Different levels of rainfall and trampling change the reproductive strategy of Kobresia humilis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Zhen Peng ◽  
Hong Xiao ◽  
Xiang He ◽  
Changlin Xu ◽  
Taotao Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Reproductive Strategy ◽  
Vegetative Reproduction ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Single Leaf ◽  
Tibetan Sheep ◽  
Average Rainfall ◽  
Regulation Function ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau ◽  
Different Levels

The sedge Kobresia humilis (C.A. Mey. ex Trautv.) Serg. is the dominant plant in the alpine meadows of China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has experienced substantial grassland degradation due to reduced rainfall and overgrazing. In this study we sought to determine the reproductive strategy of K. humilis under three levels of rainfall and seven levels of trampling by Tibetan sheep and yaks with a two year simulation trial on the Plateau. With a reduction in rainfall and an increase in trampling intensity, there was a decrease in sexual reproduction indices, plant height and single leaf number. The highest rainfall promoted sexual reproduction, whereas average rainfall was conducive to vegetative reproduction, and the lowest rainfall inhibited reproduction. The reproductive strategy of K. humilis could be judged according to the average rainfall from July to August. Notably, after two years of low rainfall and a heavy trampling treatment, K. humilis produced more seeds with smaller size. The rainfall presented a two-way regulation function in the trampling effect on K. humilis reproductive characteristics.

scholarly journals Rumen Fermentation—Microbiota—Host Gene Expression Interactions to Reveal the Adaptability of Tibetan Sheep in Different Periods

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3529
Author(s):  
Weibing Lv ◽  
Xiu Liu ◽  
Yuzhu Sha ◽  
Hao Shi ◽  
Hong Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Rumen Fermentation ◽  
Host Gene ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Reproduction Rate ◽  
Host Gene Expression ◽  
Metabolism Pathway ◽  
Tibetan Sheep ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau

As an important ruminant on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibetan sheep can maintain their population reproduction rate in the harsh high-altitude environment of low temperature and low oxygen, which relies on their special plateau adaptations mechanism that they have formed for a long time. Microbiomes (known as “second genomes”) are closely related to the nutrient absorption, adaptability, and health of the host. In this study, rumen fermentation characteristics, the microbiota, and rumen epithelial gene expression of Tibetan sheep in various months were analyzed. The results show that the rumen fermentation characteristics of Tibetan sheep differed in different months. The total SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids), acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations were highest in October and lowest in June. The CL (cellulase) activity was highest in February, while the ACX (acid xylanase) activity was highest in April. In addition, the diversity and abundance of rumen microbes differed in different months. Bacteroidetes (53.4%) and Firmicutes (27.4%) were the dominant phyla. Prevotella_1 and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group were the dominant genera. The abundance of Prevotella_1 was highest in June (27.8%) and lowest in December (17.8%). In addition, the expression of CLAUDIN4 (Claudin-4) and ZO1 (Zonula occludens 1) was significantly higher in April than in August and December, while the expression of SGLT1 (Sodium glucose linked transporter 1) was highest in August. Correlation analysis showed that there were interactions among rumen fermentation characteristics, the microbiota, and host gene expression, mainly by adjusting the amino acid metabolism pathway and energy metabolism pathway to improve energy utilization. At the same time, we adjusted the balance of the rumen “core microbiota” to promote the development of rumen and maintain the homeostasis of rumen environment, which makes Tibetan sheep better able to adapt to the harsh environment in different periods of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

scholarly journals Socio-Environmental Dynamics of Alpine Grasslands, Steppes and Meadows of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China: A Commentary

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 6488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiying Feng ◽  
Victor R. Squires
Keyword(s):  
Alpine Meadow ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Alpine Grasslands ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Alpine Steppe ◽  
Tibetan Sheep ◽  
Low Humidity ◽  
Bactrian Camels ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Alpine grasslands are a common feature on the extensive (2.6 million km2) Qinghai–Tibet plateau in western and southwestern China. These grasslands are characterized by their ability to thrive at high altitudes and in areas with short growing seasons and low humidity. Alpine steppe and alpine meadow are the principal plant Formations supporting a rich species mix of grass and forb species, many of them endemic. Alpine grasslands are the mainstay of pastoralism where yaks and hardy Tibetan sheep and Bactrian camels are the favored livestock in the cold arid region. It is not only their importance to local semi nomadic herders, but their role as headwaters of nine major rivers that provide water to more than one billion people in China and in neighboring countries in south and south-east Asia and beyond. Grasslands in this region were heavily utilized in recent decades and are facing accelerated land degradation. Government and herder responses, although quite different, are being implemented as climate change and the transition to the market economy proceeds apace. Problems and prospects for alpine grasslands and the management regimes being imposed (including sedentarization, resettlement and global warming are briefly discussed.

scholarly journals Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Four Anaplasma Species With Veterinary and Public Health Significance Identified in Tibetan Sheep (Ovis aries) and Yaks (Bos grunniens) in Qinghai, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye Wang ◽  
Qingxun Zhang ◽  
Shuyi Han ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
Bo Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Ovis Aries ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Ehrlichia Chaffeensis ◽  
Bos Grunniens ◽  
Tibetan Sheep ◽  
Health Significance ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau ◽  
First Time

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) can cause serious economic losses and are very important to animal and public health. To date, research on TBDs has been limited in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. This epidemiological investigation was conducted to evaluate the distribution and risk factors of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia chaffeensis in livestock in Qinghai. A total of 566 blood samples, including 330 yaks (Bos grunniens) and 236 Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) were screened. Results showed that A. bovis (33.3%, 110/330) and A. phagocytophilum (29.4%, 97/330) were most prevalent in yaks, followed by A. ovis (1.2%, 4/330), A. capra (0.6%, 2/330), and E. chaffeensis (0.6%, 2/330). While A. ovis (80.9%, 191/236) and A. bovis (5.1%, 12/236) infection was identified in Tibetan sheep. To our knowledge, it is the first time that A. capra and E. chaffeensis have been detected in yaks in China. Apart from that, we also found that co-infection of A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum is common in yaks (28.2%, 93/330). For triple co-infection, two yaks were infected with A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum, and A. capra, and two yaks were infected with A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum, and E. chaffeensis. Risk analysis shows that infection with A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum, and A. ovis was related to region and altitude. This study provides new data on the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. and E. chaffeensis in Qinghai, China, which may help to develop new strategies for active responding to these pathogens.

scholarly journals Molecular detection of Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in yaks (Bos grunniens) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongcai He ◽  
Wangkai Chen ◽  
Ping Ma ◽  
Yaoping Wei ◽  
Ruishan Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovis Aries ◽  
Babesia Bovis ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Anaplasma Ovis ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Qinghai Province ◽  
Bos Grunniens ◽  
Tibetan Sheep ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Abstract Background Anaplasma, Babesia and Theileria are tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) that affect livestock worldwide. However, information on these pathogens in yaks (Bos grunniens) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), China, is limited. In this study, Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. infections were assessed in yaks and Tibetan sheep from Qinghai Province. Methods A total of 734 blood samples were collected from 425 yaks and 309 Tibetan sheep at nine sampling sites. Standard or nested polymerase chain reaction was employed to screen all the blood samples using species- or genus-specific primers. Results The results showed that 14.1% (60/425) of yaks and 79.9% (247/309) of Tibetan sheep were infected with at least one pathogen. Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma capra, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia bovis and Theileria spp. were detected in this study, with total infection rates for all the assessed animals of 22.1% (162/734), 16.3% (120/734), 23.6% (173/734), 8.2% (60/734), 2.7% (20/734) and 19.3% (142/734), respectively. For yaks, the infection rate of A. bovis was 6.4% (27/425), that of B. bovis was 4.7% (20/425) and that of Theileria spp. was 3.3% (14/425). Moreover, 52.4% (162/309) of the Tibetan sheep samples were infected with A. ovis, 30.1% (93/309) with A. bovis, 56.0% (173/309) with A. capra, 19.4% (60/309) with A. phagocytophilum and 41.4% (128/309) with Theileria spp. Conclusions This study revealed the prevalence of Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in yaks and Tibetan sheep in Qinghai Province, China, and provides new data for a better understanding of the epidemiology of TBPs in these animals in this area of the QTP, China. Graphical Abstract

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document