Degradation of Alpine Grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
Assessment, Causes, Consequences, and Restoration
- 1st Edition - March 1, 2026
- Latest edition
- Authors: Shibin Liu, Xingliang Xu, Huaiyong Shao, Bahar S. Razavi
- Language: English
Degradation of Alpine Grasslands on Tibetan Plateau: Assessment, Causes, Consequences, and Restoration summarizes the approaches for assessing the degradation of alpine grassl… Read more
Degradation of Alpine Grasslands on Tibetan Plateau: Assessment, Causes, Consequences, and Restoration summarizes the approaches for assessing the degradation of alpine grasslands, highlighting its effects on vegetation, soil characteristics, water cycles, and ecosystem services. It examines soil carbon and nutrient distribution on the Tibetan Plateau, discusses how degradation impacts nutrient and water cycling, and explores the effects of climate change. The influence of varying moisture conditions on vegetation distribution is also analyzed, along with a quantitative summary of restoration strategies for degraded grasslands. This book serves as a valuable reference for researchers seeking to understand the current state of research in the field of alpine grassland degradation.
- Summarizes indicators and approaches to assess the gradients of grassland degradation and introduces the use of remote sensing techniques
- Highlights the influence of grassland degradation on water distribution as well as carbon and nutrient cycles
- Reviews the role of climate change and anthropogenic activities in regulating plant characteristics and soil nutrient cycling in the context of grassland degradation
- Discusses the impact of restoration strategies on soil, vegetation, and ecosystem services of the degraded grasslands at Tibetan Plateau
Students, researchers, professionals, and engineers interested in environmental science, environmental management, soil science, ecology, grassland management, and nature conservation
1. Assessment and causes of grassland degradation on Tibetan Plateau
1.1 Assessment of grassland degradation on Tibetan Plateau
1.2 Application of remote sensing technology in grassland vulnerability assessment
1.3 Causes of grassland degradation on Tibetan Plateau
2. Consequences of grassland degradation for vegetation characteristics on Tibetan Plateau
2.1 Shift of dominant species during grassland degradation
2.2 Changes of plant biomass in response to grassland degradation
2.3 Characteristics of vegetation patches in the process of degradation succession
3. Consequences of grassland degradation for soil properties on Tibetan Plateau
3.1 Changes of soil properties in response to grassland degradation
3.2 Turnover characteristics of soil carbon and nutrients and their responses to grassland degradation
3.3 Influence of climate change on soil properties depending on grassland degradation
3.4 Influence of anthropogenic activities on soil properties depending on grassland degradation
4. Consequences of grassland degradation for water utilization characteristics on Tibetan Plateau
4.1 Spatiotemporal changes in water yield function and its influencing factors on Tibetan Plateau
4.2 Assessment of the spatiotemporal impact of water conservation on Tibetan Plateau
4.2 Aridity pattern of Tibetan plateau and its influential factors
4.3 Aridity pattern and its relationship with vegetation change in Tibetan Plateau
5. Consequences of grassland degradation for ecosystem properties and biodiversity on Tibetan Plateau
5.1 Influence of grassland degradation on biodiversity on Tibetan Plateau
5.2 Ecosystem service relationships of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6. Restoration of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.1 Strategies for the restoration of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.2 Impact of restoration strategies on ecosystem services of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.3 Impact of restoration strategies on soil properties of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.4 Impact of restoration strategies on vegetation characteristics of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
1.1 Assessment of grassland degradation on Tibetan Plateau
1.2 Application of remote sensing technology in grassland vulnerability assessment
1.3 Causes of grassland degradation on Tibetan Plateau
2. Consequences of grassland degradation for vegetation characteristics on Tibetan Plateau
2.1 Shift of dominant species during grassland degradation
2.2 Changes of plant biomass in response to grassland degradation
2.3 Characteristics of vegetation patches in the process of degradation succession
3. Consequences of grassland degradation for soil properties on Tibetan Plateau
3.1 Changes of soil properties in response to grassland degradation
3.2 Turnover characteristics of soil carbon and nutrients and their responses to grassland degradation
3.3 Influence of climate change on soil properties depending on grassland degradation
3.4 Influence of anthropogenic activities on soil properties depending on grassland degradation
4. Consequences of grassland degradation for water utilization characteristics on Tibetan Plateau
4.1 Spatiotemporal changes in water yield function and its influencing factors on Tibetan Plateau
4.2 Assessment of the spatiotemporal impact of water conservation on Tibetan Plateau
4.2 Aridity pattern of Tibetan plateau and its influential factors
4.3 Aridity pattern and its relationship with vegetation change in Tibetan Plateau
5. Consequences of grassland degradation for ecosystem properties and biodiversity on Tibetan Plateau
5.1 Influence of grassland degradation on biodiversity on Tibetan Plateau
5.2 Ecosystem service relationships of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6. Restoration of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.1 Strategies for the restoration of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.2 Impact of restoration strategies on ecosystem services of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.3 Impact of restoration strategies on soil properties of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
6.4 Impact of restoration strategies on vegetation characteristics of degraded grasslands on Tibetan Plateau
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: March 1, 2026
- Language: English
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Shibin Liu
Shibin Liu is an Associate Professor at Chengdu University of Technology. He got his Master’s degree from Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry and his PhD degree from the Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, University of Göttingen. Dr Liu’s research focuses on the mechanisms of soil degradation and restoration. His main research areas include: (1) Effect of grassland degradation and subsequent restoration on soil properties and plant characteristics in the Tibetan Plateau. (2) Influence of organic fertilizer and its pyrolyzed biochar on soil biochemical properties and plant growth; (3) Fate and environmental behaviours of soil contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, microplastics and organic pollutants) and mechanisms of their remediation. Various methods (i.e., in-situ zymography, isotope labelling, 16S sRNA sequencing and so on) are involved in these studies. He has published 35 academic articles and presided or precipitated over 10 projects. He also serves as the youth editorial board members of several Chinese journals, i.e., Soil, Chinese Journal of Soil Science, Journal of Agricultural Resources and Environment and review editor for Frontiers in Environmental Science.
Affiliations and expertise
Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, ChinaXX
Xingliang Xu
Xingliang Xu is a Professor and doctoral supervisor at Institute of Geographic Sciences & Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He is specialized in Ecology and Soil Science with special focuses on carbon sequestration, carbon and nitrogen transformation, grassland degradation, plant-microbial interactions, and plant nitrogen acquisition. Until now, he has published more than 200 academic papers in peer-reviewed journals (e.g., Nature, Global Change Biology, New Phytologist, Journal of Ecology); he has led over 5 projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 1 Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund, and other national-level projects. He also serves as the associate editor for European Journal of Soil Biology, Rhizosphere, and Land Degradation and Development and is an editorial board member of Chinese Journal of Applied and Environmental Biology.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Institute of Geographic Sciences & Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), ChinaHS
Huaiyong Shao
Professor Shao is a professor and doctoral supervisor at Chengdu University of Technology. He currently serves as the Dean of the School of Geography and Planning at Chengdu University of Technology. His main research areas include remote sensing of resources and environment, geographic information systems, quantitative remote sensing, ecological and geological environmental assessment, and ecological environment and sustainable development of grassland and agriculture. Professor Shao has been engaged in teaching and research in GIS spatial modeling for ecological environment assessment and remote sensing of resources and environment, leading more than 30 projects including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Outstanding Youth Fund of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Doctoral Program Foundation of the Ministry of Education, the National Special Project for Natural Resources, the Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Plan, and the Sichuan Province Natural Science Key Research Fund. He has received seven provincial and ministerial level awards for scientific and technological progress and teaching achievements, including two first prizes, three second prizes, and two third prizes, and has published over 100 research papers.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Chengdu University of Technology, ChinaBR
Bahar S. Razavi
Professor Bahar Razavi is a dedicated researcher with a profound interest in rhizosphere processes, focusing on the intricate interactions between soil, plants, and microorganisms. Her research encompasses a wide range of topics including microbial life time and turnover, competition for nutrients between plants and their associated microbiomes, and the impact of viral and pathogenic stressors on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles. Professor Razavi is also adept in studying microbial hotspots and hot moments, enzyme kinetics, and employs advanced visualization techniques such as soil zymography, radioisotope imaging, and planar optodes. Her work addresses the effects of climate change and abiotic stressors like drought, climate warming, land-use, and salinity on rhizosphere dynamics. She has led several projects, including RhizoWheat, which investigates yield decline in wheat crop rotations, and other studies focusing on the spatio-temporal patterns of root exudation, enzyme activities, and the effects of long-term manure application on microbial niches. Professor Razavi’s research is crucial for understanding and managing the delicate balance of soil ecosystems under changing environmental conditions.
Affiliations and expertise
Junior Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Soil and Plant Microbiome Department, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany