The yak (Bos grunniens), an indigenous herbivore raised at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 m above sea level, is closely linked to more than 40 ethnic communities and plays a vital role in the ecological stability, livelihood security, socio-economic development, and ethnic cultural traditions in the Asian highlands. They provide the highlanders with meat, milk, fibres, leather and dung (fuel). They are also used as pack animals to transport goods, for travel and ploughing, and are important in many religious and traditional ceremonies. The Asian highlands are known for an extremely, harsh environment, namely low air temperature and oxygen content and high ultraviolet light and winds. Pasture availability fluctuates greatly, with sparse pasture of poor quality over the long seven-month cold winter. After long-term natural and artificial selections, yaks have adapted excellently to the harsh conditions: 1) by genomics, with positively selected genes involved in hypoxia response and energy metabolism; 2) anatomically, including a short tongue with a weak sense of taste, and large lung and heart; 3) physiologically, by insensitivity to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, maintaining foetal haemoglobin throughout life, and low heart rate and heat production in the cold season; 4) behaviourlly, by efficient grazing and selecting forbs with high nutritional contents; 5) by low nitrogen and energy requirements for maintenance and low methane emission and nitrogen excretion, namely, ‘Low-Carbon’ and ‘Nitrogen-Saving’ traits; 6) by harboring unique rumen microbiota with a distinct maturation pattern, that has co-evolved with host metabolism. This review aims to provide an overview of the comprehensive adaptive strategies of the yak to the severe conditions of the highlands. A better understanding of these strategies that yaks employ to adapt to the harsh environment could be used in improving their production, breeding and management, and gaining benefits in ecosystem service and a more resilient livelihood to climate change in the Asian highlands.

牦牛（ Bos grunniens ）是生活在海拔3000-5000米之间的本土草食动物，与40多个民族有着密切的联系，在生态稳定、民生保障、社会经济发展等方面发挥着至关重要的作用。亚洲高地的民族文化传统。他们为高地人提供肉、牛奶、纤维、皮革和粪便（燃料）。它们还被用作驮畜来运输货物、旅行和犁地，并且在许多宗教和传统仪式中发挥着重要作用。亚洲高原以极其恶劣的环境而闻名，即气温低、含氧量低、紫外线强、风大。牧草供应量波动较大，在长达七个月的寒冷冬季，牧草稀少，品质较差。经过长期的自然和人工选择，牦牛对恶劣的条件有了很好的适应：1）通过基因组学，积极选择参与缺氧反应和能量代谢的基因； 2）解剖学上，包括舌头短，味觉较弱，肺和心脏较大； 3）生理上，对缺氧性肺血管收缩不敏感，终生维持胎儿血红蛋白，在寒冷季节心率和产热较低； 4）行为方面，通过高效放牧和选择营养成分高的草本植物； 5) 维护所需的氮和能量低，甲烷排放量和氮排泄量低，即“低碳”和“节氮”特性； 6) 拥有独特的瘤胃微生物群，具有独特的成熟模式，与宿主代谢共同进化。 本综述旨在概述牦牛对高原恶劣条件的综合适应策略。更好地了解牦牛为适应恶劣环境而采取的这些策略，可用于改善牦牛的生产、饲养和管理，并在生态系统服务方面获得收益，并提高亚洲高地气候变化的生计能力。