Analysis of Migration and Adaptive Evolution in Tibetan Sheep Populations

Abstract

The environmental conditions on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau vary widely, ranging from the warm and humid grassland climate at mid-altitudes in the northeast to the cold, arid, and desertified climate at high altitudes in the central and western regions. However, previous genomic studies on high-altitude adaptation have primarily focused on comparisons between mid-to-high altitudes and low altitudes, neglecting the complexity of conditions within the plateau itself. Investigating the mechanisms of adaptation to different high-altitude environments will enhance our understanding of how species adapt to the extreme conditions of the plateau.