I. About the station
The Naqu Station for Alpine Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Naqu Station) is located in Naqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region, on the upper reaches of Nujiang River, the hinterland of Tibet Plateau (the core zone of northern Tibet Plateau). The area where the station is located is a developmental site of a typical alpine grassland ecosystem, serving as the transitional zone from plateau seasonal frozen soil to permafrost. It holds immense significance for establishing an ecological safety barrier on the Tibet Plateau and is a pivotal region for livestock production in Tibet. Furthermore, it stands as one of the birthplaces of Tibet's distinctive herdsmen culture.
The Naqu Station consists of two sub-stations located at Kaima Village, Luoma Township, Seni District (the Kaima Station) and Quguorenmao Village, Naqu Township (Quguorenmao Station). The Kaima Station was jointly established, constructed and operated by Tibet University and the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2010. In the same year, it was listed as one of the four key laboratories for regional-institutional cooperation by the Department of Science and Technology of the Tibet Autonomous Region. In 2019, it was included in the Ministry of Education's list of field stations, and in 2020, it jointly applied for the Ministry of Science and Technology's station for observation and research along with the Naqu Field Positioning Station for Alpine Grassland Observation and Research, the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS (Qugorenmao Station). It was officially named as the Naqu Station for Alpine Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research in October 2021.
Naqu Station
The Naqu Station covers a permanent area of approximately 32 mu (equivalent to about 2.13 hectares), comprising an observation site spanning around 28 mu (approximately 1.87 hectares) and a living area covering approximately 4 mu (about 0.27 hectares). The observation site is divided into a long-term observation site for alpine grassland ecology and a test site, equipped with a pre-processing laboratory, conference room, accommodation facilities, canteen, basketball court, etc. The site can accommodate and support the living and working conditions of 30 - 40 individuals simultaneously. It possesses independent transformers (315 KAV) and self-serviced water wells to ensure stable power supply as well as the quality and safety of drinking water. It is equipped with a Nissan pick-up vehicle to guarantee normal life and scientific research.
At present, there are 12 researchers (including two permanent researchers), one administrative staff and three outsourced staff. At the same time, there are about 15 postdoctoral, doctoral and master students participating in scientific research work of the station. In the past five years, the station has applied 45 scientific research projects and published a total of 65 journal papers (including 54 SCI papers).
II. Research objectives
In response to the major national needs such as the construction of ecological security barriers and the specific problems faced by the sustainable development of local socio-economy, the Naqu Station integrates the functions of comprehensive observation, scientific research, ecological protection and popular science education, and carries out multidisciplinary cross-cutting research on alpine ecology, biodiversity conservation and comprehensive and efficient use of resources, as well as on the processes and mechanisms of the alpine grassland ecosystems in their response and adaptation to climate change and human activities, and develops and demonstrates the model of adaptive management, providing data basis and scientific and technological support for local ecological environment protection and sustainable social and economic development. The specific scientific objectives are as follows:
1) Monitor the dynamic changes of ecological and environmental elements in the watershed of the station area continuously;
2) Investigate the impacts of climate change and human activities (grazing) on the structural and functional processes of alpine meadow ecosystems and their feedback mechanisms;
3) Explore the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and its main influence factors;
4) Elucidate the reasons and processes of alpine ecosystem degradation;
5) Develop and demonstrate technical systems for adaptive alpine grassland management, rehabilitation and reconstruction of degraded grasslands, and comprehensive utilization and protection of resources;
6) Build the station to a cutting-edge scientific research hub, an advanced high-tech talent cultivation center, and a state-of-the-art industrialization demonstration base in China's alpine region.
7) Contribute to the development of Double First-class disciplines of Tibet University, and cultivate and reserve key technical and managerial talent teams for the construction of the ecological security barriers.
III. Observation subjects
The station is currently leasing approximately 100 mu (about 6.67 hectares) of enclosed sample plots for the establishment of various field testing platforms and long-term monitoring sample plots, in addition to its permanent observation site. Large-scale experimental platforms have been established to investigate the response and feedback mechanisms of alpine grassland ecosystems in relation to global changes and human activities, thereby providing highly convenient conditions for observation and scientific research.
IV. Contact information
Academic director: Wang Shiping (Research Fellow)
Contact information: 010-84097096, wangsp@itpcas.ac.cn
Station director: Tsechoe Dorji (Research Fellow)
Contact information: 13908944373, tsechoedorji@itpcas.ac.cn
Deputy station director: Yang Zhiyong (engineer)
Contact information: 17801061495, yangzy@itpcas.ac.cn
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