Protein availability on Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau meadows determines density and life-history characteristics of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae).

This article investigates how livestock grazing influences the population dynamics of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP), focusing on the role of feeding facilitation through increased availability of high-protein foods. The study found that heavily grazed meadows, despite reduced total plant biomass, had a higher relative abundance of high-protein plants preferred by pikas, which correlated with increased pika body mass, reproductive performance, and population density. A supplemental protein experiment confirmed that enhanced protein intake led to higher reproductive rates and survival, indicating that livestock grazing indirectly promotes pika population growth by improving food quality. The findings suggest that managing grazing intensity is crucial to balancing livestock production and the ecological role of plateau pikas in alpine meadow ecosystems.