The Study On Systematic Conservation Planning Of Qinghai-tibet Plateau Under The Pressure Of Climate Change

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest plateau of the world, known as the"Roof of the world"and the"Third Pole of the Earth."It lies in a special area, with complicated climate, widely-distributed rivers, and rich biodiversity. Thus, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is China's ecological security barrier which is very important for national security because of the fragile ecological environment. Due to rich biodiversity, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is listed as one of 25 important global biodiversity ecoregions by World Wildife Fund. With the continuing national attention on nature conservation and increasing investment, the development of nature reserve is fast. This study selected 66 types of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's ecosystems and 56 indicator species as priority of protection, and assessed the biodiversity conservation effect of the current built-up provincial and national nature reserves by biodiversity gap analysis(GAP) and systematic conservation planning (SCP). The effectiveness of management of 123 nature reserves in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were evaluated according to the evaluation by SFA questionnaire. Then, by simulating the potential range of the indicator species under A1B scenario of the regional climate model RegCM3 in the 2050s and 2090s, geographic range shift were identified and the conservation status of existing protected areas were assessed. The main conclusions as following:(1) The study identified 9 priority protected regions for biodiversity conservation:Minshan-Qionglai,The south corner of Hengduan mountain, The eastern Himalayas, The middle proportion of Himalayas, The south part of Qiangtang,The north part of Qiangtang, Sanjiangyuan, Kumtag-Altun and Qilianshan-Qinghai Lake. The score (87.65) of biodiversity value of Minshan-Qionglai is the largest, and the score of Sanjiangyuan (86.12) was the second largest . The score of Kumtag-Altun (43.67) is the lowest.(2) According to the ratio of reserve areas in terrestrial ecological zone, there are 14 (60.9%) of 23 ecological zones whose reserves area more than 17% with the reality of protection goal; 2(8.7%) of that whose reserves area between10%-17%,with the basic reality of protection goal; 7 (30.4%) of 23 ecological zone whose reserve area less than 10%.(3) Existing reserve system almost covers well the habitat of 56 indicator species and 65 priority ecosystems. 52 species (92.86%) fully reached the protection goal in the nature reserves; 2 species basically reached the protection goal, 2 species did not reach the protection goal. The total contribution rate of nature reserves to indicator species reached 97.02% and among which the total contribution rate of existing national nature reserve reached 89.66%.44(67.69%) of the priority ecosystems whose coverage are high. Only 11(16.92%) of the priority ecosystems which are covered by nature reserves less than the lowest protection goal.(4) After climate changed, The eastern part of the study area will be the most concentrated areas of species richness, and the area will expands toward the northwestern part where elevation is higher.In the central area, species richness will be reduced significantly: the species richness of some big patches will be declines from 5-10 species per 50km2 to <5 species per 50km2. between 2050s to 2090s, making this area to be obviously fragmentated in the 2090s .In the 2050s and 2090s,the protection goal for 50 indicator species can be reached,among which 29 reserves are designed for mammal conservation and 21 for birds. In the two periods, the contribution reates of nature reserve to the protection of indicator species were 96.11% and 95.72%, respectively, and that of national reserve were 80.79% and 86.10%, respectively.(5) The evaluation results showed that the managed system of nature reserve of Qinghai-Tibet had been basically formed, nature reserves had been built in the sensitive ecological areas and the areas which the rare and endangered wildlifes were distributed concentratedly. However, those built-up nature reserves had such outstanding problems such as great pressure of resources exploitment ,staffshortages, lack of operational funds,the difficulties of enforcement without nature reserve law and existing management system problems.(6) Based on the gap analysis of the tecoregion protection, ecological system,and indicator species, and biodiversity conservation priority area ,and considering the challenge the biodiversity conservation facing under the scenarios of climate change,comprehensively, a construction planning of nature reserves in Qinghai–Tibet plateau was proposed.Aimed at the gap of the specy and priority system, new nature reserves should to be bulilt in 9 areas, and the lower grade nature reserve which located partly in the priority areas should to be upgraded as national nature reserve;corridors should to be established in the transition region between Traverse mountains and Sanjingyuan area. Based on these ,we should strengthen the management of nature reserves and improve the management effectiveness of nature reserve .