Gaoligong, why is he great?

↑A group of National Geographic fans, focusing on exploring the extreme world

Global

Most of the surface

Already occupied by humans and their domesticated species

Wildlife is relegated to the margins

These marginal areas

It accounts for only 2.3% of the world’s land area.

It has 50% of the world's higher plant species.

and 77% of terrestrial vertebrate species

Most of them are local

But at the same time

The original vegetation in these areas

More than 70% of them were destroyed.

Facing serious threats

They are called

Biodiversity hotspots

(Click to view the larger image, global biodiversity hotspots, hotspots contain a high proportion of native species, while the original vegetation loss area reaches more than 70%, indicating that the area is seriously threatened, map by @Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planet Research Institute)

▼

Southwest China Mountains

It is one of the "hot spots"

There are 7 rows of mountains arranged parallel to each other from north to south.

Hengduan Mountains

(Overlooking the Hengduan Mountains, image source: @NASA)

▼

On the westernmost side of Hengduan Mountains

The western edge of Yunnan Province

It is an unknown

A mountain range that few people have ever visited

Gaoligong Mountain

(Sketch of the location of Gaoligong Mountain, drawn by @Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

The forest here blocks out the sun

Beasts roar and run rampant

It's like the beginning of chaos, the wildness has not faded

Within 2800 square kilometers

Concentrates 17% of the country's higher plants

7.72% of them are endemic species

In contrast, Xishuangbanna, which is famous for its rich species,

This proportion is only 3.62%

(The large tree azalea, which is unique to Gaoligong Mountain, is the tallest species in the genus Azalea, with large and colorful flowers. Photographer: @张四云)

▼

It also focuses on the country

20% of mammals

One third of them are endemic species

Even widespread animal types

Here, a unique subspecies has also been formed.

(The takin of Gaoligong Mountain is a subspecies unique to Gaoligong Mountain. Its fur is darker than that of the takin in Sichuan. Photographer: @范毅)

▼

There is one until 2017

A new species of gibbon has just been officially named

Skywalker Gibbon

(The Tianxing gibbon is a new species identified and named by Chinese scientists in 2017. It is the second new gibbon species named in the past century and the only gibbon species named by a Chinese. Photographer: @商睿)

▼

also

It also has

28 species of amphibians

48 species of reptiles

300-500 bird species

More than 1,600 species of insects

(The green Dulongjiang tree lizard is a rare species in Gaoligong Mountain. Photographer: @赵锷)

▼

Biodiversity of Gaoligong Mountain

Throughout the Southwest Mountains

All of China

Even the whole world

Are in the forefront

(Distribution of biodiversity in the southwest region, Gaoligong Mountain is one of the most diverse areas, map by @Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planet Research Institute)

▼

Among the many famous mountains and rivers and vast wilderness in the southwest

Gaoligong Mountain is neither the highest nor the longest.

Why does it stand out?

Take on this important task?

everything

Let’s start with its birth

01 West-southwest for 65 million years

The Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate continue to collide

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau uplift

On the outskirts of the plateau

Wrinkles of the Earth

Several mountain ranges parallel to form the Hengduan Mountains

The most western side is Gaoligong Mountain

It runs north-south

Stretching over 400 kilometers

Like a huge

"ladder"

Gradually descending from north to south

(Topography of Gaoligong Mountain, main peaks and altitudes, drawn by @Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

Average altitude of the northern section

Up to 3500-4000 meters

Gawa Gap

The altitude is even more than 5000 meters

Mountain tops covered with snow or glaciers

The mountains are rugged

(Gawa Gap, the highest peak of Gaoligong Mountain in the morning glow, 5,128 meters above sea level, photographer @代保忠)

▼

southward

The average altitude drops to 2500-3500 meters

There is no snow on the top of the mountain

Instead, the mountains are covered with greenery.

(Moonstone in Fugong County, Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @邓飞)

▼

Continue south

The average altitude is only 2000 meters

The highest mountain is only 3374 meters

The mountain shape is more gentle

(Near Zhufo Temple in Gaoligong Mountain Nature Park, photographer @张四云)

▼

at the same time

Located in the west southwest

Gaoligong Mountain is a long and narrow mountain that runs from north to south.

The southwest monsoon enters China again

The first one I encountered

"barrier"

(Source of water vapor in Gaoligong Mountain, drawn by @Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

A lot of water vapor is intercepted here

The Gaoligong Mountains are shrouded in mist in summer and autumn.

Abundant water resources nourish vegetation

The dense forest is impenetrable

(By the Dulong River, fog at the foot of Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @莲漾de)

▼

Rain pours down the hillside

The river converges into the mountains

(A river in the primeval forest near Dulong River, photographer @沈云遥)

▼

The river flows to both sides

Merge into two major rivers

Nujiang River on the east

(The First Bay of Nujiang River, photographer @邓飞)

▼

Dulong River in the west

(Dulongjiang, photographer @蓑笠张)

▼

Two major water systems

Like two giant trees with intertwined roots

Perched on both sides of Gaoligong Mountain

(Gaoligong Mountain Water System, Map by Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

Strong water flow cuts through the mountain

Makes the slopes steep and the ground broken

There are almost no large flat areas

So for a long time

Less disturbed by farming

Retains a relatively original appearance

(Dulongjiang Pass, photographer @范毅)

▼

Steep and rugged terrain

Let the mountain rivers fall down the cliff step by step

Many waterfalls

(A waterfall in Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @刘力维)

▼

Large lakes are difficult to form.

The larger Tingming Lake

It is only 0.3 square kilometers

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the blue water of Tingming Lake, photographer @王斌/Southwest Mountain)

▼

at last

Gaoligong Mountain

North to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

South into Indochina

It borders the Hengduan Mountains and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the east.

To the west, it reaches the Indian Peninsula

For the surrounding wildlife

This mountain range is a

"crossroads"

From different environments

Creatures with different forms and habits are coming

Gaoligong Mountain

How to accommodate them?

02 The key to prosperity lies in the huge height difference

The Gaoligong Valley and the mountain top can be different

3000-4000 meters

The temperature difference is as high as

16-20℃

At different heights

Different climates, vegetation, and soils have been formed

This is the mountain vertical natural zone

(Please watch in horizontal mode, vertical natural zones of Gaoligong Mountain, map by @Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

The valley is full of greenery

The mountain tops in the distance are covered with snow.

(Gaoligong Mountain, Luobenzhuo Township, Lushui County, photographer @曹家麟)

▼

The Gaoligong Mountains, which run from north to south,

In the horizontal direction

It also spans multiple climate zones

(Climate zones spanned by Gaoligong Mountain, map by Gong Xiangjie & Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

In addition, the broken terrain

Often forms a small environment independent of the surrounding

Multiple factors

The natural environment of Gaoligong Mountain

Extremely colorful

This makes the original

Plants and animals living in different environments

Gaoligong Mountain

Find the land that suits you

Higher up in the mountains

Temperate tree species that prefers a cool climate

Forests in the Clouds

(Gaoligong Mountain Hemlock Forest, generally distributed at an altitude of 2700-3100 meters, photographer @张四云)

▼

Highland animals from the north

You can go south smoothly

Build your home here

(Alpine vulture adapted to the plateau environment, photographer @赵锷)

▼

In the low-altitude mountainous areas

Plants adapted to tropical climates

Dense evergreen broad-leaved forest

(Castanopsis alba in the evergreen broad-leaved forest in the middle and low mountain areas of Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @欧阳凯)

▼

Animals adapted to tropical climates

You can go north along the river valley

(Philippine leaf monkey adapted to tropical environment, photographer @王斌/Southwest Mountain)

▼

From the East

Species in Southern China and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau

and from the west

Species from Myanmar and Assam, India

You can survive here

Four faunal regions: south, north, east and west

This is the gathering center

It is also the edge of each region.

(The four animals and plants gather here, map by @赵榜/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

When glacial periods alternate with interglacial periods

When the Earth's environment changes dramatically

Some species adapted to specific habitats

You can also go up and down Gaoligong Mountain and migrate north and south.

Getting through times of environmental change

This makes Gaoligong Mountain

Many ancient

Relict species

(Ginkgo trees in Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @杨清舜)

▼

If the story ends here

Gaoligong Mountain will be nothing more than a "shelter" for life

But the forces of nature clearly don't want to stop there

Over the past million years

The uplift of Gaoligong Mountain

Create many new and independent environments

In such an environment

A large number of new species began to emerge

New and old species coexist

Forming a larger world of life

Tall and straight

Taiwania bald

With a trunk over 70 meters high

The branches and leaves that hold up the umbrella

Covering the sky above the forest

(Taishan forest, photographer @张四云)

▼

Large, showy flowers

Rhododendron

Bring a touch of color to the green forest

(Azalea trees in Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @张四云)

▼

The orchid family is particularly rich in species

Accounts for 1/4 of China's orchid species

Contains 30 endemic species

(Nephrolepis serrata, photographer @董磊/Southwest Mountain)

▼

In addition to plants

Amphibians and reptiles here

Strange shapes and colors

Like an alien creature

Bright blue white-lipped tree lizard

It seems like I put on white "lipstick"

(Blue white-lipped tree lizard, photographer @范毅)

▼

The red and black red warty newt

It has the aura of ancient creatures.

(The red red warty newt is a national second-class protected animal, photographer @范毅)

▼

Golden-spotted tree frog

Looking over here in surprise

(Yellow two-spotted tree frog, photographer @范毅)

▼

The dark green Gongshan tree frog

Hiding between the branches

Quietly reproduce offspring

(Green Gongshan tree frog, photographer @范毅)

▼

Various large birds

Slowly strolling in the mountains

Or spread your wings and fly

There are unique Gaoligong Mountain

White-tailed rainbow pheasant

(White-tailed pheasant, photographer @董磊/Southwest Mountain)

▼

Elegant figure

The tail feathers are also decorated with white

White-bellied Pheasant

(Golden Pheasant, photographer @罗金合)

▼

Whistling through the treetops

Fierce Predator

Forest Sculpture

(Forest carving, photographer @徐永春)

▼

More small bird species

There are two white "beards"

Orange-fronted Parrotbill

(Orange-fronted Parrotbill, photographer @董磊/Southwest Mountain)

▼

Bright red in color

Blood Sparrow

(Blood Sparrow, photographer @易永建)

▼

Golden belly

With a pair of "long legs"

Golden Robin

(Golden Robin, Photographer @高歌/Southwest Mountain)

▼

And the eyes are "fierce"

The body is cute

Eastern Scops Owl

(Oriental Scops Owl, Photographer @王斌/Southwest Mountain)

▼

Various mammals

Occupies forest and mountain space

A cute-looking but fierce predator

Ocelot

Just caught the prey

(Ocelot photographed at Baihualing, Gaoligong Mountain, photographer @易永建)

▼

Philippine leaf monkey

Sitting on a branch

Revealing the iconic white eye circles

(Philippine leaf monkey, photographer @Shang Rui)

▼

Black "eyebrows" curled up at both ends

Forming two "ears"

Hooded leaf monkey

Hidden among the branches

(Hooded leaf monkey, photographer @Dong Lei/Southwest Mountain)

▼

In recent years

New species are still being discovered

There are Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Vietnam golden monkeys.

The fifth golden monkey species

Nujiang Golden Monkey

(Nujiang golden monkey, photographer @Dong Lei/Southwest Mountain)

▼

and other regions in China

The gibbon population is almost extinct

Among them is the one mentioned at the beginning of the article

Skywalker Gibbon

(A male Skywalker gibbon, photographer @欧阳凯)

▼

Adult Skywalker gibbons have different sexes

Males are darker in color, females are lighter in color

But two white eyebrows are their common features

(A female Skywalker gibbon, photographer @范朋飞)

▼

The great apes to which the gibbon belongs

The primate closest to humans

But with the final walk down the trees

Humans who walk on two legs are the opposite

They spend most of their time relying on their two long arms

Swinging between the trees

Move as fast as the wind

(The skywalker gibbon relies on its upper limbs to move at a very fast speed. Photographer: @范朋飞)

▼

When you need to move to another tree

Then he jumped

(A flying gibbon, photographer @欧阳凯)

▼

When walking with lower limbs is required

They have to raise their arms high

To maintain balance

(A gibbon walking on two legs, photographer @赵超/Yunshan Conservation)

▼

Skywalker Gibbon

For monogamy

They live in the tree canopy

Need to sing "love songs" loudly

To attract the opposite sex from afar

(A male gibbon singing a love song, photographer @董磊/Southwest Mountain)

▼

Once you have decided on your partner

They will never leave you

(A pair of skywalker gibbons, the one with darker hair is the male, photographer @欧阳凯)

▼

Visitors from all over the world, relict species and new species

So many animals and plants

Concentrate in a limited area

There will naturally be fierce competition for survival

(A big-eyed oblique-scaled snake is preparing to hunt, while the Yunnan small gorge frog floats on the water and pretends to be dead in order to avoid the predator. Photographer @范毅)

▼

After fierce competition

They finally divided their territory

These territories are intertwined

Many transition zones have been formed

These transition zones

An interlaced environment

And interlaced creatures

So it is called

Ecotone

(Shentian, Gongshan County, Gaoligong Mountain, the interlaced zone between forest and shrub is a typical ecological interlaced zone, photographer @李兴富)

▼

Ecotone

Not only can it accommodate more species and numbers of organisms

It may also promote the emergence of endemic species and marginal species.

Further improving biodiversity

This is called

Edge Effect

(Ecotones and edge effects, map by Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

The combined effect of multiple factors

Achieved the prosperity of life in Gaoligong Mountain

However

Prosperity is only one side of it

The other side

is fragile

03 A fragile and diverse environment

On the one hand, it brings prosperity to life

on the other hand

This also results in smaller habitats for each species.

(On the edge of the valley, conifers, broad-leaved trees, and shrubs grow in an interlaced manner, with a variety of ecological environments interlaced. Photographer: @王斌/Southwest Mountain)

▼

These small patches of habitat

The number of organisms that can be carried is very limited

Therefore, the population size of plants and animals is not large.

And different populations are far apart

Difficulty communicating with each other

In the area where different ecological environments intersect

Complex environment and species

Therefore, it becomes unstable

Once the environment becomes more fragmented

The number of interlaced zones will further increase

Biodiversity will begin to decline

(The counter-effect of increasing the edge, map by @Zhao Bang/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

And human activities

This exacerbated the situation

In the Nujiang River Valley

People cultivated farmland and built villages

The original forest was destroyed

Invasive species brought by humans

It also squeezes out the space for many native species.

(Villages and farmland in the Nujiang Grand Canyon, photographer @刘珠明)

▼

Roads built by people

Seemingly insignificant in the dense forests of the mountains

But for most of the time,

For gibbons that rely on the "air corridor" to migrate

It is also an insurmountable obstacle

(The road in Gaoligong Mountain passes through dense forests. Although it seems insignificant, it can also have a significant isolation effect on different populations. Photographer @范毅)

▼

Getting smaller and smaller

In habitats that are increasingly distant

More single gibbons appear

Difficulty finding a partner

The number of gibbons walking today

There are less than 150 in the country.

Before people can fully understand them

Facing the crisis of extinction

The future of the Skywalker Gibbon

Where will it go?

In the future

Conservation of the Skywalker Gibbon and other rare species

Will definitely achieve more results

The beauty of life

Will continue

The original habitat of Gaoligong Mountain

Worth a long-term continuation

Because it is

With one's own strength

Preserve the wildness and beauty of the earth for us

Dedicated to Earth Day

Also dedicated to

Prosperous yet fragile

Gaoligong Mountain

This article was created by

Written by: Zhang Zhao

Image: Qin Nan

Map: Gong Xiangjie

Design: Zhao Bang

Reviewer: Wang Chaoyang

Cover Photographer @Zhao Chao/Yunshan Protection

Expert reviewer: Professor Fan Pengfei of Sun Yat-sen University

PS Main references:

[1] Southwest Forestry University. Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve[M]. China Forestry Publishing House, 1995.

[2]Yaowu Xing and Richard H. Ree. Uplift-driven diversification in the Hengduan Mountains, a temperate biodiversity hotspot[J]. PNAS, 2017.

[3] Lian Zhenmin and Yu Guangzhi. Edge effect and biodiversity[J]. Biodiversity Science, 2002.

[4] Li Heng et al. Current status and protection of endemic species in Gaoligong Mountain[J]. Journal of Western Forestry Science, 2017.

... The End ...

This article was first published on the WeChat public account "Planet Research Institute" (a group of National Geography fans who focus on exploring the extreme world)