Glacier change in the Tanggula Mountains, Tibetan Plateau,in 1969-2015

To improve our knowledge of glacier change in the Tanggula Mountains located in the northeast of the Tibetan Plateau,we delineated outlines of the glaciers in 1991 and 2015 using Landsat TM/OLI images and compared them with the reported glacier data in the First Chinese Glacier Inventory in 1969 and the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory in 2007.These comparisons showed that the glacier area and ice volume decreased by 524.8 km2 and 37 km3,respectively.The majority of the glacier area loss was concentrated in the area class of 1-5 km2,between 5300 m and 5500 m in elevation,on north and east facing slopes and in the Dam Qu River basin.These glacier changes exhibited spatial and temporal differences.The glacier retreat rate gradually increased from 1969 to 2015,and the rate in the east was higher than that in the west.From 1969 to 2015,the warming rate in the Tanggula Mountains was 0.38°C/10a,while the annual precipitation only increased by 0.4%.The slight increase in the amount of precipitation made a limited contribution to glacier change,while the change in temperature led to noticeable shrinkage of the glaciers.Contrary to the retreat or stagnation of most glaciers in the study area,there were 10 glaciers that experienced clear advance in 1986-2015 with noticeable increases in both area and length.Whether or not these 10 glaciers are surge glaciers requires further study.

Spatial variability and its main controlling factors of the permafrost soil-moisture on the northern-slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The soil moisture movement is an important carrier of material cycle and energy flow among the various geo-spheres in the cold regions.Thus, this research takes the north slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study.The present study firstly investigates the change of permafrost moisture in different slope positions and depths. Based on this investigation, this article attempts to investigate the spatial variability of permafrost moisture and identifies the key influence factors in different terrain conditions. The method of classification and regression tree(CART) is adopted to identify the main controlling factors influencing the soil moisture movement. The relationships between soil moisture and environmental factors are revealed by the use of the method of canonical correspondence analysis(CCA). The results show that: 1) Due to the terrain slope and the freezing-thawing process, the horizontal flow weakens in the freezing period. The vertical migration of the soil moisture movement strengthens. It will lead to that the soil-moisture content in the up-slope is higher than that in the down-slope. The conclusion is contrary during the melting period. 2) Elevation, soil texture, soil temperature and vegetation coverage are the main environmental factors which affect the slopepermafrost soil-moisture. 3) Slope, elevation and vegetation coverage are the main factors that affect the slope-permafrost soil-moisture at the shallow depth of 0-20 cm. It is complex at the middle and lower depth.

Crustal Uplift in the Longmen Shan Mountains Revealed by Isostatic Gravity Anomalies along the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

This study examines the relationship between high positive isostatic gravity anomalies （IGA）, steep topography and lower crustal extrusion at the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. IGA data has revealed uplift and extrusion of lower crustal flow in the Longmen Shan Mountains （the LMS）. Firstly, The high positive IGA zone corresponds to the LMS orogenic belt. It is shown that abrupt changes in IGA correspond to zones of abrupt change of topography, crustal thickness and rock density along the LMS. Secondly, on the basis of the Airy isostasy theory, simulations and inversions of the positive IGA were conducted using three-dimensional bodies. The results indicated that the LMS lacks a mountain root, and that the top surface of the lower crust has been elevated by 11 km, leading to positive IGA, tectonic load and density load. Thirdly, according to Watts＇s flexural isostasy model, elastic deflection occurs, suggesting that the limited （i.e. narrow） tectonic and density load driven by lower crustal flow in the LMS have led to asymmetric flexural subsidence in the foreland basin and lifting of the forebulge. Finally, based on the correspondence between zones of extremely high positive IGA and the presence of the Precambrian Pengguan-Baoxing complexes in the LMS, the first appearance of erosion gravels from the complexes in the Dayi Conglomerate layer of the Chengdu Basin suggest that positive IGA and lower crustal flow in the LMS took place at 3.6 Ma or slightly earlier.

Application of the Material Balance Method in Paleoelevation Recovery: A Case Study of the Longmen Mountains Foreland Basin on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

We applied the material balance principle of the denudation volume and sedimentary flux to study the denudation-accumulation system between the Longmen Mountains （Mts.） and the foreland basin. The amount of sediment in each sedimentation stage of the basin was estimated to obtain the denudation volume, erosion thickness and deposit thickness since the Late Triassic Epoch, to enable us to recover the paleoelevation of the provenance and the sedimentary area. The results show the following： （1） Since the Late Triassic Epoch, the elevation of the surface of the Longmen Mts. has uplifted from 0 m to 2751 m, and the crust of the Longmen Mts. has uplifted by 9.8 km. Approximately 72% of the materials introduced have been denuded from the mountains. （2） It is difficult to recover the paleoelevation of each stage of the Longmen Mts. foreland basin quantitatively by the present-day techniques and data. （3） The formation of the Longmen Mts. foreland basin consisted of three stages of thrust belt tectonic load and three stages of thrust belt erosional unload. During tectonic loading stages （Late Triassic Epoch, Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous-Miocene）, the average elevation of Longmen Mts. was lower （approximately 700-1700 m）. During erosional unloading stages （Early and Middle Jurassic, Middle Cretaceous and Jiaguan, Late Cenozoic）, the average elevation of Longmen Mts. was high at approximately 2000-2800m.

Initiation and Development of the Late Cenozoic Uplift of Daluo Mountains,Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

Daluo Mountains lie at front of the arcuate tectonic belt at the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau,and are the landform boundary zone between the active Tibetan Plateau and the stable North China Craton.Studying of the late Cenozoic uplift evolution of Daluo Mountains is important for understanding the expansion mechanism of the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and its influence on the western North China Craton.In this study,the late Cenozoic uplift of Daluo Mountains is constructed from the development of the late Cenozoic alluvial fan around Daluo Mountains.The entire sedimentary sequence and framework of the fan was revealed by the newly obtained drilling core data.The cosmogenic nuclide,optically stimulated luminescence,and detrital zircon U-Pb dating results provide new evidences for discussion about the initial timing of the late Cenozoic uplift of Daluo Mountains and the key stages of uplift during the Pleistocene.The late Cenozoic alluvial fan at front of Daluo Mountains overlies a set of fluvial-facies strata;therefore,development of the alluvial-fan marks the start of late Cenozoic uplift of Daluo Mountains.The timing of this event can be constrained to~4.64 Ma.Two extensive gravel layers(dated to ca.0.76–0.6 Ma and~0.05 Ma)developed during the Pleistocene,indicating two episodes of considerable uplift.This study provides a new time scale for the uplift and expansion of the arcuate tectonic belt at the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

Remote Sensing Monitoring of the Subalpine Coniferous Forests and Quantitative Analysis of the Characteristics of Succession in East Mountain Area of Tibetan Plateau——A Case Study With Zamtang County

The study area lies in the Dadu River drainage area in upstream Yangtze River.The spatial distribution of subalpine coniferous forests in 1989 and 2009 was extracted by means of a combined method of object orientation and visual interpretation,and then the overlaying analysis of these data was conducted.The type and spatial location of succession were discovered and served as the sample of dependant variable.Meanwhile,supported by GIS technology and based on DEM and thematic data,the eight variables including altitude,slope,sin and cosin of aspect,curvity of land surface,and distance to residential area,cultivated land and road were extracted served as the sample of spatial succession of subalpine coniferous forests to fit Logistic Regression,and then the contribution of each independent variable as well as the spatial property of the occurrence probability of succession was calculated.The results suggested that,during the succession of subalpine coniferous forests to meadow,the closer to the residential area and cultivated land,the greater the contribution to succession is.In particular,when the distance to the residential area decreases by one unit,the probability for its conversion to meadow will be increased by 1.15 times.During the succession of subalpine coniferous forests to deciduous-broadleaved shrubs,the sin of aspect and distance to residential area contribute more,and the probability of succession increases with increasing degree of northwardness,i.e.when the degree of northwardness increases by one unit,the probability will be increased by 1.2 times.The quantitative analysis of spatial succession property of subalpine coniferous forests will supply scientific basis to the protection and restoration of subalpine coniferous forests.

Geomorphic features of Quaternary glaciation in the Taniantaweng Mountain, on the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

We present geomorphological evidence for multiple glacial fluctuations during the Quaternary in the Taniantaweng Mountain, which is situated at the transition zone of the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. To reconstruct the history of glacial evolution during the Quaternary Glaciation, we present a ~13000 km^2 geomorphologic map(1:440,000) for the Quaternary glaciations, as well as three electron spin resonance(ESR) ages and three optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) ages from the landforms. By integrating these with ages from previous studies, four major glacial advances are identified during marine oxygen isotope stages(MIS) 6, 3, 2 and 1. This glacial chronology is in reasonable agreement with existing glacial chronologies from other parts of the Hengduan Mountains and surrounding mountains. Glaciers had extended to the Yuqu River during the glacial maximum advance(MIS 6), but became successively more restricted from MIS 3 to MIS 1. The glacial distribution show that precipitation brought by the south Asian monsoon might play a primary role in driving glacial advances during the last glacial period in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Surface pollen and its relationship to vegetation on the southern slope of the eastern Qilian Mountains

The objective of this study is to investigate pollen-vegetation relationship in the Qilian Mountains. The eastern Qilian Mountains are located in the transitional zone of the Tibetan Plateau, the Loess Plateau and the arid region of Northwest China; which is one of the key areas of global environmental change. A total of 13 surface pollen samples from main vegetation have been collected. Pollen percentages were calculated in all samples. In order to reveal the relationship between pollen composition and the vegetation types from which the soil samples have been collected, Detrended Correspondence Analysis （DCA） ordination method was employed on the pollen data. The results show that dominating vegetation types can be recognized by their pollen spectra： Picea crassifolia forest, alpine shrub and alpine meadow as well. Altitude and temperature determine the distribution of the surface pollen and the vegetation. The good agreement between modern vegetation and surface samples across this area provides a measure of the reliability of using pollen data to reconstruct paleoenvironment and paleovegetation patterns in this or other similar regions. However the loss of Betula pollen in forest needs further investigation. Pollen oxidation is the most important factor contributing to the damage of modern pollen in the study area. Pollen concentrations decrease with the increase of pH values of soils, and decrease sharply when the pH exceeds 7.6.

The Deep Geophysical Structure of the Middle Section of the Longmen Mountains Tectonic Belt and its Relation to the Wenchuan Earthquake

Investigation of the deep geophysical structure of the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt and its relation to the Wenchuan Earthquake is important for the study of earthquakes.By using magnetotelluric sounding profiles of the Luqu-Zhongjiang and Anxian-Suining; seismic sounding profiles of the Sichuan Maowen-Chongqing Gongtan,the Qinghai Huashi Gorge-Sichuan Jianyang,and the Batang-Zizhong; and magnetogravimetric data of the Longmen Mountains region,the deep geophysical structure of the Songpan-Ganzi block,the western Sichuan foreland basin,and the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt and their relation was discussed.The eastward extrusion of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau thrusts the Songpan-Ganzi block upon the Yangtze block,which obstructs the eastward movement of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.The Maoxian-Wenchuan,Beichuan-Yingxiu,and Anxian-Guanxian faults of the Longmen Mountains fault belt dip to northwest with different dip angles and gradually converge in the deeper parts.Geophysical structure suggests that an intracrustal low-velocity,low-resistivity,and high-conductivity layer is common between the middle and upper crust west of the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt but not in the upper Yangtze block.The Sichuan Basin has a thick low-resistance sedimentary layer on a stable high-resistance basement; moreover,there are secondary paleohighs and depression structures at the lower part of the western Sichuan foreland basin with characteristic of high magnetic anomalies,whereas the Songpan-Ganzi block has a high resisitivity cover of upper crust and continues to a low-resistance layer.Considering the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt as the boundary,there are Bouguer gravity anomalies of ＂one belt between two zones.＂ Thus,we infer that there is a corresponding relation between the inferred crystalline basement of the Songpan block and the underlying basin basement of the Longmen Mountains fault belt.Furthermore,there may be an extensive ancient Yangtze block,which is west of the Ruoergai block.In addition,the crust-mantle ductile shear zone under the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt is the main fault,whereas the Beichuan-Yingxiu and Anxian-Guanxian faults at the surface are earthquake faults.The Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake might be attributed to the collision of the Yangtze block and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.The eastward obduction of the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and eastward subduction of its deeper part under the influence of the collision of the Indian,Pacific,and Philippine Plates with the Eurasia Plate might have caused the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt to cut the Moho and extend to the middle and upper crust; thus,creating high stress concentration and rapid energy release zone.

Spatial-temporal Pattern and Population Driving Force of Land Use Change in Liupan Mountains Region, Southern Ningxia, China

The Liupan Mountains is located in the southern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China, which forms an important dividing line between landforms and bio-geographic regions. The populated part of the Liupan Mountains region has suffered tremendous ecological damages over time due to population pressure, excessive demand and inappropriate use of agricultural land resources. In this paper, datasets of land use between 1990 and 2000 were obtained from Landsat TM imagery, and then spatial models were used to characterize landscape conditions. Also, the relationship between the population density and land use/cover change (LUCC) was analyzed. Results indicate that cropland, forestland, and urban areas have increased by 44,186ha, 9001ha and 1550ha, respectively while the grassland area has appreciably decreased by 54,025ha in the study period. The decrease in grassland was most notable. Of the grassland lost, 49.4% was converted into cropland. The largest annual land conversion rate in the study area was less than 2%. These changes are attributed to industrial and agricultural development and population growth. To improve the eco-economic conditions in the study region, population control, urbanization and development of an ecological friendly agriculture were suggested.

Glacier Extent and Volume Change(1966～2000) on the Su-lo Mountain in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau,China

The topographic maps of 1:50,000 scales,aerial photographs taken in 1966,one Landsat image taken in 1999,and SRTM data from 2000 were used to quantify the losses in area and volume of the glaciers on the Su-lo Mountain,in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau,China in the past 30 years.The total glacier area decreased from 492.9km2 in 1966 to 458.2km2 in 1999.The volume loss of the studied glaciers reached 1.4 km3 from 1966 to 2000.This agrees with documented changes in other mountain glaciers of the whole Tibetan Plateau.

Response of glacier area variation to climate change in the Kaidu-Kongque river basin,Southern Tianshan Mountains during the last 20 years

Glaciers are crucial water resources for arid inland rivers in Northwest China.In recent decades,glaciers are largely experiencing shrinkage under the climate-warming scenario,thereby exerting tremendous influences on regional water resources.The primary role of understudying watershed scale glacier changes under changing climatic conditions is to ensure sustainable utilization of regional water resources,to prevent and mitigate glacier-related disasters.This study maps the current(2020)distribution of glacier boundaries across the Kaidu-Kongque river basin,south slope of Tianshan Mountains,and monitors the spatial evolution of glaciers over five time periods from 2000-2020 through thresholded band ratios approach,using 25 Landsat images at 30 m resolution.In addition,this study attempts to understand the role of climate characteristics for variable response of glacier area.The results show that the total area of glaciers was 398.21 km^(2)in 2020.The glaciers retreated by about 1.17 km^(2)/a(0.26%/a)from 2000 to 2020.The glaciers were reducing at a significantly rapid rate between 2000 and 2005,a slow rate from 2005 to 2015,and an accelerated rate during 2015-2020.The meteorological data shows slight increasing trends of mean annual temperature(0.02℃/a)and annual precipitation(2.07 mm/a).The correlation analysis demonstrates that the role of temperature presents more significant correlation with glacier recession than precipitation.There is a temporal hysteresis in the response of glacier change to climate change.Increasing trend of temperature in summer proves to be the driving force behind the Kaidu-Kongque basin glacier recession during the recent 20 years.

Processes of runoff in seasonally-frozen ground about a forested catchment of semiarid mountains

Climate warming increases the variability in runoff of semiarid mountains where seasonally-frozen ground is widely distributed.However,what is not well understood are the processes of runoff,hydrological drivers,and freeze-thaw cycles in seasonally-frozen ground in semiarid mountains.To understand how freeze-thaw cycles affect runoff processes in seasonally-frozen ground,we monitored hydrological processes in a typical headwater catchment with seasonally-frozen ground in Qilian Mountain,China,from 2002 to 2017.We analyzed the responses of runoff to temperature,precipitation,and seasonally-frozen ground to quantify process characteristics and driving factors.The results show that annual runoff was 88.5 mm accounting for 25.6%of rainfall,mainly concentrated in May to October,with baseflow of 36.44 mm.Peak runoff occurred in June,August,and September,i.e.,accounting for spring and summer floods.Runoff during the spring flood was produced by a mix of rainfall,melting snow,and melting seasonally-frozen ground,and had a significant correlation with air temperature.Runoff was mainly due to precipitation accumulation during the summer flood.Air temperature,average soil temperature at 0−50 cm depth,and frozen soil depth variable explained 59.60%of the variation of runoff in the thawing period,while precipitation variable explained 21.9%.Thawing-period runoff and soil temperature had a>0.6 correlation coefficient(P<0.05).In the rainfall-period,runoff was also affected by temperature,soil moisture,and precipitation,which explained 33.6%,34.1%and 18.1%,respectively.Our results show that increasing temperature and precipitation will have an irreversible impact on the hydrological regime in mountainous basins where seasonally-frozen ground is widely distributed.

Growth behavior and resource potential evaluation of gas hydrate in core fractures in Qilian Mountain permafrost area, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qilian Mountain permafrost area located in the northern of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a favorable place for natural gas hydrate formation and enrichment,due to its well-developed fractures and abundant gas sources.Understanding the formation and distribution of multi-component gas hydrates in fractures is crucial in accurately evaluating the hydrate reservoir resources in this area.The hydrate formation experiments were carried out using the core samples drilled from hydrate-bearing sediments in Qilian Mountain permafrost area and the multi-component gas with similar composition to natural gas hydrates in Qilian Mountain permafrost area.The formation and distribution characteristics of multi-component gas hydrates in core samples were observed in situ by X-ray Computed Tomography(X-CT)under high pressure and low temperature conditions.Results show that hydrates are mainly formed and distributed in the fractures with good connectivity.The ratios of volume of hydrates formed in fractures to the volume of fractures are about 96.8%and 60.67%in two different core samples.This indicates that the fracture surface may act as a favorable reaction site for hydrate formation in core samples.Based on the field geological data and the experimental results,it is preliminarily estimated that the inventory of methane stored in the fractured gas hydrate in Qilian Mountain permafrost area is about 8.67×1013 m3,with a resource abundance of 8.67×108 m3/km2.This study demonstrates the great resource potential of fractured gas hydrate and also provides a new way to further understand the prospect of natural gas hydrate and other oil and gas resources in Qilian Mountain permafrost area.

Design of Plateau and Mountain Ethnic Settlements with Adaptive Spatial Features:A Case Study of Jiayin Town

Jiayin Town,Honghe Prefecture,Yunnan Province is composed of four elements,forest,water,farmland and village.The highly adaptive human settlement environmental features of ecologyproduction-living space reflect the adaptability of ethnic settlements on plateaus and mountains to the natural environment and geographical conditions.In this article,based on the unique natural environment and regional characteristics of Jiayin Town,the background features of the human settlement environment,the features of altitude,slope and aspect,the spatial features of forests and grasslands and the features of farmland and villages were analyzed,and design concepts of coordinating and integrating the development of ecology-production-living space,integrating and transforming natural resources into human settlement environmental resources and establishing village public awareness and the design strategies of cultivating culture with life and adopting things with rural quality were proposed,in order to provide scientifi c basis for the protection and development of the plateau and mountain ethnic villages and ensure their harmonious and orderly development.

THE GLOBAL TECTONIC SYSTEMS AND A LATITUDINAL MOUNTAIN-PLATEAU CHAIN ON THE NORTH HEMISPHERE

Three global tectonic systems that formed since the middle Jurassic (160Ma ago)are outlined based on the global map of the Cenozoic and Mesozoic tectonics edited by Ma Zongjin et al.(1996).They are the circum\|Pacific tectonic system,the mid\|ocean ridge tectonic system and the intra\|continental tectonic system of the north hemisphere.The map shows that about 80% of the total length of the continental orogens are concentrate on the north hemisphere of the earth,of which a latitudinal mountain\|plateau chain occur within a zone between north latitude 20°and 50°.Seismic and volcanic activities demonstrate that the intracontinental tectonic system on the north hemisphere is still active.Whilst distribution of the continental deep\|focus earthquakes and almost ultra high\|pressure rock found so far over the World,that are assumed both related to recent or previous deep subduction of continent,along with this zone.The latitudinal mountain\|plateau chain is subdivided into four active tectonic region of Qinghai—Xizang(Tibet),Iranian,eastern mediterranean and North American,both characterized by an individual similar mountain\|plateau\|basin structure with major active boundaries or controlling faults (Fig.1).These active regions are all close to primary dynamic boundaries of continent\|continent collision.Solution of source mechanisms shows that regional tectonic stress field in these regions are dominated by a nearly NS or NNE—SSW direction compression corresponding to a local plate motions and a global compressive zone.Correlation between the formation of the continental latitudinal mountain\|plateau chain on north hemisphere and the oceanic plate tectonics is discussed using the information of the “Map of Magnetic Lineations of the World’s Ocean Basins (Cande et al.,1989)”and the Cenozoic and Mesozoic tectonic evolution in the continents.Total 49 accretion units formed during 6 accretion stages of the ocean spreading in three chief oceans (the Pacific,the India and the Atlantic)si nce 160Ma ago,are subdivided.The distinguished oceanic accretion tectonics in combination with the geometrical and kinematics data of adjust continental f ragments allowed outline of the development of the continental latitudinal tecto nic zone of north hemisphere.Whilst,two global asymmetrical geodynamic systems of north\|south an east\|west direction,that may be composed of meridional conve ction,latitudinal convection and inertial flow resulting from the variation of the Earth’s rotational velocity,are used to discuss on the two global geodynamic systems in which the intracontinental latitudinal tectonic zone developed.

SIGNIFICANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF OPHIOLITE SUITE IN LAJI SHAN, SOUTHERN QILIAN MOUNTAINS, QINGHAI PROVINCE,CHINA

Laji Shan is located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province,sandwiched between Xining and Hualong Basins.It is about 250km long and 10～20km wide from Riyueshan in the west to Minheguanting in the east.Laji Shan belongs to the Caledonian orogenic belt.Its basement consists of the rocks of Palaeo\|Protero zoic Hualong Group (Pt 1 hl ) and Neo\|Proterozoic Huangzhong Group (Pt\-3 h ).There are ptygmatic folds,closely linear type folds,strongly structural d ifferentiation and schistosity developed,suggesting that the basement underwent deep seated ductile deformation.The main part of Laji Shan is composed of Early\|Palaeozoic marine facies volcanic rocks and clastic sedimentary rocks,and suffered greenschist facies metamorphism and brittle\|ductile deformation.Others are composed of Ea rly\|Palaeozoic basic and ultrabasic rocks,intermediate\|acidic intruded rocks a nd dike rocks.Devonian molasse formation in Laji Shan is in uncomfortable contac t with underlying strata.Jurassic and Cretaceous systems are intermont basin dep osits,corresponding to a cover.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND RENOVATING PLAN OF THE LOESS PLATEAU AND LIUPANSHAN MOUNTAINOUS AREA IN NINGXIA

1. The environmental quality of the Loess Plateau and Liupanshan mountainous area in Ningxia The landuse structure in the studied region was very irrational in 1970s, the propor-tions covered by farming, forestry and animal husbandry are separately 50.91%, 6.32% and33.3%. Since 1980s, the farmland has been returned back to forestry and pasture so that

Simulating potential vegetation distribution in a mountainous region of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau:A case study of Barkam County

The main objective of this study is to simulate the potential vegetation types on the basis of environmental parameters.The paper took Barkam County in a mountainous region of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau as the study area.The vegetation distribution was mapped in 1994 and 2007 based on TM remote sensing images by object-oriented interpretation method.We overlaid the two maps to find out the vegetation patches which have not changed,and took them as stable types.Fifty per cent of the stable patches were randomly sampled to operate the logistic regression with related environmental parameters;others were used as test data of simulated results.Seven environmental parameters were mapped,including elevation,slope,aspect,surface curvature,solar radiation,temperature and precipitation,based on DEM data and meteorological site data by GIS technology.The relationship between the spatial distribution of vegetation and environmental variables were quantified by logistic regression.The distribution probabilities of each vegetation type were calculated.Finally,the spatial distribution of potential vegetation was simulated.This research can provide a scientific basis for vegetation restoration and ecological construction in this area.

RATIONAL UTILIZATION OF MOUNTAIN SOILS IN SOUTHEAST QINGHAI-XIZANG (TIBETAN) PLATEAU

The southeast Qinghaicozang (Tibetan) Plateau is a physcal mpon ofvery complicated eco-envirorunent with optimum hydrothermal conditions. Thisregon conains not ouly vast expanse of alpine soils but also abounds in mosttypes of Chinese forest soils. The distributon and tallization of soils presents avery evident horizontal-vertical zonality. At present, panial soil resources arebeing damaged and the mountain ecology also tends to be instable. So rationalcuttin and forest conservation, barren mountain afferestation, retuming thecultivated land on stop slopes to forest, controlled graking, and soil ameliorationconstitute importan means for rational use of soil resources and improvement andstabilization of mountain ecology in tyis region