Climate Change-Induced Range Expansion of a Subterranean Rodent: Implications for Rangeland Management in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 9; p. e0138969
• Main Authors: Su, Junhu, Aryal, Achyut, Nan, Zhibiao, Ji, Weihong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 25.09.2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agriculture; Alpine ecosystems; Alpine environments; Analysis; Animal models; Animals; Biodiversity; Climate Change; Climate change scenarios; Climate models; Current distribution; Ecological function; Ecology; Ecosystem; Ecosystem biology; Ecosystems; Elevation; Endangered & extinct species; Entropy; Environmental changes; Environmental degradation; Evolution & development; Future climates; Global temperature changes; Grassland management; Grasslands; Habitats; Human influences; Laboratories; Maximum entropy; Mitigation; Models, Theoretical; Mountain ecology; Muridae - physiology; Native species; Physiology; Population; Population Dynamics; Precipitation; Predictive control; Range extension; Range management; Rangelands; Rodentia; Rodents; Science; Strategic management; Tibet; Underground structures; Vegetation; Tibet; China; New Zealand; Tibetan Plateau

Disturbances, both human-induced and natural, may re-shape ecosystems by influencing their composition, structure, and functional processes. Plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) is a typical subterranean rodent endemic to Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), which are considered ecosystem engineers influencin...