Impacts of alpine shrub-meadow degradation on its ecosystem services and spatial patterns in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

NWIPB OpenIR

	Impacts of alpine shrub-meadow degradation on its ecosystem services and spatial patterns in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
	Qian, DW; Du, YG; Li, Q; Guo, XW; Fan, B; Cao, GM
	2022
发表期刊	ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
卷号	135
摘要	Alpine shrub-meadow is an important ecosystem type on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, providing a variety of ecosystem services while supporting the livelihoods of pastoralists. However, there is a clear lack of understanding of the changes in spatial patterns and ecosystem services of alpine shrub-meadow degradation. This study combined aerial photography and ground surveys to investigate and analyse the impact of degradation on the spatial patterns of alpine shrub-meadow and their ecosystem services, and the relationships between the spatial patterns and ecosystem services. The results showed that degradation led to fragmentation and patchiness in alpine shrub-meadow, as evidenced by a decrease in the proportion of shrub and meadow area and average patch size, as well as the complexity of patch boundaries and shapes. Light and moderate degradation reduced all ecosystem services in alpine shrub-meadow, with carbon storage, nutrient supply and water retention services decreased by an average of 27.4%, 17.3% and 13.8% respectively, while forage supply services decreased by 65.2% at heavy degradation, and the reduction in alpine meadow ecosystem services was even greater. Regulating services increased again at heavy degradation due to the accumulation and slow decomposition of plant underground roots, and rodent activity. The spatial patterns of the meadow layer were more closely related to its ecosystem services than the shrub layer, and fragmentation and patchiness were positively related to ecosystem services. Our findings suggest that the impact of degradation on alpine shrub-meadow ecosystem services may be non-linear and that the relationships between spatial patterns and ecosystem services need to be interpreted with caution and should be analysed comprehensively with a wider range of influencing factors. Our results have implications for grassland restoration and ecosystem service management on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
收录类别	SCIE
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	http://210.75.249.4/handle/363003/61298
专题	中国科学院西北高原生物研究所
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Qian, DW,Du, YG,Li, Q,et al. Impacts of alpine shrub-meadow degradation on its ecosystem services and spatial patterns in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau[J]. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS,2022,135.
APA	Qian, DW,Du, YG,Li, Q,Guo, XW,Fan, B,&Cao, GM.(2022).Impacts of alpine shrub-meadow degradation on its ecosystem services and spatial patterns in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS,135.
MLA	Qian, DW,et al."Impacts of alpine shrub-meadow degradation on its ecosystem services and spatial patterns in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau".ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 135(2022).