Responses of alpine grassland on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau to climate warming and permafrost degradation: a modeling perspective

• Published in: Environmental research letters Vol. 9; no. 7; pp. 74014 - 12
• Main Authors: Yi, Shuhua, Wang, Xiaoyun, Qin, Yu, Xiang, Bo, Ding, Yongjian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.07.2014
• Subjects: alpine grassland; Carbon; Climate; Climate change; Climate models; climate warming; Climatic conditions; Degradation; Drainage; Ecosystem dynamics; Ecosystem models; Ecosystems; Evapotranspiration; Global warming; Grasslands; Hydrology; modeling; Moisture content; Net Primary Productivity; Permafrost; permafrost degradation; Primary production; Simulation; Soil (material); Soil degradation; Soil dynamics; Soil hydrology; Soil water; Water content; Waterproofing; Tibetan Plateau

Permafrost plays a critical role in soil hydrology. Thus, the degradation of permafrost under warming climate conditions may affect the alpine grassland ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Previous space-for-time studies using plot and basin scales have reached contradictory conclusions. In th...