Program Overview
A collaborative research program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Wisconsin-Madison to:- Expand scientific understanding of the interactions of natural and human processes integral to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development;
- Develop information and analyses useful to the local populations and to relevant government units; and
- Provide the next generation of scientists with the interdisciplinary skills needed to carry on this important work.
Meeting the major challenges of biodiversity conservation requires understanding the interactions of biological, physical, social, and economic forces. This research program is aimed at understanding these forces and their interactions in the eastern Himalayas of southwest China. The area has been designated a “Global Biodiversity Hotspot,” reflecting rich biodiversity and endangered species that face great pressure from local populations seeking their livelihood on the land, external populations coming in pursuit of new economic opportunities, and the rapid rise of mass tourism.
The program currently concentrates on the following sites:Zhongdian Plateau – The high plateau of Zhongdian (3000 meters above sea level) is dominated by native grasses (Arundinella, Festuca and Poa), sedges (Kobesia and Carex species), and legumes (Medicago, Vicia and Hedysarum species). Somewhat sheltered valleys near villages are used to produce potatoes, oats, barley and buckwheat. The vast majority of the plain and surrounding mountains, however, are part of an ancient extensive grazing system for yak (Bos grunniens), cattle (B. taurus), yak x cattle hybrids, and sheep.
The wetlands on this landscape attract important bird populations like the black necked crane (Grus nigricollis). They also attract tourists, provide an important niche for plant biodiversity, and produce crucial feed supplies for the ruminant livestock. In addition, these wetlands cleanse the water and play an important role in regulating stream flow at lower elevations. Integrative explorations will center on the management of common resources, such as the range and wetlands and their interaction with livestock production and wetland biodiversity, and valuable wild plants like the matsutake mushroom.
WeiXi County – WeiXi County straddles the Baimaxueshan Mountains, which serve as the western flank of the upper Yangtze River and the eastern flank of the upper Mekong. In addition, WeiXi is at the southern edge of the Baimaxueshan nature reserve and at the northern edge of the newly established Laojunshan reserve. Both reserves are home to the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti), which has become a symbol of the Chinese Government’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and ecotourism.
This highly agricultural county represents a microcosm of NW Yunnan, including four different major ethnic groups, the logging ban on old forest, legislation outlawing cultivation on steep slopes, the establishment of new bioreserves, and the privatization of some “common” landscapes. The county is also adapting to a rapidly improving transport system. An integrative examination will be initiated on bioreserve design and management with an expanded focus on integration with the WeiXi cultural and economic landscape.
