Researchers help save Qilian's ecosystem

Monitoring and study of diverse factors go on in tough terrain

The Qinghai spruce, a keystone species of the Qilian Mountains ecosystem, thrives in the remote northwestern interior of China. These trees have straight trunks and reach about 20 meters in height at maturity, a process that takes around 100 years. Year-round, these spruces bear silent witness to the changes in the local ecosystem and landscape.

In the midst of these verdant forests, Jing Wenmao, director of the Xishui forest ecology research station under the Gansu Province Academy of Qilian Water Resource Conservation Forests Research Institute, and his team have installed specialized equipment to conduct comprehensive "health checks" on the coniferous trees.

"According to national standards, we conduct systematic surveys of the arboreal forests every five years, measuring height, crown width, trunk diameter, and root systems," Jing said. "We have 16 arboreal sample plots, alongside nine herbaceous and 12 shrub plots, covering various elevations and forest types. Our long-term monitoring helps us understand which ecological environments best support these plants."