Chinese Mountains Research Articles

Decomposing the Spatial and Temporal Effects of Climate and Habitat on a Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) Population in Northeastern Chinese Mountains.

Habitat, climate, and human disturbances have important effects on wildlife, and these are especially critical for threatened species. In this study, we used infrared camera traps to monitor the population dynamics of the hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) from 2012 to 2021 in northeast China and explore the effects of habitat, climate, and human disturbance on their distribution. We analyzed 16 environmental variables related to significant differences between presence recordings and absence recordings within and between seasons. Temperatures and roads influenced the distribution of the hazel grouse, but topography and vegetation types did not. The hazel grouse preferred deciduous forest and oak forest from spring to autumn. This study provides ecological information to help guide the mountain habitat management of the hazel grouse in national parks.

Elevational shift in seed plant distributions in China's mountains over the last 70 years

AbstractAimSignificant changes in species elevational ranges in mountains have been repeatedly documented, yet the direction, magnitude and drivers of these shifts remain controversial. Presently, there is still lacking evidence about the general nature of species elevational range shifts in eastern Eurasia in response to anthropogenic climate change. By using historical specimen records and recent field observations for 735 seed plant species across 29 China's mountains, we assessed changes in species' elevational centroids and their drivers.LocationChina.Time Period1950–2018.Major Taxa StudiedSeed plant species.MethodsThe elevation records of all sampled occurrences in each mountain during the two time periods were estimated, and the null models were developed to test the sampling bias. Ecological niche models (ENMs) were used to evaluate the relative importance of climate factors in constraining each species distribution. Generalized linear models (GLMs) to test the relationships between the centroid elevational range shifts of species and different divers.ResultsWe found that 54% of the species shifting upward and 46% downhill. However, species' elevational shifts significantly differed among species and mountains. Herbaceous and lowland species moved upward faster than woody and high‐elevation species. Species in temperate mountains and in mountains with taller elevational gradients moved upward, while species in subtropical mountains and in mountains with shorter elevational gradients moved downward. Precipitation changes experienced by species, species' climatic adaptations, several species' functional traits and mountain size all contributed to explain the magnitude of species' centroid elevational range shifts.Main ConclusionsOur results highlight complex biodiversity redistribution of seed plants across Chinese mountains, not necessarily conforming to the trend of species upward shifts in elevation. Changes in precipitation regimes may blur the simplistic assumption of isotherm tracking. This study fills an important geographic shortfall for our understanding of biodiversity redistribution under anthropogenic climate change.

An increasing trend of inorganic nitrogen deposition across montane regions of China

China has experienced a dramatic increase in the total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) deposition rate over the past three decades and has become one of the hotspots of N deposition worldwide. However, the status and trends of TIN deposition across Chinese mountain regions, which occupy over 60% of the land area of China, are still unclear. Here, we established a time series dataset of TIN deposition across Chinese mountains by data collection to evaluate the status and tendency of TIN deposition in mountain regions. The average TIN deposition flux in the mountains was approximately 9.62 kg N/ha/yr, with a maximum value of 23.49 kg N/ha/yr found in northern montane regions. There was a significant increasing trend of TIN deposition during the last two decades across China's montane regions (p < 0.05), different from the decreasing temporal trend from cropland/city sites. The temporal pattern of TIN deposition in montane areas was spatial and elevation dependent, showing an obvious increasing trend in both Southwest and Northeast Chinese montane areas and in the montane areas with lower (<1000 m. asl) and middle (1000–3000 m. asl) elevations. Our results highlighted the different temporal trends of TIN deposition in China's mountain regions from cropland/city areas, which should be considered in earth system models and environmental policy-making.

Innovative Teaching Attempt of “Chinese Mountains” Based on Interdisciplinary Learning

Innovative Teaching Attempt of “Chinese Mountains” Based on Interdisciplinary Learning

A dataset of poetry literature landscape of famous Chinese mountains from pre-Qin period to Tang and Song Dynasties

Literary landscape refers to the landscape closely related to the life, study, work, writing and literary activities of literati, which has certain literary connotations. Most ancient men of letters enjoyed visiting famous mountains and rivers. Most of the famous peaks in China have witnessed the footprints of poets and many famous poems. In this study, we collected and collated the famous Chinese mountains as well as the information about relevant poetry and writers from pre-Qin period to Tang and Song Dynasties, and obtained a dataset of poetry literature landscape of famous Chinese mountains from pre-Qin period to Tang and Song Dynasties. The dataset includes the famous mountain table, the poetry table, and the poet table, recording the information of the famous mountains, the poems and the poets as well as the the relationship between them. This dataset can be used to study the relationship between the formation, development and evolution of literary landscape of famous mountains and the creation of poetry, so as to explore the influence of literary works and literary activities on literary landscape. Moreover, it can also support the study on revealing the formation, development and evolution path of literary landscape.

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography ofTriplophysastone loaches in the Central Chinese Mountains

AbstractThe geological structure and history of mountains often cause highly complex patterns of evolution. The origin and diversity of the genus Triplophysa is considered to be closely associated with the rapid and persistent rise of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Species of the genus are widely distributed in the QTP and adjacent regions, and are strongly adapted to its extreme environments. However, the Central Chinese Mountains (CCM), which are far apart from the QTP, also have many Triplophysa populations and yet their taxonomy, phylogeny and origin are unknown. We used three mitochondrial genes of 266 individuals from 29 sites in the CCM to shed light on the evolution of these Triplophysa populations. Phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation revealed seven distinct molecular operational taxonomic units (mOTUs) in the CCM, each with low genetic diversity. Molecular clock and biogeographic analyses suggested that vicariance events resulting from the rapid uplifting of the Qinling and Taihang Mountains initialized diversification in the Pliocene. During the early Pleistocene, dispersal events in the central parts of the Yellow River drainage altered genetic diversity and led to the currently observed biogeographic patterns. Our results suggest the presence of at least six species of Triplophysa in the CCM and more are likely to be discovered in the future.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Paris nitida&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; (Melanthiaceae): revisting morphological characteristics, biogeography and phylogenetic relationships&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Paris nitida is a newly published species, but little is known about its morphological characteristics, distribution and phylogenetic relationship. In this study, field investigation, literature study, morphological observation and molecular nrITS sequence analysis were used to improve knowledge of this species. Morphological traits of P. nitida were found to be more similar to those of Paris fargesii var. brevipetalata, rather than Paris caobangensis as reported before; moreover, a new distribution record in the centre of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau was found; additionally, P. nitida was clustered with Paris fargesii var. fargesii, P. fargesii var. brevipetalata, and P. caobangensi in a NJ tree based on the ITS sequences. Accordingly, P. nitida is more closely related to P. sect. Fargesianae rather than P. caobangensis; the habitat of P. nitida is located from south of the Yangtze River to the north of the Nanling Mountains, mainly including the central part of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and central Chinese mountains. It is geographically isolated from P. caobangensis, which occurs in northern Vietnam. The central part of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau may be its area of origin.

This Article Analyzes the ‘Sojeam(笑啼巖)’ in Various Chinese Mountains, Carved by Lee Yeong-Jae(李寧齋), a Korean Independence Activist

본 논문은 한국 민족지사 李寧齋가 중국 여러 명산에 새긴 ‘笑啼巖’을 분석한 글이다. 이영재는 일제강점기에 중국에서 활동한 민족지사이다. 1930년에 공동운명체인 한국과 중국이 함께 일제의 침공에 대해 함께 정의를 부르짖자는 취지를 담은 &#1097399;화려정의&#1097400;를 漢口에서 출간했다. 이영재가 이강호일 개연성이 높다. 이강호의 호가 영재이다. 두 사람의 본관이 진성 이씨이고, 출생년이 1869년(고종 6)이다. 이강호 집안에서 제시한 이영재 소재암의 소재지가 모두 중국 현장에서 확인된다. 소제암은 망국인이 웃지도 못하고 울지도 못하는 괴로운 마음을 담은 석각이다. 영재가 명산의 수려한 경관에 매료되어 웃다가(笑) 망한 고국의 현실과 자신의 처지를 돌아보고 운다는(啼) 심정을 담았다. 현재 중국 대륙에 소제암 석각 5곳이전해온다. ‘제일’ 석각은 1932년에 새긴 여산 소제암, ‘제이’ 석각은 1934년에 새긴 계공산 소제암, ‘제삼’ 석각은 1934년~36년 사이에 새긴 북고산 석각, ‘제사’석각은 1936년에 새긴 태산 소제암, ‘제오’ 석각은 1938년경에 새긴 악록산 소제암이다. 오늘날 중국에서는 이영재의 소제암을 抗日 유적으로 여기고 있다.This article analyzes the ‘Sojeam (笑啼巖)’ in various Chinese mountains, carved by Lee Yeong-Jae (李寧齋), a Korean independence activist. Lee Yeong-Jae was born in 1869. During the Japanese colonial period, he led the independence movement in China. In 1930, he published &#1097399;Hwuryeo Jeongui (華麗正義)&#1097400;, arguing that Korea and China should fight together against the invasion of Japan. Although Lee Gang-Ho’s (李康浩) family thought that he and Lee Yeong-Jae were the same person (since Lee Gang-Ho’s pen name was “Yeong-Jae”), the only solid connection between them is one of their ancestors Jinsung (眞城) Lee, who was born in 1869 (Gojong 6th). Sojeam is a type of stone carving that was done to reflect the despair over the national ruin. The stone carvings contained the feelings of delight and attraction that Lee Yeong-Jae experienced in the amazing scenery of mountains surrounding him, and the feelings of sorrow he conveyed over the sad reality of his nation and himself. There are at least five Sojeam carvings. The first stone carving is the Lusan (廬山) Sojeam carved in 1932, the second carving is Jigongsan (鷄公山) Sojeam carved in 1934, the third carving Beigusan (北固山) Sojeam was supposed to have been carved in 1934~1936, the fourth carving Taisan (泰山) Sojeam was supposed to have been carved in 1936, and the fifth Yuelusan (岳麓山) Sojeam carving was supposed to have been carved in 1938. The exact location of the fourth carving is not known yet. There is a possibility that there exists a sixth and even seventh carving after the fifth. Nowadays, the Sojeam of Lee Yeong-Jae are considered as anti-Japanese monuments in China.

The Chinese Mountains as a Night-time Stage: a Study of the Sound and Light Show Impressions of Liu Sanjie (Guil

As the tourism sector grows as a whole, night-time tourism is playing a significant complementary role in the regional development not only of urban areas, but also of the mountainous areas that surround them. Following twelve years of very rapid development, night-time tourist products in China’s mountainous Scenic Areas are offered primarily in the form of outdoor performances. Based on a case study of the show Impressions of Liu Sanjie, which in 2004 became China's first outdoor production and has paved the way for other night-time tourist products in China’s mountainous Scenic Areas, we consider the nature and effects of this form of entertainment. Twelve years on, what have been the economic, social, cultural and environmental consequences for the region? How do night-time performances contribute (or not) to local development? And what is the relationship between the image of Liu Sanjie and the local identity of Guilin? This article attempts to provide answers to such questions.

Outdoor Theatrical Shows in the Remarkable Landscapes of the Chinese Mountains, Between Reinvention of a Tradition and Development of Tourism: the Example of the ‘Tianmen Fox Fairy Show

Using a case study (Zhangjiajie), this article discusses the status accorded to outdoor theatrical shows in the remarkable mountainous landscapes of China. This type of performance has become very widespread in the country since 2004. In the form of a sound-and-light musical drama, it adopts a mythified and very formalized approach that uses and embraces the marvellous landscape and attempts to link spectacular technical effects to a stereotypical artistic approach. As an object of tourist consumption, it leads us to question the notion of ‘culture’ to which it attaches itself, emphasizing the disconnect it presents in terms of Western norms. A kitsch ‘mass’ show, it constitutes both a commercial reality of a new China and the postmodern modality of a cultural approach inherited from an official socialist discourse that is today legitimizing its actions by attaching itself to tradition.

Sino‐Himalayan mountains act as cradles of diversity and immigration centres in the diversification of parrotbills (Paradoxornithidae)

AbstractAimMontane regions like the Sino‐Himalayas constitute global diversity hotspots. Various mechanisms such as in situ adaptive divergence, speciation following immigration or allopatric diversification in complex landscapes have been proposed to account for the exceptional diversity found in a particular clade in a montane setting. We investigated macroevolutionary patterns to test these different hypotheses in the continental radiation of a Sino‐Himalayan bird group, the parrotbills (Paradoxornithidae).LocationSino‐Himalayan region, Indo‐Burma.MethodsWe used phylogenetic comparative methods based on a multilocus, time‐calibrated phylogeny to reconstruct patterns of lineage diversification, biogeographical history, morphological evolution as well as of climate niche history using ecological niche modelling.ResultsThe radiation of parrotbills started c. 12 Ma, diversifying at an apparent constant rate over time. The biogeographical history appears to be complex, within‐region speciation in mountains was restricted to China. Size evolution was concentrated in the early phase of parrotbill radiation, whereas morphological shape evolution did not differ from Brownian motion. We found no indication for niche conservatism, with climate niche evolution occurring throughout the radiation of parrotbills.ConclusionsParrotbills diversified within a time span of increased regional orogenesis and associated strong climate change. While the south‐west and central Chinese mountains were revealed to be a species pump, with in situ allopatric diversification triggered by complex topography and high habitat turnover, the diversity in the Himalayas was chiefly the result of immigration. Evidence for continuous ecological specialization and for the absence of climate niche conservatism could be interpreted as the consequence of ongoing climate‐ and habitat‐induced ecological opportunities. The radiation of parrotbills demonstrates the influence of multiple drivers of diversification in a single group due to the dynamic geological and palaeoclimatic history of the Sino‐Himalayan region and illustrates the complex nature of continental radiations.

A new species of Nemacerota Hampson, [1893] (Lepidoptera, Thyatiridae) from Tibet, China.

The genus Nemacerota Hampson, [1893] includes 14 species worldwide, which are mainly distributed from Pakistan along the main Himalayan chain, the eastern frontier of the Tibetan plateau and the Central Chinese mountains to the northern Pacific regions. Ten species have been recorded from China. Among them, only N. tancrei (Graeser, 1888) occurs in NE China, whereas all other taxa inhabit mountainous areas in Central China, the eastern frontier of the Tibetan plateau or Tibet. N. igorkostjuki Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007 is found only in the southern edge of Tibet (Nyalam = Nielamu); N. mandibulata Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007, N. taurina Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007, N. stueningi Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007, N. pectinata (Houlbert, 1921), N. inouei Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007 and N. owadai Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007 are known from Mt. Taibaishan, Shaanxi Province; N. griseobasalis (Sick, 1941), N. decorata (Sick, 1941) and N. pectinata (Houlbert, 1921) occur in the northwestern parts of Yunnan Province (and, possibly, also in southern Sichuan). Here we describe a new species from the Linzhi area, Autonomous Region Xizang (Tibet), China. Specimens were dissected and examined using standard methods; adult photographs were photographed with a Nikon D700; genitalic slides were photographed using the Qcapture pro system, and processed in Adobe Photoshop CS5 software.

Species richness of the globally distributed, arctic–alpine genus Draba L. (Brassicaceae)

Draba includes over 390 species distributed globally, mostly in extreme ecosystems at high elevations and latitudes making it the most successful and species-rich genus of the Brassicaceae, particularly in mountain and alpine regions. In this analysis, species richness data were collected from floras and checklists, and species distribution patterns were compared on a global scale for 367 of the species. A compilation of the geographical distribution of the entire genus using a presence/absence matrix was generated and displayed upon geographical maps. The three areas of highest species richness are the northern Andes (48 spp.), central Rocky Mountains (49 spp.), and Tibetan Plateau/C-SW Chinese (Hengduan) mountains (52 spp.). Previous phylogenetic analyses are in congruence with the area cladogram shown herein. It is shown that Draba has a diverse range of distribution patterns from widely spread to narrowly endemic. Species with wider distributions are frequently found in the Arctic, while those with a more narrow distribution are restricted to high elevations. However, ploidy-level information as well as recently presented genetic data convincingly indicates that the European and West Asian biota have served as a primary source and center of origin of the large diversity in the genus. A complete list of accepted Draba species is provided.

The Melodic Landscape: Chinese Mountains in Painting-Poetry and Deleuze/Guattari's Refrains

By melodic landscape, this paper points to natural milieus such as mountains whose motifs are caught up in contrapuntal relations. With Merleau-Ponty, the structure of the world is a symphony, and the production of life which implicates both organism and environment as unfurling of Umwelt is ‘a melody that sings itself’. For the Chinese culture, mountains have been deemed virtuous in Confucianism, immortal by Daoists, and spiritual for a Buddhist to reach a substrate level of pure stream of a-subjective consciousness. A Chinese painter-poet within the ‘mountain-water’ genre would consider mountains as performance of events, a concert of vibration of light, shape and sound, movement and rest. Insofar as art is to create energy transfer, Chinese artists of mountains aim at concerting with nature as organised by rhythms and conspecifics, unfolding contrapuntal melodies with all kinds of counterpoints. As Deleuze and Guattari's notion of refrains are the three forces or tempos of chaos, earth and world confronting/converging one another, this paper endeavours to find out, first, how Deleuze and Guattari's geological, organic and alloplastic stratifications can be put alongside mountains, animals, plants and arts, and second, how this notion can contribute to our new appreciation of the way Chinese mountains in arts can give out music.

The rise of the Himalaya enforced the diversification of SE Asian ferns by altering the monsoon regimes

BackgroundThe rise of high mountain chains is widely seen as one of the factors driving rapid diversification of land plants and the formation of biodiversity hotspots. Supporting evidence was reported for the impact of the rapid rise of the Andean mountains but this hypothesis has so far been less explored for the impact of the “roof of the world”. The formation of the Himalaya, and especially the rise of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in the recent 20 million years, altered the monsoon regimes that dominate the current climates of South East Asia. Here, we infer the hypothesis that the rise of Himalaya had a strong impact on the plant diversity in the biodiversity hotspot of the Southwest Chinese Mountains.ResultsOur analyses of the diversification pattern of the derived fern genus Lepisorus recovered evidence for changes in plant diversity that correlated with the strengthening of South East Asian monsoon. Southwest China or Southwest China and Japan was recovered as the putative area of origin of Lepisorus and enhancing monsoon regime were found to shape the early diversification of the genus as well as subsequent radiations during the late Miocene and Pliocene.ConclusionsWe report new evidence for a coincidence of plant diversification and changes of the climate caused by the uplift of the Himalaya. These results are discussed in the context of the impact of incomplete taxon sampling, uncertainty of divergence time estimates, and limitations of current methods used to assess diversification rates.

Measuring bedload in gravel-bed mountain rivers: averaging methods and sampling strategies

A dataset of more than 1,000 individual bedload samples coupled with hydraulic flow variables (water depth and velocity) was collected on two high mountain rivers the torrent de Saint Pierre, a proglacial gravel-bed river in the French Alps, in July 2002 and the Urumqi River, in the Chinese Tianshan mountains during summer 2005 and 2006. Analysis of the dataset leads to question the usual section averaged sampling procedure of bedload using Helley-Smith type bedload sampler. It is shown that this procedure is inadequate to catch the full range of flow conditions. Comparison between moving averages on individual datasets and section averages furthermore show that this technique can lead to significantly different rating curves with predictions differing by more than an order of magnitude. Single point sampling is shown to be much more adequate than multiple point sampling and section averaging provided the dataset is sufficiently large.

Integration of Data on Chinese Mountains into a Digital Altitudinal Belt System

China has a great variety of altitudinal belts due to its size, its numerous high mountains, and the dynamic and thermal effects of the immense Tibetan Plateau. 63 altitudinal belts—31 of which can be called “base belts” as they correspond to the basic climatic regimes at the foot of mountains—have been identified, and a standardized and hierarchized classification for the climatic regimes is outlined. The other 32 altitudinal belts occur in various combinations above the base belts, constituting “spectra” that characterize specific mountain locations throughout the country. Spatial patterns of altitudinal belts are generalized into 6 patterns: the monostructural, flattening structure, exposure-dependent, stepwise-rising, abnormal, and Tibetan complex patterns. Traditional GIS techniques have difficulties dealing with altitudinal belts and their vertical combination or spectra. To tackle this complexity, a data model for altitudinal belts and their spectra was devised. Using ArcGIS 8.3 software, the authors also developed a GIS user interface that makes it possible to digitally integrate, position and visualize altitudinal belts and their spectra throughout China. A total of 239 spectra have been collated to date. This user interface makes it possible to rapidly query the geographical and vertical distribution of altitudinal belts, climatic regimes and spectra in any region of China. It thus provides a solid basis for further analysis of altitudinal belts and their relationship with environmental factors, and could be a key technical basis for integrating and systematizing altitudinal belts worldwide.

FAREAST: a forest gap model to simulate dynamics and patterns of eastern Eurasian forests

AbstractAim This paper describes the forest gap model, FAREAST, its testing and its application to simulating the distribution, composition and dynamics of forests in eastern Eurasia.Location The FAREAST model is tested in north‐eastern China, initially for forests on the elevational gradient of Changbai Mountain, which is located on the border of the People's Republic of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Subsequently, the model is inspected regionally for other northern Chinese mountains and, finally, it is applied to predict subcontinental forest communities in the Russian Far East. Boreal larch (Larix spp.) forests cover much of the 6 million km2 of eastern Eurasia. Mixed broad‐leaved tree species/Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forests and spruce/fir (Picea/Abies) forests also occupy considerable areas.Methods The model is tested using three types of information: (1) direct species composition comparisons between simulated and observed mature forests at the same locations; (2) forest type comparisons between simulated and observed forests along altitudinal gradients of several different mountains; and (3) comparison with forest stands in different succession stages of simulated forests.Results Model comparisons with independent data indicate that the FAREAST model is capable of representing many of the broad features of the forests of north‐eastern China. After regional model validation in the north‐eastern region of China, geographical model applications were developed for the forests of the Russian Far East. In simulations at 31 different sites distributed across the entire Russian Far East and including a wide variety of natural forests, the model demonstrates an ability to reproduce observed vegetation pattern. The model simulations are correct with respect to our criteria for 23 of the 31 sites, and there are close results for three other sites. Among the five sites that are incorrectly predicted, four simulations can be corrected by adding a simple assumption to the model for permafrost effects on water balance.Main conclusions Continental‐scale forest cover can be simulated using a forest gap model to represent individual–plant interactions with one another, and their environment, and with parameters that describe the biology of each tree species. It appears that such a model, validated relatively locally (in this case, in north‐eastern China), can then be applied over a much larger region. These results further imply that the Russian Far East forests can be regarded as a natural geographical expansion of north‐eastern Chinese forests. In both regions, forests share not only similar species compositions, but also similar underlying causes of forest successional dynamics.

Impatiens noli‐tangere L.

<i>Impatiens noli‐tangere</i> L.

Quaternary glaciation of Puruogangri—the largest modern ice field in Tibet

The Puruogangri, the largest modern ice field in the Tibetan Plateau with an area of over 400 km 2 in total, is in the inner plateau. Although it is very difficult to reach, the scale of the ice field makes it important to study the Quaternary glaciation in this inland area to determine whether there was a unified ice sheet in the Tibetan Plateau during the Quaternary. Field observation showed that five moraine groups termed Moraine I–V of terminal moraines and lateral moraines are present, located from the snouts of modern glaciers to the piedmont. Based on geomorphic locations, stratigraphic correlation, relative weathering, reworked degrees by wind action and the ESR ages of the sands covering the gobi with erratics, as well as through comparison with the Quaternary glaciations with numerical ages in western Chinese mountains, these moraine groups represent the modern moraine, the Little Ice Age, Neoglacial, the late stage of the Last Glaciation and the early stage of the Last Glaciation, respectively. The granite boulders of Moraine V are scattered for ∼6 km from the mountain front on an extensive peneplain. This suggests that the ancient glaciers in the west slope of the ice field advanced to the piedmont during the late Pleistocene, but did not integrate with the ice in the mountains nearby to form a unified ice sheet.