Haibei Research Station of Alpine Meadow Ecosystem - China

The national field observation station of Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Research Station in Qinghai province (Haibei Station) was founded in 1976 by Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It was located in the northeast of Tibet in a large valley surrounded by the Qilian Mountains at latitude 37°29' - 37°45'N and longitude 101°12' - 101°23'E. The average altitude of the mountain area is 4000 m, and 2900 – 3500 m for the valley area. It is 160 km from Xining City. It belongs to a typical plateau continental climate which is dominated by the southeast monsoon in summer and high pressure from Siberia in winter. There is no obvious seasonal changes, except only a short cool summer and a long severe cold winter. The annual average air temperature is -1.7℃ with extremes of maximum at 27.6℃ and minimum at -37.1℃. The annual precipitation ranges from 426 mm to 860 mm, 80% of which falls in the growing season from May to September. The annual average sunlight is 2462.7 hours. The soil types are dominated by Mat Cryic Cambisols (Alpine meadow soil), Mollic Cryic Cambisols (Alpine shrub soil), and Orthic Spodosols (Bog soil). They are underdeveloped gravel soil with a thin layer about 60 – 70 cm and characterized by high organic matter about 12 - 27%, rich in total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium but lacking available nutrients. Their parent material is loess and native rock is diluvium and alluvial deposil. With a typical zonal vegetation of Tibet plateau, the alpine meadow on the sunny slope of mountain and plain areas is dominated by Kobresia humilis, Festuca ovina, and Elymus nulan. The alpine shrub meadow, located on mountain shadow slopes，is dominated by Potentilla fruticosa joined by Kobresia humilis, Festuca ovina, and Elymus nulan. The marsh vegetation distribution to depression consists primarily of Kobresia tibetica and Pedicularis longiflora. Their plant communities have features of simple structure, short growth period, few species, and low primary production. The Tibetan sheep and yaks are the most important domesticated herbivorous animals in the region. Haibei Research Station has become one of the open stations of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) since 1989, and one of the key stations of CERN since 1992. Moreover, it has become one of the field observation and testing stations of State Department of Science and Technology in China since 2001 and become a formal member in 2006. It is now a national and international important research base on alpine terrestrial ecosystem.