Researchers help save Qilian's ecosystem

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."

It takes about a month and a half for Jing's team to monitor all the sample plots. "Shrubs grow in high-altitude areas inaccessible by car, requiring strenuous hikes," he said. "Thus our work is physically demanding."

Beyond the quinquennial tree surveys, Jing and his team also conduct monthly, and sometimes daily, observations of other ecological factors in the Qilian Mountains. "From trees to flowers and grasses, we track their entire growth cycle — sprouting, leafing, flowering, seed dispersal, and wilting," he said.

Their ecological research also involves regular manual observations of meteorological elements, maintenance of weather equipment, and periodic soil sampling to assess changes in physical and chemical properties, as well as water quality monitoring.

"During busy periods, team members may not return home for a month or two," said Bai Xue, deputy director of the forestry and grassland bureau of Zhangye city in Gansu.

Yet, Jing still thinks that the monitoring and research on forest ecology are both worthwhile and essential. "The Qilian Mountains, straddling the transition from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Hexi Corridor, boast characteristics of both high plateau and desert transition zones. With elevations ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 meters, the diverse vegetation types and micro-landforms create a complex and layered ecosystem, crucial for studies on climate change and ecological protection," Jing said.

The Qilian Mountains also play a vital role in water conservation, with abundant precipitation and glacial melt feeding the Shiyang, Shule and Heihe river systems, sustaining over 440 million people in the downstream communities of the Hexi Corridor. Ensuring the continuous flow of these water systems is of utmost importance.

In 1978, China established its first research institute dedicated to water conservation — the Gansu Province Academy of Qilian Water Resource Conservation Forests Research Institute in the Zhangye section of the Qilian Mountains. This institute was founded by a group of young graduates from universities in Beijing, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces, who were driven by a fervent desire to serve their country. They left the bustling cities behind and ventured into the remote, uninhabited natural forests of the Qilian Mountains. With sheer determination, they set up sample plots and observation sites from scratch and began hydrological research on the watersheds.

"The previous three generations of researchers laid the groundwork here, and as the new generation, we are essentially standing on the shoulders of giants," said Jing Wenmao, reflecting on the significant achievements of his predecessors.

Like the Qinghai spruces, generations of researchers have rooted themselves in the Qilian Mountains, persevering through harsh natural conditions, and enduring poverty and isolation. They have conducted long-term ecological monitoring and fundamental research in forest hydrology, soil, meteorology, and biodiversity.

In 1989, the institute's researchers completed a pioneering study on the mechanism of forest water conservation, which systematically explained how forest water is conserved for the first time in China.

Jing joined the institute in 2001, fresh out of university. "I studied forestry in college and imagined that the institute would be engaged in high-level scientific research. With this ideal in mind, I came here," he said.

However, the reality of the institute was shocking.

"The conditions in the mountains were extremely poor. Researchers lived in mud huts, fetched water from rivers, had unstable electricity, and no mobile signal. For the first 10 years, my only source of external information was a TV with a satellite receiver, which could only receive five channels," he said.

"I spent my days in technical observations, writing research reports, and papers. The monitoring was entirely manual, requiring us to climb high altitudes daily with notebooks. We didn't even have cameras; we just kept recording and writing, then organized the data afterward."

Two years later, Jing adapted to life there. "The transition from resisting working in this place to genuinely liking it was arduous, but once you make that shift, you develop a passion and affection for your work. This mindset allows you to approach any task with enthusiasm and dedication," he said.

One of Jing's most memorable field monitoring experiences occurred in 2012 when he led a team to conduct a high-altitude shrub survey at 3,800 meters. "The weather in the mountains is unpredictable, and forecasts were less accurate than today. We set off in sunny weather, but by the time we reached the mountain top, it was overcast, and soon it began to rain," he said.

The rain lasted five hours, reducing visibility to less than five meters. Jing and other members of his team were not only unable to work but were also trapped on the mountain. "In such high-altitude areas, the terrain is steep, with cliffs and meadows, and most of the ground is bare rock. A bit further down, there are shrubs about a meter high. Our communication was limited to a walkie-talkie, and we had to rely on over a decade of field experience to find our way down."

Despite being late June, the high-altitude area was bitterly cold, and the water and food they carried had frozen. The team lacked modern gear such as down jackets and wore only camouflage uniforms. "One young woman in our team, new to the job, began showing signs of hypothermia, which terrified me. I quickly gave her my wool vest to hold for warmth, which resolved the crisis," Jing said.

Two members of the team couldn't trek further down, so Jing led the main group to a flat area to wait while he climbed back to assist them. He ended up climbing 3,800 meters twice that day. By the time they returned to the station, everyone was soaked to the bone.

Jing said: "We all returned safely, but I vowed never to let such an incident happen again. It's crucial to check the weather forecast before setting out. This is not something to be taken lightly, and I must be responsible for everyone's safety."

Jing said that the greatest sense of accomplishment came when he completed the major monitoring conducted every five years and the minor ones done annually, especially when he finished writing the evaluation reports. "Watching the data transform into reports, and then submitting those reports to various levels of government, particularly the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, makes me feel that this work is incredibly worthwhile," he said.

"At least our persistence and efforts are meaningful. Over the decades, the nation has increasingly prioritized the ecological protection of the Qilian Mountains, which I believe is inseparable from our contributions."

The research institute has tackled over 100 critical issues and key technologies urgently needed for the ecological protection and restoration of the Qilian Mountains. In 2018, the institute collaborated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to complete a report on the ecological changes of the Qilian Mountains.

The report indicated a significant trend of warming and wetting in the Qilian Mountain range, an extended growing season for vegetation, an overall increase in annual average vegetation coverage, and a slight rise in the multi-year average unit water conservation capacity.

In 2019, the institute conducted a comprehensive scientific survey of the ecological changes across the 800-kilometer stretch of the eastern, central, and western Qilian Mountains, resulting in a report.

Moreover, 95 percent of the ecological monitoring in the Qilian Mountains has been automated.

Jing is happy to see the continuous influx of young, fearless talent. The team includes six members born in the 1990s, making up about half of the total staff.

"In scientific research, you need not only to be thoughtful but also to invest immense passion to succeed," Jing often advises newcomers to the institute.