Effects of grazing exclusion on the grassland ecosystems of mountain meadows and temperate typical steppe in a mountain-basin system in Central Asia's arid regions, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 630 ◽  
pp. 254-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Bi ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Qi Fu ◽  
Yao Fan ◽  
Lingxiao Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arid Regions ◽  
Grazing Exclusion ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Mountain Meadows ◽  
Basin System

scholarly journals Response of Vegetation and Soil Characteristics to Grazing Disturbance in Mountain Meadows and Temperate Typical Steppe in the Arid Regions of Central Asian, Xinjiang

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4572
Author(s):  
Xu Bi ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Xiangchao Xu ◽  
Lixin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Soil Physicochemical Properties ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Mountain Meadow ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
The Arid Regions ◽  
Intensity Grazing

Grazing is one of the most common causes of grassland degradation, therefore, an assessment of soil physicochemical properties and plant nutrients under grazing is important for understanding its influences on ecosystem nutrient cycling and for formulating appropriate management strategies. However, the effects of grazing on grassland soil physicochemical properties and plant nutrients in mountain meadow and temperate typical steppe in the arid regions are still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the vegetation nutrient concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N, P, and K) as well as soil physicochemical properties in the topmost 40 cm depth soil, to evaluate how these factors respond to grazing disturbance in a mountain meadow and temperate typical steppe within a mountain basin system in arid regions. Our results revealed that the soil bulk density values at depth of 0–40 cm increased after grazing in the mountain meadow and temperate typical steppe, whereas the soil water content decreased in the mountain meadow and increased in the temperate typical steppe after grazing. In the mountain meadow, soil total N and available P in addition to vegetation N and P concentrations increased in response to high-intensity grazing, while soil available N, available K and vegetation K decreased after grazing; in addition, soil pH, soil total P and K showed no significant changes. In the temperate typical steppe, the soil total P, soil available N, P, and K, and vegetation N, P, and K increased under relatively low-intensity grazing, whereas soil pH and soil total K showed no significant changes except for the deceasing soil total N. Our findings showed the different responses of different grassland ecosystems to grazing. Moreover, we propose that further related studies are necessary to better understand the effects of grazing on grassland ecosystems, and thereby provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable use of animal husbandry and ecological restoration of grasslands.

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.

Response of the annual biomass production of a typical steppe plant community to precipitation fluctuations

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Xiaoping Xin ◽  
Yong Ding ◽  
Xiangyang Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Community ◽  
Coefficient Of Variation ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Annual Biomass

Understanding the relationship between the aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and annual precipitation in arid and semiarid grasslands is crucial for assessing the effects of climate change on grassland ecosystems. The temporal pattern of ANPP, based on long-term data on a semiarid ecosystem in Inner Mongolia, was investigated. The biomass of perennial grasses, perennial forbs and Stipa grandis P. Smirn., showed a positive relationship with annual precipitation. The amount of annual precipitation also changed the annual biomass of 13 other dominant species and consequently the ANPP. The coefficient of variation of the ANPP of the plant community was lower than the coefficient of variation of annual precipitation. Irrespective of the strong inter-annual variation in annual precipitation, the positive relationship found between ANPP and annual precipitation suggests the dependence of ANPP upon hydrological variations in typical steppe. Our findings highlight the importance of dominant perennial species and functional groups in mediating the responses of ANPP to annual precipitation in the typical steppe in northern China.

scholarly journals Individual and group parameters of Rumex alpinus L. (Polygonaceae) as an indicator of the degree of disturbance to the Carpathian highmountain meadow ecosystems

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-106
Author(s):  
Kobiv Y.Y.
Keyword(s):  
Anthropogenic Impact ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Seed Origin ◽  
Rumex Alpinus ◽  
Mountain Meadows ◽  
Small Sites ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Herb Species ◽  
Cover Density

Individual (height of flowering shoot, length of rhizome segments and their number on a growth axis) and group parameters (cover, density of immature individuals, flowering and vegetative shoots) of a clonal tall-herb species Rumex alpinus were studied in the populations undergoing different stages of anthropogenic succession in the Carpathians. The species can form dense Rumiceta alpini ruderal communities on the manured soil near the livestock camps. Rumex alpinus has a long life span and thick long-living rhizomes in which the segments’ size reflects the viability of the individual in previous years. The studied parameters characterize the extent of disturbance in grassland ecosystems on different stages of their anthropogenic or restoration succession. A significant number of immature individuals of seed origin proves the young age of a population and indicates the degrading vector of changes in ecosystems. However, the individuals of seed origin (particularly, immature) are almost or completely missing in the established dense Rumiceta alpini because clonal reproduction prevails there. The highest individual and group parameters of R. alpinus have been registered in the sites that are manured. Cessation of anthropogenic impact results in thinning out of populations and their gradual decline. Annual increments of rhizomes demonstrate a successive increase in the invasive populations and decrease in the regressive ones. R. alpinus is also a component of some native undisturbed communities where it shows moderate viability of individuals and low population density. Thus, high values of individual and group parameters of this species indicate significant disturbance of the area and its low conservation value, while its infrequent occurrence only in some solitary small sites can reflect an absence or low level of devastation of a mountain grassland ecosystem. Keywords: anthropogenic impact, succession, rhizome segments, mountain meadows,Rumicetum alpini Вивчено індивідуальні (висоту генеративного пагона, довжину сегментів кореневища та їхню кількість на осі наростання) і групові параметри (проєктивне покриття,щільність імматурних особин, генеративних і вегетативних пагонів) клонального високотравного виду – Rumex alpinus у популяціях, що перебувають на різних стадіях антропогенної сукцесії в Карпатах. Цей вид здатний утворювати зімкнені рудеральні угруповання – щавельники (Rumiceta alpini) на угноєному ґрунті біля стійбищ худоби. Видові властивий тривалий онтогенез і наявність довговічних масивних кореневищ, у яких розмір сегментів відображає життєвість особини у минулі роки. Досліджені показники характеризують ступінь антропогенних змін у лучних екосистемах Карпат на різних етапах їх дигресивно-демутаційних перетворень. Значна кількість імматурних особин насіннєвого походження свідчить про молодий вік популяції і служить індикатором дигресивного спрямування змін в екосистемі. Натомість, у сформованих щільних щавельниках особини насіннєвого походження (зокрема імматурні) майже або цілком відсутні, оскільки у самовідновленні переважає вегетативне розмноження. Найвищі індивідуальні і групові параметри R. alpinus відзначено на площах, що зазнають підживлення гноївкою. Припинення господарського впливу призводить до розрідження популяцій та їх поступового згасання. В інвазійних популяціях відзначено послідовне збільшення річних приростів кореневищ, натомість у регресивних – їхнє скорочення. Rumex alpinus є також компонентом деяких корінних непорушених угруповань, де виявляє невисоку життєвість особин і низьку щільність популяцій. Отже, високі значення індивідуальних і групових показників цього виду є індикатором значного порушення території та її низької цінності з природоохоронної точки зору, натомість його нечасте трапляння лише на окремих невеликих ділянках може свідчити про відсутність або незначний ступінь девастації гірської лучної екосистеми. Ключові слова: антропогенний вплив, сукцесія, сегменти кореневища, гірські луки, Rumicetum alpini

scholarly journals Changes of Grassland Rain Use Efficiency and NDVI in Northwestern China from 1982 to 2013 and Its Response to Climate Change

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Chang ◽  
Jiaxi Tian ◽  
Zengxin Zhang ◽  
Xi Chen ◽  
Yizhao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Northwestern China ◽  
The Past ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Rain Use Efficiency ◽  
Semi Arid

The grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions rely heavily on the use of rain, thus, improving rain use efficiency (RUE) is essential for securing sustainable development of grassland ecosystems in these areas with limited rainfall. In this study, the spatial and temporal variabilities of RUE for grassland ecosystems over Northwestern China during 1982–2013 were analyzed using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and precipitation data. Results showed that: (1) Although grassland area has decreased gradually over the past 30 years, the NDVI in most areas showed that the vegetation was gradually restored; (2) The trends of RUE increased in the east of Northwestern China and decreased in the west of Northwestern China. However, the trends of RUE for the high-coverage grasslands (vs. low-coverage grassland) increased (decreased) significantly over the past 30 years. (3) The RUE for the grasslands was positively correlated with air temperature, while it was negatively correlated with the change of annual mean precipitation in northwestern China. Moreover, the obvious RUE increasing trends were found in the vegetation restoration areas, while the RUE decreasing trends appeared in the vegetation degradation areas. This study will be helpful for understanding the impacts of climate change on securing the sustainable development of grassland ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions.

scholarly journals Financing of grassland habitats in the Slovak Republic in 2010–2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
Ivan Holúbek ◽  
Peter Hric ◽  
Peter Kovár ◽  
Andrea Boháčiková
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Direct Costs ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Livestock Feeding ◽  
Mountain Meadows ◽  
Grassland Habitats ◽  
Alluvial Meadows ◽  
Potential Use

Abstract The grasslands in the Slovak Republic are divided into 7 categories that have different way and conditions of management to protect and maintain them. From the area of 1,239,777 hectares of habitats in SR and payments per hectare, we calculated the amount of financial support that represents 130,265,701 € for the A-G habitats in 2010-2016. Based on the data about potential use of grassland habitats in livestock feeding (mountain meadows and alluvial meadows), the production potential of C 3.12 t.ha-1biotope E 4.25 t.ha-1of dry matter was calculated, as a result of 5-years long experiment of the Department of Grassland Ecosystems and Forage Crops of SUA in Nitra. We calculated the direct costs for the production of hay dry matter, which reached 116.78 €.ha-1in the meadows, and 71.11 €.ha-1in valleys. Direct costs per 1 hectare of hay dry production are with a support covered on 111.0% of mountain meadows and 74% of meadows. The annual value of ecosystem services of grassland habitats reached 579,789,008 €. Subsidies for permanent grassland habitats stimulate the economy of agricultural subjects and protect the biodiversity of permanent grasslands.

scholarly journals Remotely monitoring ecosystem respiration from various grasslands along a large-scale east-west transect across Northern China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuguang Tang ◽  
Yanlian Zhou ◽  
Hengpeng Li ◽  
Li Yao ◽  
Zhi Ding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Alpine Meadow ◽  
Ecosystem Respiration ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Desert Steppe ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Environmental Controls ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems

Abstract Background: Grassland ecosystems play an important role in the terrestrial carbon cycles through carbon emission by ecosystem respiration (Re) and carbon uptake by plant photosynthesis (GPP). Surprisingly, given Re occupies a large component of annual carbon balance, rather less attention has been paid to developing the estimates of Re compared to GPP.Results: Based on 11 flux sites over the diverse grassland ecosystems in northern China, this study examined the amounts of carbon released by Re as well as the dominant environmental controls across temperate meadow steppe, typical steppe, desert steppe and alpine meadow, respectively. Multi-year mean Re revealed relatively less CO2 emitted by the desert steppe in comparison with other grassland ecosystems. Meanwhile, C emissions of all grasslands were mainly controlled by the growing period. Correlation analysis revealed that apart from air and soil temperature, soil water content exerted a strong effect on the variability in Re, which implied the great potential to derive Re using relevant remote sensing data. Then, these field-measured Re data were up-scaled to large areas using time-series MODIS information and remote sensing-based piecewise regression models. These semi-empirical models appeared to work well with a small margin of error (R2 and RMSE ranged from 0.45 to 0.88 and from 0.21 to 0.69 g C m-2 d-1, respectively). Conclusions: Generally, the piecewise models from the growth period and dormant season performed better than model developed directly from the entire year. Moreover, the biases between annual mean Re observations and the remotely-derived products were usually within 20%. Finally, the regional Re emissions across northern China's grasslands was approximately 100.66 Tg C in 2010, about 1/3 of carbon fixed from the MODIS GPP product. Specially, the desert steppe exhibited the highest ratio, followed by the temperate meadow steppe, typical steppe and alpine meadow. Therefore, this work provides a novel framework to accurately predict the spatio-temporal patterns of Re over large areas, which can greatly reduce the uncertainties in global carbon estimates and climate projections.

scholarly journals Response of grassland productivity to climate change and anthropogenic activities in arid regions of Central Asia

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9797
Author(s):  
Xu Bi ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Lixin Zhang ◽  
Bo Nan ◽  
Xinshi Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Human Activity ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Grassland Degradation ◽  
Basin System

Background Quantitative evaluations of the relative impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activity on grasslands are significant for understanding grassland degradation mechanisms and controlling degraded grasslands. However, our knowledge about the effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change on the grassland in a mountain basin system in arid regions of Central Asia is still subject to great uncertainties. Methods In this research, we have chosen the net primary productivity (NPP) as an index for revealing grassland dynamics processes. Moreover, the human appropriation of net primary production (NPPH), which was calculated as the potential NPP (NPPP) minus the actual NPP (NPPA), was applied to distinguish the relative influences of climate change and human activities on the grassland NPP variations in a mountain basin system of Central Asia from 2001–2015. Results The results indicated that the grassland NPPA showed an increasing trend (35.88%) that was smaller than the decreasing trend (64.12%). The respective contributions of human activity, climate change and the two together to the increase in the NPPA were 6.19%, 81.30% and 12.51%, respectively. Human activity was largely responsible for the decrease in the grassland NPPA, with the area experiencing human-induced decreases accounting for 98.21% of the total decreased area, which mainly occurred during spring/autumn pasture and winter pasture. Furthermore, the average grazing pressure index (GPI) values of summer pastures, spring/autumn pasture and winter pastures were 1.04, 3.03 and 1.83, respectively, from 2001–2015. In addition, negative correlations between the NPP and GPI occupied most of the research area (92.41%). Discussion Our results indicate that: (i) anthropogenic activities were the primary cause of the reduction in the grassland NPP, especially grazing activities. (ii) For areas where the grassland NPP has increased, precipitation was the dominant climatic factor over temperature in controlling the grassland NPP changes in the study area. (iii) The findings of the current research indicate that some measures should be taken to reduce livestock pressure, and artificial grasslands can be built along the Irtysh River and the Ulungur River to relieve grazing pressure on spring/autumn pastures and winter pastures. Our results could provide reliable information for grassland management and the prevention of grassland degradation in arid regions of Central Asia.

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