Land cover change along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Railway from 1981 to 2001

Based on the NOAA AVHRR-NDVI monthly data from 1981 to 2001, the spatial distribution and dynamic change of land cover along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Railway were studied. The results of the analytical data indicate that the NDVI values in July, August and September are rather high during a year, and a linear trend by calculating NDVI of each pixel computed based on the average values of NDVI in July, August and September were obtained. The results are as follows： 1） Land cover of the study area by NDVI displays high at two sides of the area and low in the center, and agriculture area 〉 alpine meadow 〉 alpine grassland 〉 desert grassland. 2） In the study area, the amount ofpixels with high increase, slight increase, no change, slight decrease and high decrease account for 0.29%, 14.86%, 67.61%, 16.7% and 0.57% of the whole area, respectively. The increase of land cover pixels is mainly in the agriculture and alpine meadow and the decrease pixels mainly in the alpine grassland, desert grassland and hungriness. Grassland and hungriness contribute to the decrease mostly and artificial land and meadow contribute to the increase mostly. 3） In the area where human beings live, the changing trend is obvious, such as the valleys of Lhasa River and Huangshui River and area along the Yellow River; in the high altitude area with fewer people living, the changing trend is relatively low, like the area of Hoh Xil. 4） Human being＇s behaviors are a key factor followed by the climate changes affecting land cover.

Changes in permafrost environments caused by construction and maintenance of Qinghai-Tibet Highway

The sideward permafrost along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway (QTH) contains massive ground-ice and is at a relatively high temperature.Under the influence of the steady increase of human activities,the permafrost environment has been changed greatly for a long time.At present,the permafrost becomes warm and rapidly degenerates,including the decline of the permafrost table,rising of the ground temperature,shortening of the length of frozen section,and extension of range of melting region.Some thaw hazards (e.g.thaw slumping and thermokarst pond) have widely occurred along both sides of the roadbed.In addition,due to the incomplete construction management,the vegetation adjacent to the highway is seriously damaged or eradicated,resulting in the land desertification and ecosystem out of balance.The dust,waste and garbage brought by drivers,passengers,maintenance workers,and transportations may also pollute the permafrost environment.

Influence of proximity to the Qinghai-Tibet highway and railway on variations of soil heavy metal concentrations and bacterial community diversity on the Tibetan Plateau

An understanding of soil microbial communities is crucial in roadside soil environmental assessments.The 16S rRNA se quencing of a stressed microbial community in soil adjacent to the Qinghai-Tibet Highway(QTH)revealed that the accu mulation of heavy metals(over about 10 years)has affected the diversity of bacterial abundance and microbial community structure.The proximity of a sampling site to the QTH/Qinghai-Tibet Railway(QTR),which is effectively a measure of the density of human engineering,was the dominant factor influencing bacterial community diversity.The diversity of bacterial communities shows that 16S rRNA gene abundance decreased in relation to proximity to the QTH and QTR in both alpine wetland and meadow areas.The dominant phyla across all samples were Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria.The concentration of Cr and Cd in the soil were positively correlated with proximity to the QTH and QTR(MC/WC sam pling sites),and Ni,Co,and V were positively correlated with proximity to the QTH and QTR(MA/WA sampling sites).The results presented in this study provide an insight into the relationships among heavy metals and soil microbial commu nities,and have important implications for assessing and predicting the impacts of human-induced activities from the QTH and QTR in such an extreme and fragile environment.

Impact of permafrost degradation on embankment deformation of Qinghai-Tibet Highway in permafrost regions

Based on long-term monitoring data, the relationships between permafrost degradation and embankment deformation are analyzed along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway(QTH). Due to heat absorbing effect of asphalt pavement and climate warming,permafrost beneath asphalt pavement experienced significant warming and degradation. During the monitoring period, warming amplitude of the soil at depth of 5 m under asphalt ranged from 0.21 °C at the XD1 site to 0.5 °C at the KL1 site. And at depth of 10 m, the increase amplitude of ground temperature ranged from 0.47 °C at the NA1 site to 0.07 °C at the XD1 site. Along with ground temperature increase, permafrost table beneath asphalt pavement decline considerably. Amplitude of permafrost table decline varied from 0.53 m at the KL1 site to 3.51 m at the NA1 site, with mean amplitude of 1.65 m for 8 monitoring sites during the monitoring period. Due to permafrost warming and degradation, the embankment deformation all performed as settlement at these sites. At present, those settlements still develop quickly and are expected to continue to increase in the future. The embankment deformations can be divided into homogeneous deformation and inhomogeneous deformation. Embankment longitudinal inhomogeneous deformation causes the wave deformations and has adverse effects on driving comfort and safety, while lateral inhomogeneous deformation causes longitudinal cracks and has an adverse effect on stability. Corresponding with permafrost degradation processes,embankment settlement can be divided into four stages. For QTH, embankment settlement is mainly comprised of thawing consolidation of ice-rich permafrost and creep of warming permafrost beneath permafrost table.

Monitoring and analysis of ground temperature and deformation within Qinghai-Tibet Highway subgrade in permafrost region

In order to study the stability of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway embankment at Chumaerhe in the permafrost region of northwest China, the ground temperature and deformation at different depths were monitored under the left and right shoulders of the embankment where thermosyphons were set up only on the left shoulder. Based on the monitored data, characteristics of ground temperature and deformation of the left and right shoulders are analyzed and discussed. The results show that the start time of freezing or thawing of the seasonal active layer was about one to two months later than that of the embankment body itself. The stability of each shoulder was mainly controlled by the settlement of different soil layers, whereas frost heave of soil had scarcely any effect on the stability of the embankment. For the left shoulder, the settlement was mainly influenced by the seasonal active layer and then by the embankment body itself, due to freeze-thaw cycles which may change the soil properties; however, the permafrost layer remained fairly stable. For the right shoulder, creep of the warm permafrost layer was the main influence factor on its stability, followed by settlement of embankment body itself, and finally settlement of the seasonal active layer. Compared with the deformation of the left shoulder, the permafrost layer under the right shoulder was less stable, which indicates that the thermosyphons had a significantly positive effect on the stability of warm permafrost.

Characteristics of thawed interlayer and its effect on settlement beneath embankment in permafrost regions--A case study for the Qinghai-Tibet Highway

Based on ground temperatures and deformations monitored at the Xieshuihe site along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway(QTH)in permafrost regions from 2004 to 2015,variation of artificial permafrost table(APT),maximum frozen depth(MFD),thawed interlayer thickness(TIT)and ground temperature beneath embankment is analyzed,respectively.The results indicate that under the embankment,the change of APT occurred from October to December of that year and presented a deepening trend.The change of MFD occurred from April to June of that year with no obvious change trend,and TIT had an increasing trend year by year,which mainly resulted from the deepening artificial permafrost table.Mean annual ground temperature at 0.5 m depth was 3.91°C higher beneath the embankment center than that under the natural field.The rising ground temperature at shallow layer of embankment resulted in the development of thawed interlayer beneath the embankment and warming of underlying permafrost.Embankment settlement is closely associated with TIT.Greater settlement easily occurs when permafrost with higher ice content exists under the thawed interlayer,and in turn the settlement is smaller when permafrost with lower ice content exists under the thawed interlayer.

Permafrost degradation along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway from 1995 to 2020

Permafrost degradation significantly affects engineering infrastructure,hydrologic processes,landscape and geomorphic processes,ecosystems and carbon cycling in cold regions.The permafrost degradation along the Qinghai–Tibet Highway(QTH)on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau,China,introduces an adverse effect on the deformation of the highway subgrade.At present,observation of a long series of ground temperatures is lacking.From 1995 to 2020,a monitoring system of ground temperature in 10 natural sites along QTH was built and maintained.Ground temperatures at different depths were continuously observed semi-monthly.In this study,permafrost changes along QTH were quantitatively investigated based on these records.The main results showed that both the permafrost table depth(PTD)and ground temperature at different depths exhibited an increasing trend from 1995 to 2020 with widespread spatiotemporal differences.The higher the annual mean and range of PTD were,the higher the increase rate in PTD.The increase rates in PTDs in the warm permafrost regions were 6.18 cm per year larger than those in the cold ones.Overall,the increase rates in ground temperature decreased with the increase in depth at each site.At different depths,the smaller the mean annual ground temperature(MAGT)was,the larger the increase rate in the permafrost temperatures.The larger the range of ground temperatures was,the bigger the increase rate in the permafrost temperatures.At a depth of 6.0 m,the increase rate in the ground temperature in cold permafrost regions was twice that in warm permafrost regions.Information on the magnitudes and differences in permafrost degradation along QTH is necessary for the design of effective adaption strategies for engineering construction and environment protection in permafrost regions under climatic warming.

Characteristics and changes of permafrost along the engineering corridor of National Highway 214 in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Due to a series of linear projects built along National Highway 214,the second"Permafrost Engineering Corridor"on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has formed.In this paper,by overcoming the problems of data decentralization and standard inconsistency,permafrost characteristics and changes along the engineering corridor are systematically summarized based on the survey and monitoring data.The results show that:1)Being controlled by elevation,the permafrost is distributed in flake discontinuity with mountains as the center along the line.The total length of the road section in permafrost regions is 365 km,of which the total length of the permafrost section of National Highway 214 is 216.7 km,and the total length of the permafrost section of Gong-Yu Expressway is 197.3 km.The mean annual ground temperature(MAGT)is higher than−1.5℃,and permafrost with MAGT lower than−1.5℃ is only distributed in the sections at Bayan Har Mountain and E'la Mountain.There are obvious differences in the distribution of ground ice in the different sections along the engineering corridor.The sections with high ice content are mainly located in Zuimatan,Duogerong Plain and the top of north and south slope of Bayan Har Mountain.The permafrost thickness is controlled by the ground temperature,and permafrost thickness increases with the decrease of the ground temperature,with the change rate of about 37 m/℃.2)Local factors(topography,landform,vegetation and lithology)affect the degradation process of permafrost,and then affect the distribution,ground temperature,thickness and ice content of permafrost.Asphalt pavement has greatly changed the heat exchange balance of the original ground,resulting in serious degradation of the permafrost.Due to the influence of roadbed direction trend,the phenomenon of shady-sunny slope is very significant in most sections along the line.The warming range of permafrost under the roadbed is gradually smaller with the increase of depth,so the thawing settlement of the shallow section with high ice-content permafrost is more significant.

Characteristics of Permafrost along Highway G214 in the Eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The characteristics of the permafrost along National Highway No. 214(G214) in Qinghai province(between kilometer markers K310 and K670),including the distribution patterns of permafrost and seasonally frozen ground(SFG), ground ice content and mean annual ground temperature(MAGT), were analyzed using a large quantity of drilling and measured ground temperature data. Three topographic units can be distinguished along the highway: the northern mountains, including Ela Mountain and Longstone Mountain; the medial alluvial plain and the southern Bayan Har Mountains.The horizontal distribution patterns of permafrost can be divided into four sections, from north to south: the northern continuous permafrost zone(K310-K460),the island permafrost zone(K460-K560), the southern continuous permafrost zone(K560-K630),and the discontinuous permafrost zone(K630-K670).Vertically, the permafrost lower limits(PLLs) of the discontinuous zone were 4200/4325 m, 4230/4350 m,and 4350/4450 m on the north-facing/south-facing slopes of Ela Mountain, Longstone Mountain and Bayan Har Mountains, respectively. The permafrost was generally warm, with MAGTs between-1.0°C and0°C in the northern continuous permafrost zone,approximately-0.5°C in the island permafrost zone,between-1.5°C and 0°C in the southern continuous permafrost zone, and higher than-0.5°C in the discontinuous permafrost zone. In contrast, the spatial variations in ground ice content were mainly controlled by the local soil water content and lithology.The relationships between the mean annual air temperature(MAAT) and the PLLs indicated that the PLLs varied between-3.3°C and-4.1°C for the northern Ela and Longstone Mountains and between-4.1°C and-4.6°C in the southern Bayan Har Mountains.

Highway constructions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:Challenge,research and practice

Highway constructions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)face great challenges induced by the unique local environmental,geological,and engineering conditions.The large area of permafrost,great temperature variability,strong UV rays,and complex geological conditions are the major factors that adversely influence the longterm performance of pavement systems.Since 1960s,Chinese engineers and researchers have started conducting research on the QTP to enhance the performance and durability of pavement systems.The present paper provide a comprehensive review of challenge,research and practice of highway constructions on the QTP including the special environmental and geological conditions,history of highway constructions on the QTP,major challenges and the state-of-the-art technology of subgrade constructions on permafrost,developments of the pavement structures and materials,performance prediction and maintenance methods of pavement surfaces,and applications of the research achievements on the first expressway on the QTP(i.e.,Gongyu Expressway).Based on the comprehensive literature review,it can be found that(1)frost heave and thaw weakening induced subgrade disease and longitudinal cracks on the pavement surface are complex coupled water-thermal-load problems.Engineering solutions are focusing on active cooling and thermal insulation methods,which can help to reduce temperature variations in the subgrade and thus improving its stability,(2)the harsh environmental and construction conditions may reduce the early strength and induce premature damage of cement-treated base materials.Some field validations showed that geocell-reinforced or asphalt-treated flexible base materials can provide better long-term performance,(3)the large temperature variability and strong UV rays can significantly accelerate aging of asphalt binders and greatly reduce the service life of asphalt mixtures.Various binder modification methods were developed for improving their viscoelasticity and enhance the low-temperature cracking resistance of pavement surface materials but are still lack of field validation data and comparisons of their life cycle costs.Therefore,it is recommended that a demonstration research project build test sections to examine a range of pavement structures and materials,and compare their long-term performance and life cycle costs,which can serve as important reference for future highway constructions on the QTP.

Rill erosion and controlling factors on highway side-slopes in the permafrost region

Soil erosion on highway side-slope has been recognized as a cause of environmental damage and a potential threat to road embankments in the high-altitude permafrost regions.To assess the risk to roads and to protect them effectively,it is crucial to clarify the mechanisms governing roadside erosion.However,the cold climate and extremely vulnerable environment under permafrost conditions may result in a unique process of roadside erosion,which differs from the results of current studies conducted at lower altitudes.In this study,a field survey was conducted to investigate side-slope rill erosion along the permafrost section of a highway on the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau of China.Variations in erosion rates have been revealed,and intense erosion risks(with an average erosion rate of 13.05 kg/m^(2)/a)have been identified on the northern side of the Tanggula Mountains.In the case of individual rills,the detailed rill morphology data indicate that the rill heads are generally close to the slope top and that erosion predominantly occurs in the upper parts of highway slopes,as they are affected by road surface runoff.In the road segment scale,the Pearson correlation and principal component analysis results revealed that the protective effect of vegetation,which was influenced by precipitation,was greater than the erosive effect of precipitation on roadside erosion.A random forest model was then adopted to quantify the importance of influencing factors,and the slope gradient was identified as the most significant factor,with a value of 0.474.Accordingly,the integrated slope and slope length index(L0.5S2)proved to be a reliable predictor,and a comprehensive model was built for highway side-slope rill erosion prediction(model efficiency=0.802).These results could be helpful for highway side-slope conservation and ecological risk prediction in alpine permafrost areas.

Significant lake expansion has accelerated permafrost degradation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In recent years, lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have become more responsive to climate change. In September 2011, Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil experienced sudden drainage, the water eventually flowed into Yanhu Lake, which caused Yanhu Lake to continue to expand. The potential collapse of Yanhu Lake could directly threaten the operational safety of the adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway. To explore the implications of expanding lakes on the surrounding permafrost, we selected Hoh Xil Yanhu Lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study the effect of lake expansion on permafrost degradation. The permafrost degradation in the Yanhu Lake basin from October 2017 to December 2022 was inverted using Sentinel-1 satellite image data and small baseline subset interferometry synthetic aperture radar(SBAS-In SAR) technology. Additionally, permafrost degradation from February 2007 and February 2010 was analyzed using advanced land observing satellite phased array-type L-band synthetic aperture radar(ALOS PALSAR) satellite images and differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar(D-In SAR) technique. The results showed that the permafrost around Yanhu Lake experienced accelerated degradation. Prior to the expansion of Yanhu Lake, the average annual deformation rate along the line of sight(LOS) direction was 6.7 mm/yr. After the expansion, the rate increased to 20.9 mm/yr. The integration of spatial-temporal distribution maps of surface subsidence, Wudaoliang borehole geothermal data, meteorological data, Yanhu Lake surface area changes, and water level changes supports the assertion that the intensified permafrost degradation could be attributed to lake expansion rather than the rising air temperature. Furthermore, permafrost degradation around Yanhu Lake could impact vital infrastructure such as the adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Analysis and Comparison of Slope-cutting Widening Schemes in Highway Reconstruction and Expansion Project Based on MIDAS Software

In this paper,the geological condition of the right-side slope of the K114+694–K115+162 section of Yong-tai-wen Expressway is investigated and analyzed with the results showing that the strength of rock mass is the main contributor to the stability of the slope.Then,two widening schemes are proposed,which are the steep slope with strong support and the gentle slope with general support schemes.The static/slope module of MIDAS GTS finite element analysis software and the strength reduction method were used to compare the two schemes.The results show that the steep slope with a strong support scheme has obvious advantages in land requisition,environmental protection,and safety and is more suitable for reconstructing and expanding the highway slope.

Cryptic diversity and rampant hybridization in annual gentians on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau revealed by population genomic analysis

Understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes involved in population differentiation and speciation provides critical insights into biodiversity formation. In this study, we employed 29,865 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) and complete plastomes to examine genomic divergence and hybridization in Gentiana aristata, which is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP) region. Genetic clustering revealed that G. aristata is characterized by geographic genetic structures with five clusters(West, East, Central, South and North). The West cluster has a specific morphological character(i.e., blue corolla) and higher values of FSTcompared to the remaining clusters, likely the result of the geological barrier formed by the Yangtze River. The West cluster diverged from the other clusters in the Early Pliocene;these remaining clusters diverged from one another in the Early Quaternary. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on SNPs and plastid data revealed substantial cyto-nuclear conflicts. Genetic clustering and D-statistics demonstrated rampant hybridization between the Central and North clusters,along the Bayankala Mountains, which form the geological barrier between the Central and North clusters. Species distribution modeling demonstrated the range of G. aristata expanded since the Last Interglacial period. Our findings provide genetic and morphological evidence of cryptic diversity in G. aristata, and identified rampant hybridization between genetic clusters along a geological barrier.These findings suggest that geological barriers and climatic fluctuations have an important role in triggering diversification as well as hybridization, indicating that cryptic diversity and hybridization are essential factors in biodiversity formation within the QTP region.

Wind-sand flow simulation and radius optimization of highway embankment under different vertical curve radius

It is of great practical value to explore the correlation between the vertical curve radius of desert highway and the increase of sand accumulation in local lines,and to select the appropriate vertical curve radius for reducing the risk of sand accumulation.In this study,three-dimensional models of desert highway embankments with different vertical curve radii were constructed,and Fluent software was used to simulate the wind-sand flow field and sand accumulation distribution of vertical curve embankments.The results show that:(1)Along the direction of the road,the concave and the convex vertical curve embankments have the effect of collecting and diverging the wind-sand flow,respectively.When the radius of the concave vertical curve is 3000 m,5000 m,8000 m,10000 m and 20000 m,the wind velocity in the middle of the vertical curve is 31.76%,22.58%,10.78%,10.53%and 10.44%,higher than that at both ends.When the radius of the convex vertical curve is 6500 m,8000 m,10000 m,20000 m and 30000 m,the wind velocity at both ends of the vertical curve is 14.06%,9.99%,6.14%,3.22%and 2.41%,higher than that in the middle.The diversion effect also decreases with the increase of the radius.(2)The conductivity of the concave and convex vertical curve embankments with different radii is greater than 1,which is the sediment transport roadbed.The conductivity increases with the increase of radius and gradually tends to be stable.When the radius of the concave and convex vertical curves reaches 8000 m and 20000 m respectively,the phenomenon of sand accumulation is no longer serious.Under the same radius condition,the concave vertical curve embankment is more prone to sand accumulation than the convex one.(3)Considering the strength of the collection and diversion of the vertical curve embankment with different radii,and the sand accumulation of the vertical curve embankment in the desert section of Wuma Expressway,the radius of the concave vertical curve is not less than 8000 m,and the radius of the convex vertical curve is not less than 20000 m,which can effectively reduce the sand accumulation of the vertical curve embankment.In the desert highway area,the research results of this paper can provide reference for the design of vertical curve to ensure the safe operation of desert highway.

Cost Control Strategies for Hubei General Highway Greening Project

In order to respond to the national policy of focusing on the service of building a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development,and to reduce the cost of greening projects while ensuring the effect of highway landscape,a process and cost control points of highway greening design,construction,and maintenance are summarized through a review of the literature.Additionally,this paper examines the attributes of highway greening and proposes cost control strategies that are aligned with these attributes.It is proposed that the implementation of cost control strategies for highway greening should commence at the project establishment phase,with the objective of establishing a comprehensive and effective cost management control system.While guaranteeing the greening landscape effect and the duration of the project,it is essential to regulate the crucial nodes in each phase of the design,construction,and maintenance process.Furthermore,it is vital to facilitate close collaboration between all parties involved,thereby reducing costs,conserving resources,and lowering energy consumption.This approach can also lead to enhanced economic and social benefits for highway greening projects.

Unveiling evapotranspiration patterns and energy balance in a subalpine forest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:observations and analysis from an eddy covariance system

Evapotranspiration is an important parameter used to characterize the water cycle of ecosystems.To under-stand the properties of the evapotranspiration and energy balance of a subalpine forest in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,an open-path eddy covariance system was set up to monitor the forest from November 2020 to October 2021 in a core area of the Three Parallel Rivers in the Qing-hai-Tibet Plateau.The results show that the evapotranspira-tion peaked daily,the maximum occurring between 11:00 and 15:00.Environmental factors had significant effects on evapotranspiration,among them,net radiation the greatest(R^(2)=0.487),and relative humidity the least(R^(2)=0.001).The energy flux varied considerably in different seasons and sensible heat flux accounted for the main part of turbulent energy.The energy balance ratio in the dormant season was less than that in the growing season,and there is an energy imbalance at the site on an annual time scale.

Bacterial communities and enzyme activities during litter decomposition of Elymus nutans leaf on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The dominant plant litter plays a crucial role in carbon(C)and nutrients cycling as well as ecosystem functions maintenance on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP).The impact of litter decomposition of dominant plants on edaphic parameters and grassland productivity has been extensively studied,while its decomposition processes and relevant mechanisms in this area remain poorly understood.We conducted a three-year litter decomposition experiment in the Gansu Gannan Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station,an alpine meadow ecosystem on the QTP,to investigate changes in litter enzyme activities and bacterial and fungal communities,and clarify how these critical factors regulated the decomposition of dominant plant Elymus nutans(E.nutans)litter.The results showed that cellulose and hemicellulose,which accounted for 95%of the initial lignocellulose content,were the main components in E.nutans litter decomposition.The litter enzyme activities ofβ-1,4-glucosidase(BG),β-1,4-xylosidase(BX),andβ-D-cellobiosidase(CBH)decreased with decomposition while acid phosphatase,leucine aminopeptidase,and phenol oxidase increased with decomposition.We found that both litter bacterial and fungal communities changed significantly with decomposition.Furthermore,bacterial communities shifted from copiotrophic-dominated to oligotrophic-dominated in the late stage of litter decomposition.Partial least squares path model revealed that the decomposition of E.nutans litter was mainly driven by bacterial communities and their secreted enzymes.Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria were important producers of enzymes BG,BX,and CBH,and their relative abundances were tightly positively related to the content of cellulose and hemicellulose,indicating that Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria are the main bacterial taxa of the decomposition of E.nutans litter.In conclusion,this study demonstrates that bacterial communities are the main driving forces behind the decomposition of E.nutans litter,highlighting the vital roles of bacterial communities in affecting the ecosystem functions of the QTP by regulating dominant plant litter decomposition.

A phylogenetic approach identifies patterns of beta diversity and floristic subregions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity and their relationships with environmental correlates can help reveal the origin and evolutionary history of regional biota.The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)harbors an exceptionally diverse flora,however,a phylogenetic perspective has rarely been used to investigate its beta diversity and floristic regions.In this study,we used a phylogenetic approach to identify patterns of beta diversity and quantitatively delimit floristic regions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We also examined the relationships between multifaceted beta diversity,geographical distance,and climatic difference,and evaluated the relative importance of various factors(i.e.,climate,topography and history)in shaping patterns of beta diversity.Sørensen dissimilarity indices indicated that patterns of species turnover among sites dominated the QTP.We also found that patterns of both taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity were significantly related to geographical distance and climatic difference.The environmental factors that contributed most to these patterns of beta diversity include annual precipitation,mean annual temperature,climatic gradients and climatic instability.Hierarchical dendrograms of dissimilarity and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination based on phylogenetic beta diversity data identified ten floristic subregions in the QTP.Our results suggest that the contemporary environment and historical climate changes have filtered species composition among sites and eventually determined beta diversity patterns of plants in the QTP.