The aim of this study was to explore the effect of gap environmental factors on the plant population regeneration pattern in the Castanopsis kawakamii natural forest. We used the detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) method to study coupling relationships between species distribution in the regeneration layer and environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) The main environmental factors that influenced species distribution in the forest gaps and non-gaps were different, and the highest explanation rate of environmental factors was the soil temperature below the surface 10 cm (ST10); (2) The relationships between species distribution in the regeneration layer of the forest gaps and non-gaps were mainly restricted by environmental factors, given the environmental factors complied with the ecological niche hypothesis; and (3) For the endangered C. kawakamii population, there were positive and negative relationships between the environmental factors and the various species in the forest gaps and non-gaps, whilst the effects of such relationships were varied. Some management operations, including the creation of artificial gaps and adequate fertilization in the non-gaps, could more effectively promote the growth and regeneration of the C. kawakamii population.

Background: Grain security is crucial for social stability and ecosystem conservation regionally and globally, and it is particularly concerned widely in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) due to its high altitude and harsh climate for agriculture. Method: In this paper, we calculated and analyzed per capita food and grain consumption, including direct grain consumption, grain for fodder, industry consumption, seeds consumption, and wastage consumption and its changes in the QTP during 1995–2019. Results: The results showed that (1) in 2019, the average food consumption per capita was 333.35 kg, was stable since 1995. The dietary structure of residents was composed of direct grain consumption (44.15%), meat (10.72%), and milk (6.94%). The consumption of meat and milk was higher than the national average. (2) The average daily intake of energy and protein, animal protein, and the ratio of high-quality protein and fat energy were 2156.21 kcal·d⁻¹, 73.53 g·d⁻¹, 23.06 g·d⁻¹, 38.32%, and 27.77% in 2019. Their changes were −342.98 kcal·d⁻¹, −8.91 g·d⁻¹, 11.16 g·d⁻¹, 18.37%, and 11.08%, respectively. (3) The corresponding grain consumption per capita was 284.90 kg·a⁻¹ in 1995, 262.19 kg·a⁻¹ in 2010, and then remained stable until 2019. Conclusion: The study suggested that food consumption per capital was guaranteed at the well-off level since 2010, and food and dietary structure of residents were corresponding to physical geographic and climatic environment in the QTP. The conflict between food security and the ecosystem conservation can be managed without scarifying nature as the total grain consumption was stable since 2010, and the yield per unit area and total grain yield were both increasing since 2003 for agricultural condition improved in the QTP.

The Tibetan Plateau, the Earth’s highest and largest plateau, has a harsh environment for agriculture, and is a global biodiversity hotspot, raising the challenge of simultaneously satisfying food production and conservation goals. Currently, agriculture involves crop production on steep slopes and overgrazing, which threatens future productivity. The Tibetan Plateau is also undergoing climate change. We evaluate food production from 1990 to 2020 and use these results to model future trends and risks to food production on the Tibetan Plateau. We assess the feasibility of achieving both food production and conservation goals simultaneously under climate change scenarios. Food production increased 32.33% over three decades, providing 2,892.98 kcal d ⁻¹ cap ⁻¹ , more than enough to satisfy food self-sufficiency. Under climate change, the Tibetan Plateau will become warmer and wetter under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585, which combined with agricultural advances (e.g., improved mechanization and irrigation), will likely result in increased yields even with a 10% reduction in cropland area—greater than the total area of all steeply sloping cropland, thereby allowing retirement of steeply sloping cropland and livestock reductions while still meeting food production goals. Meanwhile, key ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, water retention, and habitat quality, are also projected to improve substantially. Nonetheless, the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events are expected to reduce food production, undermine current dietary requirements and may threaten the minimum nutritional intake required for humans.