Researchers Uncover the Timeline and Irregular Development of Native Plant Life on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

A research team headed by Prof. WANG Wei from the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) has traced the evolutionary history of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’s distinctive native plant species, offering new insights into the origins and evolution of one of the most biodiverse temperate regions on the planet.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), which includes the Plateau Platform, the Himalaya, and the Hengduan Mountains, contains two of the world’s major biodiversity hotspots. It hosts the most diverse temperate plant life on the planet and is notable for its exceptionally high levels of species found nowhere else. However, these delicate mountain ecosystems face growing threats from climate change and human activity, highlighting the urgent need to understand their evolutionary past to guide effective conservation efforts.

In this study, the researchers analyzed 37 land plant clades comprising 1,740 species, representing all 82 plant genera unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Their findings suggest that the emergence of these endemic genera was primarily influenced by variations in ecological niches and elevation, resulting from the plateau’s geological uplift and the related climatic shifts.

The researchers propose that the distinctive plant endemism on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began as early as the Early Eocene. They note that the region’s remarkable biodiversity is a result of both species that originated within the plateau and others that migrated from different areas.

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The study also reveals that the development of plant endemism across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’s three subregions occurred at different times, influenced by distinct geological and climatic events. Notably, the Miocene era played a particularly significant role in shaping these patterns.

“Our research indicates that the floristic endemism of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began in the Early Eocene, significantly earlier than commonly believed,” stated Prof. WANG, the study’s corresponding author. “While both long-term local speciation and species migration have shaped the region’s unique plant life, their relative influence varies notably across the three subregions.”

The study also emphasizes the Hengduan Mountains as a key hotspot for endemism. Home to the oldest endemic plant lineages, the region acts both as a source and a recipient of biodiversity. As such, it stands out as a critical area for prioritizing future conservation efforts.