36 results
Search Results
2. Urbanization, education, and the politics of space on the Tibetan Plateau.
- Author
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Yeh, Emily T. and Makley, Charlene
- Subjects
URBANIZATION ,SOCIAL history ,ANTHROPOLOGY ,TIBET (China) politics & government - Abstract
This article provides an introduction to a special collection of five articles showcasing the work of rising scholars in the geography and anthropology of Tibetan regions in China (Eveline Washul, Andrew Grant, Tsering Bum, Huatse Gyal and Duojie Zhaxi, published in Critical Asian Studies 50: 4 and Critical Asian Studies 51: 1). It contextualizes the authors' contributions in the recent promotion of planned urbanization in Tibetan regions as the key to achieving the "Chinese Dream" under President Xi Jinping. The paper calls attention to these authors' focus on Tibetan experiences of new urbanization policies and practices, as well as their less-appreciated entanglement with shifting education priorities. Providing brief summaries of each author's case study and arguments, it points to the ways in which all five articles address the relationship between space and subjectivity, as well as the issue of constrained agency (versus simple notions of "choice"), in statist urbanization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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3. Role of resolution in regional climate change projections over China.
- Author
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Shi, Ying, Wang, Guiling, and Gao, Xuejie
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CLIMATE change ,GENERAL circulation model ,GREENHOUSE gases ,TOPOGRAPHY ,LAND surface temperature ,METEOROLOGICAL precipitation - Abstract
This paper investigates the sensitivity of projected future climate changes over China to the horizontal resolution of a regional climate model RegCM4.4 (RegCM), using RCP8.5 as an example. Model validation shows that RegCM performs better in reproducing the spatial distribution and magnitude of present-day temperature, precipitation and climate extremes than the driving global climate model HadGEM2-ES (HadGEM, at 1.875° × 1.25° degree resolution), but little difference is found between the simulations at 50 and 25 km resolutions. Comparison with observational data at different resolutions confirmed the added value of the RCM and finer model resolutions in better capturing the probability distribution of precipitation. However, HadGEM and RegCM at both resolutions project a similar pattern of significant future warming during both winter and summer, and a similar pattern of winter precipitation changes including dominant increase in most areas of northern China and little change or decrease in the southern part. Projected precipitation changes in summer diverge among the three models, especially over eastern China, with a general increase in HadGEM, little change in RegCM at 50 km, and a mix of increase and decrease in RegCM at 25 km resolution. Changes of temperature-related extremes (annual total number of daily maximum temperature > 25 °C, the maximum value of daily maximum temperature, the minimum value of daily minimum temperature in the three simulations especially in the two RegCM simulations are very similar to each other; so are the precipitation-related extremes (maximum consecutive dry days, maximum consecutive 5-day precipitation and extremely wet days’ total amount). Overall, results from this study indicate a very low sensitivity of projected changes in this region to model resolution. While fine resolution is critical for capturing the spatial variability of the control climate, it may not be as important for capturing the climate response to homogeneous forcing (in this case greenhouse gas concentration changes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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4. Reconstruction of temperature series of China for the last 1000 years.
- Author
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Wang Shaowu, Wen Xinyu, Luo Yong, Dong Wenjie, Zhao Zongci, and Yang Bao
- Subjects
TEMPERATURE ,TEMPERATURE measurements ,ICE cores ,ATMOSPHERIC temperature - Abstract
This paper reports a study on reconstructing temperature series for ten regions of China over the last 1000 years with a time resolution of 10 a. The regions concerned are: Northeast, North, East, South China, Taiwan, Central, Southwest, Northwest China, Xinjiang and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. A variety of proxy data, such as ice core, tree-rings, stalagmites, peat, lake sediments, pollen and historical records, were validated with instrumental observations made in the last 120 years, and applied in the reconstruction of the temperature series. A temperature series for whole China is then established by aver- aging the ten regional series with a weighting proportional to the area of each region. Finally, temperature variations for the last 1000 years are examined, with special focus placed on the characteristics of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), the Little Ice Age (LIA), and Modern Warming (MW). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
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5. The Prehistory of the Tibetan Plateau to the Seventh Century A.D.: Perspectives and Research from China and the West Since 1950.
- Author
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Aldenderfer, Mark and Yinong, Zhang
- Subjects
PREHISTORIC antiquities ,PLATEAUS ,ARCHAEOLOGISTS ,HISTORY - Abstract
Until recently, there has been no sense of a Tibetan prehistory. Beginning in the 1970s, however, Chinese archaeologists began to systematically explore the plateau, and began to draw an outline of the deep Tibetan past. The pace of research accelerated rapidly in the 1990s, which brought this outline into sharper focus. This paper reviews what is known of Tibetan prehistory until the seventh century A.D., when the Tibetan empire was established. Topics covered in this paper include a consideration of the antiquity of a human presence upon the plateau, changing adaptive strategies following the end of the glacial epoch, the advent of the Neolithic, and the emergence of social and political complexity. Despite significant advances in our knowledge of the Tibetan past, much work remains to be done before models of process can be examined in any detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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6. Learning to be Chinese: colonial-style boarding schools on the Tibetan plateau.
- Author
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Leibold, James and Dorjee, Tenzin
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BOARDING schools ,MINORITY students ,SOCIAL mobility ,LANGUAGE & culture - Abstract
Copyright of Comparative Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2024
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7. Projected shifts in Köppen climate zones over China and their temporal evolution in CMIP5 multi-model simulations.
- Author
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Chan, Duo, Wu, Qigang, Jiang, Guixiang, and Dai, Xianglin
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CLIMATOLOGY ,FORESTS & forestry ,NATURAL resources - Abstract
Previous studies have examined the projected climate types in China by 2100. This study identified the emergence time of climate shifts at a 1◦ scale over China from 1990 to 2100 and investigated the temporal evolution of Köppen-Geiger climate classifications computed from CMIP5 multi-model outputs. Climate shifts were detected in transition regions (7%-8% of China's land area) by 2010, including rapid replacement of mixed forest (Dwb) by deciduous forest (Dwa) over Northeast China, strong shrinkage of alpine climate type (ET) on the Tibetan Plateau, weak northward expansion of subtropical winterdry climate (Cwa) over Southeast China, and contraction of oceanic climate (Cwb) in Southwest China. Under all future RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway) scenarios, the reduction of Dwb in Northeast China and ET on the Tibetan Plateau was projected to accelerate substantially during 2010-30, and half of the total area occupied by ET in 1990 was projected to be redistributed by 2040. Under the most severe scenario (RCP8.5), sub-polar continental winter dry climate over Northeast China would disappear by 2040-50, ET on the Tibetan Plateau would disappear by 2070, and the climate types in 35.9% and 50.8% of China's land area would change by 2050 and 2100, respectively. The results presented in this paper indicate imperative impacts of anthropogenic climate change on China's ecoregions in future decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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8. A new subfamily of the grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Gomphoceridae) from the Tibetan Plateau of China.
- Author
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Zhang, Dao‐Chuan, Zhang, Yu‐Long, and Yin, Xiang‐Chu
- Subjects
GRASSHOPPERS ,ANIMAL species ,INSECT wings ,INSECT physiology ,HEBEI University (Hebei, China) - Abstract
This paper reports a new subfamily, a new genus and a new species, that is, Pacrinae subfam. nov., Pacris gen. nov and Pacris xizangensis sp. nov in Gomphoceridae. The new subfamily is allied to Orinhippinae of Gomphoceridae and it differs from the latter by wings and tympanum absent. The new genus is similar to Orinhippus Uvarov, 1921 but differs from the latter in: (i) foveolae absent; (ii) tegmina absent; (iii) tympanum absent; (iv) hind margin of pronotum with incised in the middle. Type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University, Baoding, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
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9. Two new species of Lithobius on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau identified from morphology and COI sequences (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae).
- Author
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Penghai Qiao, Wen Qin, Huiqin Ma, Tongzuo Zhang, Jianping Su, and Gonghua Lin
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LITHOBIUS ,LITHOBIIDA ,CYTOCHROME oxidase ,MOLECULAR phylogeny - Abstract
Lithobius (Ezembius) longibasitarsus sp. n. and Lithobius (Ezembius) datongensis sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, are described. A key to the species of the subgenus Ezembius in China is presented. The partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcoding gene was amplified and sequenced for eight individuals of the two new species and the dataset was used for molecular phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance determination. Both morphology and molecular data show that the specimens examined should be referred to Lithobius (Ezembius). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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10. Aeolian desertification and its causes in the Zoige Plateau of China’s Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.
- Author
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Zhibao Dong, Guangyin Hu, Changzhen Yan, Wenli Wang, and Junfeng Lu
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DESERTIFICATION ,EOLIAN processes ,HUMIDITY ,ARID regions - Abstract
Studies and efforts to control aeolian desertification in China have focused on the arid and semiarid lands in the north. However, the aeolian desertification that is occurring on the high-altitude Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, which has a cold and humid climate, has received attention only in recent years. In this paper, we report the results of monitoring this aeolian desertification between 1975 and 2005 and of our analysis of its causes on the Zoige Plateau, which is located in the northeastern part of China’s Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Aeolian desertified lands expanded at a compound annual rate of 4.07% between 1975 and 2005. They expanded most rapidly between 1975 and 1990, at an annual rate of 7.73%. Factors responsible for this expansion include increasing temperature, decreasing precipitation, over-grazing, drainage of water systems, and land reclamation for agriculture. Increasing temperature, over-grazing, and the drainage of water systems were the key factors. The climatic variations between 1975 and 2005 were not sufficient by themselves to lead to aeolian desertification. Human disturbances such as over-grazing and drainage of water systems must thus have been primarily responsible for the observed changes, and human behavior must be adjusted to control the expansion of aeolian desertification and rehabilitate the desertified lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
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11. Land use change and its driving forces on the Tibetan Plateau during 1990–2000
- Author
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Wang, Xiuhong, Zheng, Du, and Shen, Yuancun
- Subjects
- *
LAND use , *REAL estate development - Abstract
Abstract: Rapid economic development has spurred land use change in China since the Chinese government initiated its economic reform in 1978. Although many papers have analyzed the characteristics of land use change, especially cropland conversion to non-agricultural use affected by economic development in the developed regions of China, relatively less attention has been paid to studying the characteristics of land use change affected by both economic development and environmental changes in its undeveloped regions. This paper analyzes the land use change and its driving forces in Dulan County, Qinghai Province on the Tibetan Plateau during 1990–2000. The land use change was studied based on the landscape metrics change and transition matrix of land use types, while its driving forces were analyzed according to climatic changes and socioeconomic development. The study indicates that the increase of land use benefits was given great attention; however, the protection of arid environment did not attracted much attention. The study suggests that the land use should be based on the sustainable protection of arid environment on the Tibetan Plateau. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2008
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12. Ambiguity in the altitude effect of precipitation isotopes for estimating groundwater recharge elevation and paleoelevation reconstruction in the leeward side of a mountain.
- Author
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Kong, Yanlong, Pu, Tao, Wang, Ke, Shi, Xiaoyi, Ren, Yaqian, Zhang, Weizun, Pang, Zhonghe, and Cuntz, Matthias
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GROUNDWATER recharge ,ISOTOPES ,ALTITUDES ,SEA level ,STABLE isotopes ,ATMOSPHERIC circulation - Abstract
Copyright of Hydrogeology Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for cystic and alveolar echinococcosis in China: an analysis of a national population-based field survey.
- Author
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Ma, Tian, Wang, Qian, Hao, Mengmeng, Xue, Chuizhao, Wang, Xu, Han, Shuai, Zhao, Jiangshan, Ma, Xiao, Wu, Xianglin, Jiang, Xiaofeng, Cao, Lei, Yang, Yaming, Feng, Yu, Gongsang, Quzhen, Scheffran, Jürgen, Fang, Liqun, Maude, Richard James, Zheng, Canjun, Ding, Fangyu, and Wu, Weiping
- Subjects
ECHINOCOCCUS granulosus ,ECHINOCOCCOSIS ,FIELD research ,GROSS domestic product ,TROPICAL medicine ,DEMOGRAPHIC characteristics - Abstract
Background: Human cystic and alveolar echinococcosis are neglected tropical diseases that WHO has prioritized for control in recent years. Both diseases impose substantial burdens on public health and the socio-economy in China. In this study, which is based on the national echinococcosis survey from 2012 to 2016, we aim to describe the spatial prevalence and demographic characteristics of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis infections in humans and assess the impact of environmental, biological and social factors on both types of the disease. Methods: We computed the sex-, age group-, occupation- and education level-specific prevalences of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis at national and sub-national levels. We mapped the geographical distribution of echinococcosis prevalence at the province, city and county levels. Finally, by analyzing the county-level echinococcosis cases combined with a range of associated environmental, biological and social factors, we identified and quantified the potential risk factors for echinococcosis using a generalized linear model. Results: A total of 1,150,723 residents were selected and included in the national echinococcosis survey between 2012 and 2016, of whom 4161 and 1055 tested positive for cystic and alveolar echinococcosis, respectively. Female gender, older age, occupation at herdsman, occupation as religious worker and illiteracy were identified as risk factors for both types of echinococcosis. The prevalence of echinococcosis was found to vary geographically, with areas of high endemicity observed in the Tibetan Plateau region. Cystic echinococcosis prevalence was positively correlated with cattle density, cattle prevalence, dog density, dog prevalence, number of livestock slaughtered, elevation and grass area, and negatively associated with temperature and gross domestic product (GDP). Alveolar echinococcosis prevalence was positively correlated with precipitation, level of awareness, elevation, rodent density and rodent prevalence, and negatively correlated with forest area, temperature and GDP. Our results also implied that drinking water sources are significantly associated with both diseases. Conclusions: The results of this study provide a comprehensive understanding of geographical patterns, demographic characteristics and risk factors of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis in China. This important information will contribute towards developing targeted prevention measures and controlling diseases from the public health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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14. Snow depth alteration and its relation with climate variability in China.
- Author
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Saydi, Muattar, Tang, Guoping, Ding, Jianli, and Wang, Zhengang
- Subjects
SNOW accumulation ,GLOBAL warming ,METEOROLOGICAL stations ,HUMIDITY ,FREEZING points ,SNOW cover - Abstract
Various climatic factors and their interactions affect China's snow depth alterations. However, a measure of the relative importance of climatic factors regarding the variance in snow depth is lacking. Here, we use a heretofore largest dataset, quality‐controlled daily observations from 1,665 meteorological stations, and statistical analyses to identify proxy drivers and their contributions regarding regional variability and trends in China's snow depth and snow depth‐climate relationships from 1951 to 2019. Results show that seasonal snow depth alterations are substantial in China and caused by various climatic drivers. In winter, observed positive trends in the northwest and northeast of China mainly respond to augmentation in solid precipitation and snow accumulation in fall. For the Tibetan Plateau, the negative snow depth anomaly seems to respond to the rising air temperature below the freezing point along with some secular changes in solid precipitation and shallower fall snowpacks. All these trends in winter snow depth over the northwest, northeast, and Tibetan Plateau of China account approximately for 30% of the total interannual variance in spring snow depth in these regions. In the milder central north and south of China, snow accumulation is not evident. Besides solid precipitation and rising air temperature below the freezing point, atmospheric humidity is also notable for its effect on the interannual variance in winter snow depth in these regions. In spring and fall, however, the negative effect of warming climate on snow depth becomes remarkably more important. It seems that about 13–33% (12–50%) of the total interannual variance in the widespread decrease (insignificant perturbation), except for some weak increases in the northeast region (decreases in the Tibetan Plateau), of China's spring (fall) snow depth are caused by the rising air temperature below the freezing point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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15. Uppermost Mantle Seismic Pn‐Velocity in Continental China and Its Tectonic Implications.
- Author
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Ma, Jiayu, Sun, Li, Wang, Weilai, Wu, Jianping, Wang, Xiaoxin, and Wen, Lianxing
- Subjects
CRATONS ,SEISMIC event location ,SEISMIC tomography ,SEISMIC wave velocity ,IMAGING systems in seismology ,OROGENIC belts ,LOW temperatures ,HIGH temperatures - Abstract
We construct a high‐resolution Pn‐velocity model in continental China through a new tomographic scheme simultaneously inverting event epicenter location and Pn‐velocity and accurately accounting for the Pn propagation effects of irregular crustal thickness variation. The inversion integrates a combined data set of 32,427 absolute Pn travel times and 62,431 interstation Pn differential travel times manually picked from the recordings of 2,989 stations in and around continental China, yielding a model of spatial resolutions ranging from 0.75° × 0.75°–3° × 3°. Major Pn‐velocity features revealed by the model and the tectonic processes we attribute to include: (a) high Pn‐velocities beneath major cratonic blocks and the southern Tibetan Plateau attributed to low temperatures of cratons, (b) low Pn‐velocities beneath the eastern North China craton around the Tan‐Lu fault and the central South China block attributed to high temperatures and low‐Mg# (100×Mg/(Mg+Fe) $100\times \mathrm{M}\mathrm{g}/(\mathrm{M}\mathrm{g}+\mathrm{F}\mathrm{e})$) peridotites in response to the Mesozoic‐Cenozoic subduction of the Pacific plate, and beneath the Trans‐North China orogen, most regions of the Tibetan blocks and the central Tianshan orogen attributed to high temperatures after multiple tectono‐thermal events in response to the Mesozoic‐Cenozoic subduction of the Pacific plate, the Triassic convergence of the North China, Yangtze, and northern Tibetan blocks and the Cenozoic India‐Eurasia collision, and (c) intermediate Pn‐velocities beneath the marginal regions of the Ordos block and Micang‐Daba region attributed to possible extrusion of hot asthenospheric flow from the Tibetan Plateau in response to far‐field effects of the India‐Eurasia collision. Plain Language Summary: Seismic images of the uppermost mantle provide important insights into the thermochemical structure of the uppermost mantle and the physical processes of tectonic events. In this study, we construct a high‐resolution seismic compressional velocity model in the uppermost mantle beneath continental China by developing a joint inversion of seismic event location and uppermost mantle compressional velocity. The seismic image shows prominent high compressional velocities beneath the ancient blocks attributed to preservation of ancient cratons, and low and intermediate compressional velocities beneath the tectonically active blocks attributed to multiple tectono‐thermal events in response to the interactions between the geological plates or blocks in and around continental China. Key Points: We develop a new tomographic scheme integrating Pn data sets and jointly inverting event epicenter location and Pn‐velocityWe construct a high‐resolution Pn‐velocity model in continental China using a seismic data set from 2,989 seismic stationsOur model reveals detailed thermochemical responses of the uppermost mantle related to the tectonic activities in continental China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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16. Fruits of Firmiana and Craigia (Malvaceae) from the Eocene of the Central Tibetan Plateau with emphasis on biogeographic history.
- Author
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Del Rio, Cédric, Wang, Teng‐Xiang, Li, Shu‐Feng, Jia, Lin‐Bo, Chen, Pei‐Rong, Spicer, Robert A., Wu, Fei‐Xiang, Zhou, Zhe‐Kun, and Su, Tao
- Subjects
EOCENE Epoch ,MALVACEAE ,FOSSILS ,FRUIT ,PLANT diversity - Abstract
The fossil record evidences an old origin and diversification of Malvaceae in the Northern Hemisphere. The central Tibetan Plateau was at a low elevation with a monsoon influence during the Eocene, allowing the development of a subtropical flora containing Malvaceae. The taxonomic study of fossils from the Eocene of what is now the Tibetan Plateau is still ongoing. Malvaceae fossils from the Eocene Jianglang flora, are attributed to sub‐families Tilioideae and Sterculioideae, and are compared with modern species. A new specimen of Firmiana is described based on a fruit valve with a pinnate venation, the secondary veins starting at the ventral suture and reaching the midvein, and the seeds attached at the proximal part of the ventral suture. This specimen represents the earliest known occurrence of the genus. A new occurrence of Craigia is also reported based on detached membranous valves of a fruit capsule with a prominent fusiform locular area and radiating venation. Based on the fossil record of Firmiana and its modern distribution, we infer that the genus may have originated in East Asia and subsequently diversified in South China and Southeast Asia. The new occurrence of Craigia indicates that the genus was distributed in humid areas in South, Southwest and North China during the Eocene. Both fossil records evidence the important role that the Tibetan region played in the diversification of plants in East and Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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17. Proglacial river sediment fluxes in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau: Mingyong Glacier in the Upper Mekong River.
- Author
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Lu, Xixi, Zhang, Ting, Hsia, Boey Lai, Li, Dongfeng, Fair, Heather, Niu, Hewen, Chua, Samuel D. X., Li, Li, and Li, Shaojuan
- Subjects
SUSPENDED sediments ,GLACIAL erosion ,FRESH water ,WATERSHEDS ,SEDIMENTS ,RIVER sediments - Abstract
Glacial and proglacial erosion are important sediment sources in river basins. The retreat of many glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau has important implications on the supply of fresh water and sediment dynamics for downstream river basins. Despite the importance of water and sediment dynamics at these catchments, existing quantification of suspended sediment fluxes from glacial catchments on the Tibetan Plateau is limited due to poor accessibility and challenging environments. This study presents the results of in‐situ investigations of water discharge and suspended sediment fluxes from the Mingyong Glacier catchment in Yunnan, Southwest China, between August 2013 and July 2017. The results show that the variation in water discharge and suspended sediment was highly seasonal. The variation of average suspended sediment concentration was large—69 ± 45; 119 ± 104; and 94 ± 97 mg/L in 2013, 2015, and 2016, respectively. We estimate that the sediment yield from the Mingyong catchment was highly variable ranging from 1104 t/km2/year in 2013 to 2281 t/km2/year in 2016, with 65%–78% of the total annual sediment load occurring during the summer (June to August). These annual variations in sediment yield can be attributed largely to precipitation patterns and extreme melting events. This study has provided a benchmark dataset that can be used for further works that investigate the impact of climate change on sediment dynamics in glacierized catchments in the Tibetan Plateau. Subsequently, the study helps us to better understand the increasing sediment supply to the Upper Mekong River from glacierized headwater catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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18. Detection and attribution of summer temperature changes in China during the last millennium.
- Author
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Wang, Zhiyuan, Wang, Jianglin, Jia, Jia, Shi, Xiaoyi, Wang, Sisi, and Pan, Chunhua
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LITTLE Ice Age ,ATMOSPHERIC temperature ,SUMMER ,CLIMATE change ,SURFACE temperature ,TEMPERATURE - Abstract
The last millennium (LM, 1000–1850 AD) is crucial for studying historical climate change on decadal to multidecadal timescales. The summer surface air temperature (SAT) evolutions on regional scales (e.g. over China) are more uncertain than the globe/Northern Hemisphere, especially in response to external forcing factors and internal climate variability. Here, we provide one‐signal (full‐forcing) fingerprints of summer SAT in China derived from three large ensemble model archives with a multi‐proxy reconstruction during the LM, Little Ice Age (LIA, 1451–1850 AD), and Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, 1000–1250 AD), respectively. Our results show that (a) SATs in the northeast, southeast, northwest, and Tibetan Plateau (TP) regions of China show evident decreasing trends during the LM. External forcing response from all model archives agrees with the regional SAT reconstruction but underestimates variability in northwest China at the multidecadal timescale. (b) During the LIA, the summer regional SAT exhibits a cold condition in the reconstruction and simulations, especially in the northeast and northwest regions of China. External forcing responses in most model archives are the dominant factor on multidecadal SAT evolutions in the southeast, northeast, and TP regions of China and decadal SAT evolutions in northwest China. (c) During the MCA, detection and attribution of SAT shows that internal climate variability dominates in southeast, northeast, and TP regions of China, but external forcing dominates in northwest China at decadal to multidecadal timescales. These results contribute to a better understanding of the causes and mechanisms of regional climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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19. Late Miocene southwestern Chinese floristic diversity shaped by the southeastern uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.
- Author
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Jacques, Frédéric M.B., Su, Tao, Spicer, Robert A., Xing, Yao-Wu, Huang, Yong-Jiang, and Zhou, Zhe-Kun
- Subjects
- *
PLANT diversity , *PHYSIOGNOMY , *BIODIVERSITY , *MIOCENE Epoch , *PALEONTOLOGICAL excavations , *TOPOGRAPHY - Abstract
In southwestern China and Southeast Asia modern geology and topography have been influenced strongly by the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is well known for its high biodiversity and diverse vegetation types. While the present diversity is explained by the geological history of this region, to date no study has looked at how past vegetation was shaped by geological and topographical history. In this study, we focus on three coeval late Miocene leaf assemblages from Yunnan: Lincang, Xiaolongtan and Xianfeng. The palaeoelevation of these three sites is reconstructed using enthalpy as a palaeoaltimeter. Enthalpy at the fossil site is reconstructed based on leaf physiognomy; the difference between this enthalpy and enthalpy at sea-level is used as a proxy for altitude. The palaeoaltitudes are resolved as 214 ± 901 m asl for Lincang, 530 ± 901 m asl for Xiaolongtan, and 1936 ± 901 m asl for Xianfeng. The floristic components of these floras are analysed for their geographical elements. There is a gradient in the percentage of tropical genera between the three floras from Lincang, at the lowest elevation, to Xianfeng, at the highest level. For Lincang, this percentage exceeds the threshold used to define present day tropical regions. Our results demonstrate that there was already a floristic differentiation in Yunnan during the late Miocene. Floras with tropical affinities were at low altitude, whereas floras with temperate affinities were at high altitude. With the later uplift of southern Yunnan, floras with tropical affinities retreated to the south where they are still present. The uplift framework reconstructed in this paper gives a tectonic context for further studies on the impact of uplift on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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20. Strong Seasonal Variations of Seismic Velocity in Eastern Margin of Tibetan Plateau and Sichuan Basin From Ambient Noise Interferometry.
- Author
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Li, Jinwu, Song, Xiaodong, Yang, Yi, Li, Mengkui, Li, Jiangtao, and Li, Yane
- Subjects
SEISMIC wave velocity ,INTERFEROMETRY ,METEOROLOGICAL precipitation - Abstract
Ambient noise interferometry between seismic stations makes it possible to monitor temporal changes of the Earth's media continuously. Here, we examined seasonal changes of Rayleigh‐wave empirical Greens functions at 2–10‐s period from 8 years of continuous data of 200 seismic station pairs in Sichuan, China. We used a wavelet decomposition to extract the seasonal signals. We found that most station pairs show seasonal variations with velocity perturbations of up to 0.8%. The seasonality varies in strength, amplitude, phase, periods, and location, but the phase is remarkably consistent, with the largest changes mostly in summer or winter months. We believe that the cause of the seasonality is likely the elastic loading due to regional precipitation. The effect is greater in the tectonically active Tibetan Plateau margin than in the stable Sichuan basin and in the deeper crust than in the uppermost crust. The effect is also strongly influenced by local crustal structure. Our results indicate that studies of tectonic crustal changes need to consider non‐tectonic effects. Plain Language Summary: Monitoring of the temporal variations of the sub‐surface medium has been a long‐sought goal for understanding earthquake genesis. A recent technology (so‐called ambient noise interferometry) that uses ubiquitous ambient noise of the Earth allows the extraction of seismic surface waves between two observing receivers, which makes it possible to monitor changes in the earth's crust continuously. In this study, we used 8 years of continuous data from a network of seismic stations in Sichuan, China and found strong seasonal signals in seismic velocity. The seasonal changes show some distinct patterns; the largest changes generally occur in the summer or winter months and are stronger in the earthquake‐prone Tibetan Plateau margin than in the stable Sichuan Basin. But the seasonal changes are complex, depending on sampling paths. We believe that the seasonal changes are related to the loading of annual rainfalls or snowfalls, which change crustal properties. The magnitudes of the seasonal velocity changes are much greater than those induced by tectonic activities. Thus, understanding the seasonal variations is essential in improving our capability to detect the signals from earthquakes and volcanoes. Key Points: Strong seasonal variations in seismic velocity are observed in Sichuan, China from ambient noise interferometryThe seasonality varies in strength, amplitude, phase, periods, and locationThe cause of the seasonality is likely the effects of elastic loading from the precipitation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
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21. Lithobius (Ezembius) polyommatus sp. n. and Lithobius (Ezembius) dulanensis sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae), two new species from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.
- Author
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Qiao, Penghai, Ma, Huiqin, Pei, Sujian, Zhang, Tongzuo, and Su, Jianping
- Subjects
LITHOBIUS ,LITHOBIIDAE ,ANATOMY ,THORACIC vertebrae - Abstract
Lithobius (Ezembius) polyommatus sp. n. and Lithobius (Ezembius) dulanensis sp. n. discovered from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, are described. The two new species are morphologically similar, but could be distinguished by having mostly 12 ocelli other than 14 ocelli, anterior accessory spur absent versus present on legs 14, dorsal sulci on male 14th legs absent versus present and dorsal lateral setae short, only the largest as stout as the general setae instead of only long setae on the second article of the female gonopod. A key to the Chinese species of Ezembius is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Past and present: the status and distribution of otters (Carnivora: Lutrinae) in China.
- Author
-
Li, Fei and Chan, Bosco Pui Lok
- Subjects
OTTERS ,SPECIES distribution ,ANIMAL ecology - Abstract
Three species of otters are known from China; the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra is widespread throughout the country and the smooth-coated Lutrogale perspicillata and Asian small-clawed otters Aonyx cinereus occur in tropical and subtropical regions. We summarize the past status and distribution of otters in China, and provide an update based on a literature review, interviews and field surveys. Otter populations have undergone a dramatic countrywide decline, and are extirpated over much of their former ranges. Relict populations persist, however, in well-protected nature reserves, in sparsely populated headwaters of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, at remote sites along international borders, and in densely populated deltas and floodplains. Recent records were mostly of the Eurasian otter, and we could find no confirmed recent record of the smooth-coated otter. The otters that survive in certain well-protected sites could act as source populations for recolonization if adequate conservation interventions are implemented. Urgent, focused action is needed to protect the remaining populations, and to study the taxonomy and ecology of China's otters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Trade-Offs and Synergies in Ecosystem Service within the Three-Rivers Headwater Region, China.
- Author
-
Ze Han, Wei Song, Xiangzheng Deng, and Xinliang Xu
- Subjects
WATER supply ,SOIL conservation ,ECOSYSTEM services ,SUSTAINABLE development ,ENVIRONMENTAL protection - Abstract
The Three-Rivers Headwaters region (TRHR) is an ecological shelter located in the northeast of the Tibetan Plateau, China, that provides environmental protection and regional sustainable development. This region also provides ecosystem services including water supply and soil conservation and exerts major impacts on both its surroundings, as well as the whole of China. A number of ecological restoration projects have been initiated within the TRHR since 2000, including the creation of a natural reserve. Analyses of trends in land use/land cover (LULC), net primary productivity (NPP), water yield and soil conservation within the TRHR are presented based on regional climate and land use datasets and utilizing the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model in tandem with the double mass curve (DMC) approach. The results of this study reveal a series of correlations between ecosystem services and lead to four distinct conclusions. First, the amount of variation between 2000 and 2012 in each LULC type within the TRHR was small. In particular, grassland substitution occurred in high-altitude areas and increased in central areas. Second, NPP, water yield, soil conservation amount and the volume of exported phosphorus (P) decreased along an east-west gradient with values of 64.44%, 38.81%, 7.37% and -49.98% recorded, respectively, between 2000 and 2012. The ecosystem services of the Yellow River basin to the east of the TRHR generally improved over the study period, while those of the Yangtze River and Lancang River basins where enhanced to a lesser extent, and obvious degradation was observed in some local areas. Third, the ecosystem services provided by forested land were highest, followed by grassland and cultivated land, respectively. Fourth, synergistic relationships were observed within the TRHR between NPP, water yield and soil conservation amount, indicating that increasing NPP simultaneously increased the values for these related factors. Synergistic relationships were also recorded between water yield and the amount of exported P, suggesting that increases in the former cause a reduction in water purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Mercury in forest mushrooms and topsoil from the Yunnan highlands and the subalpine region of the Minya Konka summit in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau.
- Author
-
Falandysz, Jerzy, Saba, Martyna, Liu, Hong-Gao, Li, Tao, Wang, Ji-Peng, Wiejak, Anna, Zhang, Ji, Wang, Yuan-Zhong, and Zhang, Dan
- Subjects
COMPOSITION of mushrooms ,TOPSOIL ,MERCURY in soils ,SUBALPINE zone - Abstract
This study aimed to investigate and discuss the occurrence and accumulation of mercury in the fruiting bodies of wild-growing fungi (Macromycetes) collected from montane forests in two regions of southwestern China with differences in soil geochemistry, climate and geographical conditions. Fungal mycelia in soils of the subalpine region of the Minya Konka (Gongga Mountain) in Sichuan and in the highlands of Yunnan efficiently accumulated mercury in fruiting bodies (mushrooms). The examined sites in Yunnan with highly mineralized red and yellow soils showed Hg contents ranging from 0.066 to 0.28 mg kg dry biomass (db) which is roughly similar to the results obtained for samples collected from sites with dark soils relatively rich in organic matter from a remote, the subalpine region of Minya Konka. Due to the remoteness of the subalpine section of Minya Konka, as well as its elevation and climate, airborne mercury from long-range transport could be deposited preferentially on the topsoil and the Hg levels determined in soil samples taken beneath the fruiting bodies were up to 0.48 mg kg dry matter. In Yunnan, with polymetallic soils (Circum-Pacific Mercuriferous Belt), Amanita mushrooms showed mercury in caps of fruiting bodies of up to 7.3 mg kg dry biomass. Geogenic Hg from the mercuriferous belt seems to be the overriding source of mercury accumulated in mushrooms foraged in the regions of Yunnan, while long-range atmospheric transport and subsequent deposition are the mercury sources for specimens foraged in the region of Minya Konka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Organ Mass Variation in a Toad Headed Lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii in Response to Hypoxia and Low Temperature in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.
- Author
-
Han, Jimin, Guo, Ronghui, Li, Jiaqi, Guan, Chen, Chen, Yu, and Zhao, Wei
- Subjects
PHRYNOCEPHALUS ,HYPOXEMIA ,MOUNTAIN animals ,LOW temperatures ,PHENOTYPIC plasticity - Abstract
Hypoxia and low temperature at high altitudes are the main environmental pressures for alpine animals, inducing phenotypic plasticity at several levels. To investigate the effect of these variables on the organ mass of Phrynocephalus vlangalii, 138 individuals belonging to four populations living along an altitudinal gradient in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (China) were dissected to remove heart, lungs, stomach, and intestinal tract. Organ dry mass, individuals’ sex, and body mass, as well as mean annual temperature and average air pressure (calculated from a 30-year-data series obtained from the National Climatic Data Center) were subjected to two-way analyses of covariance and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). Except for the heart, organ mass varied significantly among populations, although only lung and stomach mass increased significantly with increasing altitude. Males’ heart and lung mass was higher than that of females, which might be due to their different behavior and reproductive efforts. GLMM analyses indicated that air pressure had a positive effect on heart, lung and intestinal tract mass, whereas temperature had a negative effect on these three organs. In order to explain the effect of hypoxia and low temperature on P. vlangalii’s organ mass, further rigorous study on respiration, energy budget and food intake was encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Effects of human activity on erosion, sedimentation and debris flow activity – A case study of the Qionghai Lake watershed, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, China.
- Author
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Chen, Ningsheng, Chen, Mingli, Li, Jun, He, Na, Deng, Mingfeng, Iqbal Tanoli, Javed, and Cai, Ming
- Subjects
HUMAN behavior ,HUMAN ecology ,EROSION ,SEDIMENTATION & deposition ,LAKES - Abstract
We report the results of a study of the Qionghai Lake watershed, located on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China, designed to investigate the effects of human activity on changes in soil erosion intensity, debris flow activity and lacustrine sedimentation. The results indicate that the mean denudation rate of the watershed was about 0.82 mm/yr during the Holocene. However, since 1952, the rate has increased to 1.82 mm/yr, accompanied by a greatly increased sedimentation rate in Qionghai Lake. The increased denudation rate was accompanied by increases in population and the related intensified exploitation of land resources, including deforestation and an increase in the area of cultivated land. In addition, the increasing rate of denudation and lacustrine sedimentation is closely linked to the increased frequency of flooding and debris flows in the watershed. Based on our results, we estimate that the longevity of Qionghai Lake is about 1200 years in the case of natural evolution; however, this is reduced to 540 years in the context of continued intensive human activity in the region. These findings are important for the mitigation of mountain hazards such as debris flows and for the promotion of sustainable economic development in the Qionghai Lake area. They also provide a basis for obtaining an improved estimate of changes in denudation rate on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Evaluation of extreme climate events using a regional climate model for China.
- Author
-
Ji, Zhenming and Kang, Shichang
- Subjects
ATMOSPHERIC models ,CLIMATE change ,CLIMATOLOGY - Abstract
ABSTRACT Extreme climate events over China at the end of the 21st century (2080-2099) are investigated using the regional climate model RegCM4. Model performance is validated through comparison between observations and simulations over the period 1985-2005. The results show that RegCM4 can satisfactorily reproduce the spatial distribution of extreme climate events over China. The model simulates temperature extremes more accurately than precipitation. Under the RCP8.5 (high emission) scenario, the number of frost days decreases, and both the heat wave duration index and the growing season length increase dramatically towards the end of the 21st century. Changes in extreme temperature become increasingly pronounced from South to North China, with the most significant changes occurring on the Tibetan Plateau ( TP). The proportion of heavy precipitation generally increases, except on the southern TP. The number of very heavy precipitation days increases by 25-50% in Northwest and East China. In winter, the number of consecutive dry days ( CDD) decreases in North China and increases in South China. The greatest increases in CDD are found in June, July and August ( JJA) in Southwest China. In a future that follows this scenario, drought events may be aggravated in Southwest China, and decrease in North China. In contrast, when repeating these projections under the assumption of the RCP4.5 scenario for emissions, the frequency of extreme climate events is reduced. These results suggest that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions may mitigate the effects of climate change over the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. A CMIP5 multimodel projection of future temperature, precipitation, and climatological drought in China.
- Author
-
Wang, Lin and Chen, Wen
- Subjects
METEOROLOGICAL precipitation ,DROUGHTS ,GLOBAL warming ,TEMPERATURE - Abstract
ABSTRACT In this study, fine-resolution multimodel climate projections over China are developed based on 35 climate models and two emissions scenarios ( RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) from phase five of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project ( CMIP5) by means of Bias Correction and Spatial Disaggregation. The yearly-averaged temperature is projected to increase by 0.8 to 1.6 °C (0.8 to 1.7 °C), 1.5 to 2.7 °C (2 to 3.7 °C), and 1.9 to 3.3 °C (3.4 to 6 °C) under RCP4.5 ( RCP8.5) in three time slices (2010-2039, 2040-2069, and 2070-2099), respectively. The most warming occurs in winter and the least in summer, and the inland areas in the northwest will warm much faster than the southeast. Under the background of surface warming, the probability of extreme low temperatures in winter defined as the monthly temperature being lower than the 9th percentile of the climatological distribution will sharply reduce to 0.1-1.7% under RCP4.5 for the period 2010-2039 and even lower for the following decades. For precipitation change, a remarkable increase is found over most areas of China except the Southwest, ranging from approximately 2 to 20%. The projected precipitation changes are highly robust in northern China, but inconsistent in southern China. In spite of widespread precipitation increases, most areas of China quantified by the Palmer Drought Severity Index are projected to become drier as a consequence of increasing evaporation driven by temperature increases. Detailed examination shows that drought that is moderate or severe according to current climate standards will become the norm in the future. Not only will incidences of severe and extreme drought increase dramatically in the future, but extreme wet events will also become more probable. Furthermore, the increasing drought risk in Southwest China and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is nearly twice that for other parts of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. The Eocene climate of China, the early elevation of the Tibetan Plateau and the onset of the Asian Monsoon.
- Author
-
Wang, Qing, Spicer, Robert A., Yang, Jian, Wang, Yu‐Fei, and Li, Cheng‐Sen
- Subjects
EOCENE palynology ,EOCENE paleoclimatology ,PALEOCLIMATOLOGY ,METEOROLOGICAL precipitation ,MONSOONS - Abstract
Eocene palynological samples from 37 widely distributed sites across China were analysed using co-existence approach to determine trends in space and time for seven palaeoclimate variables: Mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, mean temperature of the warmest month, mean temperature of the coldest month, mean annual range of temperature, mean maximum monthly precipitation and mean minimum monthly precipitation. Present day distributions and observed climates within China of the nearest living relatives of the fossil forms were used to find the range of a given variable in which a maximum number of taxa can coexist. Isotherm and isohyet maps for the early, middle and late Eocene were constructed. These illustrate regional changing patterns in thermal and precipitational gradients that may be interpreted as the beginnings of the modern Asian Monsoon system, and suggest that the uplift of parts of the Tibetan Plateau appear to have taken place by the middle to late Eocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. The melectine bee genera Brachymelecta and Sinomelecta (Hymenoptera, Apidae).
- Author
-
Engel, Michael S. and Michener, Charles D.
- Subjects
HYMENOPTERA behavior ,APIDAE ,INSECT morphology - Abstract
The enigmatic, cleptoparasitic bee genera Brachymelecta Linsley and Sinomelecta Baker (Apinae: Melectini) are redescribed, each represented by a single species which has not been reencountered since capture of the type series ca. 1878 and 1900, respectively. Both genera are the only melectines to possess two submarginal cells in the forewing but are otherwise wholly dissimilar. Brachymelecta mucida (Cresson), a species known only from the male holotype collected in "Nevada", is newly described and figured, including the first account of the hidden sterna and genitalia. Sinomelecta oreina Baker is similarly described and figured based on the holotype male and paratype female, apparently collected from the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Both genera are valid and from the available data do not appear to represent merely autapomorphic forms of Melecta Latreille. Indeed, the terminalia of S. oreina are in some respects more similar to those of species of Thyreus Panzer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Spatial and temporal patterns of variations in tree growth over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the period AD 1450-2001.
- Author
-
Bao Yang, Chun Qin, Kai Huang, Zexin Fan, and Jingjing Liu
- Subjects
TREE growth ,ATMOSPHERIC circulation ,PALEOCLIMATOLOGY ,DENDROCHRONOLOGY ,PRINCIPAL components analysis ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
We analyzed spatial and temporal growth variations of Qilian Junipers over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) during the period 1450—2001 by applying the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) technique to seven moisture-sensitive tree ring-width chronologies. The first three principal components together explain 78.21% of the total variance. The first principal component (PC1) accounts for 51.58% of the total variance, and represents consistent tree-growth variations in the northeastern TP. The second EOF mode reveals an opposite structure for the southern and northern parts of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, reflecting the effect of huge topography and associated atmospheric circulation on tree-growth anomalies. The third EOF mode represents an opposite structure for the eastern and western parts of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, possibly indicating the influence of different branches of atmospheric circulation system in this area. The EOF analysis results of instrumental precipitation data resemble those derived from the seven regional chronologies, providing further support that tree growth is a good indicator of regional precipitation variations. According to the PC1, dry conditions occurred in AD 1450—1510, 1631—1739, 1765—1833, 1866—1883 and 1921—1947, whereas periods of relatively wet years are identified for AD 1511—1630, 1740—1764, 1834—1865, 1884—1920 and 1948—2001. During the past 550 years, 28 years with extreme regional growth depressions was identified. These ring-width extremes generally occurred in century-scale dry periods. The years 1467, 1484, 1641, 1721, and 1928 with extreme tree-growth reductions in the northeastern TP are coeval with severe drought events in eastern China. In addition, the dry intervals or extreme growth depressions generally coincided with cold periods in the northeastern TP and vice versa, implying that the probability of occurrence of wet events in the northeastern TP will be higher in the future under the ongoing global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. People, money, and protected areas: the collection of the caterpillar mushroom Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the Baima Xueshan Nature Reserve, Southwest China.
- Author
-
Weckerle, Caroline S., Yongping Yang, Huber, Franz K., and Qiaohong Li
- Subjects
CORDYCEPS ,MUSHROOMS ,HABITATS ,NATURE reserves ,BIODIVERSITY conservation ,ANIMAL populations - Abstract
The caterpillar mushroom Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis) is among the most valuable mushrooms in the world, and plays a major role for the local economies in its distribution area on the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions. Large proportions of its habitat fall into protected areas, and best practice of sustainable harvest is under discussion, considering both, O. sinensis as a valuable income source for rural poor and protection of its populations and habitat. This study aims for a detailed analysis of O. sinensis collection in a nature reserve in Southwest China. We found that harvesting is unevenly distributed among households and villages, with households who have access to the resource but lack adequate alternatives for income generation such as rewarding wage labor, fertile agricultural fields or harvest of other high value products being most involved. Although collection is de jure forbidden, authorities of the nature reserve apply adaptive management strategies for sustainable resource use. This includes the allocation of collection areas to communities based on their traditional land use strategies and the control of harvesters from outside, triggering self-policing of the resource by the local people. The strategies applied provide a promising model also for other protected areas where the caterpillar mushroom is collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Variations in soil properties and their effect on subsurface biomass distribution in four alpine meadows of the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau of China.
- Author
-
Yang, Jianping, Mi, Rui, and Liu, Junfeng
- Subjects
SOIL science ,SOIL physics ,BIOMASS ,SOILS & climate ,MOUNTAIN meadows - Abstract
To understand and predict the role of soils in changes in alpine meadow ecosystems during climate warming, soil monoliths, extending from the surface to the deepest roots, were collected from Carex moorcroftii, Kobresia humilis, mixed grass, and Kobresia pygmaea alpine meadows in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau, China. The monoliths were used to measure the distribution with depth of biomass, soil grain size, soil nutrient levels, and soil moisture. With the exception of the K. pygmaea meadow, the percentages of gravel and coarse sand in the soils were high, ranging from 37.7 to 57.8% for gravel, and from 18.7 to 27.9% for coarse sand. The texture was finest in the upper 10 cm soil layer, and generally became coarser with increasing depth. Soil nutrients were concentrated in the top 15 cm soil layer, especially in the top 10 cm. Soil water content was low, ranging from 3 to 28.4%. Most of the subsurface biomass was in the top 10 cm, with concentrations of 79.8% in the K. humilis meadow, 77.6% in the mixed grass meadow, and 62.3% in the C. moorcroftii meadow. Owing to deeper root penetration, the concentration of subsurface biomass in the upper 10 cm of K. pygmaea soil was only 41.7%. The subsurface biomass content decreased exponentially with depth; this is attributed to the increase in grain size and decrease in soil nutrient levels with depth. Soil water is not a primary factor influencing the vertical and spatial distribution of subsurface biomass in the study area. The lack of fine material and of soil nutrients resulted in low surficial and subsurface biomass everywhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Statistical Analysis of Reference Evapotranspiration on the Tibetan Plateau.
- Author
-
Ye, Jiansheng, Guo, Anhong, and Sun, Guojun
- Subjects
RADIATION ,EVAPOTRANSPIRATION ,EQUATIONS ,METEOROLOGY ,UPPER air temperature - Abstract
Net radiation is an important and site-specific component to determine reference evapotranspiration (ET
0 ). The empirical Angstrom coefficients for radiation estimation in the FAO56 Penman–Monteith (PM) equation were calibrated using observed daily solar radiation and actual sunshine duration on the Tibetan Plateau. The calibrated Angstom coefficients included annual coefficients for nine meteorological stations separately and aggregation of nine stations. The calibrated annual coefficients for each station separately were applied to estimate net radiation and further employed to estimate ET0 using the PM and the Priestley–Taylor (PT) equations on the Tibetan Plateau. Moreover, the Hargreaves (Harg) equation that requires only air temperature was also applied to estimate ET0 . Comparisons of three methods were conducted and the results showed that the PT method overestimated daily ET0 with respect to PM–ET0 and the Harg method underestimated it at all meteorological stations. The PT method was more suitable for the study area in the absence of the parameters necessary for the calculation of PM–ET0 . The Harg equation provides ET0 estimates when only air temperature is available and local calibration in the study can be applied on the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Biogeographical patterns of Chinese spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) based on a parsimony analysis of endemicity.
- Author
-
Meng, Kaibaryer, Shuqiang Li, and Murphy, Robert W.
- Subjects
SPIDERS ,BIOGEOGRAPHY ,NATURE reserves ,ARACHNIDA ,ENDEMIC animals ,PHYSIOGRAPHIC provinces ,NATIONAL parks & reserves - Abstract
Aim The distributions of Chinese spiders are used to form biotic regions and to infer biogeographical patterns. Location China. Methods China was initially divided into 294 quadrats of 2° latitude by 2° longitude. The distributions of 958 species of spiders were summarized for each quadrat. Subsequently, these quadrats were pooled into 28 areas based on topographical characteristics and to a lesser extent on the distributions of spiders. Parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to classify the 28 areas based on the shared distributional patterns of spiders. Results China was found to have seven major biogeographical regions based on the distributional patterns of spiders: Western Northern region (clade B
2 : Tibetan Plateau and Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang subregions), Central Northern region (clade B3 ), Eastern Northern region (clade B4 ), Central region (clade C2 ), Eastern Southern region (clade C3 ), Western Southern region (clade C4 ), and Central Southern region (clade C5 ). Main conclusions The distributional patterns of Chinese spiders correspond broadly to geological provinces. A comparison of the geological provinces and the distributional patterns of spiders reveals that the spiders occur south of the geological provinces. Furthermore, a general biogeographical classification with five natural areas is suggested as follows: Tibetan Plateau, Central Northern, Eastern Northern, Western Northern (excluding Tibetan Plateau), and Southern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. A tree-ring record of 500-year dry-wet changes in northern Tibet, China.
- Author
-
Xiaochun Wang, Qi-Bin Zhang, Keping Ma, and Shengchun Xiao
- Subjects
DROUGHTS ,CLIMATOLOGY observations ,HISTORICAL chronology ,PLEISTOCENE stratigraphic geology ,SURFACE tension ,WATER supply ,SCIENTIFIC method - Abstract
Drought variability of the Tibetan Plateau is an important component across the Asian monsoon. Long-term information about the history of drought is, however, limited because the instrumental records are short. In this study we developed a tree-ring chronology of Sabina tibetica from northern Tibet and used it to reconstruct the history of drought variation for the region. Response analysis shows that water availability in spring and early summer is the main factor limiting the radial growth of Sabina trees in northern Tibet. A May-June Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) reconstruction for the past 500 years (r = 0.66, P < 0.0001) shows that the seventeenth century was the driest century, whereas the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries were the wettest. The sixteenth century was not significantly different from the long-term mean. The major periods of reconstructed dry conditions include AD 1600-1610, 1617-1624, 1630-1632, 1639-1654, 1665-1681 and 1692-1701. Significant wetter periods were found to be AD 1520-1532, 1702-1705, 1716-1722, 1752-1758, 1839-1857 and 1928-1943. The drought rhythm in northern Tibet has three prominent periodicities: 2-7 and 130-200 years for the whole reconstruction and 16-24 years during the 'Little Ice Age' (1520 to 1720). Two points of significant abrupt change in tree rings were found in years of 1530 and 1715, which may indicate the onset of dry and wet conditions during the 'Little Ice Age'. There is an abrupt change around 1965, which may foreshow the beginning of regional prominent warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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