There is growing evidence within the environmental science community that our planet has entered a potentially catastrophic phase of human-induced global climate warming. Climatic studies demonstrate that the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has also exhibited a warming and drying trend in recent decades. We studied an area on the Tibetan Plateau located in the transition zone between Alpine Meadow and Alpine Steppe regions. Such zones are highly sensitive to environmental change and the concomitant adjustment of ve...