Article
Environmental Sciences
Lazhu, Kun Yang, Jun Qin, Juzhi Hou, Yanbin Lei, Junbo Wang, Anning Huang, Yingying Chen, Baohong Ding, Xin Li
Summary: This study examined the accuracy of MODIS LSWT on the Tibetan Plateau and found a good agreement with in-situ observations, indicating high accuracy. However, before the lake turnover period, there is a discrepancy in representativeness between in-situ observations and MODIS LSWT due to thermal stratification, highlighting the importance of selecting appropriate observational periods for validation.
Article
Ecology
Yi Yang, Yongliang Chen, Wenying Hao, Hanjie Xie, Yabo Chai, Lu Zhang, Zhiming Zhang, Peter Christie, Xiaolin Li, Jingping Gai
Summary: Soil bacteria play a crucial role in regulating soil carbon and nutrient cycling. However, their response to disturbance in different land-use types, particularly in alpine ecosystems, remains largely unknown. In this study, the potential of soil bacteria to influence biogeochemical processes was assessed across different land-use types on the Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that disturbance had diverse effects on soil bacterial community composition and metabolic potential. Certain bacterial taxa were found to be sensitive to disturbance, while others remained relatively stable. These findings highlight the importance of considering the effects of disturbance on soil bacteria in ecosystem management and policy decisions.
ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jiabin Liu, Inez Y. Fung, John C. H. Chiang
Summary: The rainbands in the East Asian summer monsoon migrate northward from spring to summer and are influenced by extratropical northerly winds and persistent lower-tropospheric southerly winds. The background northerlies may originate from the interaction between the jet stream and the Tibetan Plateau.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Luyao Kang, Leiyi Chen, Dianye Zhang, Yunfeng Peng, Yutong Song, Dan Kou, Ye Deng, Yuanhe Yang
Summary: Understanding the biogeographical patterns and underlying processes of belowground community assembly is crucial for predicting soil functions and their responses to global environmental change. Research in alpine ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau has shown differences in belowground community assembly among trophic levels, with stochastic processes playing a primary role in regulating community assembly.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Pan Sun, Liyuan Zhu, Li Ma, Changqing Li, Zongkui Wang, Rong Zhang, Shengliang Ye, Ya Wang
Summary: This paper describes the blood services in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Regions in China's Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A comprehensive investigation into blood donations, donors, screening, and supply in the region was conducted based on data from 2013 to 2018. The results showed an increase in blood donations and usage, but a shortage of blood is still an important issue. The prevalence of transfusion-transmitted diseases is relatively high, possibly due to lower education levels and unfavorable geographical and medical conditions.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Yanfen Wang, Wangwang Lv, Kai Xue, Shiping Wang, Lirong Zhang, Ronghai Hu, Hong Zeng, Xingliang Xu, Yaoming Li, Lili Jiang, Yanbin Hao, Jianqing Du, Jianping Sun, Tsechoe Dorji, Shilong Piao, Changhui Wang, Caiyun Luo, Zhenhua Zhang, Xiaofeng Chang, Mingming Zhang, Yigang Hu, Tonghua Wu, Jinzhi Wang, Bowen Li, Peipei Liu, Yang Zhou, A. Wang, Shikui Dong, Xianzhou Zhang, Qingzhu Gao, Huakun Zhou, Miaogen Shen, Andreas Wilkes, Georg Miehe, Xinquan Zhao, Haishan Niu
Summary: This review examines the impacts of climate change and human activities on grasslands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It discusses the changes in vegetation and soil, as well as the drivers behind these changes. The study finds that rising temperatures have been key in driving vegetation increases, while intense livestock grazing has caused grassland degradation. Effective restoration can be achieved through management policies and adaptive management, leading to improvements in net primary production.
NATURE REVIEWS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanzhang Huang, Zhongbao Xin, Jinhao Liu, Qianjin Liu
Summary: This study compared the differences in soil carbon turnover among different grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau and found that alpine meadows were the most effective in sequestering soil carbon. Additionally, the study also revealed the varying responses of different grassland types to climate and soil minerals. This is important for understanding the mechanisms of soil carbon sinks on the Tibetan Plateau under global warming and wetting conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lin Zang, Yongqin Liu, Xuanying Song, Lanlan Cai, Keshao Liu, Tingwei Luo, Rui Zhang
Summary: This study characterized viruses from high altitude lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, revealing differences in viral abundance, population size, and morphology among lakes, as well as identifying a novel viral group. These variations are likely influenced by lake evolution, water source, and environmental conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mengli Han, Jingxue Zhang, Daxu Li, Shengnan Sun, Changbing Zhang, Chuanjie Zhang, Lijun Yan, Yongzhuo Guan, Lili Chen, Yuxia Guo, Minghong You, Wenlong Gou, Xinrui Li, Jiajun Yan, Shiqie Bai, Xuebing Yan
Summary: This study used specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) to investigate the population genetic structure and demographic history of Elymus sibiricus populations on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The results showed three distinct genetic groups and suggested that the current phylogeographical pattern of E. sibiricus is influenced by environmental changes due to the uplift of the QTP, geographic distance between populations, and geographical barriers.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Shanshan Shi, Menghao Liu, Jianchao Xi
Summary: This study explores the spatial characteristics of the tourism network on the Tibetan Plateau using the modified tourism gravity model and social network analysis method. The results show that the spatial organization of tourism flows is unbalanced, with high flow in the east and low flow in the west. The county tourism flow forms a multidimensional system of spatial hierarchy, exhibiting spatial polarization characteristics and regional distribution differences. The inter-county tourism linkage conforms to the law of distance decay, highlighting the complex linkage pattern of the multiple network structures. The tourism network is influenced by county-level administrative divisions and forms eight subgroups with significant geographical characteristics.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Changjin Cheng, Nianpeng He, Mingxu Li, Li Xu, Weixiang Cai, Xin Li, Wenzong Zhao, Chao Li, Osbert Jianxin Sun
Summary: This study investigates the geographic patterns and determinants of species richness (SR) on the Tibetan Plateau. The researchers found that unique climate factors, such as extreme low temperature and oxygen partial pressure, interact with water-energy dynamics to influence the spatial pattern of SR on the Tibetan Plateau. The study provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the spatial variation in plant diversity in plateau and high-latitude regions.
Article
Microbiology
Jian Chen, Zuomin Shi, Shun Liu, Miaomiao Zhang, Xiangwen Cao, Miao Chen, Gexi Xu, Hongshuang Xing, Feifan Li, Qiuhong Feng
Summary: Soil fungi play a crucial role in maintaining soil ecosystem functions. This study examines the composition and diversity of soil fungal communities in different vegetation types and altitudes in the alpine-gorge region on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results show significant variations in fungal community composition among different vegetation types along altitude gradients, and the effects of soil properties on fungal community composition and diversity vary depending on nutrient modes and altitudes.
Article
Microbiology
Na Wei, Xiaofeng Yue
Summary: The bacterial and fungal communities associated with hull-less barley on the Tibetan Plateau were explored, revealing the impact of altitude and soil properties on their diversity. Lower elevations were found to provide a conducive environment for the survival and maintenance of hull-less barley-associated microbiota.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jie Huang, Shichang Kang, Xinbin Feng, Wenjun Tang, Kirpa Ram, Junming Guo, Qianggong Zhang, Chhatra Mani Sharma, Chaoliu Li, Lekhendra Tripathee, Feiyue Wang
Summary: The Indian monsoon circulation plays a crucial role in transporting mercury pollution from South Asia to the Himalayas and Tibet Plateau region. A study found a strong overlap between Lake Gokyo and Indian anthropogenic sources, indicating the source of mercury from South Asia. The findings suggest that transboundary atmospheric transport can transport mercury from South Asia northwards to at least the Tanglha Mountains in the northern Himalaya-Tibet.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Dan Wang, Youpu Dong, Yi Liu, Jiaxin Duan
Summary: By measuring river profiles and studying the spatial variation in geomorphic indices, it is concluded that tectonics play a more dominant role than erosion in shaping and evolving the landscape of the Xiaojiang Region.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rachael Holmes, Pieter Pelser, Julie Barcelona, Sri Sudarmiyati Tjitrosoedirdjo, Indah Wahyuni, Mark van Kleunen, Petr Pysek, Franz Essl, Holger Kreft, Wayne Dawson, Lahiru Wijedasa, Alessandra Kortz, Martin Hejda, Juan Carlos Berrio, Iskandar Siregar, Mark Williams
Summary: There are major regional gaps in the reporting and accessibility of naturalized plant species distribution data, with particular emphasis on Southeast Asia. The Malesian Naturalized Alien Flora database (MalNAF) is introduced as a standardized checklist for naturalized vascular plant species in the Malesian phytogeographical region. This database provides valuable information on the composition, origins, and habitat preferences of the naturalized flora in the region.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Julian Schrader, Ian J. Wright, Holger Kreft, Patrick Weigelt, Samuel C. Andrew, Ian Abbott, Mark Westoby
Summary: This study extends the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography to functional traits, showing that traits can also reach equilibrium on islands. Locally extinct species are replaced by new ones sharing similar functional traits.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lirong Cai, Holger Kreft, Amanda Taylor, Pierre Denelle, Julian Schrader, Franz Essl, Mark van Kleunen, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Anke Stein, Marten Winter, Julie F. Barcelona, Nicol Fuentes, Inderjit, Dirk Nikolaus Karger, John Kartesz, Andreij Kuprijanov, Misako Nishino, Daniel Nickrent, Arkadiusz Nowak, Annette Patzelt, Pieter B. Pelser, Paramjit Singh, Jan J. Wieringa, Patrick Weigelt
Summary: This study used machine learning and conventional statistical methods to investigate and predict global plant diversity, revealing complex interactions between environmental factors and plant diversity. Current climate and environmental heterogeneity were found to be the primary drivers, while past environmental conditions had smaller but detectable impacts on plant diversity. The results provide accurate estimates of global plant diversity at resolutions relevant for conservation and macroecology.
Article
Ecology
Kevin Li, Ingo Grass, Delphine Clara Zemp, Hendrik Lorenz, Lena Sachsenmaier, Fuad Nurdiansyah, Dirk Hoelscher, Holger Kreft, Teja Tscharntke
Summary: As oil palm cultivation continues to expand at the expense of rainforests, enriching plantations with native trees is proposed as a strategy for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, the impact of tree enrichment on insect-mediated ecosystem functions has not been well studied. This study found that tree enrichment mainly affects insect-mediated ecosystem functions through canopy openness, suggesting that maintaining canopy gaps during the development of enrichment plots may be beneficial for increasing habitat heterogeneity and insect-mediated ecosystem functions.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Vanessa Cutts, Dagmar M. Hanz, Martha Paola Barajas-Barbosa, Franziska Schrodt, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Pierre Denelle, Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios, Pierre Gauzere, Matthias Grenie, Severin D. H. Irl, Nathan Kraft, Holger Kreft, Brian Maitner, Francois Munoz, Wilfried Thuiller, Cyrille Violle, Patrick Weigelt, Richard Field, Adam C. Algar
Summary: Current models of island biogeography treat endemic and non-endemic species as if they were functionally equivalent, focussing primarily on species richness. Thus, the functional composition of island biotas in relation to island biogeographical variables remains largely unknown.
Article
Plant Sciences
Amanda Taylor, Patrick Weigelt, Pierre Denelle, Lirong Cai, Holger Kreft
Summary: Plant life and growth forms play important roles in plants' strategies in relation to their environment and provide insights into ecological constraints on biodiversity distribution. Using a novel dataset, this study quantifies the contribution of different plant forms to global gradients of vascular plant diversity. Results show a major shift in plant forms from woody perennials in tropical regions to herb-dominated floras in temperate and boreal regions, following a latitudinal gradient in plant form diversity. The study also highlights the importance of contemporary climate and phylogeny in shaping plant form distributions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yuke Zhang, Jiehua Yu, Siliang Lin, Jiekun He, Yang Xu, Jiahao Tu, Haisheng Jiang
Summary: Understanding the historical causes of species endangerment is vital, yet difficult. The Hainan gibbon Nomascus hainanus has experienced a severe decline in population, with only one population remaining on Hainan Island, China. Lack of historical surveys has hindered the effective conservation management of this species. This study utilizes various data sources to reconstruct the historical distribution of Hainan gibbons and predicts suitable habitats using a species distribution model. The findings highlight the importance of historical data in understanding habitat requirements and emphasize the need for habitat recovery and elimination of human disturbances to preserve this endangered species.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vannesa Montoya-Sanchez, Holger Kreft, Isabelle Arimond, Johannes Ballauff, Dirk Berkelmann, Fabian Brambach, Rolf Daniel, Ingo Grass, Jes Hines, Dirk Hoelscher, Bambang Irawan, Alena Krause, Andrea Polle, Anton Potapov, Lena Sachsenmaier, Stefan Scheu, Leti Sundawati, Teja Tscharntke, Delphine Clara Zemp, Nathaly Guerrero-Ramirez
Summary: Increasing landscape heterogeneity through establishing tree islands in oil-palm plantations can enhance multi-taxa diversity, particularly due to the increased presence of soil fauna and habitat diversity. Soil fauna, bacteria, and fungi have a stronger association with the overall community than aboveground taxa, emphasizing the importance of considering soil biota in strategies to enhance multi-taxa diversity.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Charlotte Rault, Fabien Leprieur, Luc Barbaro, Holger Kreft, Nicolas Mouquet, Julien Papaix, Cagan H. Sekercioglu, Cyrille Violle, Jean-Yves Barnagaud
Summary: This study investigates the spatial variations in ecological traits of breeding bird assemblages on oceanic islands. It tests the hypothesis that native and naturalized alien bird species are filtered by different processes, leading to diverging associations between traits and environmental gradients. The study assesses the composition of breeding bird assemblages on oceanic islands and quantifies their ecological trait structures with respect to diet, mobility, and body mass.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Julian Schrader, Ian J. Wright, Holger Kreft, Kingsley Dixon, Rachael V. Gallagher, Samuel C. Andrew, Patrick Weigelt, Mark Westoby
Summary: This study examines the role of dispersal and environmental filtering processes in plant species colonisation on islands based on functional traits. It finds evidence for selective filters on seed mass and leaf area but not plant height. Using individual trait analysis provides more insight into island floras than multivariate functional diversity indices or trait spaces. The study is important for understanding species colonisation and filtering processes on islands.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander Seliger, Christian Ammer, Holger Kreft, Stefan Zerbe
Summary: The understorey vegetation of temperate forests plays a crucial role in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but it has undergone changes in species diversity and composition due to various factors. The conversion of even-aged coniferous forests into mixed broad-leaved forests is a major objective in sustainable forest management. This study investigated changes in the understorey vegetation of the Bavarian Spessart mountains in Germany after forest conversion, revealing a decrease in soil acidity and a shift towards species associated with broad-leaved forests.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Siliang Lin, Dandan Yao, Hongxue Jiang, Jiao Qin, Zhiyong Feng
Summary: This study simulated the potentially suitable habitats of Bandicota indica and predicted the impact of future climate change on its distribution using a parameter-optimized maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lirong Cai, Holger Kreft, Amanda Taylor, Julian Schrader, Wayne Dawson, Franz Essl, Mark Van Kleunen, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Marten Winter, Patrick Weigelt
Summary: Assessing the distribution and drivers of phylogenetic endemism in seed plants worldwide, this study finds that tropical and subtropical islands and tropical mountain regions have the highest phylogenetic endemism. Tropical rainforest regions are centers of paleoendemism, while Mediterranean-climate regions show high levels of neoendemism. Factors such as warm and wet climates, geographic isolation, and long-term climatic stability are key drivers of phylogenetic endemism. The study provides insights into the evolutionary underpinnings of biogeographical patterns and identifies areas of high evolutionary and biogeographical uniqueness for global conservation priorities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shu-ya Fan, Qiang Yang, Shao-peng Li, Trevor S. Fristoe, Marc W. Cadotte, Franz Essl, Holger Kreft, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Patrick Weigelt, John Kartesz, Misako Nishino, Jan J. Wieringa, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: Darwin's naturalization conundrum refers to the two hypotheses regarding the likelihood of closely or distantly related alien species naturalizing in regional floras. This study found a latitudinal gradient in the conundrum, with naturalized alien plant species being more closely related to natives at higher latitudes. Human landscape modification further exacerbated the gradient by selecting distantly related aliens in warmer and drier regions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Vasil Metreveli, Holger Kreft, Ilia Akobia, Zurab Janiashvili, Zaza Nonashvili, Lasha Dzadzamia, Zurab Javakhishvili, Alexander Gavashelishvili
Summary: This study examined the habitat requirements of chestnut in the Caucasus region and validated the model using data from the region.
