The ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau (often referred as the “third pole of the Earth”) is highly susceptible to climate change. Using precipitation and temperature records along with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, Dr. Ting Hua from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources and Prof. Xunming Wang from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, analyzed the temporal and spatial variations in the relationship between factors controlling climate and vegetation dynamics over the Tibetan Plateau during the period 1982-2011.