Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hui Yu, Yufeng Wu, Liting Niu, Yafan Chai, Qisheng Feng, Wei Wang, Tiangang Liang
Summary: Accurate assessments of grassland above-ground biomass are essential for sustainable utilization and protection of grassland resources. This study trained a machine learning model to predict grassland AGB dry weight and found an increasing trend in spatial distribution from northwest to southeast on the Tibetan Plateau. By combining different methods, the model's predictive accuracy was improved.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Cathryn A. Freund, Kasey E. Clark, James F. Curran, Gregory P. Asner, Miles R. Silman
Summary: Using a high-resolution LiDAR dataset and a time-series inventory of 608 landslides distributed across a wide elevational gradient in Andean montane forest, we show that age and elevation are the most influential predictors of forest canopy height and canopy variability. Other features of landslides, in particular the presence of residual vegetation, shape post-landslide regeneration trajectories. LiDAR allows for a detailed analysis of forest structural recovery across large landscapes and numbers of disturbances, and provides a reasonable upper bound on above-ground biomass accumulation rates. However, because this method does not capture the effect of compositional change through succession on above-ground biomass, wherein high-wood density species gradually replace light-wooded pioneer species, it overestimates above-ground biomass. Given previously estimated stem turnover rates along this elevational gradient, we posit that above-ground biomass recovery takes at least three times as long as our recovery time estimates based on LiDAR-derived structure alone.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yi Wang, Jian Sun, Wen He, Chongchong Ye, Biying Liu, Youchao Chen, Tao Zeng, Shaoxiu Ma, Xiaoyu Gan, Chiyuan Miao, Huakun Zhou, Atsushi Tsunekawa
Summary: This study investigates the dominant factors of alpine vegetation distribution and predicts the future changes of vegetation boundary using climate models. The results show that precipitation plays a significant role in the distribution of alpine grasslands and reveal the migration of the grassland ecosystem under different climate change scenarios.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinyue Fan, Guojin He, Wenyi Zhang, Tengfei Long, Xiaomei Zhang, Guizhou Wang, Geng Sun, Huakun Zhou, Zhanhuan Shang, Dashuan Tian, Xiangyi Li, Xiaoning Song
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the above-ground biomass (AGB) of grassland in the Tibetan Plateau using Sentinel-2 images and different algorithms. The Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) algorithm was used to find the optimal feature set, and the Cubist, GBRT, RF, and XGBoost algorithms were implemented for AGB estimation. The results showed that the RF algorithm based on temperature, altitude, humidity, and leaf water content performed the best.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daniel E. Ibarra, Jingen Dai, Yuan Gao, Xinghai Lang, Pengzhen Duan, Zongjun Gao, Jiquan Chen, Katharina Methner, Lijuan Sha, Hui Tong, Xu Han, Dicheng Zhu, Yalin Li, Juxing Tang, Hai Cheng, C. Page Chamberlain, Chengshan Wang
Summary: Based on the comparison of triple oxygen isotopes, it is found that substantial uplift of the Gangdese Arc in southern Lhasa occurred by 63 to 61 million years ago before the collision of the Indian and Eurasian continental plates. This high palaeoelevation estimate challenges previous assumptions about the necessity of continent-continent collision for the formation of substantial topography in southern Tibet.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hemraj Bhattarai, Guangming Wu, Xiaoyan Zheng, Hongxia Zhu, Shaopeng Gao, Yan-Lin Zhang, David Widory, Kirpa Ram, Xintong Chen, Xin Wan, Qiaomin Pei, Yuepeng Pan, Shichang Kang, Zhiyuan Cong
Summary: This study quantified the impacts of wildfire emissions on the Himalayan ecosystem through continuous field observation and comprehensive chemical analysis. The results provide unequivocal evidence that wildfire emissions from South Asia can threaten the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau's ecosystem. Such adverse impact is of particular concern given the anticipated increase of wildfire activities in the future under climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jordon C. Tourville, Jay W. Wason, Martin Dovciak
Summary: This study examines the role of forest canopy gaps in driving tree species range shifts in response to climate change. The results show that high-elevation conifer forests with canopy gaps facilitate the upslope shift of conifer seedlings, while gaps at lower elevations have limited impact on seedling recruitment or the downslope shift of deciduous species. Climate and soil are important predictors of seedling distributions, while climate alone is the dominant predictor of adult tree distributions.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Dheeraj Ralhan, Heather Keith, Jakob Pavlin, Annemiek Irene Stegehuis, William Marchand, Alexandre Fruleux, Miroslav Polacek, Marek Svitok, Thomas A. Nagel, Martin Mikolas, Daniel Kozak, Arne Buechling, Martin Dusatko, Pavel Janda, Oleh Chaskovsky, Catalin-Constantin Roibu, Miroslav Svoboda
Summary: Primary forests in the Carpathians play a critical role in climate regulation by capturing and storing carbon. Our research shows that these forests have comparable biomass levels to other temperate primary forests and continue to accumulate biomass over long time frames. Preserving these unmanaged forests is essential for climate mitigation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Caiming Shen, Kam-biu Liu, Lingyu Tang, Jonathan T. Overpeck
Summary: This study described 234 pollen surface samples from the Tibetan Plateau to explore the relationship between modern pollen rain and vegetation. Samples collected from forests, shrublands, shrub meadows, meadows, steppes, and deserts show that different vegetation types have distinct pollen assemblages.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Qianqian Ma, Maierdang Keyimu, Xiangyi Li, Shixing Wu, Fanjiang Zeng, Lisha Lin
Summary: This study investigates the spatiotemporal variations of snow depth and snow phenology on the Tibetan Plateau and their responses to climate change. The results show that snow depth and snow cover duration have significantly decreased over the past 40 years, and there is an elevation-dependent warming effect that contributes to the decrease in snow depth. These findings suggest that a warmer future may lead to a depletion of solid reservoirs and intensification of the regional water crisis.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chong-Shu Zhu, Yao Qu, Zhi-Sheng Zhang, Ting Zhang, Wen-Ting Dai, Jun-Ji Cao
Summary: This study investigated the contribution of biomass burning to atmospheric particulate matter in the Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that biomass burning tracers were highly concentrated in high altitude areas, with the highest concentrations observed in the northeastern and southwestern regions. Local emissions were found to be an important contributor in these areas. This study improves our understanding of biomass burning characteristics and effects in the Tibetan Plateau.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xuejing Wang, Mariano Alvarez, Kathleen Donohue, Wenjing Ge, Yueqian Cao, Kun Liu, Guozhen Du, Haiyan Bu
Summary: Seeds play a crucial role in the colonization and community assembly of plants. This study found that seed traits, such as morphology and germination, were influenced by elevation, with seeds at higher elevations being smaller, more elongated, and having shorter germination times. Variations in seed traits within and among species may contribute to the composition of plant communities along elevational gradients.
Article
Forestry
Shun Liu, Da Luo, Gexi Xu, Jiamei Wu, Qiuhong Feng, Zuomin Shi
Summary: This study elucidates the temporal variation and magnitude of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in primary forests on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, including CO2, CH4, and N2O. The results show that CO2 and N2O fluxes exhibit a unimodal pattern over time, while CH4 fluxes act as a sink. The variation in fluxes is closely related to factors such as soil microbial activity, nitrate concentration, and methanotrophic biomass.
Article
Agronomy
Songbo Qu, Jiaoneng Xu-Ri, Jiaoneng Yu, Almaz Borjigidai
Summary: This study conducted a two-year observation in an alpine forest ecosystem in Southeast Tibet and found that the CH4 uptake rate was higher than previous estimations. Soil temperature and moisture were important factors affecting CH4 consumption. The findings highlight the crucial role of alpine forest CH4 uptake in maintaining the CH4 balance of the Tibetan Plateau.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Huai Chen, Peijun Ju, Qiuan Zhu, Xingliang Xu, Ning Wu, Yongheng Gao, Xiaojuan Feng, Jianqing Tian, Shuli Niu, Yangjian Zhang, Changhui Peng, Yanfen Wang
Summary: The carbon and nitrogen cycling on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has been influenced by atmospheric warming, cryosphere thaw, and intensified human activities. Despite the complexity of these changes, they largely offset each other. The plateau is predicted to continue functioning as a net carbon sink in the future, despite severe permafrost degradation, while nitrogen stocks are expected to remain relatively stable.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Haijie Zhang, Ruiying Chang, Xiao Guo, Xiaoqin Liang, Renqing Wang, Jian Liu
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2017)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoyang Han, Guangyao Gao, Ruiying Chang, Zongshan Li, Ying Ma, Shuai Wang, Cong Wang, Yihe Lu, Bojie Fu
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2018)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dengfeng Tuo, Guangyao Gao, Ruiying Chang, Zongshan Li, Ying Ma, Shuai Wang, Cong Wang, Bojie Fu
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2018)
Article
Soil Science
Ruiying Chang, Na Li, Xiangyang Sun, Zhaoyong Hu, Xuesong Bai, Genxu Wang
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2018)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ruiying Chang, Wenjun Zhou, Yunting Fang, Haijian Bing, Xiangyang Sun, Genxu Wang
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaoyang Han, Guangyao Gao, Zongshan Li, Ruiying Chang, Lei Jiao, Bojie Fu
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2019)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mao Ma, Ruiying Chang
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chunlin Song, Genxu Wang, Tianxu Mao, Kewei Huang, Xiangyang Sun, Zhaoyong Hu, Ruiying Chang, Xiaopeng Chen, Peter A. Raymond
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Sun Xiangyang, Wang Genxu, Huang Mei, Chang Ruiying, Hu Zhaoyong, Song Chunlin, Sun Juying
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2020)
Article
Soil Science
Ruiying Chang, Shuguang Liu, Leiyi Chen, Na Li, Haijian Bing, Tao Wang, Xiaopeng Chen, Yang Li, Genxu Wang
Summary: This study conducted manipulative warming experiments in permafrost areas on the Tibetan Plateau and found that increased SOC accumulation was mainly attributed to plant-derived C while old C was lost through enhanced respiration. This field-based evidence enhances our understanding of the warming-induced processes in permafrost regions.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Yang Li, Genxu Wang, Haijian Bing, Tao Wang, Kewei Huang, Chunlin Song, Xiaopeng Chen, Zhaoyong Hu, Pengfei Rui, Xiaoyan Song, Ruiying Chang
Summary: The spatial variability in ecosystem respiration (Re) and methane (CH4) fluxes in Tibetan alpine grassland watersheds were studied through field monitoring, revealing the controlling effect of microbial factors on Re variability and the influence of soil water content on CH4 fluxes. Frozen soil conditions in the Tibetan alpine grassland watersheds may increase the spatial variability of soil moisture and create poorly drained landscape, affecting the uptake of CH4 and hindering soil respiration.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ye Liu, Haijian Bing, Yanhong Wu, He Zhu, Xin Tian, Zhiguo Wang, Ruiying Chang
Summary: The study found that high N deposition rate can promote soil P availability in subalpine forests, while N addition did not alter the vertical distribution patterns of soil P. Soil moisture, pH, soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass controlled the vertical distribution of phosphorus.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Wei Zhao, Mengjiao Yang, Ruiying Chang, Qiqi Zhan, Zhao-Liang Li
Summary: Gongga Mountain in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau is highly sensitive to climate change, with a warming trend observed particularly during daytime. The elevation plays a key role in influencing the warming trend, with patterns connected to changes in snow, cloud cover, and vegetation conditions.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ruiying Chang, Xinyu Liu, Tao Wang, Na Li, Haijian Bing
Summary: In upland forest soil, nitrogen addition affects the uptake of atmospheric methane, with high nitrogen suppressing methane uptake and low nitrogen stimulating methane uptake. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations regulate methane uptake, and the effects of nitrogen addition on methane uptake are dependent on nitrogen levels.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tao Wang, Jing Ao, Xinyu Liu, Yuanrui Peng, Michiel Op de Beeck, Ruiying Chang
Summary: The effects of anthropogenic nitrogen input on the balance between plant carbon input and soil carbon loss are a major uncertainty in estimating soil as net carbon sinks or sources.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sadadi Ojoatre, Jos Barlow, Suzanne R. Jacobs, Mariana C. Rufino
Summary: This study evaluates the changes in a forest complex in Kenya and finds that within 20 years of disturbance, there is rapid recovery of aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation, and the species diversity remains high in these previously disturbed fragments.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Astor Torano Caicoya, Peter Biber, Miren del Rio, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Catia Arcangeli, Robert Matthews, Hans Pretzsch
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of site and climate on the self-thinning line in Scots pine forests in Europe. The results showed that species tolerance, temperature, and precipitation influenced the slope of the self-thinning line. In terms of the intercept, latitude and radiation had compensating effects. Time did not show significant trends in the self-thinning line. The study highlights the need to adapt management strategies and models based on self-thinning to different latitudes. Climate change has not yet significantly impacted the self-thinning trajectory, but a continuous rise in temperature and high precipitation may accelerate the self-thinning process and result in increased biomass accumulation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Haonan Zhang, Jianing Xu, Weiqi Meng, Zhonglin Li, Yanyan Ni, Weijie Li, Hao Chen, Xingshuo Zhang, Huanhuan Yuan, Zhi Wang
Summary: Secondary forests play a crucial role in ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity recovery. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying secondary succession in a restored secondary forest and found that deciduous tree species transition from diversity accumulators to repellents as they progress through different life history stages, while evergreen tree species can act as accumulators or remain neutral. The study also revealed the effects of density dependence on the mortality and regeneration of different tree species, and highlighted the importance of early-arriving tree species in facilitating the establishment and diversity of late-arriving counterparts.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Yierxiati Abulaiti, Zijian Huang, Guojiao Xie, Xiaojuan Zou, Qin Luo, Minhuang Wang, Qiong Yang, Ping Hu, Shixiao Yu
Summary: In this study, the resistance to pest infestation of native and exotic mangrove species was compared based on their traits and spectral reflectance. The results showed that exotic species exhibited higher resistance to pest infestation compared to native species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Thomas Feiss, Vincent Robin, Delphine Aran, Joseph Levillain, Thierry Paul, Jean-Luc Dupouey
Summary: Fagus sylvatica L. is a competitive tree in European temperate deciduous forests, but often sporadic or absent in present-day stands where Quercus spp. are dominant. Through soil charcoal analysis in the Lorraine Plateau in France, the presence of Fagus and Quercus in mature Quercus stands was confirmed. Radiocarbon dating results indicated that historical forest management caused the replacement of Fagus by Quercus, starting from the Bronze Age.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Paula Halbig, Anne-Sophie Stelzer, Peter Baier, Josef Pennerstorfer, Horst Delb, Axel Schopf
Summary: The incidence of oak processionary moth in Central Europe has been increasing, posing severe threats to oak trees, humans, and animals. To address this issue, researchers have developed an online early warning system that provides phenological forecasts and decision support for the protection of oak trees and human health.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Jean-Baptiste Ndamiyehe Ncutirakiza, Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury, Philippe Lejeune, Xavier Bry, Catherine Trottier, Frederic Mortier, Adeline Fayolle, Francois Muhashy Habiyaremye, Leopold Ndjele Mianda-Bungi, Gauthier Ligot
Summary: This study examines the influence of canopy structure on tropical tree growth using data collected through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and field measurements. The results show that combining UAV and field data can improve the prediction of tree diameter increment. Diameter at breast height and crown area are complementary predictors, and crown-based competition indices significantly enhance prediction models. The calibrated model at one site can accurately predict growth at another site.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Abebe Damtew, Emiru Birhane, Christian Messier, Alain Paquette, Bart Muys
Summary: Restoring degraded dryland requires a diverse mixture of trees and shrubs. Shading and species diversity can improve seedling survival and vitality. Shaded conditions led to higher seedling survival, vitality, and chlorophyll content, while increasing species richness improved seedling vitality in non-shaded conditions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Francois Hebert, Isabelle Delisle, Marc Tremblay, Pascal Tremblay, Jean- Francois Boucher, Yan Boucher, Daniel Lord
Summary: Regeneration failures in the closed-crown boreal forest, resulting in the creation of open lichen woodlands, can be restored through clear-cutting, scarification, and natural seeding. Clear-cutting combined with scarification promotes seedling establishment, and scarification creates suitable microsites for germination. Seedling growth in lichen woodlands is higher when logging and scarification are combined, but lower compared to feather moss stands. Afforestation through natural seeding following scarification could be a cost-effective option for restoring lichen woodlands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bianca Wulansari Kassun, A. Maarit I. Kallio, Erik Tr Omborg, Meley Mekonen Rannestad
Summary: Mapping and analyzing forest ecosystem services in dry and mountain forests can provide valuable knowledge for sustainable forest management strategies.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Michael Premer, Eric Turnblom, Aaron Weiskittel
Summary: Managed forests serve as a natural climate change solution by sequestering carbon and storing it in harvested wood products, while also providing ecosystem services and wildlife habitat. This study focused on the stem sinuosity of juvenile coastal Douglas-fir and found that genetic improvement, silviculture practices, and local growing conditions can impact stem sinuosity. Factors such as tree spacing, vegetation control, and climate variables also affect the severity of stem sinuosity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bronwyn Lira Dyson, Rhea Herpel, Peter Karasch, Jorg Mueller, Dominik Thom, Claus Baessler
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of different forest management strategies, dead wood types, and microclimates on Fomes fomentarius. The results showed that the occupancy of Fomes fomentarius was lower in control stands, while the percent cover occupied on snags under a closed canopy was higher. Increasing the number of snags and maintaining dense forest canopies could enhance the presence of Fomes fomentarius as well as provide important microhabitats for various arthropods.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Di Liu, Chaofan Zhou, Xiao He, Xiangdong Lei, Huiru Zhang, Xianzhao Liu
Summary: Canopy structure plays a significant role in the distribution and growth of saplings. Traditional canopy metrics are inadequate in irregular stands. The innovative framework of canopy triangular units provides a comprehensive understanding of the canopy's three-dimensional attributes. Through this framework, we can analyze the differences in various triangular unit types and the spatial dispersion of saplings.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Amalia Valeria Ibanez Moro, Fabian Borghetti, Leonardo Galetto, Juan M. Cellini, Sandra J. Bravo
Summary: This study evaluated the size and persistence of soil seed banks (SSB) of six native woody species in dry subtropical forests of the western Argentine Chaco region. The results showed that SSB size was influenced by different sites and sampling years, and forest disturbances had varying effects on SSB.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Stephanie Landry, Marc-Andre Villard, Gaetan Pelletier, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: In many regions of the world, excessive browsing by ungulates has reached unsustainable levels, threatening biodiversity and forest regeneration. Moose, as ecological engineers, have severe impacts on forest structure and composition through overbrowsing. The distribution of forage and cover patches affects moose browsing pressure, and this relationship has been explored in conifer-dominated stands but not in hardwood-dominated landscapes.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
