GRK 2309:  Geo-ecosystems in transition on the Tibetan Plateau (TransTiP)

• Subject Area: Geology and Palaeontology
• Term: from 2018 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 317513741

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is of crucial importance for the hydrological, energy, and element cycles in Asia and worldwide and represents one of the most vulnerable geo-ecosystems on Earth. Currently, accelerated climate warming associated with seasonal changes in precipitation and rapid intensification in land use speeds up processes controlling matter fluxes on the Earth surface, shaping landscapes, modifying carbon sink strength of soils as well as water supply and quality, thus exerting severe impacts on geo-ecosystems and residents. The overarching goal of TransTiP is to assess how changes in sediment and carbon fluxes, water fluxes and water quality will affect water ressources, biodiversity as well as species composition and distribution in the future. Therefore, our research program is designed to (1) understand controlling mechanisms and processes by quantifying rates andmagnitudes of sediment movement and transport with high temporal and spatial resolution, to (2) identify the impact of land-use change on organic carbon storage in soil and associated carbon fluxes to atmosphere and hydrosphere, and to (3) determine how these processes have affected water balances and geo-ecosystems. TransTiP combines selective areal monitoring, high-resolution remote sensing and modern geobiological techniques with numerical modeling to elaborate scenarios of future flux changes and the concomitant response of the resilience of geo-ecosystems under climate change pressure in high-altitude environments. The ultimate goal of TransTiP is to train doctoral researchers in geo-ecological process analysis to acquire skills for sustainable environmental management by converging natural sciences and engineering. The qualification program is based on joint Sino-German fieldwork in the catchment of Nam Co, southern TP, which is characterized by strong climate and land use gradients, and thus represents an ideal natural key laboratory, using the excellent monitoring and research station NAMORS of ITP-CAS as unique work base. Subsequent joint laboratory work, complementary modeling approaches, and an interdisciplinary course program will train process- and system-oriented comprehension and assessment, critical thinking, creativity. and originality. Mutual visits at partner institutions will encourage research at a high international level, improve understanding of cultural differences, and make early career scientists competitive for a leadership position in the global academic and non-academic jobmarkets.

• DFG Programme: International Research Training Groups
• International Connection: China
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Braunschweig
• Co-Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena; Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
• IRTG-Partner Institution: Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Lanzhou University; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Northwest Institute of Eco-Enviroment and Resources
• Participating Institution: Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam - Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ); Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie (MPI-BGC)
• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Antje Schwalb
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Thomas Graf; Professor Dr. Georg Guggenberger; Professor Dr. Andreas Hördt; Professor Dr. Roland Mäusbacher; Professor Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Niemeier; Professor Dr. Torsten Sachs; Professorin Dr. Christiane Schmullius; Dr. Carlos A. Sierra; Professor Dr. Miguel Vences
• IRTG-Partner: Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Fan Zhang