The Tibetan Plateau is probably the most important and one of the most fragile areas in the world. With its enormous tectonic geomorphology forms and its unique ecosystem the Tibetan Plateau has an huge impact on the asian continent and even on the whole global climate (Cui/Graf 2009:49). For hundred of years this area was inhabited by few nomads, who practiced a sustainable approach of life in this space. Initiating with the reforms of " the Great Leap Forward, the Opening Door Policy and the Globalisation" an imigration flow began to discover and settle down. Those hu-man activities had an influence on the climate change and land-cover change. The consequences resulting thereoff are evident and measurable and the aftereffects of that development cant yet be foreseen in their whole scale.
The purpose of this study is to examinethe anthropogenic influence on the Tibetan Plateau in recent years. The structure applied to this paper begins with a geographic classification of the Tibetan Plateau with its geographical, geomorphological and climatical charecteristics. The second part discribes the anthropogenic influence on the Plateau area and its demographical and agricltural development since the 1950s. The impacts of this influence on the vegetational and soil change are being discribed in the third part and the conclusion finalises this study.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Geographic Classification of the Tibetan Plateau
3. Traditional Nomad pastoralism on the Tibetan Plateau
4. Soil degradation
4.1 Deforestation
4.2 Soil erosion
4.3 Desertification
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this study is to analyze the anthropogenic influences on the Tibetan Plateau, specifically focusing on how demographic and agricultural shifts since the 1950s have impacted the region's fragile ecosystem, leading to soil and vegetation degradation.
- Geographical and climatological characteristics of the Tibetan Plateau.
- Transformation of traditional nomadic pastoralism into industrialized livestock production.
- Impact of rapid population growth and urbanization on land-cover changes.
- Mechanisms of soil degradation including deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification.
Excerpt from the Publication
3. Traditional Nomad pastoralism on the Tibetan Plateau
According to Harris (2010:1) "Livestock grazing is the dominant form of land use in arid biomes worldwide, and grazing lands of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau." and therefore plays an important role for the landscape development and the transformation to a domesticated ecosystem (Lehmkuhl/Schlütz 2009:1450). The climatic circumstances of the grasslands with its sparse flora and its huge expanse of land are suitable for pastoral farming. The extensive livestock farming is being performed for thousands of years by the Nomadic inhabitants of the Tibetan Plateau (Miller 2007:2). Lehmkuhl/Schlütz state (2009:1450) that the anthropogenic influence of the Titbetan nomadic culture changed the natural grazing system, inhabited by only wild herbivores, to an anthropozoogenic system. Over the past centuries the residents enveloped a sustainable approach for range and livestock farming under those difficult circumstances.
According to Miller (2007:3) the Tibetan nomads graze their cattles at altitudes from 3,000 to 5,000 meters in environmental conditions that are too cold for crop cultivation and therefore dont compete with other agricultural pursuits. According to (Lehmkuhl/Schlütz 2009:1455) the pasturing has a significant influence on the "composition and structure of the vegetation.", resulting in a change of the vegetation types through the grazing intensity. Plants species like Anemone, Bistorta and Poaceae are suppressed and overcome by species like Leontopodium, Saussurea and Ligularia, which are more grazing resistent, in due to an increasing grazing pressure and therefore change the natural Biomass diversity through nomadical induced land-use.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the ecological significance of the Tibetan Plateau and sets the purpose of the study to examine anthropogenic influences on the region's ecosystem.
2. Geographic Classification of the Tibetan Plateau: This section provides a physical overview, describing the plateau's altitude, climatic systems, and role in regional atmospheric circulation.
3. Traditional Nomad pastoralism on the Tibetan Plateau: This chapter details the shift from sustainable traditional nomadic practices to intensive, modern livestock production and its ecological consequences.
4. Soil degradation: This chapter explores the primary environmental challenges facing the plateau, specifically focusing on how human activity accelerates degradation processes.
4.1 Deforestation: This sub-chapter examines the historical reduction of forest areas and the subsequent conversion to pastures and agricultural land.
4.2 Soil erosion: This sub-chapter analyzes how overgrazing and land-use changes devastate soil structure and increase susceptibility to wind and runoff erosion.
4.3 Desertification: This sub-chapter discusses the process of land degradation in arid and semi-arid zones, linking it to both climatic factors and human intervention.
5. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, emphasizing that while the ecosystem is inherently fragile, irresponsible economic activities have significantly accelerated its degradation.
Keywords
Tibetan Plateau, Anthropogenic influence, Soil degradation, Nomadic pastoralism, Deforestation, Soil erosion, Desertification, Land-cover change, Ecosystem fragility, Livestock grazing, Climatic systems, Sustainable development, Qinghai province, Vegetation change, Regional climate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines the human-induced environmental impacts on the Tibetan Plateau, specifically investigating how agricultural development and population growth have altered the land since the mid-20th century.
What are the primary themes discussed in the paper?
Central themes include the geographic nature of the region, the evolution of nomadic pastoralism, the mechanics of soil degradation, and the specific drivers of ecological damage such as deforestation and desertification.
What is the central research question?
The study aims to determine the extent and nature of anthropogenic influence on the Tibetan Plateau's landscape and to evaluate the resulting impacts on soil and vegetation health.
What scientific methods were employed?
The author uses a comprehensive literature review, analyzing secondary data from ecological studies, demographic statistics, and land-cover change mapping to synthesize current knowledge on the region.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main part covers the geographic classification, the transition of livestock farming practices, and a detailed analysis of three degradation types: deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Tibetan Plateau, anthropogenic influence, soil degradation, nomadic pastoralism, land-cover change, and ecosystem fragility.
How has the population growth affected the plateau?
Population growth has led to an increased demand for food and fuel, resulting in overgrazing, illegal mining, and the conversion of fragile grasslands into crop land, all of which strain the ecosystem.
What role does livestock play in land degradation?
The massive increase in livestock numbers, exceeding the land's natural carrying capacity and preventing rotation, causes severe overgrazing, destroying vegetation cover and destabilizing the soil structure.
- Quote paper
- Roman Kühn (Author), 2014, Anthropogenic influence on the Tibetan Plateau, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/279211
