Threats to, and conservation of, biodiversity in the Siling Co National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau, China

Due to its unique climate and geographic location, Siling Co National Nature Reserve, located in the northwest of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, is an important natural habitat, a hotspot of endemism, and sustains numerous endan-gered species. Climate change and warming temperatures, invasion by non-native species and human disturbance are serious threats to the Tibetan Plateau’s local biodiversity and specialized ecosystems. To better protect biodiversity and ecosys-tem functions in the specialized endemic habitats of the Plateau, we summarize the status, threats and protective conservation measures in the Reserve. It is hoped that this study will provide useful information and strategies for biodiversity conservation for the Tibetan Plateau and other highland regions.