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The Qinling belt is a transitional zone lying among three units: the North China block (NCB), the South China block (SCB) and the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (NETP). Owing to the interaction of these units, complex deformation has occurred in the Qinling belt. Although many studies have been conducted to understand the deformation mechanism in the Qinling belt, some key issues are still under debate, such as whether middle-lower crustal flow exists beneath the western Qinling belt (WQB). High-resolution images of subsurface structures are essential to shed light on the deformation mechanism. In this paper, high-resolution images of the velocity structure and azimuthal anisotropy beneath the Qinling belt are obtained by using an eikonal equation-based traveltime tomography method. Our seismic tomography inverts 38 719 high-quality P -wave first arrivals from 1697 regional earthquakes recorded by 387 broad-band seismic stations. In the WQB, our tomography results show low-velocity anomalies but relatively weak anisotropy in the middle-lower crust. These features suggest that middle-lower crustal flow may not exist in this area. In the central Qinling belt (CQB), we find low-velocity anomalies in the middle-lower crust; however, the fast velocity directions no longer trend E–W but vary from NNE–SSW to N–S. These characteristics can be ascribed to the convergence and collision between the NCB and the SCB. In addition, we find strong low-velocity anomalies in the uppermost mantle beneath the CQB, which may indicate delamination of the lower crust. In the southern Qinling belt, we observe significant high-velocity anomalies in the upper crust beneath the Hannan–Micang and Shennong–Huangling domes. These high-velocity anomalies indicate a mechanically strong upper crust, which is responsible for the arc-shaped deformation process of the Dabashan fold. Based on the P -wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropic structures revealed by the inversion of high-quality seismic data, the deformation of the Qinling belt is affected mainly by the convergence between the NCB and the SCB rather than by the middle-lower crustal flow from the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the statistics of cloud cover at night from 2016 to 2018 above the Ali observatory has been summarized, using the meso-scale numerical model and the cameras (Canon and AllSky-340 Camera). Above the western Tibetan Plateau, in the area of 200 km × 200 km centred at the Ali site, the average cloud cover during night was basically less than 30 per cent in 2016, and the Ali site was located in the zone with small value around 20 per cent; large cloud cover always occurred in summer, with mean value above 50 per cent in most parts of this area; while in winter, the smallest cloud cover was basically below 10 per cent; in other seasons, the cloud cover was mostly less than 30 per cent, and the Ali site located in the zone with cloud cover below 10 per cent in autumn and below 20 per cent in spring. At each monitored field of view from 90° to 45°, the cloud cover varied little; the proportion of clear nights with cloud cover below 10 per cent was close to 60 per cent of total observable nights per year, and the less cloudy nights with cloud cover below 40 per cent accounted for more than 70 per cent, besides, the observable nights with cloud cover below 70 per cent was around 80 per cent every year. Generally, the cloud cover condition at the Ali observatory above the western plateau is excellent, there are always abundant observable nights, while a bit worse just in July and August. Meanwhile, the numerical model has been proved to be a reliable tool to estimate cloud cover conditions above the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Daliang Shan is a tectonic unit that connects the active southeastern Tibetan Plateau with the stable South China block. As a newly generated (formed later than the Xianshuihe–Xiaojiang active fault system) seismotectonic zone induced by the Tibetan tectonics, the detailed constraints of the crustal deformation are central to the understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of the Tibetan expansion. This paper establishes and analyses a high-spatial resolution global positioning system (GPS) velocity field from a dense GPS network in this region. Our modelling results indicate that, in contrast to the equivalent sinistral strike-slip rate of approximately 5 mm yr–1 on the Anninghe–Zemuhe and Daliangshan faults, their inferred interseismic locking depth varies within a large range. The southern segment of the Anninghe Fault and the middle segment of the Daliangshan Fault have deep locking depths of ∼13 km, indicating that the seismic risk is high in these areas. In addition, the detectable counter-clockwise rotation rate of 0.35 ± 0.12° Myr–1 of the Mabian block makes a significant contribution of ∼50 per cent to the strike-slip motion on its boundary faults. This counter-clockwise rotation may be induced by a left-lateral shear gradient with southeastward motion relative to the South China-fixed reference frame, indicating the significance of a simple-shear pattern in exploring the kinematics of the encroachment of the Tibetan tectonics upon a stable block (craton). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive site survey of the Delingha site on the northern Tibetan Plateau from 2012 to 2014. In this campaign, we investigated 24 h continuous astronomical seeing, meteorological properties, and |$C_{n}^{2}$| in the ground layer (GL). The results show that the median seeing is 3.46 arcsec during the day and 1.80 arcsec during the night. The best nighttime seeing occurs in summer (1.66 arcsec), while the worst occurs in autumn (1.96 arcsec). Seeing exhibits obvious diurnal behaviour, with the worst seeing occurring around mid-day (11:00 to 14:00, Beijing time), and the best seeing just before sunset (18:00 to 20:00, Beijing time). Moreover, the Delingha site has good meteorological properties for astronomical observations during the measurement period, especially the low median wind speed (2.8 m s−1) and great temperature inversion (day: −0.3 K, night: 0.6 K). As for the vertical distribution of |$C_{n}^{2}$|⁠ , the exponential h −0.46 dependence of |$C_{n}^{2}$| varying with height in the GL is also obtained, and its power index is significantly related to the seasons. Furthermore, we calculated the contribution of optical turbulence in the GL to the whole atmosphere. Turbulence within the GL contributes significantly in summer, and its contribution can reach more than 35 per cent. Finally, we present the complete dependence analysis of seeing on meteorological parameters at the Delingha site. The results show that the best seeing tends to occur when the temperature inversion is sufficiently large, but the dependence of seeing on wind speed is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (≡ Cordyceps sinensis) is one of the best known traditional Chinese medicines, with great benefits to human health and huge economic value. The reliability of fungal materials used in studies of the species is particularly important because contradictory results have been found in various studies in the past decades. Examination of fungal materials specified in reports on O. sinensis showed great variation in both sources and culture conditions of living strains. To test the reliability of the materials used, experiments were carried out to study the effect of culture conditions on the growth of living strains of O. sinensis by using six reliable strains representing the major production regions of the fungus on the Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that O. sinensis is a slow-growing fungus at comparatively low temperature, and that temperature and growth period are crucial factors which can be verified by experiment. Analyses of fungal materials used in 152 papers on O. sinensis from PubMed since 1998 showed that 41 papers lacked detailed information on the fungal materials; 26 used natural products, 11 used artificially cultivated fruit bodies, and 80 used fermentation products from living strains. Of the latter category (using fermentation products), 64 of the papers were found to use unreliable (45) or uncertain (19) strains for fermentation products based on the temperature and growth period for O. sinensis strains verified in this study. Apart from the natural products of O. sinensis, which require scientific identification, a total of at least 116 papers (over three-quarters) used unreliable, uncertain or unspecified materials, including so-called cultivated fruit bodies which were apparently from other species. The reliability of materials or living strains used in studies on O. sinensis is discussed in this paper, and suggestions are made for use of reliable fungal materials in further studies of this fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present comprehensive night-time seeing statistics at the Lenghu site using data collected between 2018 and 2021 using a differential image motion monitor. The results show that the median seeing is 0.80 arcsec, which slightly larger than that previously reported due to climate change. Additionally, we investigated the annual, seasonal, and monthly seeing statistics, as well as possible hourly seeing trends in each season. The results demonstrate that the seeing at the Lenghu site is very stable, with monthly median seeing varying from 0.6 to 0.95 arcsec. The seasonal dependence of seeing shows obvious variations over different years. The best year of seeing was 2019 (0.74 arcsec), and the best seeing occurred in spring (0.68 arcsec) to early summer (June, 0.63 arcsec), while the worst seeing occurred in winter (0.80 arcsec). The minimum seeing value throughout the night is at approximately three hours before dawn. Furthermore, wind speed profiles, especially V 200 (particularly the wind speed at 200 mbar), are important parameters for evaluating astronomical sites in terms of their suitability for adaptive optics. We first show the complete monthly average behaviours of the wind speed profile and V 200 using the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast reanalysis data sets. The results demonstrate the annual periodicity and variability of V 200, and the yearly V 200 modulation function is also provided. V 200 maintains large values throughout the autumn (average: 35.01 m s−1) and winter (average: 34.33 m s−1), while the minimum V 200 occurs in spring (average: 27.93 m s−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining density structure of the Tibetan Plateau is helpful in better understanding of tectonic structure and development. Seismic method, as traditional approach obtaining a large number of achievements of density structure in the Tibetan Plateau except in the centre and west, is primarily inhibited by the poor seismic station coverage. As the implementation of satellite gravity missions, gravity method is more competitive because of global homogeneous gravity coverage. In this paper, a novel wavelet-based gravity method with high computation efficiency and excellent local identification capability is developed to determine multilayer densities beneath the Tibetan Plateau. The inverted six-layer densities from 0 to 150 km depth can reveal rich tectonic structure and development of study area: (1) The densities present a clockwise pattern, nearly east-west high-low alternating pattern in the west and nearly south-north high-low alternating pattern in the east, which is almost perpendicular to surface movement direction relative to the stable Eurasia from the Global Positioning System velocity field; (2) Apparent fold structure approximately from 10 to 110 km depth can be inferred from the multilayer densities, the deformational direction of which is nearly south-north in the west and east-west in the east; (3) Possible channel flows approximately from 30 to 110 km depth can also be observed clearly during the multilayer densities. Moreover, the inverted multilayer densities are in agreement with previous studies, which verify the correctness and effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group living animals form striking aggregation patterns and display synchronization, polarization, and collective intelligence. Though many collective behavioral studies have been conducted on small animals like insects and fish, research on large animals is still rare due to the limited availability of field collective data. We used drones to record videos and analyzed the decision-making and behavioral spatial patterns in orientation of Kiang (Tibetan wild ass, Equus kiang). Leadership is unevenly distributed among Kiang, with the minority initiating majority behavior-shift decisions. Decisions of individual to join are driven by imitation between group members, and are largely dependent on the number of members who have already joined. Kiang respond to the behavior and position of neighbors through different strategies. They strongly polarize when moving, therefore adopting a linear alignment. When vigilant, orientation deviation increases as they form a tighter group. They remain scattered while feeding and, in that context, adopt a side-by-side alignment. This study reveals partially-shared decision-making among Kiang, whereby copying neighbors provides the wisdom to thrive in harsh conditions. This study also suggests that animals' spatial patterns in orientation depend largely on their behavioral states in achieving synchronization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and ICESat (Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite) observations to confirm whether the observed gravity increase in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) was primarily caused by lake storage gain, and comprehensively analyses the changing pattern of lake level over 2003-2009. An improved automated method was used to obtain lake-level changes and the underestimation of lake water storage was considered due to lake area expansion and lake density. The result demonstrates that GRACE recorded a mass gain (16.43 ± 1.65/11.79 ± 1.25 gt a-1) in the total/inner TP, of which lake storage increase accounts for (8.78 ± 0.75/7.53 ± 0.56 gt a-1) based on ICESat. The northwestern residual may be stored in new lakes and soil moisture as a result of net precipitation gain. According to the character of the lake-level changes, we divide the TP into four subregions. Generally, the changing pattern of lake level concurs with the distribution of precipitation, which is increasing in the inner TP and decreasing in the upstream area of the Indus and Brahmaputra Rivers. An excess of rainfall in the northeastern TP in the summer of 2005 and 2009 caused a simultaneous large increase in water level in many lakes. The correlation of lake changes with precipitation demonstrates that precipitation rather than glacial melt is the main cause of lake-level change in most places. Nonetheless, the meltwater is a considerable supplement for lakes near glaciers such as Selin Co and Nam Co, which partly explains why GRACE indicates a much weaker signal in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate knowledge of wind-speed distributions and optical turbulence at existing and potential astronomical observatories is crucial for siting ground-based telescopes and applying adaptive optics (AO) systems. In this paper, the wind-speed and optical-turbulence characteristics above Gaomeigu and the Tibetan Plateau are studied by employing the 20-yr (1999–2018) European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts' fifth set of reanalysis data (ERA5). First, the meteorological parameters derived from ERA5 data are evaluated with coinciding radiosonde measurements. Results show that the meteorological parameters of ERA5 data in the free atmosphere have quite good reliability, with bias and root mean square error basically lower than 1.2 K in temperature and basically smaller than 2 m s−1 for wind speed. Then, vertical distributions and seasonal behaviour of the wind speed at Gaomeigu and Lhasa station above the Tibetan Plateau are analysed. Thirdly, the Richardson number (Ri) in the free atmosphere is calculated to provides us with a map of relative probability of different periods and regions of optical turbulence being developed above the two sites. In general, the atmospheric stability of Gaomeigu is higher than that of Lhasa station. Particularly in June, for Gaomeigu, the atmospheric stability within 6–30 km a.s.l. is basically superior or equal to the stable condition found at two mid-latitude sites: Oukaimeden and La Palma. Moreover, Lhasa station has a relative higher stability during June–September than other months. Furthermore, we provide the |$({C_n^2})$| profiles using ERA5 data at Gaomeigu and Lhasa. The results indicate that the choice of an appropriate outer-scale model is crucial for revealing local turbulence characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews progress in the study of Tibetan Plateau (TP) climate dynamics over the past decade. Several theoretical frameworks, including thermal adaptation and the TP sensible heat (SH) driving air-pump, have been developed to identify the mechanisms responsible for the circulation anomaly produced by thermal forcing of the TP. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the thermal effects of large-scale orography, including the Tibetan and Iranian Plateaus (TIP), are crucial for the formation of the East Asian and South Asian summer monsoons (SASM) because the surface SH of the TIP is the major driver of the water vapor transport required for the genesis of the north branch of the SASM.The large-scale orography of the TP affects the Asian climate through thermal forcing in spring and summer, and mechanical forcing in winter. The TP forcing can also influence the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) onset over the Bay of Bengal (BOB) by enhancing the BOB warm pool at the surface and by modulating the South Asian High (SAH) in the upper troposphere. On intra-seasonal timescales, the TP thermal forcing significantly modulates spring rainfall in southern China and generates the biweekly oscillation of the SAH in summer. Despite climate warming, the atmospheric heat source over the TP, particularly the spring SH, exhibits a clear weakening trend from the 1980s to 2000s. This weakening of the spring SH contributed to the anomalous 'dry in the north' and 'wet in the south' rainfall pattern observed over East China. Also discussed are challenges to further understanding the mechanism of TP forcing on the multi-scale variability of the ASM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species residing across elevational gradients display adaptations in response to environmental changes such as oxygen availability, ultraviolet radiation, and temperature. Here, we study genomic variation, gene expression, and long-term adaptation in Tibetan Partridge (Perdix hodgsoniae) populations residing across the elevational gradient of the Tibetan Plateau. We generated a high-quality draft genome and used it to carry out downstream population genomic and transcriptomic analysis. The P. hodgsoniae populations residing across various elevations were genetically distinct, and their phylogenetic clustering was consistent with their geographic distribution. We identified possible evidence of gene flow between populations residing in <3,000 and >4,200 m elevation that is consistent with known habitat expansion of high-altitude populations of P. hodgsoniae to a lower elevation. We identified a 60 kb haplotype encompassing the Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1) gene, showing strong genetic divergence between populations of P. hodgsoniae. We identified six single nucleotide polymorphisms within the ESR1 gene fixed for derived alleles in high-altitude populations that are strongly conserved across vertebrates. We also compared blood transcriptome profiles and identified differentially expressed genes (such as GAPDH , LDHA , and ALDOC) that correlated with differences in altitude among populations of P. hodgsoniae. These candidate genes from population genomics and transcriptomics analysis were enriched for neutrophil degranulation and glycolysis pathways, which are known to respond to hypoxia and hence may contribute to long-term adaptation to high altitudes in P. hodgsoniae. Our results highlight Tibetan Partridges as a useful model to study molecular mechanisms underlying long-term adaptation to high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims A decrease in species diversity after fertilization is a common phenomenon in grasslands; however, the mechanism causing it remains highly controversial. The light competition hypothesis to explain loss of diversity has received much attention. The aim of the present paper was to test this hypothesis. Methods Fertilization was used to control above- and belowground resources simultaneously, while shade was used to control aboveground resource in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. Univariate general linear models was used to estimate the effects of fertilization and shade on above- and belowground vegetation characteristics, including photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in the understory, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, R:S ratio, species richness and Simpson's diversity index. Important findings PAR was similar in the understory of shaded and fertilized plots, but only fertilization reduced species richness and diversity, suggesting that light competition alone could not explain diversity loss after fertilization. The root biomass and R:S ratio had a significant increase in shaded plots, but the richness and diversity did not change, suggesting that root competition alone also could not explain diversity loss after fertilization in this community. Our results illustrated that the root–shoot competition interactions, investigated from a functional groups perspective, should be the most reasonable explanation leading to the diversity loss due to fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the relationship between seismogenic thickness, lithosphere structure and rheology in central and northeastern Asia. We accurately determine earthquake depth distributions which reveal important rheological variations in the lower crust. These variations exert a fundamental control on the active tectonics and the morphological evolution of the continents. We consider 323 earthquakes across the Tibetan Plateau, the Tien Shan and their forelands as well as the Baikal Rift, NE Siberia and the Laptev Sea and present the source parameters of 94 of these here for the first time. These parameters have been determined through body wave inversion, the identification of depth phases or the modelling of regional waveforms. Lower crustal earthquakes are found to be restricted to the forelands in areas undergoing shortening, and to locations where rifting coincides with abrupt changes in lithosphere thickness, such as the NE Baikal Rift and W Laptev Sea. The lower crust in these areas is seismogenic at temperatures that may be as high as 600°C, suggesting that it is anhydrous, and is likely to have great long-term strength. Lower crustal earthquakes are therefore a useful proxy indicating strong lithosphere in places that are too small in areal extent for this to be confirmed independently by estimating effective elastic thickness from gravity-topography relations. The variation in crustal rheology indicated by the distribution of lower-crustal earthquakes has many implications ranging from the support of mountain belts and the formation of steep mountain fronts, to the localization and orientation of rifting. In combination, these processes can also be responsible for the separation of the front of the thin-skinned mountain belts from their hinterlands when continents separate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau lies a large region which seismicity and GPS data show to be actively deforming. This paper describes the active faulting in the region, and how it relates to the velocity field observed with GPS. In places the velocity field is accommodated by rotations about vertical axes, and most or all of the strain at the surface in the region appears to be released seismically. GPS velocities are then compared to velocities calculated using a model for deformation driven by gravitational driving forces. Using rheologies estimated from experimentally derived mineral flow laws, the model provides velocities that are in good agreement with observed GPS velocities. It is not possible to uniquely determine the rheology or flow velocity at depth, and there are two forms of model solution which match the observed horizontal surface velocities. In one of these, vertical planes deform by pure shear, and in the other vertical gradients of horizontal velocity are present within the crust. Two distinct regions of normal-faulting earthquakes are present in the region, and have mechanisms which are most easily explained by gravity-driven deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which occurred on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, produced significant time-dependent post-seismic deformation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. To explore the spatio-temporal evolution of crustal deformation and its impact on nearby active faults due to the Wenchuan earthquake, we first solve the velocity fields, strain rates and slip rates of the major faults at different stages of the earthquake cycle, based on GPS observations spanning approximately 10 yr before and after the Wenchuan earthquake. The results show that: (a) during the late interseismic phase, the GPS velocity fields relative to the Sichuan basin and strain rates near the Longmenshan fault (the seismogenic fault of the Wenchuan earthquake) are insignificant in magnitude, and the geodetic slip rates of the major faults are in good agreement with geological investigations; (b) After the Wenchuan earthquake, post-seismic deformation on both flanks of the causative Longmenshan fault is asymmetrically distributed, with significant deformation distributed between the Longmenshan fault and the Longriba fault. The post-seismic deformation decreases with increasing distance away from the Longmenshan fault. Furthermore, geodetic slip rates for the major active faults at the early post-seismic stage differ significantly from those at the late interseismic stage; (c) The crustal deformation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau is generally small during the late interseismic phase, but it increases significantly during the early post-seismic stage and begins to decrease again as it progresses to the second post-seismic stage. We speculate that this kinematic evolution of crustal deformation is ascribed to that the Longmenshan fault was in a locking state during the late interseismic period, whereas the Longmenshan fault is no longer locked after the Wenchuan earthquake, and thus the marked post-seismic deformation occurred in the epicentral and its surrounding area. Then, the post-seismic deformation becomes weaker with time lapse, and generally the crustal deformation begins to slowly recover to the pre-seismic level. Using a forward model, we test whether post-seismic deformation caused by viscoelastic relaxation of the lower crust 4 yr after the Wenchuan earthquake can explain the observed spatio-temporal pattern of the crustal deformation. We find that this mechanism can account for the evolutionary pattern of crustal motion in the Songpan-Ganzi block east of the Longriba fault in central-east Tibet and central-eastern and southern regions of the West Qinling-Songpan Tectonic Syntaxis in east Tibet 4 yr after the Wenchuan earthquake. Moreover, the post-seismic viscoelastic relaxation of the Wenchuan earthquake is the main cause of loading rate variations of primary faults in the early post-seismic stage in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from a greenhouse to an icehouse world at the Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT) coincided with a large decrease of pollen from the steppe-adapted genus Nitraria. This genus, now common along the Mediterranean coast, Asia and Australia, has a proposed coastal origin and a geographically widespread fossil record. Here we investigated the evolution, taxonomic diversity and morphological disparity of Nitraria throughout the Cenozoic by integrating extant taxa and fossil palynological morphotypes into a unified phylogenetic framework based on both DNA sequences and pollen morphological data. We present the oldest fossil pollen grain of Nitraria , at least 53 Myr old. This fossil was found in Central Asian deposits, providing new evidence for its origin in this area. We found that the EOT is an evolutionary bottleneck for Nitraria , coinciding with retreat of the proto-Paratethys Sea, a major global cooling event and a turnover in Central Asian steppe vegetation. We infer the crown age of modern Nitraria spp. to be significantly younger (Miocene) than previously estimated (Palaeocene). The diversity trajectory of Nitraria inferred from extant-only taxa differs markedly from one that also considers extinct taxa. Our study demonstrates it is therefore critical to apply an integrative approach to fully understand the plant evolutionary history of Nitrariaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent genomic analyses of evolutionary radiations suggest that ancient introgression may facilitate rapid diversification and adaptive radiation. The loach genus Triplophysa , a genus with most species endemic to Tibetan Plateau, shows ecological diversity and rapid evolution and represents a potential example of adaptive radiation linked to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we interrogate the complex evolutionary history of Triplophysa fishes through the analysis of whole-genome sequences. By reconstructing the phylogeny of Triplophysa , quantifying introgression across this clade, and simulating speciation and migration processes, we confirm that extensive gene flow events occurred across disparate Triplophysa species. Our results suggest that introgression plays a more substantial role than incomplete lineage sorting in underpinning phylogenetic discordance in Triplophysa. The results also indicate that genomic regions affected by ancient gene flow exhibit characteristics of lower recombination rates and nucleotide diversity and may associate with selection. Simulation analysis of Triplophysa tibetana suggests that the species may have been affected by the Gonghe Movement in the third uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, resulting in founder effects and a subsequent reduction in Ne. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental changes along an altitudinal gradient can facilitate the differentiation of life-history features in ectothermic species, but little attention has been devoted to the reciprocal influence of altitude and alpine slope directionality on life-history variation. According to life-history theory, increased environmental stress causes a change in reproductive allocation from number to quality of offspring, as well as a stronger trade-off between size and number of offspring. To clarify the influence of environmental pressures on the life-history features of the Qinghai toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii along an altitudinal cline, we surveyed late pregnant females from 3 populations of low (2,600 m), middle (3,400 m), and high (3,600 m) elevations in the Dangjin Mountain of Gansu, China from July to October 2019, and compared their inter-population differences in maternal body size, reproductive characteristics, offspring growth, and locomotor performance. Because of lower temperatures, higher humidity, and lower light intensity caused by slope aspect and altitude, the middle-altitude region experienced stronger environmental stress than the high- and low-altitude regions. Our results showed that females were larger at middle- and high-altitude sites and smaller at the low-altitude site, following Bergmann's rule. We also found that females from low-altitude population gave birth earlier than those from the middle and high altitudes. Our results showed a shift in the offspring size-number trade-off of P. vlangalii in response to colder and harsher environments, with lizards from the alpine steppe (i.e. the middle- and high-altitude habitats) producing fewer but larger offspring than those from the warm steppe (i.e. the low-altitude habitat). Low-altitude juveniles grew faster than high-altitude ones, but at the same rates as middle-altitude juveniles. This result demonstrates that the growth of P. vlangalii was associated with temperature and light intensity. Our findings contribute to enhancing our understanding of the altitudinal variation in life-history features of plateau ectotherms and their phenotypic plasticity or local adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between climate and the magnetic properties of surface soils on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) have been widely used to provide the basis for palaeoclimatic reconstruction, based on the underlying loess/palaeosol sequences. To date, however, there are few investigations of variations in the magnetic properties of surface soils on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially on the southern TP. Therefore, it remains unclear whether magnetic properties could be used as proxies for palaeoclimatic reconstruction in the region. In this study, environmental magnetic parameters and bulk sediment grain-size measurements were made on a set of surface samples from the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB), on the southern TP, and their environmental significance was evaluated. The results reveal spatial differences in the magnetic properties of the surface soils, likely caused by regional climatic factors. The input of primary magnetic minerals is the driver of the magnetic properties of the samples from the western (Gar-Saga) part of the YZRB, where the magnetic variations are controlled by the influence of wind intensity on the local source material. However, the samples from the eastern region (Gongga-Nyingchi) are significantly affected by the topographic and sedimentary conditions, and there is no relationship between the magnetic properties and climate. The samples from the central part of the study area (Saga-Gongga) show obvious signs of a pedogenic influence on magnetic properties and ultrafine superparamagnetic (SP) and single domain (SD) ferrimagnetic minerals dominate the magnetic susceptibility. Combined with the variation of grain size, this implies the influence of wind intensity and pedogenesis contribute to the magnetic enhancement. However, the pedogenic intensity closely related to precipitation and temperature could offer the possibility of using sedimentary magnetic properties for palaeoclimatic reconstruction. Furthermore, the existence of a distinct pedogenic alteration boundary in the Saga area is consistent with the location of the Indian summer monsoon, which may be the dominant control on the pedogenic intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient noise tomography (ANT) is a widely used method to obtain shear wave velocity structure in the crust and upper mantle. Usually, the topography is assumed to have negligible effect on the resulting models. This, however, might not be proper in regions with large topographic variation, such as plateau edges, submarine slopes and volcanic islands. In this study, we use synthetics from waveform-based numerical simulation to quantify the topography effect on ANT in the Longmen Shan area, eastern Tibetan Plateau margin. Three kinds of models are used in forward simulation to obtain theoretical waveforms, including Case1: the layered model, Case2: the layered model with topographic variation and Case3: the flattened model of Case2. The final inversion results show that the bias of ANT is negligible in the blocks with relatively flat topography, such as the interior regions of the Tibetan Plateau and the Sichuan Basin. However, for the Longmen Shan boundary zone with significant topographic variation (∼4 km), the shear wave velocity image has an obvious negative bias that can reach up to −4 per cent. The maximum depth of bias is ∼5 km, which is mirrored with the maximum topographic elevation difference of the region, and the average bias disappears as the depth decreases to the surface (0 km) or increases to three times of the maximum influence depth (∼15 km). The horizontal distribution of the tomographic bias is almost linearly related to the topographic elevation difference with a slope of −1.04 and a correlation coefficient of 0.90 at maximum influence depth. According to this first-order correction formula and the decreasing trend of average bias with depth, the topography effect on ANT can be suppressed to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrasting views exist on timing and mechanisms of Tertiary crustal uplift in the NE Tibetan Plateau based on different approaches, with many models attributing surface uplift to crustal shortening. We carry out a comprehensive investigation of mid-Tertiary stratigraphy, sedimentology, and volcanism in the West Qinling, Hoh Xil and Qaidam basin, and the results challenge previous views. It was held that the discordance between Oligocene and Miocene strata is an angular unconformity in the West Qinling, but our field observations show that it is actually a disconformity, indicative of vertical crustal uplifting rather than crustal shortening at the Oligocene to Miocene transition. Widespread occurrence of synsedimentary normal faults in mid-Tertiary successions implicates supracrustal stretching. Miocene potassic–ultrapassic and mafic–ultramafic volcanics in the Hoh Xil and West Qinling suggest a crucial role of deep thermomechanical processes in generating crust- and mantle-sourced magmatism. Also noticeable are the continuity of mid-Tertiary successions and absence of volcanics in the Qaidam basin. Based on a holistic assessment of stratigraphic–sedimentary processes, volcanic petrogenesis, and spatial variations of lithospheric thicknesses, we speculate that small-sale mantle convection might have been operating beneath northeast Tibet in the mid-Tertiary. It is assumed that northward asthenospheric flow was impeded by thicker cratonic lithosphere of the Qaidam and Alxa blocks, thereby leading to edge convection. The edge-driven convection could bring about surface uplift, induce supracrustal stretching, and trigger vigorous volcanism in the Hoh Xil and West Qinling in the mid-Tertiary period. This mechanism satisfactorily explains many key geologic phenomena that are hardly reconciled by previous models. Mid-Tertiary uplift of the NE Tibetan plateau is likely driven by edge convection, and this mechanism explains a wide range of prominent phenomena such as regional surface vertical motion, supracrustal extension, generation/distribution of coeval volcanism, and Late Miocene switch of tectonic regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogeography of the Altai weasel (Mustela altaica) based on mitochondrial control-region sequences was investigated using samples from individuals obtained widely across the species range, including Central Asia, Tibet and southern Siberia. Thirty-four haplotypes were identified among 53 individuals from 32 localities. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree for haplotypes showed two major clades, clades I and II. Clade I contained haplotypes from northern Eurasia, including the continental Far East, Altai Mountains and eastern Kazakhstan. Clade II comprised two subclades: group IIa, with haplotypes from around the Pamir Mountains, and the poorly supported group IIb, with haplotypes from the Tibetan Plateau. High haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity for clade I suggest that the range of M. altaica expanded over a relatively short period in northern Eurasia. High haplotype and nucleotide diversity for clade II indicate a longer-term, more stable population resulting from geographical isolation of individuals on the Tibetan Plateau by surrounding mountain ranges. Our study suggests that the ancestral population of M. altaica migrated into Tibet from the outside and has diversified in Tibet, seemingly not supporting the 'out-of-Tibet' hypothesis; however, we could not completely refute this hypothesis because an individual having a group IIb haplotype was detected in Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of post-collisional mantle-derived rocks in the Tibetan Plateau has been linked to the deep geodynamic processes that cause surface uplift. Co-existing silica-oversaturated to silica-undersaturated mantle-derived rocks have been identified in the northern Qiangtang Terrane (NQT). However, the origins of silica-undersaturated magmas are controversial, and the mechanisms responsible for variable silica activity in the mantle-derived rocks are unclear. Here, we present 40Ar/39Ar chronology, mineral chemistry, and whole-rock geochemical data for the Bamaoqiongzong (BMQZ) volcanic rocks of the NQT. The BMQZ volcanic rocks consist of olivine leucitites, trachybasalts, and phonolites and were erupted at ca. 29 Ma. All samples are unsaturated in silica and characterized by enrichment in light rare earth elements and large-ion lithophile elements, depletion in high-field-strength elements, and the presence of negative Nb–Ta–Ti anomalies and positive Pb anomalies. All samples show limited variation in (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.7079–0.7085) and εNd(t) values (−6.9 to −5.3). The geochemical compositions of the BMQZ volcanic rocks indicate that they were produced by partial melting of carbonated phlogopite–lherzolite within the lithospheric mantle. The formation of the olivine leucitites-trachybasalts-phonolites suite was controlled by fractional crystallization and magma mixing in a magmatic plumbing system. This plumbing system included several independent reservoirs and conduits within the crust. The enriched mantle sources of the BMQZ volcanic rocks were formed by the addition of carbonate-rich melts released from the southward-subducted Songpan–Ganzi Terrane after the Late Cretaceous. Our new results, together with published data, reveal systematic variations in geochemical compositions between silica-undersaturated and silica-oversaturated rocks in the NQT, which are ascribed to variations in the nature of the subducted continental materials added during intracontinental subduction. Carbonate-rich melts that were formed by the breakdown of carbonate minerals helped to generate the mantle sources of silica-undersaturated rocks, whereas silicate melts produced by the partial melting of sediment diapirs contributed to the generation of the silica-oversaturated rocks. On the basis of published numerical modelling of continental subduction and crustal deformation records in the NQT, we suggest that intracontinental subduction and lithospheric thinning together contributed to the generation of post-collisional mantle-derived rocks in the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation of Tibetan Plateau high-elevation towards the Asian interior remains poorly understood. We conduct a series of 2-D viscoelastic plastic finite element models addressing the development of the Liupan Shan fold-and-thrust belt with multiple detachments in the NE Tibetan Plateau. We focus on the spatio–temporal relations of the Liupan Shan fold-and-thrust belt and dynamic mechanisms of growth in the NE margin of Tibetan Plateau during the late Cenozoic. Our models, consisting of a seismically-constrained two-layer-crust (of variable thicknesses) plus lithospheric mantle consider tectonic horizontal contraction and the influence of elastoplastic materials, including Model 1 (only the upper crust is elastoplastic), Model 2 (both the upper crust and the middle part of the lower crust are elastoplastic) and Model 3 (the whole lithosphere is elastoplastic). The results show that Model 1 can only reflect the properties of shallow detachment layer. Models 2 and 3 can better reflect the properties of multidetachment layers and approximately represent the process of fold-and-thrust belt formation and evolution; thus suggesting the importance of plastic rheology in the deep crust. In addition, Model 3 suggests that the pre-existing fault near the Moho below Liupan Shan is activated during the evolution process of ∼8 Ma. In summary, the results embody that the initiation and evolution of the fold-and-thrust belt depend on detachment structures: the deep and shallow detachments control the evolution of surface deformation and fold-and-thrust belt altogether. The simulated surface deformation is generally consistent with actual surface elevation distribution. Moreover, the growth of the Liupan Shan range may represent an expansion of the NE Tibetan Plateau toward the Ordos basin vicinity. Additionally, the tectonically driven uplift of Liupan Shan area supports the general crustal shortening tectonic mechanism of the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is an endemic bovid of the Tibetan Plateau, which was, until recently, considered an endangered species. Researchers have long speculated on the evolutionary origin of Pantholops , suggesting a connection to the rare fossil bovid Qurliqnoria. However, the lack of adequate fossil samples has prevented the testing of this deep-time endemism hypothesis for eight decades. Here, we report new fossils of Qurliqnoria cheni from the northern Tibetan Plateau, substantially increasing the amount of morphological data that can be brought to bear on the question of Tibetan antelope evolution. Phylogenetic analysis supports a Pantholops – Qurliqnoria clade and suggests that this lineage has been endemic to the Plateau for 11 Myr. Recent morphological and molecular studies that support the outgroup position of Pantholops relative to caprins (goats and relatives) and the fossil record of stem bovids from Europe together suggest that the Qurliqnoria–Pantholops lineage is likely to have dispersed to the Tibetan Plateau 15–11 Mya. Furthermore, the harsh environmental conditions to which Pantholops has adapted are likely to extend back to the time of its evolutionary origin. These findings provide an important new context for conservation management and research into the near-threatened Tibetan antelope, as the longest-living endemic member of the Tibetan Plateau fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tengchong–Baoshan region (TBR) is located at the margin of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau (SETP) and is subject to the complex interaction among multiple tectonic blocks. Therefore, the TBR is approximate for investigating the mechanism responsible for the interaction among the SETP and its surrounding blocks. Based on eikonal equation-based seismic tomography, we obtain high-resolution P -wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy at depths of 0–40 km beneath the TBR. We discover a large magma reservoir (with horizontal scale of ∼50 km and vertical scale of ∼15 km) in the middle-lower crust beneath the Tengchong volcanic zone, which is directly fed by hot materials from the uppermost mantle. We also detect a shallow magma chamber in the uppermost crust above the large reservoir. These magma reservoirs at different depths constitute a multiscale magma system. Furthermore, we observe a low-velocity belt beneath the Weixi–Qiaohou–Weishan and Nantinghe faults and postulate that it corresponds to lower crustal flow and hot mantle upwelling. Additionally, we infer that two M  > 7.0 earthquakes that have occurred in Baoshan block nucleated in the transition zone between low- and high-velocity anomalies. Based on the azimuthal anisotropy tomography results, we consider that incoherent deformation in the crust causes the uneven accumulation of stress, which facilitated the occurrence of these two events. The 2021 M s 6.4 Yangbi earthquake also occurred in the transition zone between low- and high-velocity anomalies. Based on the P -wave velocity tomography results, we suggest that hot material decreases the fault strength and leads to the instability of the fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthopyroxene-bearing granitic rock (e.g. charnockite) is relatively rare but provides an excellent opportunity to probe the thermal and tectonic evolution of deep orogenic crust because of its distinct mineral assemblage. Here we present petrological, mineralogical, elemental, and Sr–Nd–Hf–O isotopic data for late Eocene (ca. 36 Ma; zircon U–Pb ages) volcanic rocks exposed in the Ejiu region in the southern Qiangtang Terrane to investigate how the central Tibetan crust evolved to its modern thickness and thermal state. The Ejiu volcanic rocks (EVRs) are trachydacites with anhydrous mineral assemblages (i.e. two pyroxenes, sanidine, plagioclase, and ilmenite, without amphibole and biotite) and geochemical characteristics (e.g. high P2O5 and TiO2) that resemble those of charnockite-type magmatic rocks. Mineral and whole-rock thermometry and hygrometry suggests that the parent magma crystallized under hot (~1000°C) and dry (H2O < 2 wt.%) condition. Besides, the EVRs display adakitic affinities according to their high SiO2 and Al2O3 contents, high Sr/Y, La/Yb, and Gd/Yb ratios, and low Y and Yb contents, without marked negative Eu anomalies. The calculated melts in equilibrium with pyroxenes also display adakitic compositions (e.g. high Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios), indicating that the adakitic compositions of the EVRs did not result from late-stage magmatic evolution. In addition, the melts of the EVRs were saturated in TiO2, as inferred from the high TiO2 contents of these rocks and the presence of ilmenite. An integrated analysis of the geochemical, petrological, and mineralogical data suggests that the EVRs were neither evolutional products nor partial melts of hydrous mafic materials at normal crustal pressures, but were formed by fusion of an eclogitized mafic protolith with residue containing garnet and rutile but lacking amphibole and plagioclase. The whole-rock Sr–Nd and zircon Hf isotope compositions of the EVRs [(87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7053 to 0.7066; εNd(t) = −1.40 to −0.99; zircon εHf(t) = +1.08 to +5.31] indicate that the parental protolith was relatively juvenile in nature, but also contained some supracrustal materials given the high zircon δ18O values [zircon δ18O = +8.21‰ to +11.00‰]. The above arguments lead us to propose that of partial melting of a previously dehydrated—but chemically undepleted—mafic lower continental crust at high pressure (>1.5 GPa) and high temperature (>1000°C) generated the EVRs. Based on a synthesis of independent geological and geophysical data, we further suggest that the southern Qiangtang Terrane crust of the central Tibetan Plateau was thick, dry, and elevated during the Late Cretaceous to early Eocene time, and that it became abnormally hot owing to the ascending asthenosphere after lithospheric foundering during the middle Eocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ordos Block is located at the intersection of the Tibetan Plateau, the South China Plate and the North China Craton. The deep deformation of its surrounding areas is geologically complicated. Seismic anisotropy provides information about past and present deformation of the upper mantle and helps to better understand deep deformation processes. We obtained the anisotropic pattern at high resolution within and surrounding the Ordos Block by analysing teleseismic data from ∼710 newly deployed temporary seismic stations based on SKS phases from ∼86 earthquakes. The central and eastern Ordos Block with a relatively thick and rigid lithosphere is characterized by a weak anisotropy. In the western part of the Ordos Block, the fast-wave polarization direction is dominantly NW–SE. We believe the lithosphere in the western part of the Ordos Block may have undergone significant deformation caused by expansion and compression of the Tibetan Plateau. Near the Datong Basin, the delay time is 0.92 s and the fast-wave polarization direction is mainly oriented NW–SE, perpendicular to the NE-directed compression of the Tibetan Plateau and parallel to the basin extension direction. We speculate that this anisotropy is related to the long-range effect of NE compression of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau on the low-velocity upper mantle in this area. The weak anisotropy in the central part of the Shanxi Rift indicates that the thickness and mechanical strength of the high-velocity lithosphere are higher than in the southern and northern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Human activities and global changes have led to alterations in global and regional precipitation regimes. Despite extensive studies on the effects of changes in precipitation regimes on plant community composition across different types of grassland worldwide, few studies have specifically focused on the effects of precipitation changes on high-altitude alpine steppe at community and plant species levels in the Tibetan Plateau. Methods We investigated the effects of growing-season precipitation changes (reduced precipitation by 50%, ambient precipitation, enhanced precipitation by 50%) for 6 years on plant community composition in an alpine steppe of the Tibetan Plateau by linking above- to belowground traits of dominant species. Important Findings We found that reduced precipitation shifted community composition from dominance by bunchgrass (primarily Stipa purpurea) to dominance by rhizomatous grass (primarily Leymus secalinus). Roots and leaf traits of L. secalinus and S. purpurea differed in their responses to reduced precipitation. Reduced precipitation enhanced root vertical length and carbon (C) allocation to deep soil layers, and decreased the leaf width in L. secalinus , but it did not change the traits in S. purpurea. Moreover, reduced precipitation significantly enhanced rhizome biomass, length, diameter and adventitious root at the rhizome nodes in L. secalinus. These changes in traits may render rhizomatous grass greater competitive during drought stress. Therefore, our findings highlight important roles of above- and belowground traits of dominant species in plant community composition of alpine steppe under precipitation change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early Mesozoic evolution of the Lhasa terrane, which represents a major component of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen, remains highly controversial. In particular, geological units and events documented either side of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis (EHS) are poorly correlated. Here, we report new petrological, geochemical and geochronological data for cogenetic peraluminous S-type granites and metamorphic rocks (gneiss and schist) from the Motuo–Bomi–Chayu region of the eastern Lhasa terrane, located on the eastern flank of the EHS. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that these units record both Late Triassic magmatic (216–206 Ma) and metamorphic (209–198 Ma) episodes. The granites were derived from a Paleoproterozoic crustal source with negative zircon εHf(t) values (–5·5 to –16·6) and TDM2 model ages of 1·51–1·99 Ga, and are interpreted to have formed by crustal anatexis of nearby metasediments during collisional orogeny and crustal thickening. The gneisses and schists experienced similar upper amphibolite-facies peak metamorphism and associated partial melting, followed by decompressional cooling and retrograde metamorphism. These rocks were buried to lower-crustal depths and then exhumed to the surface in a collisional orogenic setting during plate convergence. From comparison of these data with those for other metamorphic belts with similar grades and ages, and association of coeval granitic magmatism widespread in the central–east Lhasa terrane, we propose that the studied cogenetic magmatism and metamorphism in the Motuo–Bomi–Chayu region records Late Triassic accretion of the North Lhasa and South Lhasa terranes, which represents the first evidence of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean closure in this part of Asia. These data provide new constraints on the spatial and temporal evolution of the Paleo-Tethyan Wilson Cycle and provide a 'missing link' to correlate the geology and tectonic history of the Lhasa terrane continental crust on either side of the EHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetization records and seismic stratigraphy of the Indian Ocean lithosphere indicate that the Early/Mid-Miocene onset of diffuse contractional deformation coincided with slowdowns of the Indian and Capricorn plate motions. At present day, such deformation is evidenced by the seismicity of the Indian Ocean floor. Deformation onset and past plate-motion slowdowns have been interpreted as consequences of a sudden uplift of the Tibetan Plateau by 1–2 km, as this—following previous estimates—would generate a tectonically significant force between 4 × 1012 and 8 × 1012 N m−1. However, this view remains at odds with palaeoaltimetry estimates from geological and geochemical data, which indicate no increase in plateau altitude throughout the Miocene. Here, I use well-established models of viscous/brittle dynamics in inverse mode in order to constrain the amount of force that should be delivered by the Tibetan region to the Indian tectonic setting in order to explain the observations above. Results constrain such a force within the range from 4.3 × 1011 to 3.5 × 1012 N m−1. By comparison with previous estimates of the force associated with topography increase, these analyses suggest that the Early/Mid-Miocene onset of contractional deformation and plate-motion slowdowns within the Indian Ocean require minimal uplift of the Tibet Plateau of a few hundred metres. The seemingly contradicting inferences on Early/Mid-Miocene Tibetan uplift that come from geophysical and geological/geochemical observations can be reconciled by noting that the required uplift amount is less than what is resolvable by modern palaeoaltimetry techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To characterize the integrated magmatic processes for magma plumbing systems from mantle sources to magma chambers, we present Mg–Sr–Nd isotopic data for a representative mafic–ultramafic intrusion in Xiarihamu, northern Tibetan Plateau, China. The intrusion hosts the largest magmatic Ni–Cu sulfide deposit in an orogenic setting in the world and is composed predominantly of harzburgite, orthopyroxenite, websterite, and gabbronorite. The cumulate harzburgites have relatively low δ26Mg of orthopyroxene (–0·49 to –0·34‰) and moderately high (87Sr/86Sr)i and positive εNd(t) values (0·7067–0·7080 and +0·4 to +1·8, respectively). Most of the orthopyroxenites, websterites, and gabbronorites have slightly higher δ26Mg of orthopyroxene (–0·34 to –0·21‰) and higher (87Sr/86Sr)i and lower εNd(t) values (0·7087–0·7118 and –4·0 to –1·4, respectively) than the harzburgites. On the other hand, marginal facies (i.e. a few centimeters to meters from the contact between the intrusion and country rocks of schist, gneiss, and marble) including websterite and gabbronorite are marked by low δ26Mg of orthopyroxene (–0·44 to –0·33‰) and extremely high (87Sr/86Sr)i and negative εNd(t) values (0·7127–0·7172 and –5·4 to –4·8, respectively). The relatively low δ26Mg, moderately high (87Sr/86Sr)i, and positive εNd(t) of the harzburgites are best interpreted by inheritance from the mantle source, which was previously metasomatized by subducted Mg-rich carbonates. Given the fact that the solidus of carbonated mantle is significantly lower than that of volatile-free mantle, mantle metasomatism by carbonates may be critical to generate voluminous mafic magmas and to form the giant Xiarihamu Ni–Cu deposit and other magmatic sulfide deposits in convergent settings worldwide. The relatively high δ26Mg, high (87Sr/86Sr)i, and low εNd(t) of most orthopyroxenites, websterites, and gabbronorites were produced by extensive contamination of isotopically heavy crustal rocks in a deep-seated magma chamber. The slightly low δ26Mg, extremely high (87Sr/86Sr)i and negative εNd(t) of the marginal facies, compared with other websterites and gabbronorites, were governed by assimilation of local low-δ26Mg country rocks (e.g. gneiss and marble) at the Xiarihamu magma chamber during emplacement. These observations indicate that mafic–ultramafic cumulates away from marginal facies can preserve their primitive Mg–Sr–Nd isotope signatures inherited from deep magma chambers, even from mantle sources, with negligible crustal contamination during magma ascent and emplacement. These findings for the first time, to our knowledge, provide observational evidence to characterize the integrated magmatic processes of a single magma plumbing system from deep mantle source to magma chambers, which sheds light on the petrogenesis and mineralization of mafic–ultramafic intrusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The often-used phrase 'the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau' implies a flat-surfaced Tibet rose as a coherent entity, and that uplift was driven entirely by the collision and northward movement of India. Here, we argue that these are misconceptions derived in large part from simplistic geodynamic and climate modeling, as well as proxy misinterpretation. The growth of Tibet was a complex process involving mostly Mesozoic collisions of several Gondwanan terranes with Asia, thickening the crust and generating complex relief before the arrival of India. In this review, Earth system modeling, paleoaltimetry proxies and fossil finds contribute to a new synthetic view of the topographic evolution of Tibet. A notable feature overlooked in previous models of plateau formation was the persistence through much of the Cenozoic of a wide east–west orientated deep central valley, and the formation of a plateau occurred only in the late Neogene through compression and internal sedimentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of Miocene–Pliocene post-collisional magmatic rocks in northern Tibet was coeval with surface uplift, meaning that understanding the petrogenesis of these rocks should provide clues to the mechanism of uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. However, the nature of the source(s) of Miocene–Pliocene post-collisional rocks is unresolved, especially for potassic–ultrapotassic rocks. This study focuses on 16 Ma olivine leucitites in the Hoh Xil Basin of northern Tibet, which display the lowest SiO2 (43·4–48·8 wt%) contents of all Miocene–Pliocene magmatic rocks in northern Tibet and have high MgO (4·85–8·57 wt%) contents and high K2O/Na2O (>1) ratios. Whole-rock geochemical compositions suggest that the olivine leucitites did not undergo significant fractional crystallization or crustal assimilation. All samples are enriched in large ion lithophile elements relative to high field strength elements, and they exhibit uniform whole-rock Sr–Nd isotope [(87Sr/86Sr)i = 0·7071–0·7077 and ε Nd(t) = −3·1 to −3·9] and olivine O isotope (5·8–6·6 ‰, mean of 6·2 ± 0·2 ‰, n = 21) compositions. We propose that the olivine leucitites were derived by low-degree partial melting of phlogopite-lherzolite in garnet-facies lithospheric mantle. Given the tectonic evolution of the Hoh Xil Basin and adjacent areas, we suggest that southward subduction of Asian (Qaidam block) lithosphere after India–Asia collision transferred potassium and other incompatible elements into the lithospheric mantle, forming the K-enriched mantle source of the Miocene–Pliocene potassic–ultrapotassic rocks. Removal of lower lithospheric mantle subsequently induced voluminous Miocene–Pliocene magmatism and generated >1 km surface uplift in the Hoh Xil Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: Effects of temperature on vegetation have been plen- Tween vegetation activity and temperature varies with stud- Precipitation limits vegetation growth in warmer periods. NDVI dataset compatible with MODIS and SPOT vegetation NDVI.

We present herein detailed images of the Moho depth and V p/ V s ratio along ANTILOPE-1 profile beneath the western Tibetan Plateau derived from receiver function analysis. Along the ANTILOPE-1 profile, a rapidly northward-dipping Moho extends from ∼50 km below the Himalaya to ∼80 km across the Indus–Yarlung suture, shallowing to ∼66 km under the central Lhasa terrane. The Moho depth shows a dramatic increase from ∼66 km north of the Bangong–Nujiang suture to ∼93 km beneath central Qiangtang terrane where it reaches the maximum depth observed along this profile before steeply rising to ∼73 km. We interpret both the 15 and 20 km offsets of Moho depth occurring beneath the central Lhasa and central Qiangtang terranes as being related to the northern frontiers of the decoupled underthrusting Indian lower crust and lithospheric mantle, respectively. The Moho remains at a depth of ∼70 km with a slight undulation beneath the northern Qiangtang and Songpan–Ganzi terranes, and then abruptly shallows to ∼45 km near the Altyn Tagh Fault. The ∼25 km Moho offset observed at the conjunction of the Tarim Basin and the Altyn Tagh mountain range suggests that the crustal shortening is achieved by pure shear thickening without much underthrusting. The average crustal V p/ V s ratio changes from 1.66 to 1.80 beneath the Himalaya, the Lhasa terrane and the Tarim Basin indicating a felsic-to-intermediate composition. However, higher V p/ V s ratios between 1.76 and 1.83 (except for a few outlying low values) are found beneath the Qiangtang and Songpan–Ganzi terranes, which could be attributed to the joint effects of the more mafic composition and partial melt within the crust. The Moho depth and V p /V s ratio exhibit complex N–S variations along this profile, which can be attributed to the joint effects of Indian lower crust underthrusting, the low-velocity zone of the mid-upper crust, crustal shortening and thickening, and other involved dynamic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technique of teleseismic receiver function H-κ stacking is popular for estimating the crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio. However, it has large uncertainty or ambiguity when the Moho multiples in receiver function are not easy to be identified. We present an improved technique to estimate the crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio by joint constraints of receiver function and gravity data. The complete Bouguer gravity anomalies, composed of the anomalies due to the relief of the Moho interface and the heterogeneous density distribution within the crust, are associated with the crustal thickness, density and Vp/Vs ratio. According to their relationship formulae presented by Lowry and Pérez-Gussinyé, we invert the complete Bouguer gravity anomalies by using a common algorithm of likelihood estimation to obtain the crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio, and then utilize them to constrain the receiver function H-κ stacking result. We verified the improved technique on three synthetic crustal models and evaluated the influence of selected parameters, the results of which demonstrated that the novel technique could reduce the ambiguity and enhance the accuracy of estimation. Real data test at two given stations in the NE margin of Tibetan Plateau illustrated that the improved technique provided reliable estimations of crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The driving forces behind evolutionary radiations in mountain ecosystems are only poorly understood. Using the species-rich alpine taxon Saxifraga section Ciliatae, which occurs predominantly in the region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, we explore the driving forces behind elevated diversification rates previously observed in one of three subclades of section Ciliatae (clade 3). We use species distribution models to test for an influence of topographical heterogeneity on the diversity of section Ciliatae and investigate the characteristics of climatic niches in this section. In addition, we expand the dataset of known polyploids of section Ciliatae in order to investigate the effect of polyploidy on diversification in this group and estimate rates of niche evolution. Both polyploidization and topographical heterogeneity were associated with overall species richness in section Ciliatae, but neither was a likely driver of the observed radiation in clade 3 of section Ciliatae. Instead, larger niche breadth and high rates of niche evolution of taxa in clade 3 probably drove rapid diversification via pronounced adaptability for the biologically limiting climatic conditions of the alpine life-zone, presenting an important advantage during past periods of rapid climate change. Our study thus elucidates several aspects of the diversification process in this large alpine taxon and underlines the importance of climatic niche evolution for radiations in mountain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the responses of arid-adapted, alpine plants to Quaternary climatic oscillations, we investigated the genetic variation and phylogeographic history of Orinus, an endemic genus of Poaceae comprising three species from the dry grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in China. We measured the genetic variation of 476 individuals from 88 populations using three maternally inherited plastid DNA markers (matK, rbcL and psbAtrnH), the biparentally inherited nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). We found that the plastid DNA, nrITS and AFLPs show considerable, recent differentiation among the species. We detected 14 plastid haplotypes (H1-H14), of which only three were shared among all species, and 30 nrITS ribotypes (S1-S30), of which one (S10) was shared between two species, O. kokonoricus and O. intermedius, but absent in O. thoroldii. The nrITS types formed clades that were inconsistent with species boundaries. Based on these data, we propose and illustrate a complex hypothesis for the evolutionary history of Orinus involving lineage sorting and introgression, the latter of which may explain the shared S10 nrITS type. The AFLP results showed clades corresponding to current species delineation and suggest that lineage sorting in the genus is probably complete. We estimated the crown age of Orinus to be 2.85 (95% highest posterior density: 0.58-12.45) Mya (late Pliocene), and subsequent divergence occurred in the Quaternary. Early divergences were allopatric. More recently, Orinus probably underwent regional expansions corresponding to Quaternary climatic changes, especially glaciation, which is consistent with our divergence time estimates. These climatic changes could have facilitated the S10 event and other hybridization events. Our data also suggest that species of this small genus of grasses survived the Quaternary glacial period in the extremely adverse habitats of the QTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Songpan Ganze accretionary orogenic wedge (Eastern Tibetan Plateau, China) is characterized by mid- to late Triassic syn-orogenic magmatism displaying a diversity of petrological and geochemical characteristics: I-type low- to high-K calc-alkaline, A-type alkaline and S-type peraluminous granitoids. To better understand the genesis and emplacement of magmas associated with tectonic accretion along convergent plate boundaries, we present a comprehensive petrological, geochemical and geochronological study of the neighbouring Markam and Taiyanghe granitoid plutons (separated by less than 2 km) intrusive into Songpan Ganze metasediments. The main volume of the Markam pluton is dominated by an S-type peraluminous medium- to coarse-grained granite [Qtz+Pl+Kfs(±Mc)+Bt+Ms+Grt+Chl+Tur] which was emplaced over a period of 20 Myr from 231 to 209Ma based on U-Pb zircon ages, at an estimated minimum depth of ∼11km (300 MPa). Markam granites [0.709405<87Sr/86Sr(t)<0.711113; -9.02<εNd(t)<-7.99] result from the melting of the Songpan Ganze metasediments under amphibolite-facies conditions at a depth of at least 20 km. The magmatic series has evolved from the parental melt by fractional crystallization yielding a residual S-type, peraluminous, coarse-grained granite with feldspar phenocrysts (Qtz+Kfs+Pl+Bt+Ms+Aln) forming the southeastern branch of the Markam pluton with U-Pb zircon ages ranging from 230 to 200Ma (peak at 207 Ma). The main volume of the Taiyanghe pluton is dominated by I-type, high-K calc-alkaline, fine- to coarse-grained diorite and syenodiorite (Qtz+Pl+Kfs+Bt+Amp±Chl±Grt) and was emplaced over a period of ∼40 Myr (239-202 Ma) at an estimated minimum depth of about 11 km. Taiyanghe rocks have isotopic signatures [0.708037<87Sr/86Sr(t)<0.708665; -6.27<εNd(t)<-3.62] typical of magmas resulting from partial melting in a subduction context of an ultramafic source under eclogite-facies conditions and were only slightly geochemically influenced by Songpan Ganze metasediments. This magmatic series has experienced limited fractional crystallization from the parental magma, leading to the formation of a (Pl+Amp)-rich cumulate. The Taiyanghe pluton also includes I-type, low-K calc-alkaline hornblende-gabbros [Amp(Hbl)+Pl+Qtz+Bt], that have to our knowledge not been recognized before in the Songpan Ganze terrane, which we interpret as a residual mush resulting from the differentiation of the Taiyanghe magmas, intruding the pluton soon after its formation. These data provide evidence that the Triassic plutons intruding the Songpan Ganze accretionary orogenic wedge result from partial melting at different levels of mantle and crustal protoliths leading to magmas that show limited interactions despite their nearby emplacement, over a 30 Myr period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal gravimetry is an efficient tool for monitoring mass transfers, but distinguishing the contribution of each process to the measured signals is challenging. Few effective methods have been developed to estimate the changes in gravity caused by crustal strain for largescale geophysical problems. To fill this research gap, we proposed a formula that describes a negative linear correlation between changes in gravity and crustal dilatational strain. Surface observations of gravity changes and dilatational strains were simulated using PSGRN/PSCMP, which is a numerical code used to calculate the surface response to fault dislocations, and the accuracy of the formula was quantitatively verified. Four parameters are required for this formula: the crustal dilatational strain, the crustal density, the Moho depth, and a coefficient that characterizes the degree of crust-mantle coupling. To illustrate the application of this new method to a natural case study, including specifying the values of the necessary parameters, the crustal strain-caused gravity changes (CSGCs) were calculated at 1° × 1° grid nodes over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The CSGC model shows that most of the crust of the TP is undergoing extension, which generates negative gravity signals. The magnitude of the Tibetan CSGC model is approximately 0.2 μGal yr-1, which is similar to the results obtained from numerical modelling of the crustal tectonics of the Taiwanese Orogen. To evaluate the reliability of the Tibetan CSGC model, the uncertainties in the crustal dilatational strain, crustal density, Moho depth, and crust-mantle coupling factor were evaluated and then used to estimate the CSGC uncertainty by applying the error propagation law. The CSGC model was used to analyse the mass transfers of the TP. The results suggest that a significant mass accumulation process may be occurring beneath the crust of the northern TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new 3-D shear wave velocity model of the northeastern (NE) Tibetan Plateau and western Sino-Korea Craton is presented. The model is based on Rayleigh waves recorded at 650 portable stations deployed in the region. Interstation phase and group velocity dispersions for more than 18 000 paths were estimated using the two-station method and then inverted to produce phase velocity maps for 10-80 s period and group velocity maps for 10-60 s period. Local 1-D shear wave velocity profiles for each 0.5° × 0.5°grid node were obtained by inverting Rayleigh wave dispersions obtained in this study together with previously published Rayleigh wave group velocities between 60 and 145 s and then assembled into a 3-D shear wave velocity model. The images obtained reveal an obvious mid-crustal low-velocity zone (LVZ) and low-velocity anomaly in the upper mantle beneath the Songpan-Ganzi terrane. The mid-crustal LVZ can be explained by the presence of partial melting, most likely from asthenospheric upwelling. The existence of a relatively weak mid-crustal LVZ beneath the Qilian orogeny is also confirmed. This LVZ is likely caused by the presence of deep crustal fluids. The Yinchuan-Hetao graben is characterized by relatively low velocities that extend to at least 200 km below the Earth's surface, strongly contrasting with the seismically fast lithosphere of the Ordos and Alax blocks. The model presented here shows the presence of a relatively thick and high-velocity lithosphere beneath the Ordos and NE Alxa blocks, as well as evidence of thinning of the lithosphere beneath the southwestern Alxa and Qilian blocks, indicating that the Alxa block is not subducting beneath NE Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Human activities have dramatically increased nutrient inputs to ecosystems, impacting plant community diversity, composition and functioning. Extensive research has shown that a decrease in species diversity and an increase in productivity are a common phenomenon following fertilization in grasslands ecosystem. The magnitude of the response of species diversity and above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) to fertilization mainly depends on species traits (mean trait values) and traits variability (plasticity). Our aim of this study was to examine (i) changes of species diversity (species richness and Shannon–Wiener index) and ANPP following fertilization; (ii) which species traits or community-weighted mean (CWM) traits can determine ANPP, as expected from the ‘biomass ratio hypothesis’; and (iii) the relative role of intra-specific and inter-specific trait variability in this process following fertilization. Methods We measured ANPP and four key plant functional traits: specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), mature plant height (MPH) and leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC) for 25 component species along a fertilization gradient in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. In addition, trait variation of species was assessed using coefficients of variation (CV), and we calculated the ratio of the CVintra to the CVintra. Important Findings Our results showed that: (i) fertilization significantly reduced species richness and Shannon–Weiner diversity index, but significantly increased ANPP; (ii) there was a significant positive correlation between ANPP and CWM–SLA and CWM–MPH, yet there was no significant relationship between ANPP and CWM–LNC or CWM–LDMC; (iii) intra-specific variability in SLA and MPH was found to be much greater than inter-specific variability, especially at the higher fertilization levels. We concluded that CWM–SLA and CWM–MPH can be used to assess the impacts of species changes on ecosystem functioning, and dominant species can maximize resource use through intra-specific variability in SLA and MPH to compensate for the loss of species following fertilization, therefore maintaining high community productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present a new synthesis of GPS velocities for tectonic deformation within the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas, a combined data set of ~1854 GPS-derived horizontal velocity vectors. Assuming that crustal deformation is localized along major faults, a block modelling approach is employed to interpret the GPS velocity field. We construct a 30-element block model to describe present-day deformation in western China, with half of them located within the Tibetan Plateau, and the remainder located in its surrounding areas. We model the GPS velocities simultaneously for the effects of block rotations and elastic strain induced by the bounding faults. Our model yields a good fit to the GPS data with a mean residual of 1.08 mm a-1 compared to the mean uncertainty of 1.36 mm a-1 for each velocity component, indicating a good agreement between the predicted and observed velocities. The major strike-slip faults such as the Altyn Tagh, Xianshuihe, Kunlun and Haiyuan faults have relatively uniform slip rates in a range of 5-12 mm a-1 along most of their segments, and the estimated fault slip rates agree well with previous geologic and geodetic results. Blocks having significant residuals are located at the southern and southeastern Tibetan Plateau, suggesting complex tectonic settings and further refinement of accurate definition of block geometry in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface wave tomography routinely uses empirically scaled density model in the inversion of dispersion curves for shear wave speeds of the crust and uppermost mantle. An improperly selected empirical scaling relationship between density and shear wave speed can lead to unrealistic density models beneath certain tectonic formations such as sedimentary basins. Taking the Sichuan basin east to the Tibetan plateau as an example, we investigate the differences between density profiles calculated from four scaling methods and their effects on Rayleigh wave phase velocities. Analytical equations for 1-D layered models and adjoint tomography for 3-D models are used to examine the trade-off between density and S-wave velocity structures at different depth ranges. We demonstrate that shallow density structure can significantly influence phase velocities at short periods, and thereby affect the shear wave speed inversion from phase velocity data. In particular, a deviation of 25 per cent in the initial density model can introduce an error up to 5 per cent in the inverted shear velocity at middle and lower crustal depths. Therefore one must pay enough attention in choosing a proper velocity-density scaling relationship in constructing initial density model in Rayleigh wave inversion for crustal shear velocity structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed a large amount of teleseismic receiver function data recorded by 172 broadband stations in the NE Tibetan plateau and its surrounding areas to investigate the crustal velocity and anisotropy structure beneath the margin. We first applied the modified H-κ stacking technique to measure the crustal thickness and average Vp/Vs ratio, and then employed a joint inversion scheme to measure azimuthal anisotropy of the crust beneath each station. The observed crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio exhibit large variations across the study area, varying from 32 to 75.6 km and from 1.601 to 1.864, respectively.We also found significant azimuthal anisotropy within the crust beneath 12 stations, with a splitting time between 0.36 and 1.06s. The fast polarization directions align well with surface structures, and follow the directions of the maximum horizontal tensile stress. The low Vp/Vs ratio and the strong azimuthal anisotropy observed beneath the margin suggest that whole crustal shortening might be the dominant mechanism for producing the thick crust in NE Tibet. We compared the measured seismic anisotropy with those measured from XKS (SKS, PKS and SKKS), and found that crustal anisotropy appears to play an important role in explaining the amount of XKS splitting times. More importantly, the Moho Ps and the XKS share similar fast polarization directions, suggesting a vertically coherent deformation within the lithosphere beneath the margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is a regional Earth system showing very strong interactions among its lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and anthrosphere. These interactions manifest TP's impact on surrounding regions and reflect TP's response to the global change. Quantifying the multispherical interactions is critically important to understand the TP environment. Our recent years researches including the ongoing program entitled 'Tibetan Multi-Spheres Interactions and Their Resource-Environment Significance (TIMI)', the completed program entitled. 'Paleo-Altitudes of Tibetan Plateau and Environment (PATE)', as well as the other relating projects have focused on multidisciplinary research approaches and emphasized on three major pathways: Eurasia-Indian plates collision on deep-Earth dynamics, uplift impact on Earth's mantle-crust dynamics, and contemporary interface on land surface and atmospheric dynamics. Our researches have taken in situ measurement as priority and developed several platforms of data acquisition and analysis, including the platforms of water-phase transformations, and ecosystem observations. Our field investigations have been conducted to obtain data about stratum, paleontology, paleoenvironment, genetic differentiation of animals and plants. We have developed conceptual and mathematical models for crust uplift formation, paleoclimate, glacial melt, water-air interface flux, vegetation climate, and soil erosion. We have also assessed the anthropogenic impacts on environment. Our researches have achieved new and reliable redating of the mantle-crust interaction and initial formation of the TP, found the interaction between tectonics and uplift of the TP and resultant paleoaltitude acting as a spreading source; discovered the interaction between the westerlies and Indian monsoon acting as a control chain that dominates the TP's contemporary environment. The scientific results can play fundamental roles in supporting the TP's resource exploration and societal sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the Tibetan Plateau uplift on the Asian monsoons and inland arid climates is an important but also controversial question in studies of paleoenvironmental change during the Cenozoic. In order to achieve a good understanding of the background for the formation of the Asian monsoons and arid environments, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the distribution of monsoon regions and arid zones in Asia before the plateau uplift. In this study, we discuss in detail the patterns of distribution of the Asian monsoon and arid regions before the plateau uplift on the basis of modeling results without topography from a global coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model, compare our results with previous simulation studies and available biogeological data, and review the uncertainties in the current knowledge. Based on what we know at the moment, tropical monsoon climates existed south of 20°N in South and Southeast Asia before the plateau uplift, while the East Asian monsoon was entirely absent in the extratropics. These tropical monsoons mainly resulted from the seasonal shifts of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone. There may have been a quasi-monsoon region in central-southern Siberia. Most of the arid regions in the Asian continent were limited to the latitudes of 20-40°N, corresponding to the range of the subtropical high pressure year-around. In the meantime, the present-day arid regions located in the relatively high latitudes in Central Asia were most likely absent before the plateau uplift. The main results from the above modeling analyses are qualitatively consistent with the available biogeological data. These results highlight the importance of the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the Cenozoic evolution of the Asian climate pattern of dry-wet conditions. Future studies should be focused on effects of the changes in land-sea distribution and atmospheric CO2 concentrations before and after the plateau uplift, and also on cross-comparisons between numerical simulations and geological evidence, so that a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of the Cenozoic paleoenvironments in Asia can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenology studies the cycle of events in nature that are initiated and driven by an annually recurring environment. Plant phenology is expected to be one of the most sensitive and easily observable natural indicators of climate change. On the Tibetan Plateau (TP), an accelerated warming since the mid-1980s has resulted in significant environmental changes. These new conditions are accompanied by phenological changes that are characterized by considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Satellite remote sensing observed widespread advance in the start of the plant growing season across the plateau during the 1980s and 1990s but substantial delay over 2000-2011 in the southwest although it continued to advance in the northeast regions of the TP. Both observational studies and controlled experiments have revealed, to some extent, the positive role of higher preseason temperature and even more precipitation in advancing the leaf onset and first flowering date of the TP. However, a number of rarely visited research issues that are essential for understanding the role of phenology in ecosystem responses and feedback processes to climate change remain to be solved. Our review recommends that addressing the following questions should be a high priority. How did other phenological events change, such as flowering and fruiting phenology? What are the influences from environmental changes other than temperature and precipitation, including human activities such as grazing What are the genetic and physiological bases of plants phenological responses? How does phenological change influence ecosystem structure and function at different scales and feedback to the climate system? Investigating these research questions requires, first of all, new data of the associated environmental variables, and consistent and reliable phenological observation using different methodologies (i.e. in situ observations and remote sensing). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]