scholarly journals Community Differentiation and Ecological Influencing Factors along Environmental Gradients: Evidence from 1200 km Belt Transect across Inner Mongolia Grassland, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 361
Author(s):  
Zhanyong Fu ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Zhaohua Lu ◽  
Meng Zhang ◽  
Lin Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nutrients ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Spatial Differentiation ◽  
Leymus Chinensis ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Temperate Steppe ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Inner Mongolia Grassland ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Belt Transect

In this work, we conducted a 1200 km belt transect for field survey in typical and meadow steppes across Inner Mongolia Plateau in 2018. The field investigation, laboratory soil analysis, and quantitative ecology methods were utilized to explore the differentiation characteristics of the plant community, and their relationships with ecological factors. The results showed that a total of 140 vascular plants within 108 quadrats mainly comprised of Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, and Fabaceae. Two-way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) revealed eight vegetation typologies: I: Stipa sareptana var. krylovii + Dysphania aristata, II: Stipa grandis + Leymus chinensis, III: Stipa sareptana var. krylovii + Leymus chinensis, IV: Stipa grandis + Cleistogenes squarrosa, V: Stipa grandis + Carex duriuscula, VI: Stipa baicalensis + Leymus chinensis, VII: Carex pediformis + Stipa baicalensis, VIII: Leymus chinensis + Elymus dahuricus. Detrend Correspondence Analysis (DCA) confirmed the above eight vegetation typologies and indicated a relatively small variation. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that the spatial differentiation characteristics in the typical steppe were chiefly driven by precipitation, while the influencing factor in the meadow steppe was soil nutrients, followed by temperature and precipitation. The contrast between typical and meadow steppes revealed that the spatial distribution of typical steppe was influenced by precipitation, while the contribution of heat and water in the meadow steppe was equal. The conclusion revealed that the temperature and precipitation conditions coupled with soil nutrients shaped the spatial differentiation characteristics of temperate steppe vegetation in the Inner Mongolia grassland. Therefore, this study advanced our knowledge of the spatial patterns of temperate steppe along longitude and latitude gradients, providing scientific and theoretical guidance for the biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management of the Inner Mongolia grassland.

scholarly journals Changing Trends of NDVI and Their Responses to Climatic Variation in Different Types of Grassland in Inner Mongolia from 1982 to 2011

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Yang ◽  
Zhiqiang Wan ◽  
Suld Borjigin ◽  
Dong Zhang ◽  
Yulong Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Climatic Variation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Desert Steppe ◽  
Vegetation Density ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Changing Trends ◽  
Different Types

Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is commonly used to indicate vegetation density and condition. NDVI was mostly correlated with climate factors. We analyzed changing trends of NDVI in different types of grassland in Inner Mongolia and the response of NDVI to climatic variation from 1982 to 2011. NDVI of meadow steppe increased significantly in spring while it decreased in other seasons. The annual mean NDVI in typical steppe and desert steppe increased significantly in the last 30a. However, in the greatest area of steppe desert, the NDVI had no significant change in summer, autumn, and the growing season. In meadow steppe, typical steppe, and desert steppe, the area showed a positive correlation of NDVI to temperature as highest in spring compared to other seasons, because warming in spring is beneficial to the plant growth. However, in the greatest area of steppe desert, the correlation of NDVI to temperature was not significant. The NDVI was positively correlated to precipitation in four types of grassland. In the steppe desert, the precipitation had no significant effect on the NDVI due to the poor vegetation cover in this region. The NDVI was not significantly correlated to the precipitation in autumn because of vegetation withering in the season and not need precipitation. Precipitation was a more important factor rather than temperature to NDVI in the region. The response of NDVI to temperature and precipitation in different seasons should be studied in more detail and the effect of other factors on NDVI should be considered in future research.

Effect of Grassland Degradation on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. in Different Steppe Types

2013 ◽  
Vol 772 ◽  
pp. 855-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
En Wu ◽  
Li Hua Bai ◽  
Li Xia Cao
Keyword(s):  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Mycorrhizal Colonization ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis ◽  
Colonization Rate ◽  
Leymus Chinensis ◽  
Mycorrhizal Symbiosis ◽  
Grassland Degradation ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
The West ◽  
Typical Steppe

This study compared the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis of Leymus chinensis between meadow steppe and typical steppe in the West Ujimqin banner. Mycorrhizal colonization rate and number of rhizosphere spore of L. chinensis decreased from light to heavy grassland degradation in the both of steppes. The mycorrhizal colonization rate and rhizosphere spore number of L. chinensis decreased significantly at moderate-heavy degradation stages in meadow steppe, and the typical steppe occurred in light-moderate degradation stages. These results indicated that the mycorrhizal symbiotic patience of L. chinensis in typical steppe is lower than that of meadow steppe.

scholarly journals Rhizome Severing Increases Root Lifespan of Leymus chinensis in a Typical Steppe of Inner Mongolia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. e12125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenming Bai ◽  
Fen Xun ◽  
Yang Li ◽  
Wenhao Zhang ◽  
Linghao Li
Keyword(s):  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Leymus Chinensis ◽  
Root Lifespan ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Rhizome Severing

Influence of Reclamation on Grassland Slope in Farming-Pastoral Areas, Inner Mongolia

2013 ◽  
Vol 726-731 ◽  
pp. 3743-3746
Author(s):  
Tian Ming Gao ◽  
Rui Qiang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Ecological Environment ◽  
Leymus Chinensis ◽  
Perennial Herb ◽  
Inner Mongolia Grassland ◽  
Environment Problem ◽  
Annual Herb

In the majority of farming-pastoral areas, Inner Mongolia, grassland slope was reclaimed recent years due to the increase of population. The resulting deterioration of ecological environment problem is becoming more and more serious. In 2012, the effect of reclamation on erosion, vegetation and soil characteristics were researched in Saiwusu of Damao County, Inner Mongolia. Results show: 1. Severe wind erosion in spring, also severe water erosion in summer were on the slopping field. 2. After cultivation, annual herb such as Salsols collina, Corispermum declinatum, Chenopodum aristatum, Artimisia annua et al. grew vigorously, however perennial herb such as Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and Agropyron cristatum were inhibited. 3. Soil nutrient sharp declined due to the erosion and harvest. In short, the grassland which converted to slopping field increases more than 5 times of soil erosion, soil fertility drops 30%, and vegetation changed completely after 1 year; 4 years later, soil fertility drops 50%, vegetation becomes sparse, soil water and fertility is poor, crop yield is low, the slopping field is not fit to continue farming, large abandoned.

scholarly journals Effects of Fencing on Vegetation and Soil Nutrients of the Temperate Steppe Grasslands in Inner Mongolia

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1546
Author(s):  
Shan Cong ◽  
Daowei Zhou ◽  
Qiang Li ◽  
Yingxin Huang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nutrients ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Temperate Steppe ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Litter Biomass ◽  
Live Biomass

Grazing exclusion has been widely implemented in degraded grassland. However, the changes of plant communities and soil nutrients in response to fencing are still controversial. Thus, the effects of free grazing, 17 and 36 years of fencing on the plant biomass and litter biomass, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and stocks of plant, litter and soil were investigated in the temperate steppe grasslands of northern China. The results indicated that fencing increased the aboveground live biomass and litter biomass. In addition, fencing increased C, N and P stocks of aboveground live biomass, litter biomass and soil. Although root biomass and its nutrient stocks were also significantly increased by 17 years of fencing, they were decreased with fencing extending from 17 to 36 years. Moreover, there were no significant differences in aboveground live biomass and soil N and P stocks between 17 and 36 years of fencing. Litter biomass and its C, N and P stocks were positively correlated with soil C, N and P stocks. Our results demonstrated that 17 years of fencing is an effective way to restore vegetation and soil nutrients in the temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia, but a longer fencing duration has no further positive effects on biomass production and soil nutrients accumulation.

scholarly journals Early warning indicators of grassland degradation in inner Mongolia

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Qin ◽  
Guodong Han ◽  
Zhongwu Wang ◽  
Linxi Hu ◽  
Jun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Grassland Degradation ◽  
Desert Steppe ◽  
Meadow Steppe ◽  
Vegetation Composition ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
Early Warning Indicators ◽  
Warning Indicators ◽  
Spatial Threshold

Backgroung: With the implementation of the Household Production Responsibility System in China almost 30 years ago, obvious spatial heterogeneity has developed over rangeland. Methods: We examined lifeform functional groups over 5 years on household ranches in different grazing utilization rate (30%-95%) ecosystems in Inner Mongolia to identify the early warning indicators of grassland degradation. Results: The results showed that a similar grassland utilization threshold occurred in different types of steppe, with 78-89% utilization for meadow steppe, 81-89% for typical steppe and 70-85% for desert steppe. The vegetation composition above these utilization thresholds did not show obvious signs of degradation; therefore, the risk of degradation was difficult to determine. The spatial threshold (WD: L) had a value of 31.40:100 for meadow steppe, 8.53:100 for typical steppe and 42.21:100 for desert steppe. Conclusion: Land managers cannot easily determine the risk of degeneration according to the vegetation composition or function group. So the spatial threshold is important for implemented strategies to prevent degradation, and our study provides new insights to improve the management and restoration of degraded grassland in Inner Mongolia.

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