Remotely-Sensed Identification of a Transition for the Two Ecosystem States Along the Elevation Gradient: A Case Study of Xinjiang Tianshan Bogda World Heritage Site

Researchers have identified a critical transition zone between montane coniferous forests and alpine meadows at the Xinjiang Tianshan Bogda World Heritage Site, occurring within the elevation range of 2690–2744 meters. This demarcation point, pinpointed at 2714 meters, marks where abrupt shifts in ecosystem states become more pronounced with increasing elevation, characterized by higher land surface temperatures (LST). The study leveraged remotely-sensed data and potential analysis to confirm the existence of two distinct ecological states using statistical criteria like Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC), validated further through field surveys and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. This approach advances the understanding of elevation-driven ecosystem transitions in mountainous regions, offering a precise method for identifying alpine treelines—a key indicator of climate-vegetation interactions.

Wan, H., Wang, X., Luo, L., Guo, P., Zhao, Y., Wu, K., & Ren, H. (2019). Remotely-Sensed Identification of a Transition for the Two Ecosystem States Along the Elevation Gradient: A Case Study of Xinjiang Tianshan Bogda World Heritage Site. Remote Sensing, 11(23), 2861. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11232861