HOHHOT, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Global warming could cause a dramatic decline in plant species diversity on the rangelands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southwest China, say Chinese and U.S. scientists.

    Research into climate change and grazing conducted in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1998 to 2001 showed a 26 percent to 36 percent decrease of plant species, said Julia Klein, a U.S. Colorado State University assistant professor who led the research.

    Global warming specifically had led to losses of 21 percent of medicinal plants and 25 percent of pasture plants, said experts at the joint meeting of the International Rangeland Congress and the International Grassland Congress. The weeklong event ended on Saturday in Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

    The research was carried out at four sites at the Haibe...

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