Response of Lamiophlomis rotata (Benth.) Kudo to degradation of alpine grasslands in the western Sichuan plateau, China

Abstract Background: Lamiophlomis rotata (Benth.)Kudo, also known as Duyiwei in China, is considered to be one of the most common Tibetan medicine. It is famous for the significant effects on improving blood circulation and relieving pain. Due to the environmental deterioration and excessive consumption, the wild resources of L.rotata is decreasing year by year. However, its artificial cultivation has not been realized. This study aimed to initially explore the adaptation mechanism of L.rotata to degraded alpine grassland, and provide reference for its wild tending and artificial cultivation.Methods: In this study, we used a sample method to conduct a population ecological survey of plants and collect plant leaf samples from mildly, moderately, and extremely degraded grassland. The content of SOD, POD, CAT, PRO, MDA, SS, SP, carotene, chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B in different sample leaves was measured by colorimetry. Microscopic characteristics of the cross-section, epidermis and submicroscopic structure of the leaves were observed and compared.Results: The density of L. rotata in moderately degraded grassland was the highest，where L. rotata had the strongest resistance. And the analysis of seven physiological indicators combined with stress resistance showed that the average content of MDA, SOD, POD, CAT and SS is the highest in L. rotata of the moderately degraded grassland. The microscopic observation showed that, by increasing the thickness of the epidermis, the density of the glandular scales, the proportion of palisade tissue and the number of gland scales, L. rotata was able to adapt to the degraded grassland. Meanwhile, morphological studies have shown that L. rotata could enhance root growth in the degraded grassland. Furthermore, in response to the degradation of alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, L. rotata population and biomass distribution in the underground parts have increased. However, L. rotata does not have a competitive advantage in mildly degraded grassland. Compare with the mildly and moderately habitat, the population of L. rotata is small in the extremely degraded habitat.Conclusion: The results showed that among the 3 levels of degraded grassland, L. rotata in the moderately degraded grassland shows the strongest resistance. This study can provide a reference for breeding and ecological planting of L. rotata, suggests that in the nursery stage, the medium degraded grassland should be chosen for ecological breeding to enhance the survival rate of seedlings. While after large-scale planting, reasonable community interventions, like the P. fruticosa+F. rubra community, should be built to simulate the yield of medicinal materials.

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The Mixed Addition of Biochar and Nitrogen Improves Soil Properties and Microbial Structure of Moderate–Severe Degraded Alpine Grassland in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.765041 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jinsheng Li ◽

Yinquan Zhao ◽

Xinqing Shao ◽

Ding Huang ◽

Jianying Shang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Animal Husbandry ◽

Soil Condition ◽

Nitrogen Addition ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Available Phosphorus ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Bacteria And Fungi ◽

Degraded Grassland

The degradation of the grassland system has severely threatened the safety of the ecological environment and animal husbandry. The supplement of key substances lost due to degradation is widely used to accelerate the restoration of the degraded grassland ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the effects of biochar and nitrogen addition on soil properties and microorganisms of degraded alpine grassland. The experimental treatments consisted of the control without any addition, only nitrogen addition (10 gN/m2), only biochar addition (4.00 kg/m2 biochar), and the mixed addition of biochar and nitrogen (4.00 kg/m2 biochar and 10 gN/m2 nitrogen, respectively). Adding N alone did not significantly change the pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass (MB), and the composition proportion of microbes of the soil, but increased the contents of soil water content (SWC), NH4+-N, NO3–-N, available phosphorus (AP), and the biomass of bacteria and fungi. The addition of biochar or the mixture of biochar and nitrogen increased the contents of pH, TOC, TN, MB, SWC, NH4+-N, NO3–-N, AP, bacteria, and fungi in the soil and changed the structure of the soil microbial community. The increasing intensity of AP, bacteria, and fungi under the addition of biochar or the mixture of biochar and nitrogen was significantly greater than that under N addition alone. These results indicated that the separated addition of nitrogen and biochar and the mixed addition of biochar and nitrogen all improved the soil condition of the moderate–severe degraded alpine grassland, but the mixed addition of biochar and nitrogen could be a better strategy to remediate the degraded alpine grassland.

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A Meta-Analysis on Degraded Alpine Grassland Mediated by Climate Factors: Enlightenment for Ecological Restoration

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.821954 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jiale Yu ◽

Lingfan Wan ◽

Guohua Liu ◽

Keming Ma ◽

Hao Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecological Restoration ◽

Large Scale ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Wiener Index ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Climate Factors ◽

Available Nitrogen ◽

Precipitation And Temperature

Alpine grassland is the main ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Degradation and restoration of alpine grassland are related to ecosystem function and production, livelihood, and wellbeing of local people. Although a large number of studies research degraded alpine grassland, there are debates about degradation patterns of alpine grassland in different areas and widely applicable ecological restoration schemes due to the huge area of the QTP. In this study, we used the meta-analysis method to synthesize 80 individual published studies which were conducted to examine aboveground and underground characteristics in non-degradation (ND), light degradation (LD), moderate degradation (MD), heavy degradation (HD), and extreme degradation (ED) of alpine grassland on the QTP. Results showed that aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), Shannon-Wiener index (H′), soil moisture (SM), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (TN), and available nitrogen (AN) gradually decreased along the degradation gradient, whereas soil bulk density (BD) and soil pH gradually increased. In spite of a tendency to soil desertification, losses of other soil nutrients and reduction of enzymes, there was no linear relationship between the variations with degradation gradient. Moreover, the decreasing extent of TN was smaller in areas with higher precipitation and temperature, and the decreasing extent of AGB, SOC, and TN was larger in areas with a higher extent of corresponding variables in the stage of ND during alpine grassland degradation. These findings suggest that in areas with higher precipitation and temperature, reseeding and sward cleavage can be used for restoration on degraded alpine grassland. Fencing and fertilization can be used for alpine grassland restoration in areas with lower precipitation and temperature. Microbial enzymes should not be used to restore degraded alpine grassland on a large scale on the QTP without detailed investigation and analysis. Future studies should pay more attention to the effects of climate factors on degradation processes and specific ecological restoration strategies in different regions of the QTP.

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Large-Scale Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Changes of Net Ecosystem Production in Hindu Kush Himalayan Region

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13061180 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1180

Author(s):

Da Guo ◽

Xiaoning Song ◽

Ronghai Hu ◽

Xinming Zhu ◽

Yazhen Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Net Primary Production ◽

Carbon Sink ◽

Carbon Sources ◽

Spatial Dynamics ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Geostatistical Model ◽

Hindu Kush ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

The Difference

The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is one of the most ecologically vulnerable regions in the world. Several studies have been conducted on the dynamic changes of grassland in the HKH region, but few have considered grassland net ecosystem productivity (NEP). In this study, we quantitatively analyzed the temporal and spatial changes of NEP magnitude and the influence of climate factors on the HKH region from 2001 to 2018. The NEP magnitude was obtained by calculating the difference between the net primary production (NPP) estimated by the Carnegie–Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model and the heterotrophic respiration (Rh) estimated by the geostatistical model. The results showed that the grassland ecosystem in the HKH region exhibited weak net carbon uptake with NEP values of 42.03 gC∙m−2∙yr−1, and the total net carbon sequestration was 0.077 Pg C. The distribution of NEP gradually increased from west to east, and in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, it gradually increased from northwest to southeast. The grassland carbon sources and sinks differed at different altitudes. The grassland was a carbon sink at 3000–5000 m, while grasslands below 3000 m and above 5000 m were carbon sources. Grassland NEP exhibited the strongest correlation with precipitation, and it had a lagging effect on precipitation. The correlation between NEP and the precipitation of the previous year was stronger than that of the current year. NEP was negatively correlated with temperature but not with solar radiation. The study of the temporal and spatial dynamics of NEP in the HKH region can provide a theoretical basis to help herders balance grazing and forage.

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Legacy effect of warming on the heterotrophic respiration of alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Applied Soil Ecology ◽

10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.104093 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 166 ◽

pp. 104093

Author(s):

Fei Peng ◽

Wenjuan Zhang ◽

Chimin Lai ◽

Chengyang Li ◽

Quangang You ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heterotrophic Respiration ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Legacy Effect ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

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Distribution characteristics of typical geological relics in the Western Sichuan Plateau

Open Geosciences ◽

10.1515/geo-2020-0104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 307-323

Author(s):

Qizhong Wang ◽

Zhongquan Li ◽

Yuan Yin ◽

Shuang Yang ◽

Wei Long ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Geological Heritage ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Analysis Method ◽

Western Sichuan ◽

Distribution Rules ◽

Index Analysis ◽

External Forces ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau ◽

First Time ◽

Tectonic Movements

AbstractThe Western Sichuan Plateau (WSP), located in the eastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, is the most strongly deformed region of the continental crust in China. Frequent tectonic movements shape the unique topography and landform of the WSP and have also produced abundant geological heritage resources. Based on the existing geological heritage survey data in Sichuan Province, the nearest index analysis method of employing a regional spatial point model was used to reveal the distribution rules and the genetic mechanism of typical geological relics in the WSP for the first time. Results indicate that the formation and distribution of geological relics in the WSP are generally controlled by tectonic movement and supplemented by the comprehensive action of external forces such as flowing water. Their distribution shows a condensed spatial distribution pattern and extends along the strike of a fault zone and river strike strip. Finally, based on the characteristics of geological relics in the WSP, some suggestions on the protection and development of regional geological relics were put forward.

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The burying and grazing effects of plateau pika on alpine grassland are small: a pilot study in a semiarid basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-13-6273-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 6273-6284 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Shuhua Yi ◽

Jianjun Chen ◽

Yu Qin ◽

Gaowei Xu

Keyword(s):

Net Primary Production ◽

Keystone Species ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Plateau Pika ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Grazing Effects ◽

Considerable Controversy ◽

The One ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Abstract. There is considerable controversy about the effects of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae, hereafter pika) on alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). On the one hand, pika is considered a keystone species. On the other hand, it is being poisoned. Although significant efforts have been made to study the effects of pika at a quadrat scale ( ∼  m2), our knowledge about its distribution and effects at a larger scale is very limited. In this study, we investigated the direct effects, i.e., burying and grazing, of pika by upscaling field sampling at a quadrat scale to a plot scale ( ∼  1000 m2) by aerial photographing. Altogether 168 plots were set on four different types of alpine grassland in a semiarid basin on the QTP. Results showed that (1) the effects of pika pile burying on the reduction of vegetation cover, biomass, soil carbon, and nitrogen were less than 10 %, which was much smaller than the effects of bald patches; and (2) pika consumed 8–21 % of annual net primary production of grassland. We concluded that the direct burying and grazing effects of pika on alpine grassland were minor in this region. The quadcopter is an efficient and economic tool for long-term repeated monitoring over large regions for further understanding the role of pika.

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Interaction between root exudates and rhizosphere microorganisms facilitates the expansion of poisonous plant species in degraded grassland

10.21203/rs.3.rs-208803/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Wenyin Wang ◽

Tianhua Jia ◽

Tianyun Qi ◽

Shanshan Li ◽

Degen A.Allan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Soil Nutrients ◽

Root Exudates ◽

Carbon Metabolism ◽

Soil Microbial Communities ◽

Alpine Grassland ◽

Poisonous Plant ◽

Poisonous Plants ◽

Rhizosphere Microorganisms ◽

Degraded Grassland

Abstract Background The interaction between rhizosphere microorganisms and rhizosphere exudates is considered a ‘novel weapon’ for poisonous plants’ colonization, but the relationship between them in facilitating the expansion of poisonous plants in degraded or barren land is poorly understood. We examined this relationship in different degradation levels of alpine grasslands on the Tibetan plateau (3,700 m a.s.l) by determining the composition of root exudates, soil physical and chemical properties, rhizosphere microbial diversity and carbon metabolism of the main poisonous and non-poisonous plant species. Results Soil nutrients, including total organic carbon, total nitrogen and available phosphorous, diversity of microorganisms and microbial carbon metabolism were greater in the rhizosphere of poisonous than in non-poisonous plant species (P < 0.05). The distribution of bacteria and root exudates were plant species specific. Soil microbial communities were affected by habitat and plant species in degraded grassland, and more so for bacteria than fungi. The cell growth and death pathway for the poisonous species Ligularia virgaurea was greater than for other poisonous species (P < 0.05), and the difference increased with an increase in grassland degradation and a decrease in soil nutrients (P < 0.05), which could explain how L. virgaurea became the dominant poisonous species in degraded alpine grassland. The roots of L. virgaurea exudated such compounds as alkaloids, lupinic acid, terpenes, artemisinin, and coumarin, which were correlated positively with different bacteria in different habitats. Conclusion It was concluded that poisonous plant species adapted to degraded grassland through the interaction of root exudates and rhizosphere microorganisms, which facilitated their expansion in degraded alpine grassland.

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Dominant Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation Systems for the Extreme Precipitation over the Western Sichuan Basin in Summer 2013

Advances in Meteorology ◽

10.1155/2015/690363 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yamin Hu ◽

Panmao Zhai ◽

Lihong Liu ◽

Yang Chen ◽

Yanju Liu

Keyword(s):

Extreme Precipitation ◽

Sichuan Basin ◽

Large Scale ◽

Function Technique ◽

Western Sichuan ◽

Cold Flow ◽

Circulation Patterns ◽

Anomalous Anticyclone ◽

Western Sichuan Basin ◽

Large Scale Atmospheric Circulation

The western Sichuan Basin (WSB) is a rainstorm center influenced by complicated factors such as topography and circulation. Based on multivariable empirical orthogonal function technique for extreme precipitation processes (EPP) in WSB in 2013, this study reveals the dominant circulation patterns. Results indicate that the leading modes are characterized by “Saddle” and “Sandwich” structures, respectively. In one mode, a TC from the South China Sea (SCS) converts into the inverted trough and steers warm moist airflow northward into the WSB. At the same time, WPSH extends westward over the Yangtze River and conveys a southeasterly warm humid flow. In the other case, WPSH is pushed westward by TC in the Western Pacific and then merges with an anomalous anticyclone over SCS. The anomalous anticyclone and WPSH form a conjunction belt and convey the warm moist southwesterly airflow to meet with the cold flow over the WSB. The configurations of WPSH and TC in the tropic and the blocking and trough in the midhigh latitudes play important roles during the EPPs over the WSB. The persistence of EPPs depends on the long-lived large-scale circulation configuration steady over the suitable positions.

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Contrasting Performance of the Remotely-Derived GPP Products over Different Climate Zones across China

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs11161855 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (16) ◽

pp. 1855 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yanan Chen ◽

Hongfan Gu ◽

Munan Wang ◽

Qing Gu ◽

Zhi Ding ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Southern China ◽

Gross Primary Production ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽

Northern China ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Semiarid Region ◽

Interannual Variations ◽

Climate Zones

Precise quantification of terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) has been recognized as one of the most important components in understanding the carbon balance between the biosphere and the atmosphere. In recent years, although many large-scale GPP estimates from satellite data and ecosystem models have been generated, few attempts have been made to compare the different GPP products at national scales, particularly for various climate zones. In this study, two of the most widely-used GPP datasets were systematically compared over the eight climate zones across China’s terrestrial ecosystems from 2001 to 2015, which included the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) GPP and the breathing Earth system simulator (BESS) GPP products. Additionally, the coarse (0.05o) GPP estimates from the vegetation photosynthesis model (VPM) at the same time scale were used for auxiliary analysis with the two products. Both MODIS and BESS products exhibited a decreasing trend from the southeast region to the northwest inland. The largest GPP was found in the tropical humid region with 5.49 g C m−2 d−1 and 5.07 g C m−2 d−1 for MODIS and BESS, respectively, while the lowest GPP was distributed in the warm temperate arid region, midtemperate semiarid region and plateau zone. Meanwhile, the work confirmed that all these GPP products showed apparent seasonality with the peaks in the summertime. However, large differences were found in the interannual variations across the three GPP products over different climate regions. Generally, the BESS GPP agreed better than the MODIS GPP when compared to the seasonal and interannual variations of VPM GPP. Furthermore, the spatial correlation analysis between terrestrial GPP and the climatic factors, including temperature and precipitation, indicated that natural rainfall dominated the variability in GPP of Northern China, such as the midtemperate semiarid region, while temperature was a key controlling factor in the Southern China and the Tibet Plateau area.

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