Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guoqing Zhang, Youhua Ran, Wei Wan, Wei Luo, Wenfeng Chen, Fenglin Xu, Xin Li
Summary: Lakes over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are effective indicators of climate change, showing rapid responses and transitions over the past century, including shrinkage, growth, and stability.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bin Zhu, Zengxin Zhang, Jiaxi Tian, Rui Kong, Xi Chen
Summary: This study quantitatively analyzed the impacts of climate change and human activities on vegetation variation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The findings revealed that the QTP experienced a restoration process in vegetation coverage from 1982 to 2000, but degradation occurred from 2001 to 2019, particularly in the central region. The positive effect of climate change on vegetation decreased while the negative impact increased. Human activities had a growing negative impact on vegetation, mainly in the central grassland area.
Article
Ecology
Chan Diao, Yu Liu, Liang Zhao, Ga Zhuo, Yongqing Zhang
Summary: The study highlights the sensitivity of vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to warming and wetting climate, with a temporal lag in response to precipitation of 0-1 months. The vegetation also shows distinct reaction patterns to temperature within 1-2 months.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yupeng Fan, Chuanglin Fang
Summary: Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a unique geographical unit with diverse habitat types and biological species, playing a significant role in the surrounding areas and the world. Understanding its overall development capacity and status is crucial for balancing ecosystem protection and meeting the needs of people in western China. This study constructs a comprehensive development capacity index to reveal the real sustainability and discusses the spatiotemporal characteristics and reasons behind the changes. Measures are proposed to promote sustainable development.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Xia Liu, Tao Zhou, Xia Zhao, Peijun Shi, Yajie Zhang, Yixin Xu, Hui Luo, Peixin Yu, Peifang Zhou, Jingzhou Zhang
Summary: Rapid climate warming, permafrost degradation, and vegetation improvement have led to an increase in carbon input and output on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The spatial patterns of soil organic carbon stock changes at different soil depths were studied, revealing an overall increase in SOC stock in the topsoil layer and permafrost. Vegetation change was the main driver of SOC stock change in the topsoil layer, while climate change became more important with increasing soil depth. This study highlights the risk of carbon release in the middle and bottom soil layers as temperatures continue to rise.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shangyu Shi, Ping Wang, Xiaoyun Zhan, Jianqiao Han, Minghang Guo, Fei Wang
Summary: This study used an elastic net regression model to investigate the sensitivity of vegetation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) to climate factors. The findings reveal that climate change is the main driver of vegetation changes on the QTP, with precipitation playing a more important role in vegetation growth.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhen'an Yang, Qianqian Su, Huai Chen, Gang Yang
Summary: This study analyzed the BC and PAHs concentrations in peatlands in the Zoige Plateau, northeastern China, and found that anthropogenic activities have had a serious impact on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with PAHs primarily originating from combustion emissions. The sources of PAHs have shifted from local emissions to remote sources over the past 200 years.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ning Yuan, Yuqing Feng, Sihai Liang, Guangjun Wang, Tao Yin, Dezhao Yan, Pan Wu, Xingxing Kuang, Li Wan
Summary: Climate change has exacerbated drought events in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, emphasizing the importance of understanding the characteristics and variations of drought. This study utilized various methods to analyze drought trends, intensity, and spatial distribution, finding that the plateau is becoming wetter overall but drying areas persist in the southeast, northeast, and Qaidam Basin. The results provide valuable evidence for policymakers to address and mitigate drought impacts.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Yuechen Tan, Yifei Wang, Zhu Chen, Mengying Yang, Yu Ning, Chunyan Zheng, Zhangliu Du, Roland Bol, Di Wu
Summary: The long-term artificial drainage of peatlands has various effects on soil properties, community compositions, and nitrogen cycle in peatland soils. This study investigates the impacts of drainage on soil properties, community compositions, and greenhouse gas emissions in the world's largest alpine peatland. The results show that drainage reduces CO2 emissions but affects N2O and N2 emissions differently under varying conditions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinhao Liu, Zhongbao Xin, Yanzhang Huang, Jia Yu
Summary: Climate is an important factor in determining livability, and this study focuses on climate suitability in high-altitude areas. By adding oxygen content and solar radiation as indicators, the study develops the Climate Suitability Index of Plateau (CSIP) to assess climate suitability on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results show that the climate becomes increasingly unsuitable from southeast to northwest, and the plateau is divided into four regions based on the CSIP.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jing Luo, Fujun Niu, Zhanju Lin, Minghao Liu, Guoan Yin, Zeyong Gao
Summary: Climate warming has increased the occurrence of retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) in permafrost regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Through satellite imagery interpretation, a total of 2669 active RTSs were identified on the entire plateau, mainly distributed in higher elevations and gentle slopes. Comparing satellite imagery from 2008/2013 to 2021, it was observed that the number and areas of RTSs significantly increased over the past 12 years, with a particularly high occurrence in 2010 and 2016 when air temperatures were exceptionally high during the thawing season.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yanmin Teng, Jinyan Zhan, Wei Liu, Yongxiu Sun, Frank Boappeah Agyemang, Li Liang, Zhihui Li
Summary: This study evaluated the spatiotemporal dynamics of wind erosion on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau from 1980 to 2015, showing that wind erosion intensity increased continuously from southeast to northwest, with about half of the region experiencing moderate to high erosion. While the overall soil wind erosion modulus declined during this period, there were significant increases in wind erosion in certain areas, particularly in the northwestern part of the plateau.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hu Yao, Haijun Peng, Bing Hong, Qian Guo, Hanwei Ding, Yetang Hong, Yongxuan Zhu, Cheng Cai, Jinshu Chi
Summary: The study found that the Hongyuan alpine peatland acted as a CO2 sink in 2014 and 2015, with significant carbon uptake during both growing and non-growing seasons. The research also showed that non-growing season carbon emissions should not be overlooked, and that the CO2 flux in the non-growing season was more sensitive to warming than in the growing season. The importance of continuous eddy covariance measurements and time series analysis approaches for understanding the temporal variability in NEE and its correlation with environmental factors was emphasized.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Wen-hao Liu, Jun-wei Zheng, Zeng-ru Wang, Ren Li, Tong-hua Wu
Summary: Research on the ecological aspects of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been a significant focus in recent years, with a large number of related papers published. The analysis of over 4000 papers revealed the increasing trend in publications, with China and India leading the research efforts. Major research topics include ecosystem services, biodiversity, forest protection, and ecological adaptation to climate change.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wu Han, Enlou Zhang, Weiwei Sun, Qi Lin, Xianqiang Meng, Zhenyu Ni, Dongliang Ning, Ji Shen
Summary: Lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been experiencing environmental pressures from climate change and human activity. This study examined the environmental and ecological changes of Lake Yamzhog Yumco over the past three decades. The results showed a continuous and accelerated eutrophication process in the lake since 2004, mainly caused by anthropogenic emissions from the catchment. The study also found that aquatic communities in the lake responded sensitively to the increased nutrient supply.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Forest Isbell, Patricia Balvanera, Akira S. Mori, Jin-Sheng He, James M. Bullock, Ganga Ram Regmi, Eric W. Seabloom, Simon Ferrier, Osvaldo E. Sala, Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramirez, Julia Tavella, Daniel J. Larkin, Bernhard Schmid, Charlotte L. Outhwaite, Pairot Pramual, Elizabeth T. Borer, Michel Loreau, Taiwo Crossby Omotoriogun, David O. Obura, Maggie Anderson, Cristina Portales-Reyes, Kevin Kirkman, Pablo M. Vergara, Adam Thomas Clark, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Owen L. Petchey, Sarah R. Weiskopf, Laura J. Williams, Scott L. Collins, Nico Eisenhauer, Christopher H. Trisos, Delphine Renard, Alexandra J. Wright, Poonam Tripathi, Jane Cowles, Jarrett E. K. Byrnes, Peter B. Reich, Andy Purvis, Zati Sharip, Mary O'Connor, Clare E. Kazanski, Nick M. Haddad, Eulogio H. Soto, Laura E. Dee, Sandra Diaz, Chad R. Zirbel, Meghan L. Avolio, Shaopeng Wang, Zhiyuan Ma, Jingjing Liang, Hanan C. Farah, Justin Andrew Johnson, Brian W. Miller, Yann Hautier, Melinda D. Smith, Johannes M. H. Knops, Bonnie J. E. Myers, Zuzana Harmackova, Jorge Cortes, Michael B. J. Harfoot, Andrew Gonzalez, Tim Newbold, Jacqueline Oehri, Marina Mazon, Cynnamon Dobbs, Meredith S. Palmer
Summary: Despite progress in understanding global biodiversity loss, there are still taxonomic and geographic knowledge gaps. Decision makers often rely on expert judgement, but cannot engage with large and diverse groups of specialists. A survey of biodiversity experts worldwide revealed consensus and differences in perspectives and estimates, with underrepresented groups recommending different conservation priorities and providing higher estimates of biodiversity loss.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Peter Dietrich, Olga Ferlian, Yuanyuan Huang, Shan Luo, Julius Quosh, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: This study found that there was a positive relationship between tree species richness and community productivity, which strengthened over time. The type of mycorrhizal association had different effects on productivity, but there was no overyielding when different types of mycorrhizal trees grew together. Ectomycorrhizal tree communities had low productivity initially but increased over time, showing overall strong biodiversity effects. In contrast, arbuscular mycorrhizal tree communities showed the opposite pattern. Therefore, maximizing tree and mycorrhizal diversity may increase ecosystem functioning in the long run.
Article
Ecology
Ana Carolina Antunes, Benoit Gauzens, Ulrich Brose, Anton M. Potapov, Malte Jochum, Luca Santini, Nico Eisenhauer, Olga Ferlian, Simone Cesarz, Stefan Scheu, Myriam R. Hirt
Summary: The relationship between species' body masses and densities generally follows a three-quarter power law, but there are significant deviations within local communities. Soil temperature and water content have positive and negative net effects, respectively, on soil communities, mediated by changes in local edaphic conditions and the body-mass range of the communities.
Article
Ecology
Remy Beugnon, Wensheng Bu, Helge Bruelheide, Andrea Davrinche, Jianqing Du, Sylvia Haider, Matthias Kunz, Goddert von Oheimb, Maria D. D. Perles-Garcia, Mariem Saadani, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Bala Singavarapu, Stefan Trogisch, Yanfen Wang, Tesfaye Wubet, Kai Xue, Bo Yang, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: This study conducted in a Chinese subtropical forest experiment revealed a strong positive correlation between soil microbial biomass and soil carbon concentrations. It was found that an increase in tree productivity and tree root diameter led to an increase in soil carbon concentration, while an increase in litterfall C:N content resulted in a decrease in soil carbon concentration. Tree functional traits also modulated microenvironmental conditions, with significant consequences for soil microbial biomass.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Peter Dietrich, Nico Eisenhauer, Christiane Roscher
Summary: Positive relationships between plant diversity and productivity are driven by complementary resource use via differences in functional traits. Changes in soil properties related to nutrient availability are influenced by plant diversity. This study shows that plant diversity-dependent soil changes, along with associated changes in functional traits, contribute to long-term positive diversity-productivity relationships.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Heike Heklau, Nicole Schindler, Nico Eisenhauer, Olga Ferlian, Helge Bruelheide
Summary: This study investigated the relationship and changes of mycorrhization rates of 10 deciduous trees from winter to spring to early summer. The results showed that except for Aesculus hippocastanum and Acer pseudoplatanus, which formed only one type of mycorrhiza, the other tree species had both arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) and ectomycorrhiza (EM) at different times. The mycorrhization rates were lowest in May, but no differences were observed between December and March. The mycorrhization rates of different types were not correlated over time at the individual tree level, indicating asynchronous variation between AM and EM mycorrhization. At the community level, increased biodiversity led to more asynchrony in mycorrhization, suggesting its importance in biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jonathan D. D. Bakker, Jodi N. N. Price, Jeremiah A. A. Henning, Evan E. E. Batzer, Timothy J. J. Ohlert, Claire E. E. Wainwright, Peter B. B. Adler, Juan Alberti, Carlos Alberto Arnillas, Lori A. A. Biederman, Elizabeth T. T. Borer, Lars A. A. Brudvig, Yvonne M. M. Buckley, Miguel N. N. Bugalho, Marc W. W. Cadotte, Maria C. C. Caldeira, Jane A. A. Catford, Qingqing Chen, Michael J. J. Crawley, Pedro Daleo, Chris R. R. Dickman, Ian Donohue, Mary Ellyn DuPre, Anne Ebeling, Nico Eisenhauer, Philip A. A. Fay, Daniel S. S. Gruner, Sylvia Haider, Yann Hautier, Anke Jentsch, Kevin Kirkman, Johannes M. H. Knops, Luciola S. Lannes, Andrew S. S. MacDougall, Rebecca L. L. McCulley, Rachel M. M. Mitchell, Joslin L. L. Moore, John W. W. Morgan, Brent Mortensen, Harry Olde Venterink, Pablo L. L. Peri, Sally A. A. Power, Suzanne M. M. Prober, Christiane Roscher, Mahesh Sankaran, Eric W. W. Seabloom, Melinda D. D. Smith, Carly Stevens, Lauren L. L. Sullivan, Michelle Tedder, G. F. (Ciska) Veen, Risto Virtanen, Glenda M. M. Wardle
Summary: Human activities are causing changes in ecological communities globally. Understanding these changes requires considering the composition of these communities, which can be summarized by various metrics influenced by different ecological processes. A global experiment on 60 grasslands demonstrated high compositional variation within sites, with most variation being due to replacement processes. The variation was related to predictors such as environmental heterogeneity and biomass production. Considering multiple metrics simultaneously enhances our understanding of compositional variation at a site.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nico Eisenhauer, Gerrit Angst, Ana E. B. Asato, Remy Beugnon, Elisabeth Boenisch, Simone Cesarz, Peter Dietrich, Stephanie D. Jurburg, Anna-Maria Madaj, Rine C. Reuben, Christian Ristok, Marie Suennemann, Huimin Yi, Carlos A. Guerra, Jes Hines
Summary: The ever-growing human population and nutritional demands, supply chain disruptions, and advancing climate change have highlighted the importance of the relationship between diversity and system performance. Managing the heterogeneity of systems is crucial in order to harness the multiple benefits that diversity can provide. The heterogeneity-diversity-system performance (HDP) nexus should be considered in future decision making as a means to ensure a more sustainable global future.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nico Eisenhauer, Raul Ochoa-Hueso, Yuanyuan Huang, Kathryn E. Barry, Alban Gebler, Carlos A. Guerra, Jes Hines, Malte Jochum, Karl Andraczek, Solveig Franziska Bucher, Francois Buscot, Marcel Ciobanu, Hongmei Chen, Robert Junker, Markus Lange, Anika Lehmann, Matthias Rillig, Christine Roemermann, Josephine Ulrich, Alexandra Weigelt, Anja Schmidt, Manfred Tuerke
Summary: Human activities have led to significant changes in biodiversity, and the loss of invertebrate biomass has been found to have negative effects on ecosystem processes and services. This study demonstrates that the decrease in invertebrate biomass can decrease ecosystem multi-functionality and reduce the supply of critical ecosystem services.
Article
Ecology
Remy Beugnon, Nico Eisenhauer, Helge Bruelheide, Andrea Davrinche, Jianqing Du, Sylvia Haider, Georg Haehn, Mariem Saadani, Bala Singavarapu, Marie Suennemann, Lise Thouvenot, Yanfen Wang, Tesfaye Wubet, Kai Xue, Simone Cesarz
Summary: Forest ecosystems play a critical role in carbon sequestration. Increasing tree diversity enhances forest productivity and litter decomposition. Tree species richness increases litter decomposition by increasing the species richness and amount of litterfall. Soil microorganisms perform the majority of litter decomposition, and changes in litterfall and microbial activity explain a significant portion of decomposition variance. Litter decomposability is determined by litter functional identity, diversity, and species richness, while tree proximity, biomass, and leaf functional traits drive the spatial distribution of litterfall and subsequently influence litter decomposition. Considering spatial variability in biotic properties improves our understanding of ecosystem functioning.
Article
Ecology
Laura Argens, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Anne Ebeling, Nico Eisenhauer, Markus Lange, Yvonne Oelmann, Christiane Roscher, Holger Schielzeth, Bernhard Schmid, Wolfgang Wilcke, Sebastian T. Meyer
Summary: Ecosystem management aims to provide multiple ecosystem services simultaneously. The multifunctionality of ecosystem services can be limited by tradeoffs and enhanced by synergies among underlying ecosystem functions. This study investigates the drivers of correlations between ecosystem functions and highlights the importance of measuring pairs of functions repeatedly under different conditions to derive recommendations for grassland management.
Article
Biology
Solveig Franziska Bucher, Lia Uhde, Alexandra Weigelt, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Alban Gebler, Christopher Kyba, Christine Roemermann, Tom Shatwell, Jes Hines
Summary: Artificial light at night (ALAN) has significant impacts on plant communities, resulting in reduced biomass, decreased diversity, and changes in functional traits. These findings highlight the need for conservation and management strategies that consider the effects of ALAN on plant ecology.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Solveig Franziska Bucher, Marcel Ciobanu, Jes Hines
Summary: The use of artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasing worldwide, but its impact on the soil system has not been studied. This research shows that increasing ALAN reduces plant biomass and decreases soil water content. Soil respiration is further reduced under high ALAN, but microbial communities maintain stable biomass and exhibit higher carbon use efficiency. While ALAN does not affect microbial community structure, plant-feeding nematodes increase in abundance and nematode communities become more homogenous under higher ALAN levels, suggesting that soil communities may be more vulnerable to additional disturbances. In summary, ALAN alters soil communities and ecosystem functions, mediated by changes in plant productivity and soil water content.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Christian Ristok, Nico Eisenhauer, Alexander Weinhold, Nicole M. van Dam
Summary: Plant and soil biodiversity have significant effects on plant metabolites, but their independent effects on overall metabolome composition are not significant. However, interactions between plants and soil, as well as the presence of herbivores, can lead to changes in plant metabolomes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rike Schwarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Olga Ferlian, Fernando. T. Maestre, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Henriette Uthe, Lise Thouvenot
Summary: The invasion of earthworms has led to changes in plant communities in northern North American forests, resulting in decreased plant diversity and a competitive advantage for grass species. This study provides insights into the mechanisms behind these changes by examining the effects of earthworms on plant functional traits and interspecific plant competition.