the following sources over the years:National Science Foundation(INT-8920440,INT-9016551,INT-9249613,Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems Pro-gram-0815441;Pre-doctoral Fellowship Program);National Geographic Society;National Academy of Sci-ences(Henry Fund);Earthwatch-the Center for Field Studies;Kadoorie Charitable Foundation(Hong Kong);Biodiversity Working Group-China Council for Interna-tional Cooperation in Environment and Development;United Board for Christian Higher Education;Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund,Japan;Phoenix Zoo Conservation and Science Grants Program;Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Asia Seed Fund;Project 111-PRC Min-istry of Education;National Security Education Program-David L.Boren Fellowship;Arizona State University(School of Life Sciences,Center for Asian Studies,College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,Graduate Col-lege).Sharon Hall kindly supplied information on the unique soil properties found on the QTP.We are grate-ful to Aryn Musgrave for drafting the range map of the plateau pika.We thank Harriet Smith for her insightful comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.
Understanding a species’functional traits allows for a directed and productive perspective on the role a species plays in nature,and thus its relative importance to conservation planning.The functionaltrait ecology o...