Mutual feedback between above- and below-ground controls the restoration of alpine ecosystem multifunctionality in long-term grazing exclusion

2021 ◽  
pp. 130184
Author(s):  
Miao Liu ◽  
Wen He ◽  
Zhenchao Zhang ◽  
Jian Sun ◽  
Nan Cong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alpine Ecosystem ◽  
Grazing Exclusion ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Ecosystem Multifunctionality

scholarly journals Locally rare species influence grassland ecosystem multifunctionality

2016 ◽  
Vol 371 (1694) ◽  
pp. 20150269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago Soliveres ◽  
Peter Manning ◽  
Daniel Prati ◽  
Martin M. Gossner ◽  
Fabian Alt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Ecosystem Multifunctionality

Species diversity promotes the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality). However, the relative functional importance of rare and common species in driving the biodiversity–multifunctionality relationship remains unknown. We studied the relationship between the diversity of rare and common species (according to their local abundances and across nine different trophic groups), and multifunctionality indices derived from 14 ecosystem functions on 150 grasslands across a land-use intensity (LUI) gradient. The diversity of above- and below-ground rare species had opposite effects, with rare above-ground species being associated with high levels of multifunctionality, probably because their effects on different functions did not trade off against each other. Conversely, common species were only related to average, not high, levels of multifunctionality, and their functional effects declined with LUI. Apart from the community-level effects of diversity, we found significant positive associations between the abundance of individual species and multifunctionality in 6% of the species tested. Species-specific functional effects were best predicted by their response to LUI: species that declined in abundance with land use intensification were those associated with higher levels of multifunctionality. Our results highlight the importance of rare species for ecosystem multifunctionality and help guiding future conservation priorities.

scholarly journals Linking floral biodiversity with nitrogen and carbon translocations in semi-natural grasslands in Lithuani

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-146
Author(s):  
Saulius Marcinkonis ◽  
Birutė Karpavičienė ◽  
Michael A. Fullen
Keyword(s):  
Plant Cover ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Specific System ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Grassland Communities

AbstractThe aim of the present study is to evaluate the long-term effects of long-term piggery effluent application on semi-natural grassland ecotop-phytotop changes (above- and below-ground phytomass production, and carbon and nitrogen allocation in grassland communities) in relation to changes (or variability) in topsoil properties. Analysis of phytomass distribution in piggery effluent irrigated grassland communities showed that dry biomass yield varied from 1.7−5.3 t ha-1. Variability in soil and plant cover created a unique and highly unpredictable site specific system, where long-term anthropogenic influences established successor communities with specific characteristics of above- and below-ground biomass distribution. These characteristics depend more on grassland communities than on soil chemical properties. Families of grasses (Poaceae) dominated the surveyed communities and accumulated most carbon and least nitrogen, while legumes accumulated most nitrogen and lignin and least carbon. Carbon concentrations in above-ground biomass had minor variations, while accumulation of nitrogen was strongly influenced by species diversity (r = 0.94, n = 10, p <0.001) and production of above-ground biomass

Dendrometer measurements of arctic-alpine dwarf shrubs and micro-environmental drivers of plant growth - Dataset from long-term alpine ecosystem research in central Norway

Erdkunde ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Löffler ◽  
Svenja Dobbert ◽  
Roland Pape ◽  
Dirk Wundram
Keyword(s):  
Root Zone ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Horizontal Distance ◽  
Ecosystem Research ◽  
Alpine Ecosystem ◽  
Vegetation Shifts

Here, we present fine-scale measurements of stem diameter variation from three common arctic-alpine dwarf-shrub species monitored in two mountain regions of Central Norway. All three species (Betula nana, Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum, and Phyllodoce caerulea) are abundant within the studied regions and highly important contributors to potential future arctic-alpine vegetation shifts. A profound understanding of their radial growth patterns therefore has the potential to yield crucial information regarding climate-growth relations within these ecosystems. We used high-resolution dendrometers (type DRO) to monitor 120 specimens, taking measurements near the shoot base of one major horizontal stem. Along with the shrub growth measurements, we measured on-site micro-environmental data at each studied site, including shoot zone and root zone temperatures as well as soil moisture. All data were recorded at an hourly scale and are presented as daily mean values. The monitoring period spanned five full years (2015 - 2019), with additional data from 2014 and 2020. Data were collected within one of the most continental climate regions of Europe, the Vågå/Innlandet region, and in the oceanic climate region Geiranger/Møre og Romsdal, spanning a steep climate gradient over just ~100 km horizontal distance. Both study regions are characterized by steep elevational gradients and highly heterogeneous micro-topography. The studied sites were chosen to represent these natural conditions using the transect principle. The collection of our original data is subject of our long-term alpine ecosystem monitoring program since 1991, from which numerous publications function as the basis for a recent project on the use of dendrometer data in alpine ecosystem studies.

scholarly journals Coatings & linings for oil & gas pipelines – the most effective method of corrosion protection for aged pipelines

2020 ◽  
Vol 305 ◽  
pp. 00016
Author(s):  
Ion Antonio Tache ◽  
Carmen Tache
Keyword(s):  
Corrosion Protection ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Corrosion Control ◽  
Gas Pipelines ◽  
Internal Corrosion ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Infrastructure Failure ◽  
Water Gas

Pipelines around the world are in danger due to ageing, deposits and corrosion. Leaky fittings and cracks are an environmental hazard and cause the loss of valuable resources such as drinking water, gas, or oil. The pipelines may get corroded internally due to the nature of the fluid flowing inside and due to various other factors. The environmental and societal impact of infrastructure failure is a primary consideration for today’s pipeline operators. Without implementing safety measures and having a corrosion control program, corrosion makes transporting hazardous material unsafe. There are many methods NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) recommends as part of a successful corrosion control program to protect oil and gas pipelines. Coatings and linings applied to pipelines whether above or below ground and often used in combination with cathodic protection. Different linings may be used for internal corrosion protection, provided the lining material does not degrade following long-term exposure to the transported fluid, at the pipeline pressure and temperature conditions.

Response of plant functional traits at species and community levels to grazing exclusion on Inner Mongolian steppe, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinghui Zhang ◽  
Yongmei Huang ◽  
Huiying Chen ◽  
Jirui Gong ◽  
Yu Qi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Plant Functional Traits ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Grazing Exclusion ◽  
Typical Steppe

Variations in ecosystem function in response to land-use changes may be expected to reflect differences in the functional traits of plants. In this study, we sought to reveal the relationship between trait variability and grazing management on typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, and explore the implications of this relationship for ecosystem functioning. We measured aboveground biomass and 18 functional traits of the most abundant plant species in a grassland subject to three grazing-management regimes: long-term grazing, short-term grazing exclusion (since 2008) and long-term grazing exclusion (since 1956). Principal component analysis of the variation in species-level traits revealed trade-offs between the traits that enabled rapid acquisition of resources by fast-growing annual species and those that promoted conservation of resources by perennial grasses, especially Stipa grandis. However, there was no systematic pattern of intra-specific variation in trait values recorded among sites. Aggregation of plant functional traits to the community level revealed a gradient of responses of typical steppe to grazing exclusion. Long-term grazing favoured species whose traits indicate low forage quality and relatively low growth rate. Exclusion of grazing for several years favoured species whose traits indicate relatively high growth rate and high capacity to acquire resources. Exclusion of grazing for several decades favoured species whose morphological and physiological traits indicated low growth rates and high capacity for resource conservation. These community-level traits imply that ecosystem carbon and nutrient stores will change in response to the grazing regime. Long-term grazing will result in decreased plant carbon and nitrogen content, and will lead to carbon and nutrient loss, whereas short-term and long-term grazing exclusion are beneficial to the recovery of carbon and nutrient storage. The findings support the value of community aggregated traits as indicators of environmental or management change and for explaining changes in ecosystem function.

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