An Exploratory Analysis of Vegetation Strategies to Reduce Shallow Landslide Activity on Loess Hillslopes, Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Heavy summer rainfall induces significant soil erosion and shallow landslide activity on the loess hillslopes of the Xining Basin at the northeast margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This study examines the mechanical effects of five native shrubs that can be used to reduce shallow landslide activity. We measured single root tensile resistance and shear resistance, root anatomical structure and direct shear and triaxial shear for soil without roots and five root- soil composite systems. Results show that Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. possessed the strongest roots, followed by Caragana korshinskii Kom., Zygophyllum xanthoxylon (Bunge) Maxim., Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. and Lycium chinense Mill. Single root strength and shear resistance relationships with root diameter are characterized by power or exponential relations, consistent with the Mohr- Coulomb law. Root mechanical strength reflects their anatomical structure, especially the percentage of phloem and xylem cells, and the degree and speed of periderm lignifications. The cohesion force of root- soil composite systems is notably higher than that of soil without roots, with increasing amplitudes of cohesion force for A. canescens, C. korshinskii, Z. xanthoxylon, N. tangutorum and L. chinense of 75.9%, 75.1%, 36.2%, 24.6% and 17.0 % respectively. When subjected to shear forces, the soil without root samples show much greater lateral deformation thanthe root-soil composite systems, reflecting the restraining effects of roots. Findings from this paper indicate that efforts to reduce shallow landslides in this region by enhancing root reinforcement will be achieved most effectively using A. canescens and C. korshinskii.

Restoration Prospects for Heitutan Degraded Grassland in the Sanjiangyuan

In many ecosystems ungulates have coexisted with grasslands over long periods of time. However, high densities of grazing animals may change the floristic and structural characteristics of vegetation, reduce biodiversity, and increase soil erosion, potentially triggering abrupt and rapid changes in ecosystem condition. Alternate stable state theory provides a framework for understanding this type of dynamic. In the Sanjiangyuan atop the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP), grassland degradation has been accompanied by irruptions of native burrowing animals, which has accentuated the loss of ground cover. Severely degraded areas of alpine meadows are referred to as 'Heitutan'. Here, using the framework of alternate stable state theory, we describe the proximate and ultimate drivers of the formation of Heitutan on the QTP, and we assess prospects for recovery, in relation to the degree of biophysical alteration, of these alpine meadows. Effective rehabilitation measures must address the underlying causes of degradation rather than their symptoms. Heitutan degradation is not uni-causal. Rather it reflects different mechanisms operating at different spatio-temporal scales across this vast region. Underlying causes include overly aggressive exploitation of the grasslands (e.g. overgrazing), amplification of grazing and erosion damage by small mammals when outbreaks occur, and/or climate change. Given marked variability in environmental conditions and stressors, restorative efforts must vary across the region. Restoration efforts are likely toyield greatest success if moderately and severely degraded areas are targeted as the first priority in management programmes, before these areas are transformed into extreme Heitutan.

The influence of plant root system architectural properties upon the stability of loess hillslopes,Northeast Qinghai,China

To investigate the influence of root system architectural properties of three indigenous(coldadapted) shrubs on the hillslope stability of loess deposits in the Xining Basin,northeast part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP),indoor direct shear tests have been conducted on the remolded rooted soil of three shrubs.Test results show that root system architectural indices(root area ratio(RAR),root length density(RLD) and root density(RD)) of the shrubs decline with depth and the relationship between RAR,RD and depth is exponential,while a power relationship describes the relationship between RLD and depth.The cohesion force of remolded rooted soil for the shrubs initially increases withdepth,but it then demonstrates a slightly decreasing trend,which can be described with a power relationship.Power relationships also describe relationships between cohesion force and RAR,RLD and RD for the shrubs.As the growth period increases from 10 to 17 months,the incremental increase in RAR is 48.32% ~ 210.25% for Caragana korshinskii Kom and 0.56% ~ 166.85% for Zygophyllum xanthoxylon(Bunge) Maxim.This proportional increase is notably larger than that for RLD and RD.The increment in RAR is marginally greater for C.korshinskii than it is for Z.xanthoxylon.Correspondingly,the cohesion force incremental rates of remolded rooted soil for C.korshinskii and Z.xanthoxylon are 12.41% ~ 25.22% and 3.45% ~ 17.33% respectively.Meanwhile,as root content increases,the contribution by roots to cohesion force increases markedly until a threshold condition is reached.

Geomorphology and Environmental Management of the Yellow River Source Zone

Geologic,climatic and anthropogenic factors have fashioned the distinctive landscapes and ecosystems of the Yellow River source zone(Brierley and Huang2013;Figure1).Located at thenorth-east corner of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP),at elevations between 2500 and 4500m,

Degradation and recovery of alpine meadow catenas in the source zone of the Yellow River,Western China

Process interactions on catenas have supported grazing adapted ecosystems and sustained biodiversity values in the source zone of the Yellow River in western China for millennia.In recent decades,anthropogenic disturbance and climate change have threatened the integrity of these systems,impacting upon environmental values and their capacity to sustain local livelihoods.Collaborations between local experts and a team of international researchers during a workshop and field excursion to this area in July 2019 developed a cross-disciplinary,process-based model of alpine meadow catenas.This paper relates the contemporary health of these grassland-wetland systems to their‘best achievable state’under prevailing boundary conditions,differentiating stages of degradation and recovery in relation to climate and land use changes.Recovery is underway for alpine meadow catenas at Maqin.Reduced land use pressures(stocking rates)and longer growing seasons have enhanced grasslandwetland conditions.However,recovery prospects are limited for local areas of extremely degraded grasslands(heitutan),as breached abiotic thresholds have resulted in soil and nutrient loss and reduced capacity for water retention.While lagomorphs and rodents act as ecosystem engineers when alpine meadows are in a healthy state,irruptions locally increase the proportion of bare ground and inhibit recovery potential.Management options that support recovery of alpine meadows are presented for differing stages of degradation.