Alpine ecology study in the name of mountains

Mountains are the cradle of biodiversity, whose complex and rich habitat types harbour a wide variety of biological species, including many endemics. Due to their crucial ecological functions and service values, mountains play an important role in biodiversity conservation, but are also vulnerable to impacts of climate change and human activities. In China, the typical mountain ecosystem with the core of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau has very high environmental heterogeneity, species diversity, and endemism. Thus, its remarkable feature is that minor changes in elevation can lead to huge climate differences. It is critical to pay more attention to exploring the changes of complex ecosystems, especially the response to global changes at different temporal and spatial scales, through methods such as field investigation, experimental research, literature review and other methodologies. This special issue presents a collection of articles with various themes mainly from the presentation of the “Graduate Forum on Alpine Ecology” at the 2023 Annual Academic Meeting of the Alpine Ecology Professional Committee of the Chinese Ecological Society. The aim is to highlight the the up-to-date key concerns and research progress of graduate students in the field of alpine ecology, with providing important references for further study and training potential new force. These studies not only deepen the scientific understanding of alpine ecosystems but also provide crucial theoretical support for global environmental protection and response strategies for climate change. It aims to promote the adaptive management and sustainable development of the ecosystem planning blueprint, developing solutions.