Impacts of Environmental Factors on Over-Wintering Aquatic Bird Communities in Yamzho Yumco Lake, China

Lei Xu, Le Yang, Cai Lu, Qing Zeng, Shengling Zhou, Yongbing Yang, Shansi Liu, Zhaxijie Li, Yifei Jia () and Guangchun Lei ()
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Lei Xu: School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Le Yang: School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Cai Lu: School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Qing Zeng: School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Shengling Zhou: Tibet Plateau Institute of Biology, Lhasa 850001, China
Yongbing Yang: Tibet Plateau Institute of Biology, Lhasa 850001, China
Shansi Liu: Tibet Museum of Natural Science, Lhasa 850001, China
Zhaxijie Li: Tibet Museum of Natural Science, Lhasa 850001, China
Yifei Jia: School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
Guangchun Lei: School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Global climate change has significantly impacted waterbird communities in the warming and humidifying wetlands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. However, further research is needed as these wetlands transition to warmer and drier states. This study focused on the diversity and richness of wintering birds in the alpine wetlands of the Yamzho Yumco Lake. By analyzing data collected from 17 sampling sites over seven years, we examined the abundance changes of waterbirds in the lake and surrounding land and determined the relationship between the structure of waterbird communities and climate data. The results have shown that the abundance, richness, and α-diversity index of wintering waterbirds fluctuated. Wintering waterbirds were positively correlated with monthly mean temperature and monthly mean higher temperature and negatively correlated with monthly total precipitation and water level. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that temperature contributed the most to the wintering waterbirds. Bird abundance and diversity in the drying wetlands of Yamzho Yumco Lake showed the same results. As temperatures continue to increase and precipitation decreases, the number of wintering waterbirds may also increase. We have highlighted the indicative role of Yamzho Yumco Lake in climate change responses from warming and humidification to warming and aridification and suggest that decision makers strengthen monitoring of the Yamzho Yumco Lake Reserve, restrict human activities, improve water resource management, and actively respond to the challenges brought about by climate change.

Keywords: climate change; plateau; waterbirds; Yamzho Yumco Lake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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