Rating the Degradation of Natural Hay Pastures in Northern China

Natural hay pastures in semi-arid pastoral areas produce the highest yields of hay in northern China. However, long-term continuous hay harvesting with no rest interval has resulted in severe degradation across widespread areas of these natural hay pastures. In addition, no clear data exist on the spatial distribution or degree of degradation occurring in natural hay pastures primarily because a nationally unified and normative evaluation standard is lacking. In view of the above problems, we employed an analytic hierarchy process to carry out screening and accuracy validation of evaluation indicators for natural hay pastures in north China grasslands (temperate meadow steppes, temperate steppes, mountain meadows, and lowland meadows). Our study identified seven easily measured indicators that reflect the state of natural hay pastures (average height, aboveground biomass, coverage, proportion of medium grasses, litter biomass, proportion of degradation-indicative plants, and proportion of bare spots and saline-alkali spots). A five-level scoring method was employed to delineate the threshold range for these indicators, The results of this study show that this method effectively solved the technical bottleneck for graded evaluation of degradation in natural hay pastures. This provides a theoretical basis for the scientific assessment of natural hay pasture degradation as well as important technical support for sustainable use of natural hay pastures and livestock production.     

普兰县农牧结合潜力分析（英文）

农牧结合是高寒牧区放牧系统的一项重要的实践,具有实现农业和牲畜业可持续生产的重大潜力。然而,目前青藏高原的农牧业分离已经导致集约化农业、草地退化和饲料短缺的问题产生。因此,为探索高山放牧系统中农牧结合的潜力,本研究以中国普兰县为例,基于多数据源,分析了牧草生产潜力和牲畜产量,并从饲草供给角度评估了农牧结合的潜力。结果表明:普兰县可用于人工种草的潜在边际土地约560公顷,基本位于环境条件较好的普兰镇周边。而积温是牧草种植的主要环境限制因子,今后牧草种植应注重品种的抗寒性和生长周期,同时也要注意人工草地建立后的退化和沙化问题。另外,虽然2012–2016年普兰县牲畜数量明显下降,但高寒草地放牧牲畜数量依然高于农牧景观的牲畜放牧数量。该地区目前放牧牲畜数量一般维持在约11万只羊单位,而人工草地和作物秸秆能够提供约1.1万只羊单位的饲料,约占农牧景观中牲畜数量的一半。普兰县农牧结合可以适当补充放牧条件下牲畜饲料的缺额,尤其是在农牧区的普兰镇。本研究结果对未来牧草生产和发展农牧结合具有重要的指导意义。     

藏北高山嵩草草甸植被和多样性在沙漠化过程中的变化

为确定沙漠化对高山嵩草草甸植被组成、结构和物种多样性的影响,了解高寒区草甸沙漠化的原因,选择西藏那曲安多县南部沙漠化严重区域为调查区,按照沙漠化的不同程度设置样地,系统调查了轻度、中度、重度和极重度沙化草甸的植被变化,结果表明：中度、重度和极重度沙化区的植被与轻度沙化草甸有显著的差异;在中度和重度沙化区,高寒草甸的建群种高山嵩草已被家畜不喜食或更具抗性的植物种所取代,而在极重度沙化的流动沙丘上无植被生长;从过牧的退化草甸到半流动、流动沙丘,植物种多样性呈显著的降低趋势。轻度沙化草甸物种数、个体密度和丰富度指数最多;中度沙化草甸的Shannon\|Wiener指数和均匀度指数最大,而优势度指数最小;在沙化过程中,高寒草甸的植被盖度显著下降,地上生物量也在下降,虽然轻度、中度和重度沙化草地的地上生物量显著高于极重度沙化区,但前者之间却无显著差异。地下根系生物量也呈显著下降的趋势。过牧是造成高山嵩草草甸沙化的主要原因。     

Grazing itineraries and forage selection of goats in the Al Jabal al Akhdar mountain range of northern Oman

In view of the repeatedly reported overstocking of the high-altitude pastures on Al Jabal al Akhdar, northern Oman, plant species abundance, cover and frequency, and herbaceous mass yield were studied in ungrazed versus heavily grazed areas of this mountain range. In addition, plant species selection by goats along a gradient of 1000–2000 m and spatial extent of pasture areas were investigated after abundant rainfall and a subsequent 6-months dry spell by means of manual observation and GPS/GIS tools.The substantially higher species diversity and herbaceous mass yield in the ungrazed area illustrate the production potential of these mountain pastures or, respectively, the biodiversity and productivity loss resulting from continuous grazing. The concentration of goats' selection on only a dozen herbaceous and ligneous species favours pasture encroachment with poisonous shrubs such as Nerium mascatense in the lower and Dodonaea viscosa in the higher altitudes. Given the spatially limited extent of pasture areas, these are exposed to high stocking rates. Therefore, grazing and feeding schemes need to be developed which reduce livestock pressure on the pastures, taking into account local property rights, herding skills and the recovery potential of the vegetation, which heavily depends on unpredictable rainfall events.     

Responses of aboveground biomass of alpine grasslands to climate changes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Aboveground biomass in grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has displayed an overall increasing trend during 2003-2016, which is profoundly influenced by climate change. However, the responses of different biomes show large discrepancies, in both size and magnitude. By applying partial least squares regression, we calculated the correlation between peak aboveground biomass and mean monthly temperature and monthly total precipitation in the preceding 12 months for three different grassland types (alpine steppe, alpine meadow, and temperate steppe) on the central and eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results showed that mean temperature in most preceding months was positively correlated with peak aboveground biomass of alpine meadow and alpine steppe, while mean temperature in the preceding October and February to June was significantly negatively correlated with peak aboveground biomass of temperate steppe. Precipitation in all months had a promoting effect on biomass of alpine meadow, but its correlations with biomass of alpine steppe and temperate steppe were inconsistent. It is worth noting that, in a warmer, wetter climate, peak aboveground biomass of alpine meadow would increase more than that of alpine steppe, while that of temperate steppe would decrease significantly, providing support for the hypothesis of conservative growth strategies by vegetation in stressed ecosystems.     

中国草原区植被变化及其对气候变化的响应

利用1982~2006年GIMMS NDVI和气象数据,探究中国草原区植被变化及对气候的响应。结果表明,近25 a中国草原区植被覆盖总体呈上升趋势,但季节变化空间差异明显。春季温度对温带典型草原、高寒草甸草原和高寒典型草原植被生长有重要影响,而夏季和秋季温度同样对高寒草甸草原影响显著;夏季降水增多能明显促进夏季温带荒漠草原植被生长。除8月份以外,温带草原5~9月NDVI均与前一个月降水显著正相关;在生长季内,高寒草原NDVI与同期温度显著正相关,但8月份除外。此外高寒草原植被在生长最旺盛时期对降水变化存在1~3个月滞后期。     

The Faxinal System: Forest fragmentation and soil degradation on the communal grazing land

The Brazilian faxinal is a traditional agrosilvopastoral system, which combines extensive grazing, subsistence cropping and low impact forest extraction, managed within a communal property system. Today it is at serious risk of disappearing due to increasing grazing pressure and logging activities that are leading to environmental problems such as forest fragmentation and soil degradation. The objectives of the study were to: a) evaluate soil physical degradation levels in different grazing areas within the faxinal system; and b) correlate soil degradation, fodder quantity and livestock dynamics in different pasture areas according to the household's location. Landscape mapping, vegetation surveys, and livestock grazing dynamics were assessed. In addition, soil physical parameters were evaluated for each land use (e.g., resistance, bulk density, porosity, moisture, and water infiltration rates). Results showed that livestock grazing and household locations are the main driving forces that lead to forest fragmentation. The household location creates three interrelated gradients in the communal grazing land: 1) soil physical degradation decreases from the pasture areas to araucaria forests; 2) fodder quantity decreases from pastures to araucaria forests; and 3) the livestock grazing intensity decreases from pastures to araucaria forests. In addition, some management practices to mitigate land degradation, including improvement of pastures, installation of removable troughs for drinking water in the upland areas and restriction of livestock from the riparian zone, have been proposed.     

The food habits of goats on rangelands with different amounts of fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) cover

Esophageally fistulated goats were released in a microphyll desert scrub habitat with 14.6% or 46.2% aerial cover of Atriplex canescens (induced by removal of all shrubs except A. canescens, with livestock grazing exclusion for 10 years) to determine the seasonal forage species selected by the goats. The shrub removal strongly influenced the goats’ feeding habits. The goats grazing the Atriplex-dominated site consumed 4.5 times more A. canescens than the goats on the untreated (control) pasture during all seasons. Shrubs were used heavily during all seasons by goats in both pastures, with higher percentages (75.5–82.8%) in the diets of goats grazing the control pasture than in the diets of goats grazing the Atriplex-dominated area (62.5–68.5%). No differences were found between seasons. The goats in the Atriplex-dominated pasture ate more grass than the goats grazing the control area and used more perennial graminoids during the summer (15.0%) and spring (18.3%) than the goats on the control area (6.0–7.0%). Forbs were an important component of diets. It was concluded that the successful revegetation of the treated pasture affected the goats’ feeding strategy, with an increase in the use of A. canescens, forbs and grasses in all seasons.     

内蒙伊盟牧场利用与沙漠化及其防治

本世纪七十年代以来, 沙漠化问题在世界范围内引起了广泛的注意。沙漠化对社会生产和人类的生活与生产是一个严重的威胁。内蒙古自治区伊克昭盟是一个沙漠化比较严重的地区, 迄一九七七年, 全盟流沙面积达27, 666平方公里, 比解放初扩大1.3倍。伊盟牧业在国民经济中比重很大, 牧区约占全盟面积72%。在沙漠化成因中, 牧场的利用不合理是一个主要的方面。因此, 研究牧场利用与土地沙漠化的关系, 总结牧民合理利用牧场的经验, 并提出防治沙漠化的途径, 对于解决这个地区的沙漠化问题, 是十分重要的。     

差不嘎蒿在科尔沁沙地草场植被中的作用

差不嘎蒿是科尔沁沙地草场退化过程中的一个重要缓冲种。在草场退化过程中能够迅速占领退出植物种遗留下来的空间, 生物量由81.6g/m²增加到285g/m²; 但从半固定沙丘草场到半流动沙丘草场, 其生物量减少到了190g/m², 占总生物量的77.2%。差不嘎蒿在半流动沙丘草场中的繁殖力最高, 当年生幼苗数和果实生物量分别为59株/m²和17.6g/m²。差不嘎蒿以无性繁殖为主, 但是, 在流动沙丘草场则以种子繁殖为主。     

Responses of African livestock and wild herbivores to drought

The ways in which herbivores regulate their energy and water balance under hot, dry conditions are briefly reviewed. Cattle account for about two-thirds of the biomass of domestic stock in Africa, but their Eurasian origin means that their physiology and grazing behaviour are not wholly adapted to the natural pastures and climate of Africa, especially when drought strikes. In general, most herbivores can withstand heat and water shortage quite well, provided conditions do not become extreme. However, malnutrition will inevitably develop as pasture productivity declines under drought and overgrazing. This will affect most seriously animals that cannot range far from water and that depend mainly on drought susceptible grasses rather than on more resistant shrubs and trees.     

Species diversity and regeneration of native species in Pennisetum ciliare (buffelgrass) pastures from the thornscrub of Sonora,México

To examine the influence of buffelgrass land conversion and pasture management on native species diversity and regeneration patterns, we describe community attributes and population structure in four different active pastures in thornscrub vegetation from eastern Sonora, Mexico. We compare a relatively undisturbed thornscrub community with a contiguous five years old active pasture, to identify species able to regenerate under current management practices. Buffelgrass conversion has a significant influence on species diversity and other community attributes. Active pastures have lower species diversity, crown cover and basal area of native species than the studied native thornscrub. An active pasture subjected to heavy grazing and without management of the thorny legume, Acacia cochliacantha, showed the lower species diversity and an almost monospecific stand of this legume. It is likely that the reduction in species diversity is caused by the conversion process, inadequate management and regeneration barriers that limit seedling establishment in active pastures. Our data recorded eight native species (13%) that were able to regenerate in active pastures. However, the great majority of native species were unable to regenerate under pastures. This study shows that under current management, active buffelgrass pastures maintain only a small fraction of native species with regenerating populations in the thornscrub.     

疏勒河源冻土区高寒草甸土壤碳氮含量特征

土壤碳氮是高寒植被响应多年冻土区生态环境变化的重要营养和能源物质,但对其调查仍以生长季的单次采样为主,缺乏对其他季节的研究,这对于准确把握多年冻土区土壤碳氮含量及储量评估存在明显局限性。为此,本研究以青藏高原东北缘祁连山西段疏勒河源多年冻土区高寒草甸为对象,对0—50 cm土层土壤有机碳（Soil Organic Carbon, SOC）、全氮（Total Nitrogen, TN）含量及其比值（C/N）的剖面分布和季节变化及其影响因素进行分析。结果表明：（1）SOC、TN剖面分布规律一致,0—10 cm土层均显著高于10—50 cm各层（P<0.05）,0—50 cm深度仅秋季逐渐下降,而春夏冬季0—30 cm递减。（2）SOC、TN含量存在季节变化,SOC表现为夏季>冬季>春季>秋季,TN表现为春秋冬季含量一致,夏季略低。（3）C/N季节变化显著,夏季显著最高,秋季显著最低（P<0.05）。（4）土壤含水量和生物量是影响SOC、TN及C/N剖面分布和季节变化的关键因素。（5）夏季土壤碳氮密度均高于全年平均。可见,仅单一节点（生长季为主）调查以表征全年土壤碳氮储量存在高估趋势。     

Traditional intramontane mobility in Garhwal Himalaya: A survey of subsistence practices in the Pindar basin, Uttaranchal

This paper looks at the key resource interactions driving the current trend in intramontane mobility as a traditional subsistence practice in the Garhwal Himalaya region of Uttaranchal, India. For hundreds of years, the natural resource based mid-altitude villages in the Pindar River basin hinged on the annual summer migration to highland pastures. Where self-sufficiency has been obtained through an environmentally embedded tradition of crop and livestock farming, highland forests and alpine pastures continue to provide the human and animal requirements of fuelwood and fodder, as well as the forest products defining traditional diets and cottage industry. The paper reports the data from a rapid appraisal survey of resources obtained by households in selected mid-altitude villages from the seven highland locations that have sustained the centuries-old subsistence culture of the Pindar basin. While livestock have been the crucial link in a forest/fodder–manure–cultivation chain that has necessitated households' dependence on highland pastures and forests, over the last four decades there has been a decline in the numbers engaged in livestock raising and, concomitantly, the annual migration to summer pastures. Instead, there is a trend towards increased cultivation of cash crops and forest resource collection in the traditional highland encampment areas.     

祁连山区草原畜牧业的可持续发展问题与发展模式

以祁连山区的肃南县为实验基地,通过对山区生态保护和经济发展之间现存问题的分析,提出了以草原管理、牲畜繁育和产业发展为主要内容的山区草原畜牧业发展模式。它突破了山区的地域限制,将山区与山下绿洲作为一个完整的生态-经济耦合系统,使用跨学科的方法,将山区草原的生态保护与农户的经济增长兼容起来,从而成为山区草原畜牧业的一个可持续发展模式。     

1961—2015年中国降水面积变化特征研究

基于中国0.5°×0.5°逐月与逐日降水量网格数据集,采用线性趋势、克里金插值（Kriging）、森斜率等方法,分析1961—2015年中国3个自然区的降水量和降水面积的变化特征。结果表明：（1） 中国1961—2015年年均和季节平均降水量呈现由东南沿海向西北内陆递减的空间分布特征,中国一半以上的地区年均和四季降水量呈增加趋势。（2） 日变化特征上,东部季风区、西北干旱区和青藏高寒区均以小雨和中雨为主,其日降水面积多年平均值分别为：1 112.75×10³ km²、52.65×10³ km²,1 380.57×10³ km²、92.83×10³ km²,1 253.9×10³ km²、34.3×10³ km²,暴雨和大暴雨占的面积较小;三个区域不同等级日降水面积年内变化均符合二次函数曲线,三个区小雨日平均降水面积年际变化均呈略微减少趋势,青藏高寒区和西北干旱区大雨、暴雨和大暴雨均呈略微增加趋势,大暴雨整体波动较大。（3） 季节变化特征上,三个区四季均以小雨为主,暴雨和大暴雨所占面积较少。春季和秋季三个区小雨降水面积均呈减少趋势,春季和夏季三个区暴雨降水面积均呈增加趋势,冬季三个区中雨和大雨降水面积呈增加趋势。（4） 东部季风区春季和秋季,西北干旱区年均和四季,青藏高寒区春季、秋季和冬季不同等级降水量对应的降水面积均符合负指数分布规律。km²     

伊犁河谷不同植被带下土壤有机碳分布

结合2008年和2009年野外实地调查与室内分析的资料,运用方差分析等方法对伊犁河谷高山草甸、草甸草原、典型草原、荒漠草原、温性针叶林等9种不同植被条件下的土壤有机碳含量分布及其储量进行了分析估算.研究结果表明:伊犁河谷土壤有机碳含量因植被类型变化而不同.在0～50 cm土层范围,高山草甸、草甸草原土壤有机碳含量较高,其次是温性针叶林和典型草原,含量最低的是隐域植被和荒漠植被土壤.除隐域植被外,各植被类型下土壤有机碳含最基本呈随着土层深度增加而降低的,变化趋势.有机碳密度同样是高山草甸、草甸草原和温性针叶林土壤有机碳密度较高且比较相近,荒漠植被下土壤有机碳密度最低.伊犁河谷草地表层土壤有机碳含量高、密度大,因此应重视对伊犁河谷草地的保护,尤其要保护草地表层土壤以降低浅层土壤有机碳发生变化的可能性,维护土壤碳库的稳定性.     

Distribution of soil organic carbon under different vegetation zones in the Ili River Valley,Xinjiang

We analyzed and estimated the distribution and reserves of soil organic carbon under nine different vegetation conditions including alpine meadow, meadow steppe, typical steppe, desert steppe, and temperate coniferous forest and so on, in the Ili River valley, Xinjiang according to data from field investigations and laboratory analyses in 2008 and 2009. The study results show that the soil organic carbon content in the Ili River valley varies with the type of vegetation. In the 0–50 cm soil horizon, the soil organic carbon content is the highest under the vegetation types of alpine meadow and meadow steppe, slightly lower under temperate coniferous forest and typical steppe, and the lowest under the intrazonal vegetation and desert vegetation types. The soil organic carbon content shows basically a tendency to decrease as soil depth increases under various vegetation types except in the case of the intrazonal vegetation. Similarly, the soil organic carbon density is the highest and varies little under the vegetation types of alpine meadow, meadow steppe and temperate coniferous forest, and is the lowest under the desert vegetation type. Both the soil organic carbon content and density in the topsoil of meadows in the Ili River valley are high, so protecting meadows in the Ili River valley, and especially their topsoil, should be a priority so that the potential of change in soil organic carbon in the shallow soil horizon is reduced, and this means maintenance of the stability of the soil carbon pool.     

Effects of Enclosure on Plant and Soil Nutrients in Different Types of Alpine Grassland

Enclosure is one of the most widely used management tools for degraded alpine grassland on the northern Tibetan Plateau, but the responses of different types of grassland to enclosure may vary, and research on these responses can provide a scientific basis for improving ecological conservation. This study took one site for each of three grassland types (alpine meadow, alpine steppe and alpine desert) on the northern Tibetan Plateau as examples, and explored the effects of enclosure on plant and soil nutrients by comparing differences in plant community biomass, leaf-soil nutrient content and their stoichiometry between samples from inside and outside the fence. The results showed that enclosure can significantly increase all aboveground biomass in these three grassland types, but it only increased the 10-20 cm underground biomass in the alpine desert. Enclosure also significantly increased the leaf nutrient content of the dominant plants and contents of total nitrogen (N), total potassium (K), and organic carbon (C) in 10-20 cm soil in alpine desert, thus changing the stoichiometry between C, N and P (phosphorus). However, enclosure significantly increased only the N content of dominant plant leaves in alpine steppe, while other nutrients and stoichiometries of both plant leaves and soil did not show significant differences in alpine meadow and alpine steppe. These results suggested that enclosure has differential effects on these three types of alpine grasslands on the northern Tibetan Plateau, and the alpine desert showed the most active ecological conservation in the responses of its soil and plant nutrients.     

Soil hydrological and erosional responses in areas of woody encroachment, pasture and woodland in semi-arid Australia

In arid and semi-arid areas, woody encroachment is the increase in density, cover, extent and/or biomass of woody plants. Woody encroachment is often associated with increased runoff and soil erosion. Hydrological and erosional responses of woody encroachment and of pastures established after management of encroachment in semi-arid Australia are not well understood. This study compared the hydrological and erosional responses across vegetation states comprising woody plant encroachment (>1200 stems ha⁻¹), recently established pastures (<23 years of age), long-established pasture (50-100 years of age) and open woodland (<330 stems ha⁻¹) in semi-arid eastern Australia. Responses were measured using rainfall simulation with intensity of 35 mm h⁻¹ for 30 min applied on 1 -m² plots. Runoff and sediment production did not differ significantly between vegetation states. Average runoff in woody encroachment was 9.0 mm h⁻¹, followed by recent pasture (8.2 mm h⁻¹), long-established pasture (5.9 mm h⁻¹) and open woodland (4.2 mm h⁻¹). Total sediment production in recent pasture was 11.6 g m⁻², followed by woody encroachment (9.0 g m⁻²), long-established pasture (7.3 g m⁻²) and open woodland (4.3 g m⁻²). Runoff and sediment production were significantly lower at one pasture site (0.9 mm h⁻¹ and 1.3 g m⁻²) where rotational grazing and minimum tillage had been implemented than in the adjacent paired woody encroachment site (10.3 mm h⁻¹and 6.5 g m⁻², respectively). This example of a pasture that had been managed to increase ground cover illustrated the effect of pasture management on reducing runoff and sediment production. Across all vegetation states, small scale runoff and sediment production were minimal or zero where total ground cover was 73% or higher.