Seasonal changes in the relationship between species richness and community biomass in grassland under grazing and exclosure, Horqin Sandy Land, northern China

How species diversity–productivity relationships respond to temporal dynamics and land use is still not clear in semi-arid grassland ecosystems. We analyzed seasonal changes of the relationships between vegetation cover, plant density, species richness, and aboveground biomass in grasslands under grazing and exclosure in the Horqin Sandy Land of northern China. Our results showed that in grazed and fenced grassland, vegetation cover, richness, and biomass were lower in April than in August, whereas plant density showed a reverse trend. Vegetation cover during the growing season and biomass in June and August were higher in fenced grassland than in grazed grassland, whereas plant density in April and June was lower in fenced grassland than in grazed grassland. A negative relationship between species richness and biomass was found in August in fenced grassland, and in grazed grassland the relationship between plant density and biomass changed from positive in April to negative in August. The relationship between the density of the dominant plant species and the total biomass also varied with seasonal changes and land use (grazing and exclosure). These results suggest that long-term grazing, seasonal changes, and their interaction significantly influence vegetation cover, plant density, and biomass in grasslands. Plant species competition in fenced grassland results in seasonal changes of the relationship between species richness and biomass. Long-term grazing also affects seasonal changes of the density and biomass of dominant plant species, which further affects the seasonal relationship between plant density and biomass in grasslands. Our study demonstrates the importance of temporal dynamics and land use in understanding the relationship between species richness and ecosystem function.     

1982–2010年中国草地覆盖度变化及其与水热因子耦合性研究(英文)

GIMMS(Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies) NDVI(Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) from 1982 to 2006 and MODIS(Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) NDVI from 2001 to 2010 were blended to extract the grass coverage and analyze its spatial pattern. The response of grass coverage to climatic variations at annual and monthly time scales was analyzed. Grass coverage distribution had increased from northwest to southeast across China. During 1982–2010, the mean nationwide grass coverage was 34% but exhibited apparent spatial heterogeneity, being the highest(61.4%) in slope grasslands and the lowest(17.1%) in desert grasslands. There was a slight increase of the grass coverage with a rate of 0.17% per year. Increase in slope grasslands coverage was as high as 0.27% per year, while in the plain grasslands and meadows the grass coverage increase was the lowest(being 0.11% per year and 0.1% per year, respectively). Across China, the grass coverage with extremely significant increase(P0.01) and significant increase(P0.05) accounted for 46.03% and 11% of the total grassland area, respectively, while those with extremely significant and significant decrease accounted for only 4.1% and 3.24%, respectively. At the annual time scale, there are no significant correlations between grass coverage and annual mean temperature and precipitation. However, the grass coverage was somewhat affected by temperature in alpine and sub-alpine grassland, alpine and sub-alpine meadow, slope grassland and meadow, while grass coverage in desert grassland and plain grassland was more affected by precipitation. At the monthly time-scale, there are significant correlations between grass coverage with both temperature and precipitation, indicating that the grass coverage is more affected by seasonal fluctuations of hydrothermal conditions. Additionally, there is one-month time lag-effect between grass coverage and climate factors for each grassland types.     

三江源区高寒草地载畜量及超载状况分析(英文)

The Three-River Headwaters region in China is an ecological barrier providing environmental protection and regional sustainable development for the mid-stream and downstream areas, which also plays an important role in animal husbandry in China. This study estimated the grassland yield in the Three-River Headwaters region based on MODIS NPP data, and calculated the proper livestock-carrying capacity of the grassland. We analyzed the overgrazing number and its spatial distribution characteristics through data comparison between actual and proper livestock-carrying capacity. The results showed the following:(1) total grassland yield(hay) in the Three-River Headwaters region was 10.96 million tons in 2010 with an average grassland yield of 465.70 kg/hm2(the spatial distribution presents a decreasing trend from the east and southeast to the west and northwest in turn);(2) the proper livestock-carrying capacity in the Three-River Headwaters region is 12.19 million sheep units(hereafter described as "SU"), and the average stocking capacity is 51.27 SU [the proper carrying capacity is above 100 SU/km2in the eastern counties, 60 SU/km2in the central counties(except Madoi County), and 30 SU/km2in the western counties]; and(3) total overgrazing number was 6.52 million SU in the Three-River Headwaters region in 2010, with an average overgrazing ratio of 67.88% and an average overgrazing number of 27.43 SU/km2. A higher overgrazing ratio occurred in Tongde, Xinghai, Yushu, Henan and Zêkog. There was no overgrazing in Zhiduo, Tanggula Township and Darlag, Qumerleb and Madoi. The remainder of the counties had varying degrees of overgrazing.     

Livestock-carrying capacity and overgrazing status of alpine grassland in the Three-RiverHeadwaters region,China简

The Three-River Headwaters region in China is an ecological barrier providing en- vironmental protection and regional sustainable development for the mid-stream and down- stream areas, which also plays an important role in animal husbandry in China. This study estimated the grassland yield in the Three-River Headwaters region based on MODIS NPP data, and calculated the proper livestock-carrying capacity of the grassland. We analyzed the overgrazing number and its spatial distribution characteristics through data comparison be- tween actual and proper livestock-carrying capacity. The results showed the following： （1） total grassland yield （hay） in the Three-River Headwaters region was 10.96 million tons in 2010 with an average grassland yield of 465.70 kg/hm2 （the spatial distribution presents a decreasing trend from the east and southeast to the west and northwest in turn）; （2） the proper livestock-carrying capacity in the Three-River Headwaters region is 12.19 million sheep units （hereafter described as ＂SU＂）, and the average stocking capacity is 51.27 SU [the proper carrying capacity is above 100 SU/km2 in the eastern counties, 60 SU/km2 in the cen- tral counties （except Madoi County）, and 30 SU/km2 in the western counties]; and （3） total overgrazing number was 6.52 million SU in the Three-River Headwaters region in 2010, with an average overgrazing ratio of 67.88% and an average overgrazing number of 27.43 SU/km2 A higher overgrazing ratio occurred in Tongde, Xinghai, Yushu, Henan and Z~kog. There was no overgrazing in Zhiduo, Tanggula Township and Darlag, Qumerleb and Madoi. The re- mainder of the counties had varying degrees of overgrazing.     

中国2010-2015年土地利用变化的时空格局与新特征（英文）

Land use/cover change is an important theme on the impacts of human activities on the earth systems and global environmental change. National land-use changes of China during 2010–2015 were acquired by the digital interpretation method using the high-resolution remotely sensed images, e.g. the Landsat 8 OLI, GF-2 remote sensing images. The spatiotemporal characteristics of land-use changes across China during 2010–2015 were revealed by the indexes of dynamic degree model, annual land-use changes ratio etc. The results indicated that the built-up land increased by 24.6×10~3 km~2 while the cropland decreased by 4.9×10~3 km~2, and the total area of woodland and grassland decreased by 16.4×10~3 km~2. The spatial pattern of land-use changes in China during 2010–2015 was concordant with that of the period 2000–2010. Specially, new characteristics of land-use changes emerged in different regions of China in 2010–2015. The built-up land in eastern China expanded continually, and the total area of cropland decreased, both at decreasing rates. The rates of built-up land expansion and cropland shrinkage were accelerated in central China. The rates of built-up land expansion and cropland growth increased in western China, while the decreasing rate of woodland and grassland accelerated. In northeastern China, built-up land expansion slowed continually, and cropland area increased slightly accompanied by the conversions between paddy land and dry land. Besides, woodland and grassland area decreased in northeastern China. The characteristics of land-use changes in eastern China were essentially consistent with the spatial govern and control requirements of the optimal development zones and key development zones according to the Major Function-oriented Zones Planning implemented during the 12 th Five-Year Plan(2011–2015). It was a serious challenge for the central government of China to effectively protect the reasonable layout of land use types dominated with the key ecological function zones and agricultural production zones in centraland western China. Furthermore, the local governments should take effective measures to strengthen the management of territorial development in future.     

Shrubs proliferated within a six-year exclosure in a temperate grassland—Spatiotemporal relationships between vegetation and soil variables

Overgrazing has been considered one of the maj or causes that trigger shrub encroachment of grassland. Proliferation of shrubs in grassland is recognized as an important indicator of grassland degradation and desertification. In China, various conservation measures, including enclosures to reduce livestock grazing, have been taken to reverse the trend of grassland desertification, yet shrubs have been reported to increase in the grasslands over the past decades. In late 2007, we set up a 400-m-by-50-m exclosure in a long-term overgrazed temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia, with the ob- jective to quantify the spatiotemporal relationship between vegetation dynamics, soil variables, and grazing exclusion. Soil moisture was continuously monitored within the exclosure, and cover and aboveground biomass of the shrubs were measured inside the exclosure in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013, and outside the exclosure in 2012 and 2013. We found the average shrub cover and biomass significantly increased in the six years by 103 % and 120%, respectively. The result supported the hypothesis that releasing grazing pressure following long-term overgrazing tends to trigger shrub invasion into grassland. Our results, limited to a single gradient, suggest that any conservation measures with quick release of overgrazing pressure by enclosure or other similar means might do just the opposite to accelerate shrub en- croachment in grassland. The changes in vegetation cover and biomass were regressed on the temporal average of the soil moisture content by means of the generalized least square technique to quantify the effect of the spatial autocor- relation. The result indicates that the grass cover and biomass significantly increased with the top, but decreased with the bottom layer soil moisture. The shrub cover and biomass, on the other hand, decreased with the top, but increased with bottom soil moisture, although the regression coefficients for the shrubs were not statistically significant. Hence this study supports the two-layered soil model which assumes grasses and shrubs use belowground resources in dif- ferent depths.     

Biodiversity,productivity, and temporal stability in a natural grassland ecosystem of China

Understanding the effect of biodiversity on ecosystem function is critical to promoting the sustainability of ecosystems and species conservation in natural ecosystems. We observed species composition, species richness and aboveground biomass,and simulated the competitive assemblages in a natural grassland ecosystem of China, aiming to test some assumptions and predictions about biodiversity–stability relationships. Our results show that aboveground productivity and temporal stability increased significantly with increasing species richness, and via a combination of overyielding, species asynchrony, and portfolio effects. Species interactions resulted in overyielding caused by trait-independent complementarity, and were not offset by a negative dominance effect and trait-dependent complementarity effect. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying the biodiversity effect shifted from the selection effect to the complementarity effect as diversity increased, and both effects were coexisted but the complementarity effect represent a mechanism that facilitates long term species coexistence in a natural grassland ecosystem of China.     

Effects of grazing and climate change on species diversity in sandy grassland, Inner Mongolia, China

To understand the effects of animal grazing activities and climate change on sandy grassland vegetation in northern China, a field grazing and protected enclosure experiment was conducted from 1992 through 2006 in Horqin Sand Land, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that (1) the grazing was primary responsible for changes of the vegetation richness and diversity in the grazing grassland and that changing climate was the main reason for changes in the species richness and diversity in the grassland protected from grazing; (2) light and moderate grazing can promote restoration of the richness and the diversity in the degraded grassland, and heavy grazing could result in a decrease of the richness and diversity; (3) heavy grazing can result in significant decrease of the perennial diversity, and moderate and light grazing promotes increase of the perennial diversity; the grazing, whether heavy or moderate and light grazing, was beneficial to increase of the annual diversity; (4) heavy grazing was not beneficial to diversity of Graminean and Chenopodiaceae, and moderate and light grazing was favorable the diversity of Compositae and Chenopodiaceae; (5) the warm-humid climate was favorable to increase of the richness and the diversity, and the warm-drought climate could result in decease of the richness and the diversity; (6) increased precipitation was favorable to perennial diversity and the diversity of Graminean, Leguminosae, and Compositae, and decreased precipitation had few effects on the annual diversity and Chenopodiaceae diversity.     

内蒙古农牧交错带土地利用变化对土壤碳储量的影响研究（英文）

Soil organic carbon(SOC) stocks in terrestrial ecosystems vary considerably with land use types. Grassland, forest, and cropland coexist in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, China. Using SOC data compiled from literature and field investigations, this study compared SOC stocks and their vertical distributions among three types of ecosystems. The results indicate that grassland had the largest SOC stock, which was 1.5-and 1.8-folds more than stocks in forest and cropland, respectively. Relative to the stock in 0–100 cm depth, grassland held more than 40% of its SOC stock in the upper 20 cm soil layer; forest and cropland both held over 30% of their respective SOC stocks in the upper 20 cm soil layer. SOC stocks in grazed grasslands were remarkably promoted after ≥20 years of grazing exclusion. Conservational cultivation substantially increased the SOC stocks in cropland, especially in the 0–40 cm depth. Stand ages, tree species, and forest types did not have obvious impacts on forest SOC stocks in the study area likely due to the younger stand ages. Our study implies that soil carbon loss should be taken into account during the implementation of ecological projects, such as reclamation and afforestation, in the arid and semi-arid regions of China.     

1989-2003年中国北方土地覆被变化

The 13 provinces （autonomous regions and municipalities） in northern China are located in latitude 31°-54°N and longitude 73°-136°E including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, where environments are fragile. In recent years, the eco-environmental problems such as vegetation destruction, desertification and soil erosion etc. become serious because of climate change and unreasonable human activities. In this paper, landscape pattern and its evolution in northern China from 1989 to 2003 was investigated by the combined use of RS and GIS based on the basic theory and method of landscape ecology. Land use/cover maps of the study area in 1989, 1999 and 2003 were produced by using 1 km monthly NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer （AVHRR） and SPOTNGT Normalized Difference Vegetation Index （NDVI） dataset from national climate bureau of China which were geo-registered to Lambert azimuthal equal-area map projection and were used in the paper. Landscape evolution in the area over the study period was investigated by two methods： （a） the changes of various landscape metrics were analyzed using the landscape structure analysis program FRAGSTATS; （b） the transition matrix of landscape patch types was calculated with the help of the RS and GIS software. The results showed that from 1989 to 2003, the landscape within the study area had undertaken a complicated evolution in landscape structure and composition. The diversity index and evenness index increased during the period, which means that the landscape pattern tended to be diversified and even. The fragmentation index of grassland, forestland and water areas also increased significantly. This showed that the distribution and structure of forestland, grassland and water areas had been changed greatly during the period, especially grassland which became more and more fragmentized, and its fragmentation index increased from 19.23% to 88.72%. The transi     

Characteristics of grassland degradation and driving forces in the source region of the Yellow River from 1985 to 2000*

The source region of the Yellow River is located in the middle east of the Tibetan Plateau in northwest China. The total area is about 51,700 km2, mainly covered by grassland (79%), unused land (16%) and water (4%). The increasing land utilization in this area has increased the risk of environmental degradation. The land use/cover data (1985 and 2000) provided by the Data Center of Resources and Environment in the Chinese Academy of Sciences were used to analyze the land cover change in the source region of the Yellow River. DEM (1:250,000) data, roads and settlement data were used to analyze the spatial characteristics of grasslands degradation. The ArcGIS 9 software was used to convert data types and do the overlay, reclassification and zonal statistic analysis. Results show that grassland degradation is the most important land cover change in the study area, which occupied 8.24% of the region’s total area. Human activities are the main causes of the grassland degradation in the source region of the Yellow River: 1) the degradation rate is higher on the sunny slope than on the shady slope; 2) the grassland degradation rate decreases with an increase in the elevation, and it has a correlation coefficient of -0.93; 3) the nearer to the settlements the grassland is, the higher the degradation rate. Especially within a distance range of 12 km to the settlements, the grassland degradation rate is highly related with the distance, with a coefficient of -0.99; and 4) in the range of 4 km, the degradation rate decreases with the increase of distance to the roads, with a correlation coefficient of -0.98. Besides some physical factors, human activities have been the most important driving forces of the grassland degradation in the source region of the Yellow River since 1985. To resolve the degradation problems, population control is essential, and therefore, it can reduce the social demand of livestock products from the grassland. To achieve sustainable development, it needs to improve the management of grassland ecosystem.     

黄河源地区草地退化空间特征

利用黄河源地区1985年和2000年1：100000土地利用／覆被数据,结合1：250000DEM、道路和居民点数据与野外调查资料,分析草地退化与坡向、海拔及距道路和居民点距离之间的关系．探讨黄河源区15年间土地覆被变化特征与规律。结果表明,退化草地占源区总面积的8．24％,冬春季牧场退化率显著高于夏季牧场：草地退化是黄河源区研究时段内土地利用／覆被变化最主要的特征。草地退化表现为：①阳坡退化率高于阴坡;②受人口密度影响,草地退化率与海拔高度成反比,相关系数为．0．925;③距离居民点越近。退化率越高。尤其当与居民点距离≤12km时,草地退化率与其相关系数高达-0．996;④在距道路4km以内．草地退化率与道路距离成反比．相关系数高达-0．978。1985年以来,源区的草地退化有自然因素的影响．但人类活动的影响仍起主导作用。科学地减少当地居民对草地的过分依赖是解决脆弱的江河源区环境退化的根本。     

1981-2001年青藏公路和铁路沿线土地覆被变化

1 Introduction Land cover change may result in extremely profound influence on regional water circulation, environmental quality, bio-diversity, and the productivity and adaptive capacity of land ecosystem. Meanwhile, it is an important factor affecting r…     

不同土地-气候情景下三江源地区产水和水土流失评价（英文）

探讨三江源地区产水和土壤保持对整个青藏高原地区、黄河流域、长江流域及澜沧江流域的生态稳定和人类社会的可持续发展具有重要意义。以4期(2000年、2005年、2010年、2015年)土地利用现状数据、降水及气温日值数据集、1∶1000000中国土壤数据库为研究的数据源,结合居民点、道路、河流等矢量数据及人口、经济栅格数据集和CCSM4通用气候模式预测成果数据,以三江源地区为案例区,基于FLUS模型和降尺度校正方法设计4种土地利用发展情景和2种气候变化情景,应用InVEST模型对研究区域2030年不同情景下的产水和土壤侵蚀进行定量模拟。结果表明:(1)不同土地利用发展情景下,草地仍然是三江源地区的优势土地利用类型,面积占比始终大于67%。(2)RCP4.5气候情景下,年产水量和土壤侵蚀量增加幅度分别超过7%和3.9%;RCP8.5气候情景下,年产水量和土壤侵蚀量的减少幅度分别超过3.3%和1.3%。(3)气候变化在产水量和土壤侵蚀量变化中起主导作用。气候变化对产水量变化的贡献率高达89.97%–98.00%,对土壤侵蚀模数变化的贡献率在60.49%–95.64%之间;而土地利用类型变化对区域产水量变化的贡献率仅在2.00%–10.03%之间,对土壤侵蚀模数变化的贡献率在4.36%–39.91%之间。因此,三江源地区土地开发策略应综合考虑区域发展、退耕还林还草的投入及产生的生态效益等多方面问题。     

黄河源区生态环境退化研究

生态环境退化是黄河源区所面临的重要的生态问题和社会经济问题。源区生态环境退化不但影响本区经济的可持续发展,而且对中下游地区的生态环境和水文条件构成很大威胁。在收集区内现有研究成果的基础上,通过对2000年TM影像的解译,对黄河源区生态环境退化现状和特征作了全面系统的研究。源区生态环境退化主要表现在冰川退缩、冻土面积的减小和冻融侵蚀面积的扩大,植被退化和土地退化的加剧等过程。最后,在分析未来气候变化和人类活动的基础上,对生态环境变化趋势作了预测。     

黄河源区土地利用/覆被变化及其生态环境效应

应用1989年TM影像和2005年ETM+影像提取黄河源区两期土地利用/覆被数据,并利用GIS的空间叠加分析对两期土地利用图进行土地利用动态信息的提取。在建立黄河源区土地利用数据库的基础上,采用生态环境质量指数模型建立各土地利用类型与生态环境质量之间的数量关系,定量的分析土地利用变化对生态环境质量的影响。结果表明:①黄河源区1989-2005年间,土地利用变化缓慢而匀速,存在着生态环境的恶化和改善两种相反的趋势。在大尺度范围内,生态环境质量相对稳定,有轻微的恶化,但是在研究区局部范围内,生态环境质量变化显著;②植被是影响黄河源区生态环境质量的主要因素,其中草地对环境质量的影响处于主导地位;③利用生态环境质量指数模型不仅可以从整体上了解研究区生态环境质量,也可以发现影响区域环境质量的主要驱动力。     

2000—2019年中国西北地区植被覆盖变化及其影响因子

中国西北地区土地荒漠化问题严重,生态环境脆弱。厘清该地区植被覆盖时空变化特征及影响因子,对生态环境保护具有重要意义。基于MOD13A3数据,通过最大值合成法处理获得2000—2019年归一化差值植被指数（Normalized Difference Vegetation Index,NDVI）时序数据,采用趋势分析、Hurst指数法及地理探测器对研究区植被覆盖的时空变化特征及影响因子进行分析。结果表明：（1）2000—2019年,研究区植被覆盖整体呈增长趋势,NDVI年增长速率为0.0027（P<0.05）,均值为0.252。空间分区年增长速率有差异,黄河流域片区（0.0062）>半干旱草原片区（0.0026）>内陆干旱片区（0.0018）。（2）研究区植被覆盖呈增长趋势的面积占55.77%,退化区域占3.76%,增长的土地利用类型以耕、林、草地为主。植被覆盖变化趋势具有持续性的区域面积占总面积的31.87%,其中持续性改善面积（17.04%）大于持续性退化面积（1.27%）,黄河流域片区增长情况及持续性增长情况最优。（3）影响植被覆盖空间分布的主要因子按影响力依次为降水、气温、日照、相对湿度,但对各分区的影响程度略有差异。黄河流域片区、内陆干旱片区空间分布受降水影响最大,半干旱草原区受日照影响最大。（4）研究区植被覆盖变化以自然因子与人类活动共同驱动为主,自然因子对植被生长的促进作用大于人类活动,且自然因子对植被覆盖变化的贡献率更高。本研究结果可为评估气候变化背景下西北地区生态环境变化提供参考。     

三江源地区植被指数下降趋势的空间特征 及其地理背景

利用8km分辨率的Pathfinder NOAA/AVHRR-NDVI数据,结合1km分辨率的DEM,1 ∶ 250000道路、居民点、水系数据以及野外调查数据,分析了植被指数变化总体态势、植被指数变化与海拔及与距道路、水源和居民点距离之间的关系,探讨了三江源区1981~2001年间植被指数变化趋势和空间分异特征。结果表明:①三江源地区植被指数变化以下降趋势为主,下降区域占源区总面积的18.92%,增加区域占13.99%;②不同植被和冻土类型下的植被指数下降特征:灌丛区和森林区下降率最高,下降率与各类型区的居民点密度、生计方式有关;植被指数下降程度与冻土类型关系不明显;③植被指数下降的区域差异明显:下降率各区域分别为长江源区13.56%、黄河源区32.51%和澜沧江源区18.1%;④植被指数下降率随着距道路、河流的距离增加而逐渐减小;下降率在距居民点18~24km的缓冲带上达到最高后随着距离增大而下降;植被指数下降率随着海拔高程的升高呈"低－高－低－高"态势,下降率与居民点的分布高度相关。     

近15 a来黄河源地区玛多县草地植被退化的遥感动态监测

 依据草地退化国家标准和黄河源区草地退化的实际情况,选取草地覆盖度、植株高度、地上生物量、牧草可食率、土壤有机质5个重要指标建立黄河源区玛多县草地植被退化监测和评价指标体系。利用遥感影像和GIS技术,结合实地调查和采样测定,对5个评价指标在遥感影像上进行反演,并进行图层的加权叠加,得出玛多县草地退化的时空特征。结果表明：玛多县草地在1994年已经出现了较为严重的退化现象,退化草地的空间分布格局已经基本形成,并且草地的退化过程一直在继续。2009年草地退化空间特征显示在气候变化较为敏感区域、河道两侧、鼠害严重以及靠近居民点等区域草地退化较为严重。通过对4期草地退化情况进行对比分析,发现1994-2001年间玛多草地植被退化情况最严重,重度退化面积高达1 355 943.30 hm2,占草地面积的86.53%。2001-2006年间和2006-2009年间重度退化、较大退化和中度退化草地的面积都下降较大,同时退化的速度已经有了较大缓和,黄河源头地区草地生态系统得到初步恢复     

Soil and plant responses to degradation of alpine grassland in source region of the Yellow River

Land degradation has been rapidly taking place in source region of the Yellow River in China. This study was conducted during 2008 in Maduo County to investigate soil and plant changes in relation to land degradation. Several results were derived from this work. First, the soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) decreased significantly on the extremely degraded land comparing with the natural grassland. Second, soil bulk density increased as land degradation worsened. Soil bulk density of the extremely degraded land was significantly greater than that of the grassland. Third, pH showed no obvious variation pattern. Finally, aboveground biomass decreased from grassland to the moderately degraded land. But aboveground biomass increased on the extremely degraded land and very extremely degraded land with most aboveground biomass inedible for livestock.