Rewilding cultural landscape potentially puts both avian diversity and endemism at risk: a Tibetan Plateau case study

摘要: Abstract Ecological restoration is becoming a primary strategy to increase provisions of ecosystem services and reverse biodiversity losses. In cultural landscapes undergoing land use extensification, rewilding has been proposed as viable approach loss through reducing human impacts. The world's largest ecological campaign taking place on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) combat grassland degradation enhance upper stream region's water retention capacity. However, little known about whether large-scale also benefits unique bird assemblage QTP. Our study aims make science-based conservation recommendations for Tibetan avifauna by detecting their diversity endemism distribution patterns at local scale. breeding seasons 2014 2015, we carried out surveys conducted habitat mapping using three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). We developed comprehensive set 2D 3D feature parameters from high-resolution (10 cm level) UAV-derived images. Meanwhile, employed participatory GIS acquire farm-scale land-use data. results indicate that distributions avian diversity, abundance are not congruent across QTP, which calls different types. Vertical horizontal heterogeneity maintain with anthropogenic elements significantly enriching overall abundance. Degraded pastures provided key habitats two highly abundant endemic passerines—the White-rumped Snowfinch Onychostruthus taczanowskii Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis . At landscape scale, historical human-nature interactions between nomads alpine environment formed landscape's patchy vegetation structure. reveal maintains structural needed achieve multiple objectives Restoring ‘natural’ tall-grass or dense-shrubland state high water-retention capacity may result in both high-abundance communities species diversity. empirical indicated abandoned agricultural will necessarily lead desired outcome, especially when requirements specialists endemics taken into account. Moreover, projects should evaluate divergences service objectives.