Patterns of plant species diversity along an altitudinal gradient and its effect on above-ground biomass in alpine meadows in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Liu ◽  
◽  
Qi Li ◽  
Dongdong Chen ◽  
Wenting Zhai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Plant Species Diversity ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Alpine Meadows ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau

scholarly journals Effects of grazing on plant species diversity and above ground biomass in a Trans- Himalayan Rangeland

1970 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Pokharel ◽  
Madhu Chhetri ◽  
Chiranjibi P Upadhyaya
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Grazing Effect ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Palatable Species

Limited information is available on the species composition, above ground biomass and its relations to grazing in a trans-Himalayan rangeland. Its assessment is essential for long term conservation and management. In the present study, we compared species composition, phenology, diversity index and biomass between controlled (without grazing) and open (free grazing) plots to assess the effects of grazing in the selected experimental sites of Upper Mustang during July and November 2005. Species encountered were classified as high, medium, low and non palatable and in three life form categories-grasses, shrubs and forbs. The experimental sites are dominated by forbs (80%) followed by grasses (15%) and shrubs (5%). Disturbance caused by grazing affects the phenological characteristics of the plant community. Result also reveals that species diversity, maximum possible diversity, evenness and species richness was higher in the grazed plots during July and November. A comparison of the aboveground biomass in July showed that mean percentage biomass of high, medium and low palatable species is higher in ungrazed plots. In November, the percentage biomass of only medium palatable species was higher in ungrazed plots and rest of the category is higher in grazed plots. Significant difference in July, a peak growing seasons for most of the plant species in the region reveals that the pasture has impact of livestock grazing. Keywords: Biomass, diversity, grazing effect, rangeland, species Banko Janakari: A journal of forestry information for Nepal Vol.17(1) 2007 pp.25-31

Plant species diversity along an altitudinal gradient of Bhabha Valley in western Himalaya

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Chawla ◽  
S. Rajkumar ◽  
K. N. Singh ◽  
Brij Lal ◽  
R. D. Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Western Himalaya ◽  
Plant Species Diversity

Effect of a grazing ban on restoring the degraded alpine meadows of Northern Tibet, China

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. N. Zhang ◽  
H. Ganjurjav ◽  
Y. Liang ◽  
Q. Z. Gao ◽  
Y. F. Wan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Plant Species Diversity ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Individual Plant ◽  
Root Mass ◽  
Alpine Meadows ◽  
Northern Tibet ◽  
Free Grazing

Banning of grazing is a widely used means of restoring degraded rangeland in China. However, little is known about the time required to restore degraded alpine meadows through the use of a grazing ban. Height and cover of individual plant species and total cover, herbage mass and root mass of each plot of a grazing ban and communal free-grazing alpine meadows in Northern Tibet were examined. Soil samples were also collected and total organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, total phosphorus and ammonium nitrogen contents were measured. The results showed that both the level of plant species diversity and herbage mass were higher in areas of a grazing ban than in communal free-grazing land without a grazing ban. No significant differences in root mass and soil nutrient contents were observed. There was a higher plant species diversity and herbage mass in the early years of a grazing ban but there was a subsequent decline. It is suggested that some grazing after a grazing ban may be necessary according to the dynamics of ecosystem responses with time.

scholarly journals Main vegetation types and plant species diversity along an altitudinal gradient of Al Baha region, Saudi Arabia

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 687-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Al-Aklabi ◽  
Abdul Wali Al-Khulaidi ◽  
Akram Hussain ◽  
Nageeb Al-Sagheer
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Plant Species Diversity ◽  
Vegetation Types

Post-wildfire soil and plant foliar nutrient ratios and soil fungi : bacterial ratios in alpine meadows on the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Zhang ◽  
Lijuan Liu ◽  
Kaiwen Pan ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Yanjie Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Soil Fungi ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Nutrient Ratios ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Alpine Meadows ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Foliar N ◽  
Foliar Nutrient ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Wildfire is increasingly considered as a common ecological phenomenon in grassland. However, little is known about its effects on soil and plant nutrient ratios, especially in alpine ecosystems where wildfires are common. In the present study, nutrient ratios of the post-wildfire surface soil (0–5 cm) and nine dominant plant species leaves, in addition to soil fungi : bacterial ratios (F : B ratios), were investigated in the alpine meadows on the south-eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, approximately 20 months after a high-severity wildfire. The results indicated that the burned sites had lower soil nitrogen : phosphorus (N : P) and nitrogen : potassium (N : K) ratios compared with unburned sites. Moreover, foliar N concentrations were lower on burned than unburned sites, but foliar N : P ratios were not different. Compared with the unburned sites, greater foliar K concentrations and lower N : K ratios were observed in burned sites. The idiosyncratic responses of foliar nutrient ratios to wildfire varied greatly, especially N and related nutrient ratios with plant species. Soil F : B ratios were positively correlated with soil C : N and C : P ratios, whereas they were negatively correlated with soil N : P and N : K ratios. The results of the present study suggest that there is reduced supply capacity of soil N for plants relative to soil P and K in the post-fire alpine meadow, which could have potential ecological implications in this region.

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