藏北高原典型植被样区物候变化及其对气候变化的响应

植被物候作为陆地生态系统对气候变化的响应和反馈的重要指示,已成为区域或全球生态环境领域研究的热点。基于非对称高斯拟合方法重建了2001—2010年MODIS EVI时间序列影像,利用动态阈值法提取藏北高原植被覆盖2001—2010年每年关键物候参数。选取研究区内东部高寒灌丛草甸、中部高寒草甸及西部高寒草原和高寒荒漠4种典型植被类型,并结合附近的4个气象台站气候资料,分析典型植被物候在近10a对关键气候因子的响应特征。研究结果表明:(1)4种不同典型植被的物候特征(EVImax降低、返青期延后和生长季长度缩短)均表现出高寒灌丛草甸→高寒草甸→高寒草原→高寒荒漠草原的过渡;(2)藏北高原近10a的年平均气温及春、夏、冬三个季度的平均气温均呈显著升高的趋势,升温幅度在0.8—3.9℃/10a,降水减少趋势不显著,在这种水热条件下典型植被均表现出返青提前(7.2—15.5d/10a)、生长季延长(8.4—19.2d/10a)的趋势,而枯黄出现时间为年际间自然波动;(3)高寒灌丛草甸EVImax主要受春季降水量和气温影响,且降水的影响程度大于气温;对高寒草甸植被而言,春、夏季的气温和降水均有较大的影响;而高寒草原和高寒荒漠草原主要受夏季平均气温和降水量影响;(4)高寒灌丛草甸的返青时间主要受前一年秋季降水量的影响,相关系数达-0.579;而高寒草甸、高寒草原和高寒荒漠草原主要受春季平均气温影响,高寒荒漠草原的特征最为明显(r=-0.559)。     

西藏高原高寒草原生态系统植被C／N值的分布特征及其影响因素

以西藏高原高寒草原生态系统的4个自然地带（高山草原、高山灌丛草甸、山地半荒漠与荒漠以及山地灌丛草原）的19个草地型植被为研究对象,采用野外调查与室内分析相结合的方法,对高寒草原生态系统植被C／N值的分布特征及其影响因素进行了研究。结果表明：西藏高原高寒草原植被C／N值总体上呈现出东西部低而中间高的态势以及斑块状交错分布的格局。不同自然地带间和不同草地型间植被地上部分和根系的C／N值有明显差异,且地上部分的C／N值均大于根系。19个草地型植被地上部分的平均C／N值为34．17,变异系数为35．87％;根系的平均C／N值为29．58,变异系数为40．02％。4个自然地带植被地上部分的平均C／N值为31．98,变异系数为13．82％;根系的平均C／N值为31．86,变异系数为16．92％。回归分析结果显示：植被地上部分C／N值与地上部生物量以及土壤全N和全K含量呈显著正相关、与植被高度呈显著负相关;根系C／N值与海拔和20～30em土壤容重呈显著正相关、与年均降水量和年均蒸发量呈显著负相关,这些因子均为影响西藏高原高寒草原植被C／N值的关键环境因子。总体上看,地理因子、气候因子和土壤物理因子对西藏高原高寒草原生态系统植被C／N值的影响不显著,而植被因子和土壤化学因子则对其有显著影响。     

鄂尔多斯高原生态过渡带的判定及生物群区特征

 本文用Holdridge生命地带方法对鄂尔多斯高原的生物群区进行了分类研究,研制了用于生态过渡带判定的计算机模型,模拟结果与实际情况基本吻合。鄂尔多斯高原的生物群区可分为草原、荒漠灌丛和荒漠3大类,草原群区以本氏针茅(Stipa bungeana)群落为主,荒漠灌丛群区以冷蒿(Artemisia frigida),狭叶锦鸡儿(Caragana stenophylla)群落为主,荒漠群区以红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)群落为主。鄂尔多斯高原的地带性植被在传统上分为典型草原、荒漠草原和草原化荒漠3部分,在典型草原的边界划分上,传统划分与本文结果一致。而在荒漠草原和草原化荒漠的边界方面,模拟结果与传统划分有一定的差异。荒漠灌丛和荒漠草原以及荒漠和草原化荒漠在生物群落特征上具有一定的相似性,荒漠灌丛和荒漠在生态特征上较荒漠草原和草原化荒漠更为旱化,在地理位置上更为靠西部。该计算机模型结合了地理空间分析,能准确地确定生态过渡带的位置和宽度,为研究鄂尔多斯高原生态过渡带的特征提供了较可靠的技术手段。     

晚更新世晚期以来昆仑山垭口区的植被与环境

昆仑山垭口区小南川剖面和雪水河热水剖面的孢粉分析揭示了该区４４０００ａＢ．Ｐ．以来的植被演替和气候变化。４００００ａＢ．Ｐ．前,推测昆仑山垭口区为典型的灌木荒漠植被,气候极端干燥。４００００－３００００ａＢ．Ｐ．,气候稍有好转。３００００－２４０００ａＢ．Ｐ．为草原荒漠,降水增加。２４０００－１８０００ａＢ．Ｐ．为末次冰期极盛期,气候干冷。１８０００－１３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．气候凉偏干。１３０００－８０００ａＢ．Ｐ．气候凉干。８０００－６０００ａＢ．Ｐ．为全新世温暖期,但由于植被的滞后现象,本区仍为草原荒漠景观。６０００－５０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,本区可能也存在着中全新世的降温事件。５０００－３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．在全新世大暖期的影响下,小南川附近的植被演变成温性草原植被,并有人类的放牧活动。３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．以后,气候变凉,草原迅速地演变为灌木和小乔木荒漠植被,其中３０００－１０００ａＢ．Ｐ．为凉干时期,１０００ａＢ．Ｐ．以后,可能有过一段凉湿时期。     

Reliability of pollen ratios for environmental reconstructions on the Tibetan Plateau

Aim Pollen ratios are widely used to gain palaeovegetation and palaeoclimatic information from fossil pollen spectra, although their applicability has seldom been tested with modern pollen data. I used a data set of 113 lake‐surface sediments from the eastern Tibetan Plateau to test the reliability of several pollen ratios. Location The lake‐surface pollen spectra cover a wide range of vegetation types (temperate desert, temperate steppe, alpine desert, alpine steppe, high‐alpine meadow, sub‐alpine shrub, coniferous and mixed forest) and climatic conditions (mean July temperature, T_July: 4.0–17.4°C; mean annual precipitation, P_ann: 104–670 mm). Methods Lake‐surface sediments were analysed palynologically, and several pollen ratios were calculated. These ratios were interpreted with respect to vegetation and climatic conditions. Results The arboreal pollen sum (AP) was highest in samples from forested areas and was significantly correlated with P_ann (r² = 0.44). In non‐forested areas, samples from large lakes and from lakes surrounded by sparse vegetation had increased AP values, suggesting that AP is a useful vegetation density indicator. Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) ratios were lowest in desert areas and were positively correlated with P_ann (r² = 0.25). The aridity pollen index was inappropriate for inferring (palaeo‐)climatic information from samples on the eastern Tibetan Plateau as it had no significant correlation with the environmental factors. Artemisia/Cyperaceae (A/Cy) ratios had a significant correlation with T_July (r² = 0.23), but only a weak correlation with P_ann, which indicates that the A/Cy ratio is applicable as a temperature indicator. Furthermore, it is a valuable tool for the differentiation of high‐alpine meadow from steppe vegetation. Main conclusions AP sum, A/C ratio and A/Cy ratio are useful tools for qualitative and semi‐quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstruction on the Tibetan Plateau; however, the results obtained should not be interpreted quantitatively.     

Modern pollen samples from alpine vegetation on the Tibetan Plateau

• 1 A set of 316 modern surface pollen samples, sampling all the alpine vegetation types that occur on the Tibetan Plateau, has been compiled and analysed. Between 82 and 92% of the pollen present in these samples is derived from only 28 major taxa. These 28 taxa include examples of both tree (AP) and herb (NAP) pollen types.
• 2 Most of the modern surface pollen samples accurately reflect the composition of the modern vegetation in the sampling region. However, airborne dust‐trap pollen samples do not provide a reliable assessment of the modern vegetation. Dust‐trap samples contain much higher percentages of tree pollen than non‐dust‐trap samples, and many of the taxa present are exotic. In the extremely windy environments of the Tibetan Plateau, contamination of dust‐trap samples by long‐distance transport of exotic pollen is a serious problem.
• 3 The most characteristic vegetation types present on the Tibetan Plateau are alpine meadows, steppe and desert. Non‐arboreal pollen (NAP) therefore dominates the pollen samples in most regions. Percentages of arboreal pollen (AP) are high in samples from the southern and eastern Tibetan Plateau, where alpine forests are an important component of the vegetation. The relative importance of forest and non‐forest vegetation across the Plateau clearly follows climatic gradients: forests occur on the southern and eastern margins of the Plateau, supported by the penetration of moisture‐bearing airmasses associated with the Indian and Pacific summer monsoons; open, treeless vegetation is dominant in the interior and northern margins of the Plateau, far from these moisture sources.
• 4 The different types of non‐forest vegetation are characterized by different modern pollen assemblages. Thus, alpine deserts are characterized by high percentages of Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia, with Ephedra and Nitraria. Alpine meadows are characterized by high percentages of Cyperaceae and Artemisia, with Ranunculaceae and Polygonaceae. Alpine steppe is characterized by high abundances of Artemisia, with Compositae, Cruciferae and Chenopodiaceae. Although Artemisia is a common component of all non‐forest vegetation types on the Tibetan Plateau, the presence of other taxa makes it possible to discriminate between the different vegetation types.
• 5 The good agreement between modern vegetation and modern surface pollen samples across the Tibetan Plateau provides a measure of the reliability of using pollen data to reconstruct past vegetation patterns in non‐forested areas.

     

西藏扎布耶盐湖晚第四纪孢粉植物群的初步研究

扎布耶盐湖位于西藏青藏高原腹地。通过该湖ＺＫ２钻孔的孢粉分析,揭示了约３６０００ａＢ．Ｐ．以来扎布耶地区的气候和湖盆演变。约在３６０００－３３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,扎布耶地区为森林草原,气候冷、湿;约３３０００－３００００ａＢ．Ｐ．,为灌丛草原,气候温、干;约３００００－２７５００ａＢ,Ｐ．为干旱草原,气候偏暖、湿;约１８０００－１２０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,为干旱草原,环境寒冷,干燥;约１２０００－４０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,扎布耶地区各类草本植物繁茂,气候偏温、干。另外,根据水生藻类化石群的分析,自３６０００ａＢ．Ｐ以来,扎布耶盐湖有三次湖进、淡水湖期,同时也有三次湖退事件。     

贺兰山植物群落类型多样性及其空间分异

 贺兰山是一座位于阿拉善高原与银川平原之间的高大山体,是我国西部温带草原与荒漠的分界线和连接青藏高原、蒙古高原及华北植物区系的枢纽。本文就贺兰山植物群落的类型多样性特征及其空间分布规律进行了分析,结果表明：贺兰山植物群落有11个植被型55个群系。垂直分异明显,可划分成山前荒漠与荒漠草原带（海拔1 600 m以下）、山麓与低山草原带（1 600～1 900 m）、中山和亚高山针叶林带（1 900～3 100 m）和高山与亚高山灌丛、草甸带（3 100 m以上）4个植被垂直带。阴阳坡差异很大,在低山带,草原群落多占据阳坡,而阴坡则被中生灌丛所取代;在中山带,阴坡以青海云杉(Picea crassifolia)林为主,阳坡以灰榆(Ulmus glaucescens)、杜松(Juniperus rigida)疏林和其它中生灌丛为主;3 000 m以上阴阳坡分异不明显。东、西坡及南、北、中段植物群落分异也很突出,各自均有一些特殊的群落类型。中段以森林和中生灌丛为主,南段和北段荒漠化程度较高,森林面积很小。北段有四合木(Tetraena mongolica)、沙冬青(Ammopiptanthus mongolicus)、松叶猪毛菜(Salsola laricifolia)等特征群系,南段以贺兰山丁香(Syringa pinnatifolia var. holanshanensis)、斑子麻黄(Ephedra rhytidosperma)等群系最具特色。贺兰山东坡比西坡温暖和干燥,森林面积远小于西坡,并分布一些酸枣(Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa)、虎榛子(Ostryopsis davidiana)等喜暖中生灌丛。此外,贺兰山还具有贺兰山丁香、斑子麻黄、内蒙薄皮木(Leptodermis ordosica)、贺兰山女蒿(Hippolytia alashanensis)4个特有植物群落。     

青海湖地区植被演变趋势的研究

青海湖地区作为祁连山系中段南麓的一个大型山间盆地,是一个独具特色的地区。这里的以草原为基带及其周围山地的高寒灌丛和高寒草甸垂直系列,有其自身的特点和发展趋势。随着整个青藏高原的强烈隆升,本区植被也具有一系列的明显变化。大片森林趋于消退,仅残存有少数适应高寒生境的树种;温性植被类型局限于海拔较低处,而高寒植被类型相对分布较广。分析表明,青海湖地区的整体植被景观有向寒旱生境方向发展的演变趋势。本区植被出现上述演变趋势的主要原因在于该地区生境因抬升而趋于寒旱的过程中,植物种对其生境变化表现出不同的忍耐性和适应性所致。     

Reassessment of Holocene vegetation change on the upper Tibetan Plateau using the pollen-based REVEALS model

Previous studies based on fossil pollen data have reported significant changes in vegetation on the alpine Tibetan Plateau during the Holocene. However, since the relative proportions of fossil pollen taxa are largely influenced by individual pollen productivities and the dispersal characteristics, such inferences on vegetation have the potential to be considerably biased. We therefore examined the modern pollen–vegetation relationships for four common pollen species on the Tibetan Plateau, using Extended R-value (ERV) models. Assuming an average radius of 100 m for the sampled lakes, we estimated the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) to be 2200 m (which represents the distance from the lake). Using Poaceae as the reference taxa (Pollen Productivity Estimate, PPE = 1), ERV Submodel 2 derived relative high PPEs for the steppe and desert taxa: 2.079 ± 0.432 for Artemisia and 5.379 ± 1.077 for Chenopodiaceae. Low PPEs were estimated for the Cyperaceae (1.036 ± 0.012), whose plants are characteristic of the alpine Kobresia meadows. Applying these PPEs to four fossil pollen sequences since the Late Glacial, the plant abundances on the central and north-eastern Tibetan Plateau were quantified using the “Regional Estimates of Vegetation Abundance from Large Sites” (REVEALS) model. The proportions of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae were greatly reduced compared to their original pollen percentages in the reconstructed vegetation, owing to their high productivities and their dispersal characteristics, while Cyperaceae showed a relative increase in the vegetation reconstruction. The reconstructed vegetation assemblages of the four pollen sequence sites always yielded smaller compositional species turnovers than suggested by the pollen spectra, as revealed by Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analyses (DCCA) of the Holocene sections. The strength of the previously reported vegetation changes may therefore have been overestimated, which indicates the importance of taking into account pollen–vegetation relationships when discussing the potential drivers (such as climate, land use, atmospheric CO₂ concentrations) and implications (such as for land surface–climate feedbacks, carbon storage, and biodiversity) of vegetation change.     

青藏高原气候变化与高寒草地

综述了近五十年来青藏高原气候和高寒草地的变化趋势,阐述了气候变化对高寒草地的可能影响。气候变化主要通过水、热过程及其诱导的环境变化对青藏高原高寒草地产生显著的影响。主要过程包括：气候变化对气候带、植被带、植物、植物群落、农业生产以及生态系统固碳潜力等的影响。从目前的观测和研究结果来看,有关青藏高原气候变化及其对高寒草地的可能影响都还很难得出一致的结论。因此,如何科学评价气候变化及其预测和评价对高寒草地结构和功能的潜在影响,以及如何将已经发生的变化纳入到全球变化模型或评价体系中,以便更加精确地评估气候变化的长期影响,将成为必须要回答的关键科学问题。     

2000—2015年青藏高原草地归一化植被指数对降水变化的响应

降水变化是造成青藏高原草地植被生长年际变异的重要因素,降水量、分配方式及发生时间是降水变化的重要特征.利用2000—2015年青藏高原及附近区域145个气象站点的降水资料,以年降水量表征降水整体状况,以改进的降水集度(PCI)表征年内降水的分配状况,以定义的降水重心(PC)表征降水的集中时期,分析青藏高原降水变化的时空特征;并进一步以归一化植被指数最大值(NDVI_max)表征植被生长状况,探讨了青藏高原草地对降水年际变化的响应.结果表明: 青藏高原年降水量和PCI存在明显的梯度特征,PC在西藏南部形成中心.青藏高原灌丛草地NDVI_max年际变化对PCI变化响应敏感,降水越均匀越有利于NDVI_max的增加,但受到降水量的限制;高寒草甸对降水特征没有表现出显著的相关关系;草原植被NDVI_max的年际变化同时受PCI和PC的控制;高寒荒漠植被NDVI_max的年际变化主要受降水量的控制.在研究降水变化对青藏高原不同类型植被的影响时,除降水量之外,还需进一步考虑降水的分配格局等特征.     

A survey of modern pollen and vegetation along a south–north transect in Mongolia

Aim This modern pollen‐rain study documents the spatial and quantitative relationships between modern pollen and vegetation in Mongolia, and explores the potential for using this relationship in palaeoclimatic reconstructions. Location East‐central Mongolia. Methods We collected 104 pollen surface samples along a south–north transect across five vegetation zones in Mongolia. Discriminant analysis was used to classify the modern pollen spectra into five pollen assemblages corresponding to the five vegetation zones. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to divide the main pollen taxa into two major groups and seven subgroups representing the dry and moist vegetation types and the main vegetation communities within them. Results Each vegetation zone along the transect can be characterized by a distinctive modern pollen assemblage as follows: (1) desert zone: Chenopodiaceae–Zygophyllaceae–Nitraria–Poaceae pollen assemblage; (2) desert‐steppe zone: Poaceae–Chenopodiaceae pollen assemblage; (3) steppe zone: Artemisia–Aster‐type–Poaceae–Pinus Haploxylon‐type pollen assemblage; (4) forest‐steppe zone: Pinus Haploxylon‐type–Picea–Artemisia–Betula, montane forb/shrub and pteridophyte pollen assemblage; and (5) mountain taiga zone: Pinus Haploxylon‐type–Picea–Poaceae–Cyperaceae, montane forb/shrub and Pteridophyte pollen assemblage. Main conclusions Based on the ratio between the major pollen taxon groups and subgroups, we propose two pollen–climate indices that represent the precipitation and temperature conditions in the study region. When plotted along our south–north transect, the moisture indices (M) and temperature indices (T) mimic the regional gradients of precipitation and temperature across Mongolia very closely. These pollen–climate indices can be used for palaeoclimatic reconstruction based on fossil pollen data.     

青藏高原高寒草地AM真菌分布及其对近自然恢复的生态作用

超载过牧以及全球气候变化等导致大部分青藏高原高寒草地呈现持续退化态势。青藏高原高寒草地退化致使地上植物群落逐渐发生更替,地下土壤微生物群落多样性和丰富度发生改变。本文旨在探析青藏高原高寒草地丛枝菌根（arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM）真菌的分布特征、对近自然恢复的生理生态效应及其作用机制。青藏高原高寒草地中已报道4目14属61种AM真菌,约占已知AM真菌物种的20%。高寒草地禾本科植物根围AM真菌物种丰度最高,而莎草科植物根围AM真菌孢子密度最高。3种高寒草地植被类型中,高寒草原AM真菌丰度最高（33种）,山地灌丛草原次之（32种）,高寒草甸最低（22种）。高寒草原以光壁无梗囊霉Acaulospora laevis和闪亮和平囊霉Pacispora scintillans为优势种,山地灌丛草原以摩西斗管囊霉Funneliformis mosseae为优势种,高寒草甸以光壁无梗囊霉A. laevis、近明球囊霉Claroideoglomus claroideum和闪亮和平囊霉P. scintillans为优势种。高寒草地土著AM真菌与植物构建的菌根网络可以通过调节营养元素吸收、分配,促进植物建植和生长;但是毒杂草入侵可以改变土著AM真菌物种多样性和菌根网络,限制本地植被的实际生态位扩张。退化高寒草地中,AM真菌群落具有高的环境适应性和恢复力,其不仅调控地上植物群落建植和多样性,同时AM真菌建植也增加了代谢产物-球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白产生,进而协同改善地下土壤微生态系统,为退化高寒草地早期植被恢复塑造土壤生境。因此,AM真菌在退化高寒草地近自然恢复中具有较大的应用潜力。     

青藏高原高山植被的初步研究

青藏高原是我国高山植被类型最丰富、独特和分布最广泛的区域,发育有大面积的高山灌丛、高寒草甸、高寒草原,高寒荒漠、高山流石坡稀疏植被及零散分布的高山垫状植被。它们占据着森林上线至永久雪线之间的高山带和广阔的高原面,从高原东南部至西北部有水平方向的地域分异。联系高山带以下各垂直带的植被特征及各地的气候条件分析,初步认为高原东南部的山地植被垂直带谱属于湿润型山地垂直带结构类型,高原腹地及西北部的山地植被垂直带谱属于干旱型山地垂直带结构类型。此外,还对青藏高原高山植被类型的丰富性及高山垫状植被的生态地理分布特点进行了初步探讨。     

小叶、中间和柠条三种锦鸡儿的分布式样及其生态适应

确定了小叶锦鸡儿、中间锦鸡儿和柠条锦鸡儿3种植物的分布式样:小叶锦鸡儿为蒙古高原东部-F松辽平原西部-华北山地分布种,中间锦鸡儿为东戈壁-鄂尔多斯高原-黄土高原北部分布种,柠条锦鸡儿为南阿拉善-西鄂尔多斯分布种。小叶锦鸡儿适应分布于蒙古高原典型草原带和森林草原带以及华北山地落叶阔叶林带,在草原带高平原上可形成灌丛化草原的景观,在草原带的沙地上可形成以小叶锦鸡儿为建群种的沙地灌丛植被;中间锦鸡儿适应分布于蒙古高原的荒漠化草原及草原化荒漠带、鄂尔多斯高原的典型草原和荒漠化草原带的沙地及梁地上、黄土高原北部的黄土丘坡上,常形成以中间锦鸡儿为建群种的沙地灌丛植被;柠条锦鸡儿则适应分布于草原化荒漠和典型荒漠带的固定和半固定沙地上。近缘的3种锦鸡儿的地带性分布从东至西或从北向南形成明显的有规律的地理替代分布格局。     

Modern pollen representation of source vegetation in the Qaidam Basin and surrounding mountains, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau

We use a data set of 35 surface pollen samples from lake sediments, moss polsters and top soils on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau to explore the relationship between modern pollen assemblages and contemporary vegetation patterns. The surface pollen transect spanned four vegetation zones––alpine meadow, steppe, steppe desert and desert––under different climatic/elevational conditions. Relative representation (R _rel) values and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were used to determine the relationships between modern pollen and vegetation and regional climate gradients. The results show that the main vegetation zones along the regional and elevational transects can be distinguished by their modern pollen spectra. Relative to Poaceae, a high representation of Artemisia, Nitraria and Chenopodiaceae was found, while Cyperaceae and Gentiana showed values in the middle range, and Ranunculaceae, Asteraceae, Ephedra and Fabaceae had low relative representation values. PCA results indicate a high correlation between the biogeoclimatic zones and annual precipitation and annual temperature and July temperature. The Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae ratio and the Artemisia/Cyperaceae ratio are useful tools for qualitative and semi-quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstruction on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. Surface lake sediments are found to have different palynomorph spectra from moss cushion and soil samples, reflecting the larger pollen source area in the contemporary vegetation for lakes.     

Field evidence for earlier leaf-out dates in alpine grassland on the eastern Tibetan Plateau from 1990 to 2006

Worldwide, many plant species are experiencing an earlier onset of spring phenophases due to climate warming. Rapid recent temperature increases on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have triggered changes in the spring phenology of the local vegetation. However, remote sensing studies of the land surface phenology have reached conflicting interpretations about green-up patterns observed on the TP since the mid-1990s. We investigated this issue using field phenological observations from 1990 to 2006, for 11 dominant plants on the TP at the levels of species, families (Gramineae—grasses and Cyperaceae—sedges) and vegetation communities (alpine meadow and alpine steppe). We found a significant trend of earlier leaf-out dates for one species (Koeleria cristata). The leaf-out dates of both Gramineae and Cyperaceae had advanced (the latter significantly, starting an average of 9 days later per year than the former), but the correlation between them was significant. The leaf-out dates of both vegetation communities also advanced, but the pattern was only significant in the alpine meadow. This study provides the first field evidence of advancement in spring leaf phenology on the TP and suggests that the phenology of the alpine steppe can differ from that of the alpine meadow. These findings will be useful for understanding ecosystem responses to climate change and for grassland management on the TP.     

青藏高原植被生态系统垂直分布变化的情景模拟

如何模拟和揭示青藏高原植被生态系统垂直分布在全球气候变化驱动下的时空变化情景,对定量解析青藏高原陆地生态系统对气候变化响应效应具有重要意义。该论文基于Holdridge life zone （HLZ）模型,结合数字高程模型（DEM）数据,改变模型输入参数模式,发展了改进型HLZ生态系统模型。结合1981-2010（T0）时段的气候观测数据和IPCC CMIP5 RCP2.6、RCP4.5、RCP8.5三种情景2011-2040（T1）、2041-2070（T2）、2071-2100（T3）三个时段气候情景数据,实现了青藏高原植被生态系统垂直分布的时空变化情景模拟。引入生态系统平均中心时空偏移趋势模型和生态多样性指数模型,定量揭示了青藏高原植被生态系统在不同垂直带上的时空变化情景。结果显示：青藏高原共有16种植被生态系统类型;冰雪/冰原、高山潮湿苔原和亚高山湿润森林为青藏高原主要的植被生态系统类型,其面积之和占到了青藏高原总面积的56.26%;高山干苔原、亚高山潮湿森林、山地灌丛、山地湿润森林和荒漠等对气候变化的敏感性总体上高于其它类型;在T0-T3期间,青藏高原的高山湿润苔原、高山干苔原、荒漠呈持续减少趋势,平均每10年将分别减少1.96×10⁴km²、0.15×10⁴km²和1.58×10⁴km²;亚高山潮湿森林、山地湿润森林和山地灌丛呈持续增加趋势,平均每10年将分别增加3.42×10⁴km²、2.98×10⁴km²和1.19×10⁴km²;RCP8.5情景下青藏高原的植被生态系统平均中心的偏移幅度最大,RCP4.5情景下的偏移幅度次之,而RCP2.6情景下的偏移幅度最小。另外,在三种气候变化情景驱动下,青藏高原植被生态系统的生态多样性呈减少趋势。总之,未来不同情景的气候变化将直接影响青藏高原植被生态系统的时空分布格局及其生态多样性,气候变化强度越高,影响就越大,而且气候变化对青藏高原植被生态系统的影响呈现出从低海拔到高海拔递增的影响效应。     

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN RETRACTED: What caused the mid‐Holocene forest decline on the eastern Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau?

Aim Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations depend, in part, on the amount of biomass locked up in terrestrial vegetation. Information on the causes of a broad‐scale vegetation transition and associated loss of biomass is thus of critical interest for understanding global palaeoclimatic changes. Pollen records from the north‐eastern Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau reveal a dramatic and extensive forest decline beginning c. 6000 cal. yr bp . The aim of this study is to elucidate the causes of this regional‐scale change from high‐biomass forest to low‐biomass steppe on the Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau during the second half of the Holocene. Location Our study focuses on the north‐eastern Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau. Stratigraphical data used are from Qinghai Lake (3200 m a.s.l., 36°32′–37°15′ N, 99°36′–100°47′ E). Methods We apply a modern pollen‐precipitation transfer function from the eastern and north‐eastern Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau to fossil pollen spectra from Qinghai Lake to reconstruct annual precipitation changes during the Holocene. The reconstructions are compared to a stable oxygen‐isotope record from the same sediment core and to results from two transient climate model simulations. Results The pollen‐based precipitation reconstruction covering the Holocene parallels moisture changes inferred from the stable oxygen‐isotope record. Furthermore, these results are in close agreement with simulated model‐based past annual precipitation changes. Main conclusions In the light of these data and the model results, we conclude that it is not necessary to attribute the broad‐scale forest decline to human activity. Climate change as a result of changes in the intensity of the East Asian Summer Monsoon in the mid‐Holocene is the most parsimonious explanation for the widespread forest decline on the Tibet‐Qinghai Plateau. Moreover, climate feedback from a reduced forest cover accentuates increasingly drier conditions in the area, indicating complex vegetation–climate interactions during this major ecological change.