A Topographic Perspective on the Propensity for Degradation of Plateau Swampy Meadows in Maduo County, West China

The swampy meadows atop the vast Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in West China fall into alpine, pediment, valley, floodplain, terrace, lacustrine, and riverine types according to their hydro-geomorphic properties. They have suffered degradation to various levels of severity due to climate change and external disturbance. In this paper, we studied the propensity of these types of swampy meadows to degrade from the topographic perspective. Evaluated against four degradation indicators of vegetation, hydrology, soil erosion, and pika (Ochotona curzoniae) damage, degradation severity at 106 swampy meadows representing all types of wetlands was graded to one of four levels, from which the field-based propensity to degrade (PtD) index value was derived. Judged against this index, terrace and alpine swampy meadows are the most prone to degradation while valley, lacustrine, and riverine swampy meadows are the least. The index value of a given swampy meadow type bears a close relationship (R2 = 0.916) with its rate of change during 1990–2013, which confirms the validity of the proposed index in predicting the propensity of swampy meadows to change. The observed differential PtD of different types of swampy meadows is attributed primarily to elevation (R2 = 0.746; p = 0.027) and, secondarily, to surface morphology (R2 = 0.696; p = 0.039). Thus, the elevation at which a swampy meadow is situated is a more important factor to its PtD than its surface morphology. In particular, swampy meadows located at a higher elevation with a convex surface are much more prone to degradation than those at a lower elevation of a concave slope. Such findings can guide the proper management of different types of swampy meadows to achieve sustainable animal husbandry.