scholarly journals Spatial and Seasonal Variation in Rain Use Efficiency in Semiarid Grasslands of Inner Mongolia

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyoti Bhandari ◽  
Xuebiao Pan ◽  
G. C. Dhruba Bijaya
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Desert Steppe ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Precipitation Patterns ◽  
Spatial And Seasonal Variation ◽  
Semiarid Ecosystem ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Rain Use Efficiency

Rain use efficiency (RUE) is an important indicator for identifying the response of plant production to variation in precipitation patterns, especially in semiarid ecosystem grasslands of Inner Mongolia. We have investigated the response and spatial patterns of RUE to precipitation patterns based on five years (2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013) of records from semiarid ecosystem sites across Inner Mongolia. Our results showed thatRUEADMwas lowest in the wettest year (2012) and highest in the year following the driest year (2008). There was no significant correlation betweenRUEADMandRUETDMin typical and desert steppe.RUETDMwas strongly correlated with both annual precipitation (AP) and growing season precipitation (GSP) compared toRUEADM.RUEADM, therefore, cannot be used in place ofRUETDM.RUEADMincreased with species richness. The relationship betweenRUEADMand species richness was significantly correlated in meadow steppe, typical steppe, and desert steppe. Our findings can shed light on the spatial utilization pattern of seasonal rainfall in semiarid grassland ecosystems.

scholarly journals Different responses of plant species to deferment of sheep grazing in a desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Xiangyang Hou ◽  
Michael P. Schellenberg ◽  
Yan Qin ◽  
Xiangjun Yun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
C4 Plants ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
C3 Plants ◽  
Desert Steppe ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Steppe Vegetation

This paper reports the effects of different deferments of sheep grazing on plant variables of desert steppe vegetation in Inner Mongolia during 2010–2012. The study was initiated in May 2010 and comprised five treatments: no grazing (UG), grazing throughout the growing season (G) and grazing deferment for 40, 50 and 60 days (40UG, 50UG and 60UG) from the start of the growing season in a completely randomised block design replicated three times. The plant species were classified into two functional groups (C3 and C4 species) and the relationships among species composition, biomass and annual precipitation were examined in different deferments of sheep grazing. Treatment G significantly decreased the biomass of several species compared with some of the deferred treatments and treatment UG, because of differences in grazing preferences, and, consequently, decreased the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). Grazing deferment for 40, 50 and 60 days significantly increased C3-species richness and biomass compared with treatment UG, whereas grazing sheep’s preferences for C4 plants at some growth stages compared with C3 plants, resulted in lower species richness and biomass of C4 plants in treatments G, 40UG and 50UG in a dry year. Similarly, different species responses to treatment 60UG resulted in an increase in ANPP in a year with more precipitation during the growing season. The annual precipitation patterns strongly affected the temporal changes in biomass as well as the responses to grazing, indicating that the plant responses in the desert steppe were co-limited by grazing and precipitation. These findings provide important insights into the management and conservation of desert steppe vegetation in Inner Mongolia.

The aboveground biomass of desert steppe and its spatiotemporal variation in western Inner Mongolia

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 339
Author(s):  
Gao Tian ◽  
Xu Bin ◽  
Yang Xiu-Chun ◽  
Jin Yun-Xiang ◽  
Ma Hai-Long ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variation ◽  
Desert Steppe

Effects of short-term warming and increasing precipitation on soil respiration of desert steppe of Inner Mongolia

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1043-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao LIU ◽  
Yong-Xian ZHANG ◽  
Zhen-Zhu XU ◽  
Guang-Sheng ZHOU ◽  
Yan-Hui HOU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Desert Steppe ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Increasing Precipitation

scholarly journals Simulating Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Sichuan Grassland Net Primary Productivity Using the CASA Model and In Situ Observations

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanjiang Tang ◽  
Xinyu Fu ◽  
Dong Jiang ◽  
Jingying Fu ◽  
Xinyue Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Alpine Meadow ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Light Use Efficiency ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Casa Model ◽  
Use Efficiency

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator for grassland resource management and sustainable development. In this paper, the NPP of Sichuan grasslands was estimated by the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model. The results were validated with in situ data. The overall precision reached 70%; alpine meadow had the highest precision at greater than 75%, among the three types of grasslands validated. The spatial and temporal variations of Sichuan grasslands were analyzed. The absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (APAR), light use efficiency (ε), and NPP of Sichuan grasslands peaked in August, which was a vigorous growth period during 2011. High values of APAR existed in the southwest regions in altitudes from 2000 m to 4000 m. Light use efficiency (ε) varied in the different types of grasslands. The Sichuan grassland NPP was mainly distributed in the region of 3000–5000 m altitude. The NPP of alpine meadow accounted for 50% of the total NPP of Sichuan grasslands.

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