Dataset Information

Topographic and climatic controls of peatland distribution on the Tibetan Plateau.

ABSTRACT: The Tibetan Plateau (TP) hosts a variety of mountain peatlands that are sensitive to the amplified warming in this region. However, we still lack a basic understanding of environmental and climatic factors controlling peatland distribution in the region. Here we use a bioclimatic envelope model (PeatStash) and environmental analysis that utilise three peatland datasets-(a) the well-studied Zoige peatland complex, (b) a literature-based dataset of TP peatlands sites, and (c) an existing global peatland map (PEATMAP)-to investigate major drivers of peatland distribution in the TP. The Zoige peatland complex is defined by gentle slopes (< 2°), mean annual temperature at 0-2 °C, and soil moisture index > 1.7, much narrower thresholds than those stemming from PEATMAP. Using these narrower thresholds to predict future changes, we found that the Zoige peatland complex will shrink greatly under full-range future warming scenarios (both SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5). Modelling peatland distribution in the entire TP remains challenging because accurate environmental and climate data at high resolution and a reliable peatland distribution map are still lacking. Improved peatland mapping supported by ground-truthing is necessary to understand drivers of peatland distribution, assess carbon storage and other ecosystem services, and predict the TP's peatlands fate under climate change.

SUBMITTER: Sun J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10491611 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Topographic and climatic controls of peatland distribution on the Tibetan Plateau.

Sun Jingjing J Gallego-Sala Angela A Yu Zicheng Z

Scientific reports 20230908 1

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) hosts a variety of mountain peatlands that are sensitive to the amplified warming in this region. However, we still lack a basic understanding of environmental and climatic factors controlling peatland distribution in the region. Here we use a bioclimatic envelope model (PeatStash) and environmental analysis that utilise three peatland datasets-(a) the well-studied Zoige peatland complex, (b) a literature-based dataset of TP peatlands sites, and (c) an existing global pe ...[more]

PMID: 37684329

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Project description:BackgroundThe ecosystems across Tibetan Plateau are changing rapidly under the influence of climate warming, which has caused substantial changes in spatial and temporal environmental patterns. Stipa purpurea, as a dominant herbsage resource in alpine steppe, has a great influence on animal husbandry in the Tibetan Plateau. Global warming has been forecasted to continue in the future (2050s, 2070s), questioning the future distribution of S. purpurea and its response to climate change. The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling, due to its multiple advantages (e.g. uses presence-only data, performs well with incomplete data, and requires small sample sizes and gaps), has been used to understand species environment relationships and predict species distributions across locations that have not been sampled.ResultsAnnual mean temperature, annual precipitation, temperature seasonality, altitude, and precipitation during the driest month, significantly affected the distribution of S. purpurea. Only 0.70% of the Tibetan Plateau area included a very highly suitable habitat (habitat suitability [HS] = 0.8-1.0). Highly suitable habitat (HS = 0.6-0.8), moderately suitable habitat (HS = 0.4-0.6), and unsuitable habitat (HS = 0.2-0.4) occupied 6.20, 14.30 and 22.40% of the Tibetan Plateau area, respectively, and the majority (56.40%) of the Tibetan Plateau area constituted a highly unsuitable habitat (HS = 0-0.2). In addition, the response curves of species ecological suitability simulated by generalized additive model nearly corresponded with the response curves generated by the MaxEnt model.ConclusionsAt a temporal scale, the habitat suitability of S. purpurea tends to increase from the 1990s to 2050s, but decline from the 2050s to 2070s. At a spatial scale, the future distribution of S. purpurea will not exhibit sweeping changes and will remain in the central and southeastern regions of the Tibetan Plateau. These results benefit the local animal husbandry and provide evidence for establishing reasonable management practices.

Dataset Information

Topographic and climatic controls of peatland distribution on the Tibetan Plateau.

Publications

Topographic and climatic controls of peatland distribution on the Tibetan Plateau.

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