The ecological environment of the Qingzang Plateau (QZP) is extremely fragile, and its ecological security is paramount because it serves as a vital ecological barrier and a strategic high ground for building China's ecological civilization. Reducing pressure and rationally allocating space for human activities are critical to ensuring the ecological security of the QZP. Identifying and selecting suitable regions for human activities is highly significant for harmonizing the relationship between ecological protection and human activities, as well as promoting the optimal distribution of spaces for human activity. In this study, we established an analytical framework to identify the suitable and potential areas of human activity, comprising three indicators: land resource suitability for human activity, water resource suitability, and ecological protection importance. Based on the indicator analysis, we evaluated the human activity suitability on the QZP at three levels: land suitability, ecological constraints, and water resource limitations. Excluding existing human activity areas and nature reserves, we identified the potential areas and key potential areas for human activity within the suitable regions. Ultimately, we proposed differentiated development and utilization orientations for three key potential areas. The findings in this article include: (1) The QZP is classified into four types of human activity suitability: suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable, and unsuitable. The areas of suitable, moderately suitable, and marginally suitable regions cover 7,878 km², 85,989 km² and 72,325 km², respectively. The main suitable and moderately suitable areas include the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley, the Datong River Valley, the Qaidam Basin, the Qinghai Lake Basin, the Gonghe Basin, the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valleys in Xigaze and Shannan, the Nyangqu River Valley, the Lhasa River Valley, the Shiquan River Valley, and the Xiangquan River Valley. (2) The total area of human activity potential areas is 65,563 km², with suitable and moderately suitable classes of potential areas accounting for 3.90% and 96.10%, respectively. These areas are mainly distributed across the Gonghe Basin, the Shannan Valley, the Qaidam Basin, and the Qinghai Lake Basin. (3) The Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley in Shannan, the Xiangquan River Valley in Zanda, the Shiquan River Valley in Gar, and the Gonghe Basin were identified as key potential areas for human activity. The proposed key potential areas are recommended for integrated watershed development and land consolidation projects. The development models include combining land consolidation, constructing beautiful rural areas, developing water conservation projects, promoting plateau tourism and pastoralism, focusing on the water conservation in potential areas, and establishing urban and rural settlements, irrigated farmlands, and cultivated grasslands. The research findings can support decision-making to optimize the territorial spatial layout and ecological migration on the QZP.
The Qingzang Plateau, endowed with abundant solar energy resources but constrained by fragile ecosystems, calls for systematic assessments of land degradation processes and their spatial effects under the intensive photovoltaic (PV) development of solar parks, in order to promote the coordinated advancement of sustainable clean energy utilization and ecological conservation. Taking the Tala Shoal, Delingha, and Golmud solar parks in Qinghai Province as case areas, this study develops an integrated evaluation framework grounded in the concept of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), incorporating four key land degradation processes—land cover, land productivity, desertification degree, and vegetation dynamics—to systematically analyze the land degradation processes and their spatial effects within the parks. The results show that: (1) In all the three parks, PV arrays were preferentially sited on ecologically better-performing land, with 71.28% of the array area having been converted from land that was in an improvement state during the baseline period—significantly higher than the overall proportion of improvement land in the parks at that time (66.64%). (2) From 2000 to 2022, the land states in the three major parks were predominantly characterized by improvement. During the evaluation period, human activities dominated by PV development significantly altered the land system patterns that had previously been primarily regulated by natural processes during the baseline period, and the proportions of stable and degraded land states around the newly constructed PV arrays increased notably. (3) All the three parks achieved the LDN target in non-array areas during the baseline and evaluation periods. However, the capacity for land improvement declined in Golmud Park and Delingha Park, with the proportion of net improvement during the evaluation period decreasing by 14.70% and 10.81%, respectively, compared to the baseline period. (4) The spatial effect of the land degradation process presents significant distance threshold characteristics, with the range of 0-400 m at the periphery of the array as the core area of land status change. It is recommended to establish a systematic management framework that spans the entire lifecycle of site selection, construction, and operation, with the goal of jointly advancing the stabilization of ecosystem functions on the Qingzang Plateau and the sustainable development of the PV industry.
As the largest and most significant ecologically fragile region globally, the Qingzang Plateau's landscape is undergoing drastic transformation due to increasingly frequent human disturbances. Using land use data from the 1900s to 2020, this study examines the spatiotemporal characteristics of land use transition on the plateau from three dimensions: recessive transition, dominant transition, and functional transition. The results indicate the following: (1) Cropland was primarily concentrated in the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley and the Yarlung Zangbo River and its two tributaries regions, with its area continuously expanding from the 1900s to the 1980s and then declining from 1990 to 2020. Forests were mainly distributed in the eastern Qinghai and the southern Yarlung Zangbu Grand Canyon highlands, with their range shrinking from the 1900s to the 1980s and expanding from 1990 to 2020. Grasslands, which covered most of the Qingzang Plateau from the 1900s to the 1980s, gradually shrank spatially during that period. However, from 1990 to 2020, grasslands were distributed throughout the Qingzang Plateau, with a decrease from 1990 to 2005 and an increase from 2005 to 2020. (2) The land use structure exhibited natural process-dominant dynamic equilibrium from the 1900s to the 1950s. However, from the 1950s to the 1980s, there were intense mutual conversions among cropland, forests, and grasslands. From 2015 to 2020, the land use structure returned to a balanced state. (3) From 1990 to 2020, the intensity of recessive land use transition intensified, with high-intensity transition areas concentrated in vast pastoral regions. From the 1900s to the 1980s, high-intensity areas of land use quantity transition shifted from the Yarlung Zangbo River and its two tributaries region and the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley to the southeastern Xizang forest areas. High-intensity land use transition zones shifted from dispersed to aggregated spatial patterns, gradually forming clusters centered around cities. High-intensity areas of land use diversity transition shrank from southeastern Xizang, Xigaze, and eastern Qinghai to southeastern Xizang and the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley. The intensity of land use functional transition initially strengthened and then remained stable from the 1900s to 2020. This research deepens the understanding of the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of land use transition on the Qingzang Plateau, expands the research of human-environment interactions in plateau regions, and provides crucial scientific support for the precise protection and sustainable construction of the regional ecological security barrier.
The Hengduan Mountains, characterized by complex topography and variable climate, are home to a rich diversity of rare flora and fauna. These biodiverse ecosystems, shaped by prolonged tectonic activities, distinctive hydrothermal regimes, and biotic coevolution, constitute critical habitats for numerous threatened avian species. As key indicator species of ecosystems, the presence and abundance of these rare birds reflect the health of the ecosystem. The effective identification of ecological source areas and ecological corridors for rare bird species is crucial for maintaining the health of regional ecosystems, conserving environmental resources, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development. Focusing on rare bird species in the Hengduan Mountains, this study employs the MaxEnt and InVEST models based on bioclimatic variables and land-use data to identify ecological source areas by integrating multi-source environmental data and species distribution data. The Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model is used to simulate ecological corridors and construct an ecological network for rare bird species. The results indicate that the distribution of rare birds is mainly concentrated in the northeast and southwest regions of the Hengduan Mountains. A total of 53 ecological source areas were identified, covering approximately 55,317.62 km², with 114 ecological corridors totaling a length of about 3,894.84 km. The original ecological network was found to be highly sensitive to node attacks. To enhance its stability, two optimization strategies were explored: first, the addition of ecological stepping stones, which significantly improved the network's resilience to damage; second, the enhancement of ecological connectivity, which effectively improved the network's robustness. Robustness analysis revealed that ecological stepping stones enhanced network stability more effectively than connectivity augmentation.
This study on the accessibility of recreational activities in national parks primarily analyzes visitors' accessibility and time costs, estimates recreational areas, and assesses the intensity of visitor activities in different areas. It aims to provide a basis for the zoning of park conservation areas and the management of visitor behavior. By utilizing the cumulative distance tools in ArcGIS Pro's spatial analysis module, the study analyzes the accessibility of the Qingzang Plateau National Park Cluster. The results show that, influenced by the current road system on the Qingzang Plateau, the majority of the national parks in the cluster have relatively good accessibility. On average, 40.5% of the area of the 16 national parks (or sections) is within a 6-hour accessibility range, while areas with more than 12 hours of accessibility account for 30.3% of the total park area. A study on the distribution of biodiversity values within regions of different time-cost accessibility shows that areas with better accessibility in the Qingzang Plateau National Park Cluster often have higher biodiversity value. The cumulative biodiversity value in areas within 6 hours of accessibility accounts for more than 40% on average, while areas beyond 12 hours of accessibility hold an average cumulative biodiversity value of slightly more than 30%. However, areas with more than 12 hours of accessibility cover nearly 60% of the National Park Cluster's area. The results indicate that in the future, the ecological protection of the national park cluster will face higher risks of disturbance from recreational activities, particularly in areas within a 6-hour accessibility range. The results indicate that the ecological conservation of future national park clusters will face a high risk of disturbance from recreational activities, especially in areas with accessibility within 6 hours. Considering both the convenience and the potential disturbance of recreational activities to the National Park Cluster, arranging relatively intensive mass tourism activities mainly in areas with accessibility within 1 hour could ensure that at least 92% of the biodiversity values of the National Park Cluster remain free from general recreational disturbances. The average proportion of areas within 1-hour accessibility to the total area of the National Park Cluster is about 2%. Therefore, to achieve the construction goal of "low-density development on less than 1% of the land to strictly conserve more than 99% of the territory" for the Qingzang Plateau National Park Cluster, it would be best to limit the scope of high-intensity mass recreational activities to within the 1-hour accessibility zones.
Domestic pollution management is a prominent constraint in the livability of ecologically fragile areas, and revealing its impact effects is an important part of enhancing environmental sustainability and improving the well-being of the residents. This paper takes the Three River Source Region as a typical case, based on the questionnaire survey data of 1,159 households, analyzes the residents' perceptions of the configuration status and operation effect of the domestic pollution management facilities in ecologically fragile areas and the intrinsic correlation between them and livability, adopts the structural equation modeling to measure the influence effect of the residents' perceptions of the solid and liquid wastes management on livability, and uses binary logistic regression model to estimate the heterogeneity of influence effects in different groups and geographic locations. The results indicate: (1) The satisfaction level of residents in the study area with the pollution management of solid and liquid wastes generated in daily life is 57.81% and 55.31%, respectively, and semi-agricultural and semi-pastoralist and agricultural and pastoralist-industrial households are more satisfied with the domestic pollution management compared with purely agricultural and pastoralist households. (2) Domestic pollution management significantly affects residents' livability in this regon, with solid waste management exerting a stronger influence than liquid waste management, domestic waste transfer frequency, treatment method, the form of household latrine, and the modes of domestic liquid waste management are the most significant impact factors. (3) The impact of residents' perceptions of domestic pollution management on livability varies significantly across settlement scales, geographic locations, and altitudes, with farmers and herders in small, remote and high-altitude settlements more sensitive to livability feedback on the configuration of domestic waste management facilities. The findings provide scientific policy reference for enhancing the effectiveness of rural environmental infrastructure configuration and accurately upgrading the quality of living environment in ecologically fragile areas.
Migration is a core element in changing the development pattern of the Qingzang Plateau and building a sustainable development system. Based on the 2000, 2010 and 2020 census data by county, the study analyzes the evolution of the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of the floating population in the counties of the Qingzang Plateau, and compares the differences in the influencing mechanisms of the inflow and outflow of the population in the counties. The results show that: (1) The scale and activity of the floating population in counties on the Qingzang Plateau have increased significantly, and the spatial pattern of floating population regional types has changed into a balanced and active type, supplemented by an active net outflow type. The overall flow activity of the county is as high as 34.99%. The Qingzang Plateau has entered a “migration era” with highly active migration. (2) The frequent migration in counties mainly occurred in the period of 2010-2020. The Qaidam Basin, the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley, the region of the Yarlung Zangbo River and its two tributaries of Xizang formed a spatial circle structure of population mobility “core-periphery”, which was composed of areas with a large inflow and a small outflow of population centered on high administrative level regions or major industrial and mining counties, and peripheral counties with a small inflow and a large outflow of population. (3) The Qingzang Plateau exhibits a general pattern of population flowing from relatively underdeveloped counties to relatively developed counties, as well as a peculiar pattern where counties with higher absolute levels of economic development have both high inflow and outflow rates. However, economic development is not the sole significant factor affecting population flowing. Administrative level has an important impact on population inflow. Natural conditions, such as high altitude restricts population outflow, and the reduction of arable land significantly drives population exodus.
The sparsely populated and inaccessible Qingzang Plateau is facing a significant challenge to achieve the goal of equalized healthcare services. However, there is a lack of research on the optimal allocation of healthcare resources in the Qingzang Plateau. At the fine scale of 1 km×1 km raster, we evaluated the accessibility and equality of healthcare resources, constructed a two-stage spatial optimization model that considers both equality and efficiency, and conducted a study on the optimal allocation of multi-level healthcare resources, with Lhasa City serving as an illustrative example. The results indicate that: (1) There is a notable decline trend in the overall accessibility of healthcare resources from urban areas along the river valley and major transport routes to the periphery. The disparity in accessibility levels is particularly evident at the tertiary hospital level. (2) In the first stage of optimization, the elevation of the People's Hospital of Dangxiong County to a tertiary hospital can reduce the time required for healthcare access in the northern part of the city area by over 1.5 hours, representing a notable enhancement in efficiency. The spatial coverage efficiency of the existing secondary hospitals is relatively high, whereas the objective of comprehensive healthcare coverage within 1 hour is impossible to attain due to the high cost. (3) The second stage optimizes the allocation of additional healthcare resources with the objective of reducing regional differences. After optimization, there is a significant improvement in the equality of accessibility to tertiary hospitals, secondary hospitals and township hospitals, as evidenced by a reduction in the Gini coefficient by 20.76%, 17.49% and 41.48%, respectively. This paper explores the spatial allocation and optimization of healthcare resources on the Qingzang Plateau, providing a scientific basis for the equalization and high-quality development of healthcare services in plateau areas.
To evaluate the accessibility and optimize the emergency medical service system is of great significance for ensuring the multiple functions of national parks. The shortest distance method and cost-grid method were used to measure the land and air rescue accessibility of existing medical facilities in the Qingzang Plateau National Park Cluster (QPNPC). Based on the existing multi-level medical facilities, the optimization simulation of different land and air scenarios of the emergency medical services system was carried out, and suggestions were put forward for the optimal allocation of the emergency medical services system in the QPNPC. The results show that: (1) The land rescue accessibility of emergency medical services in the study area was poor, and the efficiency was not ideal. In most areas, emergency medical services could not reach and fulfill their service functions within 2 hours by ambulance within a 10-km buffer zone of the roads in the national parks. The regional differences in accessibility were large, with national parks in the eastern Qingzang Plateau having better overall accessibility to land rescue compared with other regions. (2) The accessibility of air rescue was generally good. All 10-km buffer zones of the roads in the national parks can reach the nearest municipal people’s hospital within 45 minutes, while the uninhabited areas in northern Tibet were the areas with the worst accessibility of air rescue. (3) After 265 primary health care facilities were included for land rescue and 46 secondary health care facilities were included for air rescue, the accessible area of land rescue increased by about 10% within 1 hour, and about 30% of the area within a 10-km buffer zone of the roads in the national parks was accessible by land rescue within 1 hour. Some 80% of the areas in the 10-km buffer zone of the roads in 8 national parks can be covered by air rescue within 15 minutes after the optimization, and the 10-km buffer zone of the roads in 12 national parks can be accessible by air rescue within 45 minutes. Considering the cost and regional specificity, the combination of land rescue and air rescue is an effective way to guarantee the full coverage of emergency medical service, the improvement of the efficiency of rescue and the balance of the cost of emergency medical service in the QPNPC.
This study focuses on the border corridors crossing the Himalayas, following a methodology of type classification, key node identification, and scheme integration. Fourteen border corridors are categorized into four types: dual-oriented (national defense and economic development), defense-oriented, development-oriented, and characteristic development. The study identifies 30 key townships that significantly impact Xizang's border defense strategy and security. A construction system for border corridors is proposed, comprising “strategic support bases - key nodes - frontier points”. This system enhances horizontal connections among rear bases, primarily prefecture-level cities, and vertical connections between rear bases, key front nodes, and border settlements, utilizing major transportation routes such as national highways 318 and 219. This approach forms a “one axis, multiple corridors” comb-like spatial pattern. Specific pathways for guiding the construction of border corridors are proposed, considering layout patterns and the development of border settlements.
Rural spatial transformation is essential for achieving comprehensive rural revitalization and promoting integrated urban-rural development, it plays a significant role in moderning rural areas with Chinese characteristics. This article constructs an analytical framework for rural spatial transformation based on actor-network theory (ANT). Taking Maji Village in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County as a case study, it examines the logical processes and mechanisms underlying spatial transformation in plateau villages. The findings are as follows: (1) From the perspective of ANT, rural spatial transformation is a gradual process of reconstructing and renewing spatial functions, structures, and relationships through the interaction and coordinated evolution of various actors under the combined influence of government and market forces. The core driving force of this transformation lies in the negotiation, differentiation, and reorganization among diverse actors with varying roles and interests. (2) The spatial transformation of Maji Village is a dynamic process driven by the interactions and strategic games of various actors, each motivated by distinct interests and development visions. It is a transition from the management leading mode of small farmers to the leading mode of rural elites and village cadres, and then to the leading mode of multi-subject cooperation and coordination. The spatial transformation has experienced an evolutionary development from the endogenous stability stage to the expansion growth stage to the integration promotion stage, and gradually formed a spatial transformation path featuring “Plateau agriculture + Tu culture + Eco-tourism”. (3) As the composition, intentions, and goals of key actors such as tourism development companies and returning new farmers change at different stages, the Obligatory Passage Points (OPP) have shifted from “Party building leads the growing village collective economy” to “Integration of ecological and cultural industries to create a model village for rural revitalization”. Returning new farmers and tourism development companies are becoming key actors, driving the reconfiguration of the network. (4) Social spontaneous forces actively connect with government policy arrangements and employ market-oriented means to mobilize the public to participate in the rural construction of Maji Village. The dynamic adjustments and interaction frequencies within the ANT, the inherent attributes and objective foundations of non-human actors, the motivations and interests of key actors, as well as the participation intensity and benefit degree of villagers, jointly drive the spatial transformation and development of Maji Village. This study aims to provide a reference for the construction of beautiful villages and the modernization of rural areas in plateau regions.
The energy transition within households of agro-pastoral regions has emerged as a pivotal pathway for re-establishing the human-land dynamic on the Qingzang Plateau. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the current status and comprehensive impacts of household energy transitions across various regions, ethnicities, and livelihoods within the plateau, based on a dataset of 1,591 survey questionnaires collected during the Second Scientific Expedition to the Qingzang Plateau. Utilizing a Random Forest model, we have identified the key drivers of household energy transitions. Our findings indicate the following: (1) The energy consumption structure among agro-pastoral households on the Qingzang Plateau remains relatively primitive, with a significant dependence on coal and traditional biomass energy sources. Notably, households in Xizang and Han Chinese households exhibit higher levels of energy transition compared to other regions and ethnic groups, respectively. (2) The heavy reliance on primary biomass energy alleviates the energy transition burden for Xizang households but also leads to substantial pollutant emissions. Households with higher energy transition levels, particularly Han Chinese and agricultural households, demonstrate greater energy satisfaction, with significant social and environmental benefits. (3) Household income, altitude, and family size are identified as key determinants of energy transition on the Qingzang Plateau, with the impact of these drivers showing distinct nonlinear characteristics. Theoretical frameworks such as the energy ladder theory and tipping point theory are applicable in the study of household energy transitions in this region. This research provides a theoretical foundation for devising context-specific transition policies, promoting balanced development, and achieving inclusive and mutually beneficial outcomes, thereby fostering the green and sustainable development of the energy system on the Qingzang Plateau.
The Qingzang Plateau serves as a critical ecological security barrier in China, yet realizing its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is challenged by multiple constraints, necessitating scientific evaluation and targeted strategies. This study establishes a county-level SDG evaluation indicator system for the Qingzang Plateau, assesses SDG progress using regional and national dual-level thresholds, and employs interpretable machine learning to analyze the influence of spatial planning factors on SDG progress. The findings are as follows: ① The regional threshold provides a benchmark for quantifying relative progress among counties. However, it tends to deviate from actual conditions when overall performance is excessively high (e.g., SDG 15) or low (e.g., SDGs 4 and 5). The national threshold, on the other hand, positions the Qingzang Plateau within the broader national and global frameworks, but the high standards set for certain goals may highlight lagging performance. ② The plateau's overall SDG progress reaches 53% and 56% of the expected targets under the national and regional thresholds, respectively. At the goal level, SDG 13 shows the highest progress at 81%, whereas SDGs 3, 4, 5, and 9 exhibit the lowest progress, ranging from 33% to 37%. Spatially, counties with higher progress are mainly located in the Hehuang Valley, the “One River and Two Tributaries” area, and the eastern edge of the plateau, whereas western Xizang and southern Qinghai lag behind. ③ Land resource suitability, locational advantage, and water resource suitability are key factors influencing SDG progress, with their impacts varying across targets and regions. These factors can promote goal achievement but may also constrain progress, particularly due to environmental limitations. Based on these findings, the paper proposes differentiated strategies tailored to diverse regional characteristics. The evaluation methodology developed in this study can be extended to regions with similar statistical foundations, thereby supporting the scientific evaluation and policy optimization of SDGs.
Studying the vertical zonality variation of crop-livestock system and its influencing factors is conducive to clarifying the evolution law of agricultural system and providing basis for agricultural restructuring and differentiated development. Based on the survey data of 571 farmers in Alpine Canyon Area of Southwest China, this paper divides the crop-livestock system change into three types: disintegration, invariability and intensification, and summarizes the vertical zonality variation characteristics of crop-livestock system in the Alpine Canyon Area. Probit model is used to analyze the influencing factors of crop-livestock system changes and its zonal differences. The results showed that: (1) The crop-livestock system of smallholders in the study area showed three different trends: disintegrating, unchanged and strengthening. Some 49.21% of households' crop-livestock system disintegrated, 36.08% remained unchanged, and 14.71% strengthened. (2) The change of crop-livestock system in the Alpine Canyon Area showed a certain spatial differentiation in the vertical zone, disintegration was prevalent in the valley area, the mid-mountain area showed a certain strengthening trend, while the high mid-mountain and alpine areas tended to remain unchanged. (3) Changes in crop-livestock system were influenced by labor migration, agricultural assets, policy subsidies, and household characteristics. Labor migration and policy subsidies promoted the disintegration of crop-livestock system, while the use of agricultural production tools can promote the strengthening of crop-livestock system. (4) The differences of social economy and resource endowment led to different evolution tracks of crop-livestock system in different zones. Poor valley resources led to significant rural labor shifts to non-agricultural sectors, and the non-agricultural livelihood transition among farmers drives the disintegration of traditional crop-livestock systems. Abundant cultivated land and grassland resources and increased non-agricultural income in the mid-mountain zone provided conditions for the large-scale development of agriculture, and the crop-livestock system was intensified. Farmers in high mid-mountain and alpine regions sustained their livelihood through rich forest and grassland resources. However, due to poor infrastructure, low agricultural commercialization, and religious influences, they maintained traditional production methods for a long period, resulting in a persistent crop-livestock system. This study explored the geospatial differentiation of crop-livestock system changes from the vertical zonal scale, which is of great significance for deepening the understanding of the evolution law of agricultural system and realizing the reconstruction and differentiated development of agricultural production in different regions.
