Status and Challenges of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau’s Grasslands: An Analysis of Causes, Mitigation Measures, and Way Forward

Abstract

Grassland ecosystems on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) provide numerous ecosystem services and functions to both local communities and the populations living downstream through the provision of water, habitat, food, herbal medicines, and shelter. This review examined the current ecological status, degradation causes, and impacts of the various grassland degradation mitigation measures employed and their effects on grassland health and growth in the QTP. Our findings revealed that QTP grasslands are continually being degraded as a result of complex biotic and abiotic drivers and processes. The biotic and abiotic actions have resulted in soil erosion, plant biomass loss, soil organic carbon loss, a reduction in grazing and carrying capacity, the emergence of pioneer plant species, loss of soil nutrients, and an increase in soil pH. A combination of factors such as overgrazing, land-use changes, invasive species encroachment, mining activities, rodent burrowing activities, road and dam constructions, tourism, migration, urbanization, and climate change have caused the degradation of grasslands on the QTP. A conceptual framework on the way forward in tackling grassland degradation on the QTP is presented together with other appropriate measures needed to amicably combat grassland degradation on the QTP. It is recommended that a comprehensive and detailed survey be carried out across the QTP to determine the percentage of degraded grasslands and hence, support a sound policy intervention.

Natural and Political Determinants of Ecological Vulnerability in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: A Case Study of Shannan, China

“…Current studies on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau mainly focus on land-use changes and grassland resources [44][45][46]. Numerous studies have investigated ecological health and eco-security and assessed the ecological risk of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau [47][48][49][50]. However, there is a lack of research on ecological vulnerability analysis connected with a detailed green project policy in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.…”

Nitrogen and phosphorus additions accelerate decomposition of slow carbon pool and lower total soil organic carbon pool in alpine meadows

“…Alpine meadow is one of the major and widely distributed grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau with much higher SOC storage than other alpine grasslands (ca. 3.02 Pg C; Ding et al, 2016;Fayiah et al, 2020). Due to harsh climatic conditions and nutrients (mainly N and P) limitation on the Tibetan Plateau, alpine meadow is very sensitive to environmental change, in particular to global warming and N and P additions (Fayiah et al, 2020;Liu, Zamanian, Schleuss, Zarebanadkouki, & Kuzyakov, 2018).…”

“…3.02 Pg C; Ding et al, 2016;Fayiah et al, 2020). Due to harsh climatic conditions and nutrients (mainly N and P) limitation on the Tibetan Plateau, alpine meadow is very sensitive to environmental change, in particular to global warming and N and P additions (Fayiah et al, 2020;Liu, Zamanian, Schleuss, Zarebanadkouki, & Kuzyakov, 2018). For example, climate change accounted for 56.7% of grassland degradation across the Tibetan Plateau (Wang et al, 2016), of which temperature increase was about three-times greater than the global warming on the average.…”

Assessment of the Ecological Impacts of Coal Mining and Restoration in Alpine Areas: A Case Study of the Muli Coalfield on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

“…Revegetation in gangue fields had a positive impact on environmental restoration [45]. With the increased vegetation cover, the physical and chemical properties of soil [46] and the soil and water conservation capacity [47] can be improved, thus increasing the stability of the regional ecosystem [48] as well as the values of the ecosystem services [49].…”