Climate change on the third pole: greening or degeneration of the landscape?

Climate change on the third pole: greening or degeneration of the landscape?

The Tibetan plateau, often referred to as the "third pole", is the focus of intensive scientific research, as it plays a crucial role in the global climate and the water resources of Asian regions. Current studies show a phenomenon of "greening" in this region, based on satellite -based remote sensing data. This data documents the spatial and temporal expansion of the vegetation, such as TU Braunschweig . However, the reality on site differs, as YAK-shepherds report: they see a deterioration in pasture for their animals. This discrepancy between scientific observation and local experiences is to be examined by an interdisciplinary team at the Technical University of Braunschweig.

The main motivation of this study is the clarification as to whether the observed "greening" or a comprehensive degradation of vegetation applies. The findings show that both scientists and shepherds make correct observations, but out of different perspectives. Scientists are based on quantitative remote sensing data, while shepherds are on qualitative reviews on the quality and quantity of the available vegetation.

water resources and global context

The Tibetan plateau is the third largest freshwater tank in the form of ice according to the Antarctic and Arctic and is therefore of enormous importance for the water cycle in Asia. Almost a third of the world's population rely on the water resources provided by the glaciers of the Tibet Plateau. According to Leibniz , the region will be disproportionately affected by future climate changes, which in turn has essential effects on ecology and business.

The NAM-CO Lake, which extends at an altitude of 4700 m above sea level, plays a decisive role in these investigations. It is with an area of ​​almost 2000 km² below the largest lakes in the highlands and is observed as part of the ICDP project "The Nam Co Drilling Project, Tibet (Namcore)". A large number of geophysical borehole measurements are carried out in order to obtain sedimentary data that provide valuable information about climate scenarios of past time periods.

interdisciplinary cooperation and challenges

The researchers of the TU Braunschweig are faced with the challenge of combining different forms of knowledge in order to gain a complete picture of the situation. The interdisciplinary collaboration of the research team has opened up new perspectives, but also brought difficulties. The differences in the methodology and epistemology between nature and humanities required the explanation of technical terms and the provision of background information for better understanding between the disciplines.

In order to make research of research accessible to a broader public, it is also important to not ignore the contradictory perspectives of the marginalized groups, such as the YAK shirt, but to involve them in the scientific discussion. The integration of these different perspectives is considered a key to watch environmental change holistically.

As part of the DFG Priority Program 1372, which examines the interactions between the formation, climate and ecosystems of the Tibet Plateau, the TU Berlin is also active. Together with research institutions such as the TU Dresden and the RWTH Aachen, the response of the glaciers to climate change is researched, which provides further important insights into the dynamic changes in this sensitive region. These interdisciplinary efforts are essential to meet the complexity of the challenges in front of which the Tibet Plateau faces.