Adaptive management of alpine grassland ecosystems over Tibetan Plateau

Around one third of grasslands in Tibetan Plateau are in different extent of degradation, which is severely harmful for the production, livelihood and ecological security. Degradations of grassland, including structural imbalance and function receding of plant community and deterioration of soil physicochemical properties, are usually caused by natural factors like climate change or human activities like overgrazing. At present, the main measures for grassland restoration include fence enclosure, artificial vegetation cultivation and control of rodent, pest and weed, but all of these measures should be adopted according to degradation stage of the particular grasslands. Restoring the degraded grasslands, balancing the ecological, economic and social functions of alpine grasslands, and achieving the sustainable utilization of alpine grasslands are essential for ecological security, region stabilization and economic development, and the measures should be taken from macro-functions division, scientific development of stockbreeding and education of policies. In order to achieve the sustainable utilization of grassland resources and protection of grassland ecosystems, the adaptive management of alpine grassland ecosystems should be based on ecological theories. This special issue embodies the recent researches on the key processes and mechanisms of grassland degradation and restoration, all of which would provide valuable information for protection and regulation of alpine grassland ecosystem.