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This paper considers nomads' decision-making process in response to the 'Eco-Migration Policy' in the Three River Headwaters region of the People's Republic of China. Contrary to previous studies of this policy, which emphasised the need for pastoral communities to wholly assimilate to urban life, this study focuses on individual choices and on the practical meanings of pastoralists' decisions in relation to government policies. Interviews and field surveys revealed the main factors inducing Tibetan pastoralists to become ecological migrants: whether the migrant village was in a convenient location and the facilities were satisfactory, the retention of the right to profit from caterpillar fungus collection, and the flexibility of livestock leases. These rationales stand in stark contrast to the notion of 'environmental correctness' emphasised in the state's discourse regarding these policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper represents the first otolith study on trace element (Sr, Mg) concentrations of naked carp ( Gymnocypris przewalskii), an endemic and endangered migratory species in high-altitude Lake Qinghai and its tributaries of China, using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Results from life-history transect analyses and X-ray intensity maps suggested that the general reference criterion for discrimination of the salinity habitats of freshwater, brackish and seawater by the otolith Sr:Ca ratio of diadromous fish cannot be used as a reliable indicator for reconstructing the migration history of naked carp between different habitats. On the contrary, Mg concentrations and Mg:Ca ratios were found inconsistent in all otolith samples of G. przewalskii. The otolith regions with higher Mg concentrations (greenish) might coincide with the period that yolk provides nutrition to G. przewalskii. The lower Mg:Ca ratios in most regions of otolith showed that Mg in G. przewalskii might be regulated to that low level during its lifespan in Lake Qinghai. This suggests that the distinct EPMA approach can provide new visualization insight into the ontogenetic and migration patterns of G. przewalskii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: this paper studies spatial variability of soil salt and its content ions around Qinghai Lake region. Research results show that, test on normal distribution of soil salt and its ion content using frequency distribution histogram and Kolmogorov-Smirnov, soil salt and other ions comply with normal distribution except for Cl- with normal distribution after transformation and CO32- with lognormal distribution. Analysis using Geostatistics shows that total soil salt, HCO3- and Cl- comply with exponential model and other ions with spherical model. Content of soil salt and its other component ions around Qinghai Lake region ranges from 6.00 -30.10km, K+ varies greatly among the ions, Na+, Ca2+,CO3 2− and SO4 2− changes less. The ranging scope of total soil salt is 12.00km, which implies a suitable soil salt sampling space of about 12km around Qinghai Lake region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper studies the correlation between species richness and productivity under different scales using soil water content in Qinghai Lake region, and the research results show that soil water content has negative correlation with species richness under community scales and positive one with productivity; while in different types of vegetations, soil water content has obvious negative correlation with species richness and positive one with productivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper introduces the Cyberinfrastructure and e-Science application of joint research in the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve, supporting cross-disciplinary, cross-organizational and international collaborative research. We introduce the e-Science application from the view of how Cyberinfrastructure and information technology can promote the different aspects of research activities, including data acquisition, knowledge discovery by processing and analyzing massive data, and knowledge representation. This e-Science application is the first one applied in the national nature reserve in China and is also the first attempt in China to construct Cyberinfrastructure to support protection and research in plateau area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of geostatistics to explore the spatial distribution and variability of soil properties has become an important tool to recognize soil properties. In this paper, we combined actual field sampling data with geostatistics to study the characteristic and spatial variability of soil organic matter and organic carbon content around Qinghai Lake. The results showed that the mean content of soil organic carbon is 5.95±3.40%, and organic matter is 3.45±1.97%, both are low. The variogram model of semi-variance function graph showed the models of soil organic carbon and matter are the exponential model. Isotropic ratio of nugget to sill of soil organic carbon and organic matter are 82.9% and 83%, both variable range are 9300m, all are in the range, here exists a correlation between organic carbon and organic matter content in the space. Fractal dimension can exhibit the higher spatial heterogeneity of soil organic carbon and organic matter content around Qinghai Lake. Anisotropy semi-variance analysis reveals that there does not exist any anisotropy structural characteristics of soil organic carbon and organic matter content in different directions in the study area; but there is spatial variability in the east - west as for organic matter content, while variability is very small in the other directions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Water level and chemistry of Lake Qinghai are sensitive to climate changes and are important for paleoclimatic implications. An accurate understanding of hydrological and chemical budgets is crucial for quantifying geochemical proxies and carbon cycle. Published results of water budget are firstly reviewed in this paper. Chemical budget and residence time of major dissolved constituents in the lake are estimated using reliable water budget and newly obtained data for seasonal water chemistry. The results indicate that carbonate weathering is the most important riverine process, resulting in dominance of Ca2+ and DIC for river waters and groundwater. Groundwater contribution to major dissolved constituents is relatively small (4.2 ± 0.5%). Wet atmospheric deposition contributes annually 7.4–44.0% soluble flux to the lake, resulting from eolian dust throughout the seasons. Estimates of chemical budget further suggest that (1) the Buha-type water dominates the chemical components of the lake water, (2) Na+, Cl−, Mg2+, and K+ in lake water are enriched owing to their conservative behaviors, and (3) precipitation of authigenic carbonates (low-Mg calcite, aragonite, and dolomite) transits quickly dissolved Ca2+ into the bottom sediments of the lake, resulting in very low Ca2+ in the lake water. Therefore, authigenic carbonates in the sediments hold potential information on the relative contribution of different solute inputs to the lake and the lake chemistry in the past. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an ecological–economic model for a lake and its watershed systems. We describe the linkage between the watershed system and the lake aquatic ecosystem and the modeling process. The lake–watershed system was divided into six subsystems: social system, economic system, terrestrial ecosystem, lake water system, pollutant system, and lake aquatic ecosystem. The model equations were constructed based on five main assumptions. The Lake Qionghai watershed in southwestern China, which is undergoing rapid eutrophication, was used as a case study. The targeted goals for total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations in the lake in 2015 are 0.025 and 10.0mgm−3, respectively. We present two scenarios from 2004 to 2015 based on the ecological–economic model. In both scenarios, the TP and Chl a concentrations in the lake are predicted to increase under the effects of watershed pressures and the targeted goals cannot be met. The application of techniques to reduce pollutants loading and the corresponding pollutants reductions are reflected again in the constructed model. The model predicts that TP and Chl a concentrations will decrease to 0.024 and 7.71mgm−3, respectively, which meet the targeted thresholds. The model results provide directions for local government management of watersheds and lake aquatic ecosystem restoration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lakes are sensitive indicators of climate change. There are thousands of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), and more than 1200 of them have an area larger than 1 km 2 ; they respond quickly to climate change, but few observation data of lakes are available. Therefore, the thermal condition of the plateau lakes under the background of climate warming remains poorly understood. In this study, the China regional surface meteorological feature dataset developed by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ITPCAS), MODIS lake surface temperature (LST) data and buoy observation data were used to evaluate the performance of lake model FLake, extended by simple parameterizations of the salinity effect, for brackish lake and to reveal the response of thermal conditions, radiation and heat balance of Qinghai Lake to the recent climate change. The results demonstrated that the FLake has good ability in capturing the seasonal variations in the lake surface temperature and the internal thermal structure of Qinghai Lake. The simulated lake surface temperature showed an increasing trend from 1979 to 2012, positively correlated with the air temperature and the downward longwave radiation while negatively correlated with the wind speed and downward shortwave radiation. The simulated internal thermodynamic structure revealed that Qinghai Lake is a dimictic lake with two overturn periods occurring in late spring and late autumn. The surface and mean water temperatures of the lake significantly increased from 1979 to 2012, while the bottom temperatures showed no significant trend, even decreasing slightly from 1989 to 2012. The warming was the strongest in winter for both the lake surface and air temperature. With the warming of the climate, the later ice-on and earlier ice-off trend was simulated in the lake, significantly influencing the interannual and seasonal variability in radiation and heat flux. The annual average net shortwave radiation and latent heat flux (LH) both increase obviously while the net longwave radiation and sensible heat flux (SH) decrease slightly. Earlier ice-off leads to more energy absorption mainly in the form of shortwave radiation during the thawing period, and later ice-on leads to more energy release in the form of longwave radiation, SH and LH during the ice formation period. Meanwhile, the lake–air temperature difference increased in both periods due to shortening ice duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Located at the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in the Asian interior, the Lake Qinghai is sensitive to environmental change and thus an outstanding site for studying paleoenvironmental changes. Thick deposits in the Lake Qinghai provide important geological archives for obtaining high-resolution records of continental environmental history. The longest drilling core obtained from the Lake Qinghai, named Erlangjian (ELJ), reached about 1109 m and was investigated to determine its clay mineral assemblage and grain size distributions. Clay mineralogical proxies, including type, composition, and their ratios, as well as the illite crystallinity (KI) and chemical index (CI), in combination with grain size data, were used for reconstructing the history of paleoenvironmental evolution since the late Miocene in the Lake Qinghai Basin. The clay mineral records indicate that the clay mainly comprise detritus originating from peripheral material and has experienced little or no diagenesis. The proportion of authigenic origin was minor. Illite was the most abundant clay mineral, followed by chlorite, kaolinite, and smectite. Variations of clay mineral indexes reflect the cooling and drying trends in the Lake Qinghai region, and the grain size distribution is coincided with the clay minerals indexes. The paleoclimatic evolution of the Lake Qinghai Basin since the late Miocene can be divided into five intervals. The climate was relatively warm and wet in the early of late Miocene, then long-term trends in climate change character display cooling and drying; later in the late Miocene until early Pliocene the climate was in a short relatively warm and humid period; since then the climate was relatively colder and drier. These results also suggest multiple tectonic uplift events in the northeastern QTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) techniques were used to date total organic carbon and plant seeds in the 1Fs core sequence (36°48'N, 100°08'E) from Qinghai Lake, China. This core was drilled ~18 m into Qinghai Lake sediments as part of an international cooperative research project, "Scientific Drilling at Qinghai Lake in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau: High-Resolution Paleoenvironmental Records of Eastern Asia Linked to Global Change," which began in 2004. Based on the differences in lithology and total organic content (TOC) in core 1Fs, the core was divided into 3 sections for age-modeling purposes: the upper ~499 cm lacustrine silty clay to clay; the middle unit of silty clay with silt layers from 499-901 cm; and the lower 901-1861 cm silty clay, loess-like silt, and fine sand layers. Three different approaches are applied to the reservoir age problem. First, a simple linear regression gives an offset of 1342 yr. If the core is divided into three sections, linear regressions can be applied separately for the three segments, which results in an age estimate for the average hardwater effect of ~135 yr BP for the surface section up to 499 cm. If extrapolated for deeper sections, these results imply a higher reservoir offset for those two sections, which may be as much as 1143 and 2523 yr, but this assumes that there are no discontinuities in the core. A third approach using a wiggle-matching approach gave an offset of 196 yr. This study concludes that the reservoir age of Qinghai Lake is complex, but these new data add to our understanding of the 14C chronology of Qinghai Lake for the last 32 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand wedges and ice-wedge casts in the Qinghai Lake area on the northeastern Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau ( QTP) occur within alluvial gravel or river terrace deposits. In this study, we report the results of quartz Optically Stimulated Luminescence ( OSL) dating of the infill of five relict sand wedges and one ice-wedge cast. Combining our dating results with previously published luminescence ages of permafrost wedges in the Qinghai Lake area, we show that sand/ice wedges formed at c. 62 ka, c. 45 ka and between 30 and 15 ka, and that the mean annual air temperature ( MAAT) was depressed by at least ∼3° C relative to present during the sand/ice-wedge formation periods. This new work is partially corroborated by post- LGM proxy records from lakes and aeolian deposits reported from the northeastern QTP. It also significantly extends the palaeoenvironmental record in the region in the period before the LGM, when other proxy records are rare, allowing a better understanding of the palaeoenvironmental conditions on the northeastern QTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four wetland maps for all China have been produced, based on Landsat and CBERS-02B remote sensing data between 1978 and 2008 (1978, 1990, 2000 and 2008). These maps were mainly developed by manual interpretation and validated by substantial field investigation in 2009. Based on these maps, we analyzed the 2008 wetland distribution in China and discussed wetland changes and their drivers over the past 30 years. (i) There were about 324097 km of wetlands in 2008, for which inland marshes or swamps were the most common wetland type (35%), with lakes (26%) second. Most of the wetlands were in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai and Tibet, occupying about 55% of the national wetland area. (ii) From 1978 to 2008, China's wetland area continually and significantly decreased, by about 33% based on changes in the wetland map. This was in sharp contrast to the increase in artificial wetlands, which increased by about 122%. Inland marshes accounted for the main loss of total wetlands from 1978 to 2000. From 2000 through 2008, riverine and lacustrine wetlands constituted the main wetland loss. Fortunately however, the rate of wetland loss decreased from 5523 to 831 km/a. (iii) The change ratio of lost natural wetlands (including inland and coastal wetlands) to non-wetlands has decreased slightly over the past 30 years. From 1978 to 1990, nearly all natural wetlands (98%) lost were transformed into non-wetlands. However, the ratio declined to 86% from 1990 to 2000, and to 77% from 2000 to 2008. (iv) All Chinese provinces were divided into three groups according to patterns of wetland changes, which could relate to the driving forces of such changes. Tibet was completely different from other provinces, as it was one representative example in which there was a net wetland increase, because of global warming and decreased human activity since 1990. Increased economic development caused considerable wetland loss in most eastern provinces, and artificial wetlands increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, effects of elevated air temperatures on thermal and hydrologic process of the shallow soil in the active layer were investigated. Open-top chambers (OTCs) were utilized to increase air temperatures 1-2°C in OTC-1 and 3-5°C in OTC-2 in the alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Results show that the annual air temperatures under OTC-1 and OTC-2 were 1.21°C and 3.62°C higher than the Control, respectively. The entirely-frozen period of shallow soil in the active layer was shortened and the fully thawed period was prolonged with temperature increase. The maximum penetration depth and duration of the negative isotherm during the entirely-frozen period decreased, and soil freezing was retarded in the local scope of the soil profile when temperature increased. Meanwhile, the positive isotherm during the fully-thawed period increased, and the soil thawing was accelerated. Soil moisture under different manipulations decreased with the temperature increase at the same depth. During the early freezing period and the early fullythawed period, the maximum soil moisture under the Control manipulation was at 0.2 m deep, whereas under OTC-1 and OTC-2 manipulations, the maximum soil moisture were at 0.4-0.5 m deep. These results indicate that elevated temperatures led to a decrease of the moisture in the surface soil. The coupled relationship between soil temperature and moisture was significantly affected by the temperature increase. During the freezing and thawing processes, the soil temperature and moisture under different manipulations fit the regression model given by the equation θ=a/{;1+exp[b( TS+c)]}+d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluminous granodioritic magmatism is recorded in the East Kunlun, Northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Here we present mineralogical, petrological, geochemical and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic data and zircon U-Pb ages for the Naomuhun pluton and its numerous mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs). Whole-rock geochemical data and regional geological studies indicate that this pluton consists of subduction-related high-K calc-alkaline metaluminous, I-type granodiorite. The MMEs have plagioclase xenocrysts and disequilibrium textures, such as oscillatory zoning and resorbed rims, indicating magma mixing. Compositions of plagioclase (An-An), amphibole (Mg# = 0.62 ~ 0.68), and biotite (Mg# = 0.52-0.56) of MMEs are similar to or very slightly different from equivalent minerals in the host granodiorites, suggesting nearly complete equilibration between the mafic-and felsic magmas. The zircon U-Pb age of the MMEs (263 ± 2 Ma) is identical, within analytical error, to that of the host granodiorites (261 ± 2 Ma). The MMEs have ε(t) values of −6.83 to −3.15 (average = −4.68), whereas those of the granodiorites range from −9.00 to −3.20 (average −5.63), which is identical within analytical uncertainty. Combined with relatively homogeneous Sr-Nd isotopic compositions, we suggest the MMEs were derived from magma mixing, and their source is similar to an enriched mantle composition. The granodiorites have T(Hf) model ages ranging from 1.49 to 1.86 Ga, consistent with the Nd model ages (T), implying that the host magma was derived from Paleo- or Meso-proterozoic rocks, probably the Xiaomiao Group, which forms the basement of East Kunlun. We propose a model for magma formation and magma mixing in a subduction zone environment, in which subduction of an oceanic slab at ca. 260 Ma led to fluid metasomatism, inducing partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle to form the voluminous mafic magma. The mafic magma underplated the overlying lower crust, resulting in its partial melting to form felsic magma. The mafic magma then mixed with the felsic magma at lower crustal levels to form the MMEs by convective motion, or forceful injection into the host felsic magma. The MMEs and their host magma were then emplaced at a depth of ca. 12 km, where they crystallized at a temperature of ca. 700-770°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 475-cm long sediment core (QH-2005) from Lake Qinghai was used to carry out multi-proxy analysis of δO and body length of ostracod valves and redness and grain size of sediments, in order to reconstruct environmental changes during the past 13500 cal. a BP. The age model was based on 6 C dates for bulk orgnic carbon (BOC) and 2 C dates for lignin. The lignin C dates are apparently younger than the corresponding layers' BOC C dates, indicating that the reservoir age varied from 728 to 1222 a since the Late Glacial and from 2390 to 2490 a immediately before the pre-bomb era. Hence, the C age model for Core QH-2005 was corrected by the changing reservoir age. Ostracod δO values were primarily related to dilution and evaporative enrichment of the lake water. The reconstructed salinity based on ostracod body length coincides well with ostracod δO values. High redness and mean grain size (MZ) values indicate increased riverine supply to Lake Qinghai associated with increasing monsoon rainfall. Multi-proxy results show that climate during 13500-10900 cal. a BP was relatively cold and dry with frequent short-term fluctuations; a warm and wet climate began at about 10900 cal. a BP and culminated around 6500 cal. a BP as a result of monsoon strengthening; the climate became cold and dry afterwards and has remained relatively stable since 3400 cal. a BP. Our data also reveal short-term (millennial/centennial timescales) climatic fluctuations including: Younger Dryas events, ice-rafting events 8 and 1 (by ∼11000 cal. a BP and ∼1600 cal. a BP respectively), 8200 cal. a BP cold event, Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warm Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous palaeoclimatic studies in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (NETP) during the Holocene, mainly using lake sediments, have deepened our understanding of the climatic system in this remote region. The timing and forcing mechanisms of climatic change in this region are still controversial, however. Aeolian sand and silt deposits, which are widely distributed in the NETP, can be readily dated by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques and reveal the sensitive response of the landscape to climatic change. In this study, aeolian sand and loess at six sites around Qinghai Lake were studied to reconstruct millennial-scale climatic changes during the Holocene. Multiproxy data along with 24 OSL age determinations show that low effective moisture and aeolian activity occurred at c. 13 ka, 10—9.1 ka, and 8.9—7.8 ka. Periods of greater effective moisture may have occurred at ~11 ka and 9 ka, and there is evidence for a previously undocumented wet climate at 4—3 ka. These results show that millennial-scale Holocene palaeoclimatic changes in the NETP cannot be explained simply as direct responses to changes in monsoon precipitation forced by summer insolation. We suggest that changes in effective moisture were determined by the balance between monsoon-induced rainfall and evaporation loss (mainly controlled by temperature). Thus, climatic change in the NETP may have been influenced by complex interactions between the monsoon circulation and local convection/evaporation effects, in addition to large-scale change in the Asian monsoon and the westerlies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The autumn migration routes of bar-headed geese captured before the 2008 breeding season at Qinghai Lake, China, were documented using satellite tracking data. To assess how the migration strategies of bar-headed geese are influenced by environmental conditions, the relationship between migratory routes, temperatures, and vegetation coverage at stopovers sites estimated with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were analyzed. Our results showed that there were four typical migration routes in autumn with variation in timing among individuals in start and end times and in total migration and stopover duration. The observed variation may be related to habitat type and other environmental conditions along the routes. On average, these birds traveled about 1300 to 1500 km, refueled at three to six stopover sites and migrated for 73 to 83 days. The majority of the habitat types at stopover sites were lake, marsh, and shoal wetlands, with use of some mountainous regions, and farmland areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak at Qinghai Lake, China, in 2005 caused the death of over 6,000 migratory birds, half of which were Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus. Understanding the movements of this species may inform monitoring of outbreak risks for HPAI viruses; thus, we investigated the movement patterns of 29 Bar-headed Geese at Qinghai Lake, China during 2007 and 2008 by using high resolution GPS satellite telemetry. We described the movements and distribution of marked Bar-headed Geese during the pre-nesting, nesting, and moulting periods. Of 21 Bar-headed Geese with complete transmission records, 3 moved to other areas during the nesting period: 2 to Jianghe wetland (50 km northwest of Qinghai Lake) and 1 to Cuolongka Lake (220 km northwest of Qinghai Lake) during the nesting period. We identified nesting attempts of 7 of the marked geese at Qinghai Lake. Four completed successful nesting attempts according to our rules of judgment for the breeding status, and 2 geese lost broods soon after hatching (hereafter referred to as unsuccessful breeders). Of 18 geese present at Qinghai Lake during the nesting period, 9 (6 non-breeders, 2 successful breeders and 1 unsuccessful breeder) remained at Qinghai Lake during the moulting period; and 9 (5 non-breeders, 4 unsuccessful breeders) left Qinghai Lake for moulting. Kuhai Lake, Donggeicuona Lake, Alake Lake, Zhaling-Eling Lake area and Huangheyuan wetland area were used as moulting sites. Geese that moulted at Qinghai Lake, Cuolongka Lake, Kuhai Lake, Donggeicuona Lake and Alake Lake also moved to Zhaling-Eling Lake area or Huangheyuan wetland area and stayed there for several days prior to autumn migration. Mean home range and core area estimates did not differ significantly by sex, year and between breeders and non-breeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the spatial genetic relationships of the Lake Qinghai scaleless carp Gymnocypris przewalskii within the Lake Qinghai system, determining whether genetic evidence supports the current taxonomy of Gymnocypris przewalskii przewalskii and Gymnocypris przewalskii ganzihonensis and whether Gymnocypris przewalskii przewalskii are returning to their natal rivers to spawn. Comparison of mitochondrial (control region) variation (42 haplotypes in 203 fish) of G. przewalskii with the postulated ancestral species found in the Yellow River, Gymnocypris eckloni (10 haplotypes in 23 fish), indicated no haplotype sharing, but incomplete lineage sorting. Consistent with the sub-species status, an AMOVA indicated that the Ganzi River population was significantly different from all other river populations ( F = 0·1671, P < 0·001). No genetic structure was found among the other rivers in the Lake Qinghai catchment. An AMOVA of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) loci, however, revealed significant genetic differences between most spawning populations ( F = 0·0721, P < 0·001). Both mitochondrial and AFLP data found significant differences among G. p. przewalskii, G. p. ganzihonensis and G. eckloni ( F values of 0·1959 and 0·1431, respectively, P < 0·001). Consistent with the incomplete lineage sorting, Structure analysis of AFLP loci showed evidence of five clusters. One cluster is shared among all sample locations, one is unique to G. p. ganzihonensis and G. eckloni, and the others are mostly found in G. p. przewalskii. Genetic evidence therefore supports the current taxonomy, including the sub-species status of G. p. ganzihonensis, and is consistent with natal homing of most Lake Qinghai populations. These findings have significant implications for the conservation and management of this unique and threatened species. The evidence suggests that G. p. przewalskii should be treated as a single population for conservation purposes. Exchangeability of the populations, however, should not be used to promote homogenization of fish spawning in the different rivers. As some degree of genetic divergence was detected in this study, it is recommended that the spawning groups be treated as separate management units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As revealed by field investigations, the co-seismic surface rupture zone of the 2010 MS7.1 Yushu earthquake, Qinghai is a characteristic sinistral strike-slip feature consisting of three distinct sinistral primary ruptures, with an overall strike of 310°--320° and a total length of 31 km. In addition, an approximately 2-km-long en-echelon tensile fissure zone was found east of Longbao Town; if this site is taken as the north end of the rupture zone, then the rupture had a total length of ~51 km. The surface rupture zone is composed of a series of fissures arranged in an en-echelon or alternating relationship between compressive bulges and tensile fissures, with a measured maximum horizontal displacement of 1.8 m. The surface rupture zone extends along the mapped Garzê-Yushu Fault, which implicates it as the seismogenic fault for this earthquake. Historically, a few earthquakes with a magnitude of about 7 have occurred along the fault, and additionally traces of paleoearthquakes are evident that characterize the short-period recurrence interval of large earthquakes here. Similar to the seismogenic process of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the Yushu earthquake is also due to the stress accumulation and release on the block boundaries resulting from the eastward expansion of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, in contrast with the Wenchuan earthquake, the Yushu earthquake had a sinistral strike-slip mechanism resulting from the uneven eastward extrusion of the Baryan Har and Sichuan-Yunnan fault blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding local attitudes and opinion is vital to the success of conservation programs, especially in areas of expanding human populations such as China. Przewalski’s gazelle ( Procapra przewalskii) is an endangered ungulate found only in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The gazelle is a conservation focus; however, little is known regarding how this animal is perceived by local people. To understand the relationship between demography, levels of conservation knowledge, and attitudes, we conducted 174 interviewer-led surveys in villages located inside, near, and away from the gazelle’s home ranges around Qinghai Lake, China. About half of the interviewees were aware of gazelle conservation. No more than half of the interviewees were aware that grassland fence, livestock, roads, and wolves negatively impact upon gazelle. On the whole, the majority of interviewees supported the conservation of gazelle. There were high levels of support for both establishing a special protected area and investing more funds in conservation but very few interviewees reported personal benefits from gazelle conservation. Overall attitude of interviewees toward the gazelle differed significantly among regions and people living near the range of gazelle were the most positive. Interviewees with conservation information were more positive than interviewees lacking such information. People who had more education or possessed more grassland had more positive attitudes toward the gazelle. This study suggests that greater communication is needed with local people. Programs that promote public engagement and participation are required for the conservation of Przewalski’s gazelle and other larger herbivores on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai Lake is the largest inland lake in China. The significant difference of dielectric properties between water and ice suggests that a simple method of monitoring the Qinghai lake freeze-up and break-up dates using satellite passive microwave remote sensing data could be used. The freeze-up and break-up dates from the Qinghai Lake hydrological station and the MODIS L1B reflectance data were used to validate the passive microwave remote sensing results. The validation shows that passive microwave remote sensing data can accurately monitor the lake ice. Some uncertainty comes mainly from the revisit frequency of satellite overpass. The data from 1978 to 2006 show that lake ice duration is reduced by about 14-15 days. The freeze-up dates are about 4 days later and break-up dates about 10 days earlier. The regression analyses show that, at the 0.05 significance level, the correlations are 0.83, 0.66 and 0.89 between monthly mean air temperature (MMAT) and lake ice duration days, freeze-up dates, break-up dates, respectively. Therefore, inter-annual variations of the Qinghai Lake ice duration days can significantly reflect the regional climate variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-one cloud-free images of Qinghai Lake (QHL) in China and the corresponding digital numbers (DNs) of FengYun-2C (FY-2C) at 0000, 0600, 1200, and 1800 UTC from 1 July to 30 September 2005 are analyzed. The corresponding surface water temperatures of QHL measured by the automated hydrometeorological buoy (AHMB) system and the atmospheric profiles over QHL from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data are inputted into the atmospheric transfer model MODTRAN3.7 to calculate the entrance pupil radiance and brightness temperatures for thermal infrared (TIR) channels of FY-2C. Then, the absolute radiometric calibration coefficients of FY-2C, which are used to calculate the equivalent blackbody (EBB) temperatures TEBB, are calculated by comparing the entrance pupil radiance and brightness temperatures with the corresponding DNs. In addition, the temperatures of onboard blackbody (OBB) TOBB, primary, secondary, refraction, and calibration mirrors on the multichannel scanning radiometer (MSR) of FY-2C are detected remotely. Based on the linear correlation between TEBB – TOBB and temperatures of various mirrors, the transform equations from TOBB to TEBB are developed. Finally, the onboard real-time absolute radiometric calibration for TIR channels of geostationary meteorological satellite FY-2C is implemented with an uncertainty of about 1.5 and 2.1 K for TIR 1 and TIR 2 of FY-2C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gymnocypris przewalskii (Kessler 1876) is an endangered and state-protected rare fish species in Qinghai Lake, China. To further understand the life history and distribution of this fish, five surveys were carried out in Qinghai Lake between 2002–2006. Results of these surveys indicate that fishes were predominantly distributed about 2 m under the surface. In July, significant differences in fish density were found between surface and bottom layers ( P = 0.001), and/or between middle and bottom layers ( P = 0.025). Fish density was the greatest in the surface layer. In August and October, no significant differences were found between the different layers, but the bottom layer had a greater fish density. Furthermore, there were very large differences among different zones in fish distribution density. Differences in horizontal distribution were not significantly correlated to factors such as water depth and inshore distance, possibly because of very low and uniform fish density. Feeding, changes in water temperature, over-wintering and spawning appeared to influence fish distribution. Hydroacoustic estimates of G. przewalskii biomass in Qinghai Lake increased significantly between 2002 and 2006. We attribute this increase to the management measures put in place to protect this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the effect of land use/cover change (LUCC) on Lake Qinghai Watershed on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Noted is the vulnerability and sensitivity of the lake's ecosystem to climate change and human interference. Through the use of geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS), the researchers were able to analyze LUCC pattern in the watershed between 1977 and 2004. Based on the analysis, the watershed is dominated by grassland and water body. It also revealed that LUCC magnitude in the watershed is low.

The complete mitochondrial genome for Gymnocypris eckloni and Gymnocypris przewalskii ganzihonensis is 16,686 and 16,682 bp in size, respectively. Both of the mitochondrial genomes have identical genomic organization and structure including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and 1 control region as found in other vertebrates, with the exception of 86 bp non-coding nucleotides between tRNA Thr and tRNA Pro. The phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated nucleotide sequence of 12 PCGs on the heavy strand supported a relatively closed relationship among G. eckloni, G. p. przewalskii and G. p. ganzihonensis. The sequence divergence between G. eckloni and G. przewalskii, as well as within G. przewalskii, is relatively low compared to the average sequence divergence among other cyprinid fishes, suggesting that they are the most closely related species resulted from a relatively recent speciation event. The estimated molecular divergence time is coincided with a relatively recent speciation event occurring during the separation of the Yellow River and Qinghai Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water budget plays an important role in ecological functions and biogeochemical cycles on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP). However, the key factors that govern the water budget across spatiotemporal scales in natural conditions are poorly understood, especially in the alpine region. To advance our understanding of how and why the water budget varies at the ecosystem and catchment scales, this study measured and modeled the main water budget components in the Qinghai Lake Basin (QLB) and further investigated the key factors for evapotranspiration and streamflow. The results showed that most monthly precipitation from June to September was greater than the corresponding evapotranspiration from the high‐altitude Kobresia meadow (KMd.) and Potentilla fruticosa shrub (PFSh.) ecosystem, and vice versa for the low‐altitude Achnatherum splendens steppe (ASSt.) ecosystem. The mean annual proportions of evapotranspiration of precipitation for the KMd., PFSh., and ASSt. ecosystems were 0.83, 1.06, and 1.02, respectively, from 2014 to 2015. The study highlights that the high‐altitude KMd. ecosystem is the main contributing area for runoff generation in the QLB. From ASSt. to PFSh. and then to the KMd. ecosystem, the key factors for evapotranspiration switched from water conditions to temperature conditions with the increase in elevation. The future scenario of climate warming and precipitation increase may cause a rise in evapotranspiration and streamflow in the QLB. Moreover, the increasing precipitation may be consumed mainly by evapotranspiration in the high altitude with low slope and by transfer into streamflow in the area with high slope. Key Points: The high‐altitude Kobresia meadow ecosystem is the main runoff‐producing area in the Qinghai Lake BasinThe key controlling factor for evapotranspiration changed from water conditions to temperature conditions with an increase in elevationThe increasing precipitation will be mainly consumed by evapotranspiration in the high altitude with low slope and by transfer into streamflow in the area with high slope [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]