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Deng Z, Zhao J, Ma P, Zhang H, Li R, Wang Z, Tang Y, Luo T. Precipitation and local adaptation drive spatiotemporal variations of aboveground biomass and species richness in Tibetan alpine grasslands. Oecologia 2023:10.1007/s00442-023-05401-1. [PMID: 37314486 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05401-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Tibetan Plateau contains the highest and largest alpine pasture in the world, which is adapted to the cold and arid climate. It is challenging to understand how the vast alpine grasslands respond to climate change. We aim to test the hypothesis that there is local adaptation in elevational populations of major plant species in Tibetan alpine grasslands, and that the spatiotemporal variations of aboveground biomass (AGB) and species richness (S) can be mainly explained by climate change only when the effect of local adaptation is removed. A 7-year reciprocal transplant experiment was conducted among the distribution center (4950 m), upper (5200 m) and lower (4650 m) limits of alpine Kobresia meadow in central Tibetan Plateau. We observed interannual variations in S and AGB of 5 functional groups and 4 major species, and meteorological factors in each of the three elevations during 2012-2018. Relationships between interannual changes of AGB and climatic factors varied greatly with elevational populations within a species. Elevation of population origin generally had a greater or an equal contribution to interannual variation in AGB of the 4 major species, compared to temperature and precipitation effects. While the effect of local adaptation was removed by calculating differences in AGB and S between elevations of migration and origin, relative changes in AGB and S were mainly explained by precipitation change rather than by temperature change. Our data support the hypothesis, and further provide evidence that the monsoon-adapted alpine grasslands are more sensitive to precipitation change than to warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoheng Deng
- Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Building 3, Courtyard 16, Lin Cui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jingxue Zhao
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Pengfei Ma
- Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Building 3, Courtyard 16, Lin Cui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haoze Zhang
- Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Building 3, Courtyard 16, Lin Cui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ruicheng Li
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhong Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yanhong Tang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Tianxiang Luo
- Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Building 3, Courtyard 16, Lin Cui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
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Qin W, Chen Y, Wang X, Zhao H, Hou Y, Zhang Q, Guo X, Zhang Z, Zhu B. Whole-soil warming shifts species composition without affecting diversity, biomass and productivity of the plant community in an alpine meadow. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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3
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Endress BA, Averett JP, Steinmetz S, Quaempts EJ. Forgotten forbs: Standard vegetation surveys underrepresent ecologically and culturally important forbs in a threatened grassland ecosystem. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A. Endress
- Eastern Oregon Agriculture Research Center‐Union Experiment Station, Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
- Eastern Oregon Agriculture and Natural Resource Program Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Joshua P. Averett
- Eastern Oregon Agriculture Research Center‐Union Experiment Station, Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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Rodríguez-Calcerrada J, Chano V, Matías L, Hidalgo-Galvez MD, Cambrollé J, Pérez-Ramos IM. Three years of warming and rainfall reduction alter leaf physiology but not relative abundance of an annual species in a Mediterranean savanna. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 275:153761. [PMID: 35803049 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2022.153761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Increasing air temperatures and decreasing rainfall can alter Mediterranean ecosystems, where summer heat and drought already limit plant regeneration. Manipulative field studies can help to understand and anticipate community responses to climate changes. In a Mediterranean oak wooded pasture, we have investigated the effects of warming (W, via open-top chambers increasing 1.4 °C mean air temperature), reduced rainfall (D, via gutters removing 33% of rainfall) and the combination of both factors (WD) on the winter-annual Geranium dissectum L. We measured reproductive phenology and output, leaf physiology during the reproductive phase, and plant relative abundance. Warming had a positive effect on plant height and little effects on leaf physiology. Rainfall reduction enhanced leaf water use efficiency. However, the most noticeable effects occurred in WD plants, which exhibited lower leaf predawn water potential and earlier flowering phenology in the first year of treatment, and a higher ratio of leaf dark respiration (R) to net CO2 assimilation (Pn) at comparable temperatures in the third year, compared to control plants. Leaf R at ambient temperature was similar across climatic treatments. The relative abundance of G. dissectum decreased by 23% over three years, but similarly across treatments. A short life cycle helps G. dissectum to escape severe late-spring heat and drought stress. Moreover, stomata closure and thermal acclimation of R can attenuate plant stress impact on reproduction. Adaptability of the short-lived annual G. dissectum could mitigate climate change impact on community composition over short periods (e.g. three years); however, a reduction in net carbon gain could eventually affect its reproductive success and persistence in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Rodríguez-Calcerrada
- Research Group Functioning of Forest Systems in a Changing Environment. Department of Natural Systems and Resources. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Víctor Chano
- Department of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luis Matías
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo.1095, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Hidalgo-Galvez
- Research group "Sistemas Forestales Mediterráneos", Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla. Dpto. Biogeoquímica, Ecología Vegetal y Microbiana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jesús Cambrollé
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo.1095, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ignacio Manuel Pérez-Ramos
- Research group "Sistemas Forestales Mediterráneos", Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla. Dpto. Biogeoquímica, Ecología Vegetal y Microbiana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
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5
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Soilhi Z, Sayari N, Benalouache N, Mekki M. Predicting current and future distributions of Mentha pulegium L. in Tunisia under climate change conditions, using the MaxEnt model. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Effects of 5-Year Nitrogen Addition on Species Composition and Diversity of an Alpine Steppe Plant Community on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11070966. [PMID: 35406946 PMCID: PMC9002499 DOI: 10.3390/plants11070966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The N deposition rate is notably increased in China, especially in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). How plants respond to the projected N deposition on the alpine steppe is still in debate. In this study, to investigate the effects of N deposition on the plant community of the alpine steppe, we simulated N deposition at six different N addition rate levels (0, 8, 24, 40, 56, 72 kg N ha−1 y−1) from 2015 to 2019. Species composition and diversity were investigated as the assessment indices. The results showed that the importance value of grasses significantly increased with the increase of the N addition rate, while that of forbs significantly decreased. A high N addition rate (72 kg N ha−1 y−1) induced species composition change, making Leymus secalinus become the most dominant species within the entire plant community. Compared with the control (without N addition), species richness, Shannon–Weiner diversity, Simpson dominance and Pielou Evenness were significantly reduced under a high N addition rate. The changes of plant diversity in the alpine steppe were closely correlated with dynamics of soil nutrients, especially total carbon (TC), total phosphorus (TP) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N). Our findings suggested that a high N deposition rate (72 kg N ha−1 y−1) could significantly change plant composition and reduce the diversity of the alpine steppe, though they were less affected by low N deposition rates at present. With the increase of the N deposition rate, plant composition and diversity of the alpine steppe may be negatively affected in the future. In addition, Leymus secalinus is more competitive than other species with an N deposition rate increase. Soil C, soil P and soil NH4-N variation induced by N deposition might play a key role in regulating changes in plant composition and diversity in the alpine steppe. In addition, longer term field investigation needs to be carried out to testify to this phenomenon with the increase of N deposition in the future.
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Islam M, Inamullah, Ahmad I, Akhtar N, Alam J, Razzaq A, Mohammad K, Mahmood T, Khan FU, Muhammad Khan W, Ahmad I, Ullah I, Shafaqat N, Qamar S. Medicinal plants resources of Western Himalayan Palas Valley, Indus Kohistan, Pakistan: Their uses and degrees of risk of extinction. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:3076-3093. [PMID: 34025183 PMCID: PMC8117167 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Present study was intended with the aim to document the pre-existence traditional knowledge and ethnomedicinal uses of plant species in the Palas valley. Data were collected during 2015–2016 to explore plants resource, their utilization and documentation of the indigenous knowledge. The current study reported a total of 65 medicinal plant species of 57 genera belonging to 40 families. Among 65 species, the leading parts were leaves (15) followed by fruits (12), stem (6) and berries (1), medicinally significant while, 13 plant species are medicinally important for rhizome, 4 for root, 4 for seed, 4 for bark and 1 each for resin. Similarly, thirteen species were used as a whole while twelve species as partial for medicinal purpose. Further, it is concluded that every part of plants such as bulb, rhizome, roots, barks, leaves, flowers, fruit and seed were used for various ailments. Moreover, among 65 plants species, 09 species are threatened and placed into Endangered (EN) and Least Concern (LC) categories of IUCN. The recorded data are very useful and reflects the significance of the Palas valley as medicinal plants resource area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Islam
- Department of Genetics, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, KP, Pakistan
| | - Inamullah
- Department of Genetics, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, KP, Pakistan
| | - Israr Ahmad
- Department of Botany, Women University, AJK, Pakistan
| | - Naveed Akhtar
- Department of Botany, Islamia College University, 25120 KP, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Jan Alam
- Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, KP, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Razzaq
- Department of Botany, Islamia College University, 25120 KP, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Khushi Mohammad
- Department of Genetics, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, KP, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Mahmood
- Department of Agriculture, Hazara University, Mansehra, KP, Pakistan
| | - Fahim Ullah Khan
- Department of Agriculture, Hazara University, Mansehra, KP, Pakistan
| | - Wisal Muhammad Khan
- Department of Botany, Islamia College University, 25120 KP, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Ishtiaq Ahmad
- Department of Botany, Islamia College University, 25120 KP, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Irfan Ullah
- Department of Genetics, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, KP, Pakistan
| | - Nosheen Shafaqat
- Department of Agriculture, Hazara University, Mansehra, KP, Pakistan
| | - Samina Qamar
- Department of Zoology, Govt. College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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8
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Bhattarai P, Zheng Z, Bhatta KP, Adhikari YP, Zhang Y. Climate-Driven Plant Response and Resilience on the Tibetan Plateau in Space and Time: A Review. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:480. [PMID: 33806382 PMCID: PMC7998909 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Climate change variation on a small scale may alter the underlying processes determining a pattern operating at large scale and vice versa. Plant response to climate change on individual plant levels on a fine scale tends to change population structure, community composition and ecosystem processes and functioning. Therefore, we reviewed the literature on plant response and resilience to climate change in space and time at different scales on the Tibetan Plateau. We report that spatiotemporal variation in temperature and precipitation dynamics drives the vegetation and ecosystem function on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), following the water-energy dynamics hypothesis. Increasing temperature with respect to time increased the net primary productivity (NPP) on most parts of the Tibetan Plateau, but the productivity dynamics on some parts were constrained by 0.3 °C decade-1 rising temperature. Moreover, we report that accelerating studies on plant community assemblage and their contribution to ecosystem functioning may help to identify the community response and resilience to climate extremes. Furthermore, records on species losses help to build the sustainable management plan for the entire Tibetan Plateau. We recommend that incorporating long-term temporal data with multiple factor analyses will be helpful to formulate the appropriate measures for a healthy ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Bhattarai
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (P.B.); (Z.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhoutao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (P.B.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Kuber Prasad Bhatta
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway;
| | - Yagya Prasad Adhikari
- Department of Biogeography, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany;
| | - Yangjian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (P.B.); (Z.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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9
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Yang Y, Klein JA, Winkler DE, Peng A, Lazarus BE, Germino MJ, Suding KN, Smith JG, Kueppers LM. Warming of alpine tundra enhances belowground production and shifts community towards resource acquisition traits. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences No. 9 Section 4, Renminnan Road Chengdu Sichuan 610041 China
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Colorado State University Campus Delivery 1476 Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
| | - Julia A. Klein
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Colorado State University Campus Delivery 1476 Fort Collins Colorado 80523 USA
| | - Daniel E. Winkler
- Southwest Biological Science Center United States Geological Survey 2290 S West Resource Boulevard Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Ahui Peng
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences No. 9 Section 4, Renminnan Road Chengdu Sichuan 610041 China
| | - Brynne E. Lazarus
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center 970 Lusk Street Boise Idaho 83706 USA
| | - Matthew J. Germino
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center 970 Lusk Street Boise Idaho 83706 USA
| | - Katharine N. Suding
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 80309‐0450 USA
| | - Jane G. Smith
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 80309‐0450 USA
| | - Lara M. Kueppers
- Energy and Resources Group University of California, Berkeley 310 Barrows Hall #3050 Berkeley California 94720 USA
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Hopping KA, Knapp AK, Dorji T, Klein JA. Warming and land use change concurrently erode ecosystem services in Tibet. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:5534-5548. [PMID: 30086187 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau comprise the largest alpine ecosystem in the world and provide critical ecosystem services, including forage production and carbon sequestration, on which people depend from local to global scales. However, the provision of these services may be threatened by climate warming combined with land use policies that are altering if and how pastoralists can continue to graze livestock, the dominant livelihood practice in this region for millennia. We synthesized findings from a climate warming and yak grazing experiment with landscape-level observations in central Tibet to gain insight into the trajectories of change that Tibet's alpine meadows will undergo in response to expected changes in climate and land use. We show that within 5 years, experimental warming drove an alpine community with intact, sedge-dominated turfs into a degraded state. With removal of livestock, consistent with policy intended to reverse degradation, a longer-term shift to a more shrub-dominated community will likely occur. Neither degraded nor shrub meadows produce forage or sequester carbon to the same degree as intact meadows, indicating that climate warming and drying will reduce the ability of Tibet's alpine meadows to provide key ecosystem services, and that livestock reduction policies intended to counteract trajectories of land degradation instead endanger contemporary livelihoods on the Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Hopping
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Alan K Knapp
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Tsechoe Dorji
- Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Science, Beijing, China
| | - Julia A Klein
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Ganjurjav H, Gornish ES, Hu G, Wan Y, Li Y, Danjiu L, Gao Q. Temperature leads to annual changes of plant community composition in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2018; 190:585. [PMID: 30209621 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-018-6964-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In most grassland ecosystems, the effects of mean temperature increase on plant communities have been investigated; however, the effects of climate fluctuations on local plant community metrics are much less well understood. We conducted a nine-year survey in alpine meadow and alpine steppe to investigate the effects of inter-annual temperature and precipitation variation on plant community composition, species richness, and species diversity on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. We unexpectedly found that annual variability of growing season temperature, and not precipitation, is a driver of plant composition and species diversity in both habitats. Generally, increasing temperature had a negative effect on species diversity in meadow (r2 = 0.94) and steppe (r2 = 0.95). In the meadow habitat, the proportion of grass decreased with increasing temperature and ultimately had positive impacts on the proportion of sedges. In steppe habitat, legumes increased and forbs decreased with the increase of growing season temperature; both legumes and forbs negatively affected proportion of grass and resulted in grass remaining stable under temperature change. Our results provide evidence that responses of functional group composition and species richness to temporal change of temperature are very different from those responses to mean temperature increase on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. In our results, temperature is a main regulator for annual variation of functional group composition and species richness, while soil water content is a dominant regulator for community responses in other experimental warming studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasbagan Ganjurjav
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS. No. 12 South Street Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Elise S Gornish
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, 85821, USA
| | - Guozheng Hu
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS. No. 12 South Street Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfan Wan
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS. No. 12 South Street Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Li
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS. No. 12 South Street Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Luobu Danjiu
- Nagqu Grassland Station, Nagqu, 852100, Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingzhu Gao
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS. No. 12 South Street Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
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Zhu J, Zhang Y, Wang W. Interactions between warming and soil moisture increase overlap in reproductive phenology among species in an alpine meadow. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2015.0749. [PMID: 27405376 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate warming strongly influences reproductive phenology of plants in alpine and Arctic ecosystems. Here, we focus on phenological shifts caused by experimental warming in a typical alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. Under soil water stress caused by warming, most plants in the alpine meadow advanced or delayed their reproductive events to be aligned with the timing of peak rainfall. As a result, warming significantly increased the temporal overlap among reproductive stages of early- and late-flowering species. In addition, we found that some species, for example the late-flowering species, were unable to produce flowers and fruits under warming with failed monsoon rains. The potentially warmer- and drier-growing seasons under climate change may similarly shift the phenological patterns and change species composition of these alpine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Zhu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangjian Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenfeng Wang
- Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Science, Institute of Agriculture Science, Lhasa 850032, People's Republic of China
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Kaky E, Gilbert F. Predicting the distributions of Egypt's medicinal plants and their potential shifts under future climate change. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187714. [PMID: 29136659 PMCID: PMC5685616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is one of the most difficult of challenges to conserving biodiversity, especially for countries with few data on the distributions of their taxa. Species distribution modelling is a modern approach to the assessment of the potential effects of climate change on biodiversity, with the great advantage of being robust to small amounts of data. Taking advantage of a recently validated dataset, we use the medicinal plants of Egypt to identify hotspots of diversity now and in the future by predicting the effect of climate change on the pattern of species richness using species distribution modelling. Then we assess how Egypt's current Protected Area network is likely to perform in protecting plants under climate change. The patterns of species richness show that in most cases the A2a 'business as usual' scenario was more harmful than the B2a 'moderate mitigation' scenario. Predicted species richness inside Protected Areas was higher than outside under all scenarios, indicating that Egypt's PAs are well placed to help conserve medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Kaky
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Kalar Technical Institute, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Francis Gilbert
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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14
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Ganjurjav H, Gao Q, Zhang W, Liang Y, Li Y, Cao X, Wan Y, Li Y, Danjiu L. Effects of Warming on CO2 Fluxes in an Alpine Meadow Ecosystem on the Central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132044. [PMID: 26147223 PMCID: PMC4492951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To analyze CO2 fluxes under conditions of climate change in an alpine meadow on the central Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, we simulated the effect of warming using open top chambers (OTCs) from 2012 to 2014. The OTCs increased soil temperature by 1.62°C (P < 0.05), but decreased soil moisture (1.38%, P < 0.05) during the experiments. The response of ecosystem CO2 fluxes to warming was variable, and dependent on the year. Under conditions of warming, mean gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) during the growing season increased significantly in 2012 and 2014 (P < 0.05); however, ecosystem respiration (ER) increased substantially only in 2012 (P < 0.05). The net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) increased marginally in 2012 (P = 0.056), did not change in 2013(P > 0.05), and increased significantly in 2014 (P = 0.034) under conditions of warming. The GEP was more sensitive to climate variations than was the ER, resulting in a large increase in net carbon uptake under warming in the alpine meadow. Under warming, the 3-year averages of GEP, ER, and NEE increased by 19.6%, 15.1%, and 21.1%, respectively. The seasonal dynamic patterns of GEP and NEE, but not ER, were significantly impacted by warming. Aboveground biomass, particularly the graminoid biomass increased significantly under conditions of warming. Soil moisture, soil temperature, and aboveground biomass were the main factors that affected the variation of the ecosystem CO2 fluxes. The effect of warming on inter- and intra-annual patterns of ecosystem CO2 fluxes and the mechanism of different sensitivities in GEP and ER to warming, require further researched.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasbagan Ganjurjav
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Qingzhu Gao
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Weina Zhang
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yawei Li
- Clinic Pharmacy of Qinghai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Xujuan Cao
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yunfan Wan
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Li
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Luobu Danjiu
- Nagqu Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau, Tibet Autonomous Region, Nagqu, China
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15
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Legault G, Cusa M. Temperature and delayed snowmelt jointly affect the vegetative and reproductive phenologies of four sub-Arctic plants. Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1736-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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16
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Cao H, Zhao X, Wang S, Zhao L, Duan J, Zhang Z, Ge S, Zhu X. Grazing intensifies degradation of a Tibetan Plateau alpine meadow through plant-pest interaction. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:2478-86. [PMID: 26120436 PMCID: PMC4475379 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the plant–pest interaction under warming with grazing conditions is critical to predict the response of alpine meadow to future climate change. We investigated the effects of experimental warming and grazing on the interaction between plants and the grassland caterpillar Gynaephora menyuanensis in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau in 2010 and 2011. Our results showed that grazing significantly increased nitrogen concentration in graminoids and sward openness with a lower sward height, sward coverage, and plant litter mass in the community. Grazing significantly increased G. menyuanensis body size and potential fecundity in 2010. The increases in female body size were about twofold greater than in males. In addition, grazing significantly increased G. menyuanensis density and its negative effects on aboveground biomass and graminoid coverage in 2011. We found that G. menyuanensis body size was significantly positively correlated with nitrogen concentration in graminoids but negatively correlated with plant litter mass. Even though warming did not significantly increased G. menyuanensis performance and the negative effects of G. menyuanensis on alpine meadow, the increases in G. menyuanensis growth rate and its negative effect on aboveground biomass under the warming with grazing treatment were significantly higher than those under the no warming with grazing treatment. The positive effects of grazing on G. menyuanensis performance and its damage were exacerbated by the warming treatment. Our results suggest that the fitness of G. menyuanensis would increase under future warming with grazing conditions, thereby posing a greater risk to alpine meadow and livestock production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Cao
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China ; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xinquan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China ; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Shiping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China
| | - Jichuang Duan
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China ; Binhai Research Institute in Tianjin Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China
| | - Shidong Ge
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China
| | - Xiaoxue Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining, 810008, China ; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, 100049, China
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17
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Dorji T, Totland O, Moe SR, Hopping KA, Pan J, Klein JA. Plant functional traits mediate reproductive phenology and success in response to experimental warming and snow addition in Tibet. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2013; 19:459-72. [PMID: 23504784 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Revised: 09/22/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change is predicted to have large impacts on the phenology and reproduction of alpine plants, which will have important implications for plant demography and community interactions, trophic dynamics, ecosystem energy balance, and human livelihoods. In this article we report results of a 3-year, fully factorial experimental study exploring how warming, snow addition, and their combination affect reproductive phenology, effort, and success of four alpine plant species belonging to three different life forms in a semiarid, alpine meadow ecosystem on the central Tibetan Plateau. Our results indicate that warming and snow addition change reproductive phenology and success, but responses are not uniform across species. Moreover, traits associated with resource acquisition, such as rooting depth and life history (early vs. late flowering), mediate plant phenology, and reproductive responses to changing climatic conditions. Specifically, we found that warming delayed the reproductive phenology and decreased number of inflorescences of Kobresia pygmaea C. B. Clarke, a shallow-rooted, early-flowering plant, which may be mainly constrained by upper-soil moisture availability. Because K. pygmaea is the dominant species in the alpine meadow ecosystem, these results may have important implications for ecosystem dynamics and for pastoralists and wildlife in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsechoe Dorji
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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18
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Wang S, Duan J, Xu G, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Rui Y, Luo C, Xu B, Zhu X, Chang X, Cui X, Niu H, Zhao X, Wang W. Effects of warming and grazing on soil N availability, species composition, and ANPP in an alpine meadow. Ecology 2012; 93:2365-76. [DOI: 10.1890/11-1408.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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19
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Y Y, GX W, LD Y, JY G, N L. Physiological responses of Kobresia pygmaea to warming in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2012.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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20
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Elmendorf SC, Henry GHR, Hollister RD, Björk RG, Bjorkman AD, Callaghan TV, Collier LS, Cooper EJ, Cornelissen JHC, Day TA, Fosaa AM, Gould WA, Grétarsdóttir J, Harte J, Hermanutz L, Hik DS, Hofgaard A, Jarrad F, Jónsdóttir IS, Keuper F, Klanderud K, Klein JA, Koh S, Kudo G, Lang SI, Loewen V, May JL, Mercado J, Michelsen A, Molau U, Myers-Smith IH, Oberbauer SF, Pieper S, Post E, Rixen C, Robinson CH, Schmidt NM, Shaver GR, Stenström A, Tolvanen A, Totland O, Troxler T, Wahren CH, Webber PJ, Welker JM, Wookey PA. Global assessment of experimental climate warming on tundra vegetation: heterogeneity over space and time. Ecol Lett 2011; 15:164-75. [PMID: 22136670 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01716.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 376] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the sensitivity of tundra vegetation to climate warming is critical to forecasting future biodiversity and vegetation feedbacks to climate. In situ warming experiments accelerate climate change on a small scale to forecast responses of local plant communities. Limitations of this approach include the apparent site-specificity of results and uncertainty about the power of short-term studies to anticipate longer term change. We address these issues with a synthesis of 61 experimental warming studies, of up to 20 years duration, in tundra sites worldwide. The response of plant groups to warming often differed with ambient summer temperature, soil moisture and experimental duration. Shrubs increased with warming only where ambient temperature was high, whereas graminoids increased primarily in the coldest study sites. Linear increases in effect size over time were frequently observed. There was little indication of saturating or accelerating effects, as would be predicted if negative or positive vegetation feedbacks were common. These results indicate that tundra vegetation exhibits strong regional variation in response to warming, and that in vulnerable regions, cumulative effects of long-term warming on tundra vegetation - and associated ecosystem consequences - have the potential to be much greater than we have observed to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Elmendorf
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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21
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YANG HAIJUN, LI YANG, WU MINGYU, ZHANG ZHE, LI LINGHAO, WAN SHIQIANG. Plant community responses to nitrogen addition and increased precipitation: the importance of water availability and species traits. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2011; 17:2936-2944. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02423.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
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22
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Hu J, Jiang Z. Climate change hastens the conservation urgency of an endangered ungulate. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22873. [PMID: 21826214 PMCID: PMC3149626 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2011] [Accepted: 06/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Global climate change appears to be one of the main threats to biodiversity in the near future and is already affecting the distribution of many species. Currently threatened species are a special concern while the extent to which they are sensitive to climate change remains uncertain. Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra przewalskii) is classified as endangered and a conservation focus on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Using measures of species range shift, we explored how the distribution of Przewalski's gazelle may be impacted by projected climate change based on a maximum entropy approach. We also evaluated the uncertainty in the projections of the risks arising from climate change. Modeling predicted the Przewalski's gazelle would be sensitive to future climate change. As the time horizon increased, the strength of effects from climate change increased. Even assuming unlimited dispersal capacity of gazelles, a moderate decrease to complete loss of range was projected by 2080 under different thresholds for transforming the probability prediction to presence/absence data. Current localities of gazelles will undergo a decrease in their occurrence probability. Projections of the impacts of climate change were significantly affected by thresholds and general circulation models. This study suggests climate change clearly poses a severe threat and increases the extinction risk to Przewalski's gazelle. Our findings 1) confirm that endangered endemic species is highly vulnerable to climate change and 2) highlight the fact that forecasting impacts of climate change needs an assessment of the uncertainty. It is extremely important that conservation strategies consider the predicted geographical shifts and be planned with full knowledge of the reliability of projected impacts of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhigang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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23
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Klein JA, Yeh E, Bump J, Nyima Y, Hopping K. Coordinating Environmental Protection and Climate Change Adaptation Policy in Resource-Dependent Communities: A Case Study from the Tibetan Plateau. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0567-8_31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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24
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Liu Y, Reich PB, Li G, Sun S. Shifting phenology and abundance under experimental warming alters trophic relationships and plant reproductive capacity. Ecology 2011; 92:1201-7. [DOI: 10.1890/10-2060.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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25
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Ren F, Zhou HK, Zhao XQ, Han F, Shi LN, Duan JC, Zhao JZ. Influence of simulated warming using OTC on physiological–biochemical characteristics of Elymus nutans in alpine meadow on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2010.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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26
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Zhu Y, Geng Y, Tersing T, Liu N, Wang Q, Zhong Y. High genetic differentiation and low genetic diversity in Incarvillea younghusbandii, an endemic plant of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, revealed by AFLP markers. BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2009.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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27
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Smyth AK, Brandle R, Chewings V, Read J, Brook A, Fleming M. A framework for assessing regional biodiversity condition under changing environments of the arid Australian rangelands. RANGELAND JOURNAL 2009. [DOI: 10.1071/rj08047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Rangelands support many ecosystem services important to humans, including climate regulation. They also have a significant role to play in the mitigation of greenhouse gases. However, the capacity of any rangeland to do this depends foremost upon the condition of biodiversity, and the functioning of its ecosystems. Considerable research has been undertaken on rangeland condition but it has not yet included the assessment of biodiversity (plants, animals and microbes) as a primary focus. Rangeland managers have struggled to assess biodiversity condition because it is rarely defined, is everywhere (so what do you assess?), is always changing in response to natural and human disturbances (so how do you know when it has changed?) and what amount signals management action. Here we present a framework that addresses these issues, and apply it to select surrogates and indicators that are scientifically defensible in biological and planning terms for assessing biodiversity. An arid Australian rangeland region is used as a case study to develop and apply our approach. We were not able to illustrate interpretation of condition because of the absence of long-term monitoring data in Australian rangelands, but we do provide guiding principles about sampling design and analytical methods for interpretation that use raw data rather than multimetrics. We discovered that different management outcomes expected to be informed from assessing biodiversity condition affected surrogate and indicator choice, and that a number indicators were not robust when assessed on conceptual relevance, measurement qualities, feasibility of implementation and policy and management relevance for four different management outcomes. Our work highlights the importance of stating the expected outcomes of biodiversity condition assessments up front, so that indicators relevant to future management are chosen. It also shows that critical thought on the robustness of indicators is warranted, especially as condition assessments under climate change will require information on the functional traits of species. We conclude by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of our framework in relation to environmental planning.
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