Grazing intensity and human activity intensity data sets on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau during 1990–2015

Abstract

As the ‘third pole’ of the world, the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is extremely ecologically sensitive and fragile, while also facing increasing levels of human activity, especially overgrazing. In this study, livestock data from the statistical yearbook were transformed to 1 km grazing intensity raster data by integrating the net primary productivity (NPP) data for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Furthermore, the human activity intensity (HAI) data at 1 km resolution were evaluated by the entropy weight method, which applied eight types of spatial data, including grazing intensity, Night‐Time Light, population density, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) density, the ratio of cultivated land, distance to road, distance to town and the slope of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Also, the five‐year interval human activity intensity data on the QTP from 1990 to 2015 were evaluated. By preparing the historical spatial data sets of grazing intensity and human activity intensity, our study will help to explore the influence of human disturbance on the alpine ecosystems on the QTP, as well as provide effective support for the decision‐making of the government aiming to achieve regional ecosystem management and sustainable development.

Effects of climate change and anthropogenic activity on ranges of vertebrate species endemic to the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau over 40 years

“…These effects reduce the abil-ity of plant communities to provision animals with habitats and food resources, forcing them to migrate to wetter areas. Expansion of grazing areas (or intensification of grazing in already grazed areas) can destroy the habitat of endemic mammals; the central parts of the QTP are among the least grazed areas, whereas grazing has intensified considerably from 1990 to 2015 in the eastern and western regions (Sun et al, 2022). Sunshine duration and temperature were the 2 most important factors regulating range shifts of amphibian species endemic to the QTP.…”

Increasing connections among temporal invariability, resistance and resilience of alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau

“…Secondly, the grazing intensity was quantified at coarse spatial resolution due to insufficient data on the spatial distribution of livestock. Recently, Sun et al. (2022) have rasterized the county-scale grazing data based on the NPP data and the statistical yearbook on the Tibetan Plateau.…”

Spatialization method of monitoring grazing intensity: A case‐study of the Tibet Selinco basin, Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

“…Livestock activities are well known to be centered on the location of livestock settlements, and areas closer to livestock settlements have higher grazing density and grazing activities (Fan et al, 2022; Nakamura et al, 2000; Shezi et al, 2021; Sun et al, 2020). First, the geographic location of each livestock settlement should be defined.…”