrition [70]; stimulates landscape fragmentation [71]; deteriorates grassland vegetation [22,57]; and induces grassland degradation [34]. The design of effective management strategies for livestock grazing may require an in-depth understanding of the impact of grazing across the QTP [33].…”

Section: Degradation Due To Intensive Overgrazingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Decoupling human-nature systems and ploughing of grasslands for crop cultivation have also contributed to the degradation of grassland ecology on the QTP [2,3,13,27,41,84]. Similarly, erosion due to traditional pastoral management approaches adopted by livestock grazers on the QTP also contributes to grassland degradation [34].…”

Section: Other Uncertain Factors Of Grassland Degradation On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Status and Challenges of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau’s Grasslands: An Analysis of Causes, Mitigation Measures, and Way Forward

et al. 2020

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Grassland ecosystems on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) provide numerous ecosystem services and functions to both local communities and the populations living downstream through the provision of water, habitat, food, herbal medicines, and shelter. This review examined the current ecological status, degradation causes, and impacts of the various grassland degradation mitigation measures employed and their effects on grassland health and growth in the QTP. Our findings revealed that QTP grasslands are continually being degraded as a result of complex biotic and abiotic drivers and processes. The biotic and abiotic actions have resulted in soil erosion, plant biomass loss, soil organic carbon loss, a reduction in grazing and carrying capacity, the emergence of pioneer plant species, loss of soil nutrients, and an increase in soil pH. A combination of factors such as overgrazing, land-use changes, invasive species encroachment, mining activities, rodent burrowing activities, road and dam constructions, tourism, migration, urbanization, and climate change have caused the degradation of grasslands on the QTP. A conceptual framework on the way forward in tackling grassland degradation on the QTP is presented together with other appropriate measures needed to amicably combat grassland degradation on the QTP. It is recommended that a comprehensive and detailed survey be carried out across the QTP to determine the percentage of degraded grasslands and hence, support a sound policy intervention.

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Section: Status Of Grassland Degradation On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Status Of Grassland Degradation On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Quantification Attempts Of Degraded Grasslands On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Degradation Due To Intensive Overgrazingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Other Uncertain Factors Of Grassland Degradation On the Qtpmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Status and Challenges of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau’s Grasslands: An Analysis of Causes, Mitigation Measures, and Way Forward

et al. 2020

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Characterization of the spatial distribution of plateau pika burrows along an alpine grassland degradation gradient on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Qian

Fan

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Plateau pika burrows are common feature of degraded grassland in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and serve as an important indicator of pika activity and grassland degradation. However, the current understanding of the spatial pattern changes of pika burrows and their critical thresholds across a degradation gradient in alpine grassland is deficient. In this study, we investigated and quantified changes in the spatial pattern of plateau pika burrows under typical degraded alpine shrub meadows in the northeastern QTP using an unmanned aerial vehicle and landscape pattern metrics. The degradation of the alpine shrub meadow leads to a change in landscape pattern from a two‐layered structure of alpine shrub and alpine meadow to a mosaic of alpine meadow and bare soil, with plateau pika burrows scattered throughout. Moderate degradation is the tipping point for changes in surface landscape patterns, followed by the disappearance of alpine shrub, the retreat of alpine meadows and the encroachment of bare soil, and the increasing density and size of pika burrows. The area characteristics of alpine meadows have influenced changes in the spatial pattern of pika burrow, and maintaining its proportional area is a vital measure to control the threat of pika burrows to pastures. The results of this paper provide a methodological reference and guidance for the sustainable utilization of grassland on the QTP.

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Revitalizing the grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Dong

2023

Grassland Research

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Grassland is the largest ecosystem on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and provides multiple ecosystem functions and services. Understanding the endowment of the QTP grassland and how to revitalize it have profound implications for the sustainable use and efficient conservation of these unique and globally valuable ecosystems. In this paper, we highlight the importance of the QTP grassland in regional and global settings, stress the values of the QTP grassland in ecological and socioeconomic dimensions, and emphasize the actions needed to restore degraded grassland in the QTP region. The QTP is the largest single area of alpine grassland in the world and an important gene pool of alpine biological resources. The QTP grassland covers two critical ecoregions for conserving the best and most representative habitats for alpine biodiversity on the planet. The QTP grassland is also regarded as one of the best carriers and objects of socio‐ecological systems in the world. To promote the resilience and sustainability of the QTP grassland through adaptation, different parties need to work together to find feasible options to resist shock, stresses, and disturbance and to maintain the fundamental functions and basic structures of the QTP grassland.

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Grassland Degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: Reevaluation of Causative Factors

Cited by 103 publications

References 106 publications

Status and Challenges of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau’s Grasslands: An Analysis of Causes, Mitigation Measures, and Way Forward

Status and Challenges of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau’s Grasslands: An Analysis of Causes, Mitigation Measures, and Way Forward

Characterization of the spatial distribution of plateau pika burrows along an alpine grassland degradation gradient on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Revitalizing the grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

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