Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary
Alpine grasslands are a common feature on the extensive (2.6 million km<sup>2</sup>) Qinghai–Tibet plateau in western and southwestern China. These grasslands are characterized by their ability to thrive at high altitudes and in areas with short growing seasons and low humidity. Alpine s...
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/18/6488 |
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| author | Haiying Feng Victor R. Squires |
| author_facet | Haiying Feng Victor R. Squires |
| author_sort | Haiying Feng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alpine grasslands are a common feature on the extensive (2.6 million km<sup>2</sup>) Qinghai–Tibet plateau in western and southwestern China. These grasslands are characterized by their ability to thrive at high altitudes and in areas with short growing seasons and low humidity. Alpine steppe and alpine meadow are the principal plant Formations supporting a rich species mix of grass and forb species, many of them endemic. Alpine grasslands are the mainstay of pastoralism where yaks and hardy Tibetan sheep and Bactrian camels are the favored livestock in the cold arid region. It is not only their importance to local semi nomadic herders, but their role as headwaters of nine major rivers that provide water to more than one billion people in China and in neighboring countries in south and south-east Asia and beyond. Grasslands in this region were heavily utilized in recent decades and are facing accelerated land degradation. Government and herder responses, although quite different, are being implemented as climate change and the transition to the market economy proceeds apace. Problems and prospects for alpine grasslands and the management regimes being imposed (including sedentarization, resettlement and global warming are briefly discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:15:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-25ba5f61fad8410490c8ca46d658dce2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:15:21Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj.art-25ba5f61fad8410490c8ca46d658dce22023-11-20T14:05:14ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-09-011018648810.3390/app10186488Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A CommentaryHaiying Feng0Victor R. Squires1Qinzhou Development Research Institute, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, ChinaFaculty of Natural Resources, Formerly University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaAlpine grasslands are a common feature on the extensive (2.6 million km<sup>2</sup>) Qinghai–Tibet plateau in western and southwestern China. These grasslands are characterized by their ability to thrive at high altitudes and in areas with short growing seasons and low humidity. Alpine steppe and alpine meadow are the principal plant Formations supporting a rich species mix of grass and forb species, many of them endemic. Alpine grasslands are the mainstay of pastoralism where yaks and hardy Tibetan sheep and Bactrian camels are the favored livestock in the cold arid region. It is not only their importance to local semi nomadic herders, but their role as headwaters of nine major rivers that provide water to more than one billion people in China and in neighboring countries in south and south-east Asia and beyond. Grasslands in this region were heavily utilized in recent decades and are facing accelerated land degradation. Government and herder responses, although quite different, are being implemented as climate change and the transition to the market economy proceeds apace. Problems and prospects for alpine grasslands and the management regimes being imposed (including sedentarization, resettlement and global warming are briefly discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/18/6488endemismfloristicsnomadicyakslivestockculture |
| spellingShingle | Haiying Feng Victor R. Squires Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary Applied Sciences endemism floristics nomadic yaks livestock culture |
| title | Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary |
| title_full | Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary |
| title_fullStr | Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary |
| title_short | Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary |
| title_sort | socio environmental dynamics of alpine grasslands steppes and meadows of the qinghai tibetan plateau china a commentary |
| topic | endemism floristics nomadic yaks livestock culture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/18/6488 |
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