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.     

科尔沁沙地草地植被对围封和放牧的响应

研究了科尔沁沙地疏林草地、针茅草原和草甸植被盖度、地上和地下生物量、物种多样性对围封和放牧的响应。结果表明：（1）围封与放牧草地的优势植物不同,围封草地植物群落优势植物为多年生禾本科植物,放牧草地中一年生植物和小半灌木优势明显。（2）围封和放牧草地的植物盖度、凋落物量、地上生物量和物种丰富度存在明显差异（P<0.05）;围封显著提高了植被盖度和地上生物量,由疏林草地、针茅草原到草甸,植物盖度和地上生物量逐渐增加,而3种草地植被凋落物量大小顺序为针茅草原> 疏林草地> 草甸;放牧条件下植物盖度、凋落物量和物种丰富度差异不显著（P>0.05）。（3）3种草地之间的地下生物量无显著差异（P>0.05）,但围封与放牧之间、不同土壤层次之间地下生物量存在明显差异（P<0.05）;围封显著提高草地的地下生物量（P<0.05）;草地地下生物量随着土壤深度表现出下降趋势（P<0.05）。长期放牧增加了草地一年生植物和小半灌木植物的优势,消除了不同草地之间植被盖度和物种丰富度的差异;而围封能提高草地多年生禾本科植物的优势、增加其物种丰富度,对于草地质量和植物多样性的恢复和保育具有积极作用。     

荒漠草原植物群落光合速率对水氮添加的响应

氮沉降和降水格局改变对草原生态系统的结构、功能及关键过程具有重要影响。依托内蒙古乌拉特荒漠草原研究站的全球变化实验平台,研究了氮添加和增减雨（+50%、-50%）及其交互作用对荒漠草原植物群落光合速率和植被特征的影响,分析了荒漠草原植物群落光合速率与植被特征的关系。结果表明：（1）短期氮添加对荒漠草原植物群落光合速率和植被特征没有显著影响（P > 0.05）;（2）降水格局改变显著影响荒漠植物群落光合速率（P < 0.05）,减雨50%显著降低了荒漠草原植物群落光合速率和优势种植物高度（P < 0.05）,而降水增加50%没有改变群落光合速率和植被特征,降水改变下的土壤水分能很好地解释群落光合速率;（3）氮添加和增加降水的交互效应显著提高了群落的光合速率和优势种植物高度（P < 0.05）,而减少降水与氮添加没有显著影响;（4）荒漠草原植物群落盖度、优势种盖度、优势种平均高度与群落的光合速率呈现出指数增加关系,解释率为40%~58%。干旱极大地抑制荒漠草原植物群落光合速率,而氮沉降则依赖于降水增加来提高群落的光合速率,荒漠草原植物群落光合速率与水肥处理下的植物生长特征具有密切的关系。     

Community succession along a chronosequence of vegetation restoration on sand dunes in Horqin Sandy Land

Species diversity influences plant community structure and function. This paper examines the patterns and dynamics of species diversity along a chronosequence of vegetation recovery on sand dunes in a semi-arid region to assess the probability of vegetation recovery via succession, and provides some implications for revegetation practices in this region. Species richness and diversity indices gradually increased with succession, except for a decline in the community of 18 years, which is attributed to the strong dominance of Artemisia halodendron. In each stage of the restoration process, there was a dominant species with particular life history traits which contribute to the dominance of this species. Species replacement and habitat changes were the main drivers of succession, while plant species and community succession drove the process of vegetation recovery. Results showed that restoration via succession holds promise for vegetation recovery and desertification control within protected, fenced enclosures.     

沙质草地放牧和封育下物种丰富度和生物量关系的季节变化

研究了科尔沁沙质草地放牧和封育下植被盖度、密度、丰富度与地上生物量关系的季节变化。结果表明:放牧和封育草地4月的植被盖度、丰富度和生物量均低于生长旺季8月,而4月植物密度要高于8月;封育草地生长季盖度高于放牧草地,6月和8月生物量高于放牧草地, 4月和6月植物密度则低于放牧草地。封育草地8月物种丰富度与生物量呈极显著的负线性关系（p<0.01）;放牧草地植物密度与生物量4月表现出极显著的正线性关系（p<0.01）、8月为极显著的负线性关系（p<0.01）。放牧草地优势植物糙隐子草4月的密度和生物量呈极显著的正线性关系（p<0.01）、8月为极显著的负线性关系（p<0.01）;黄蒿和狗尾草8月的密度和生物量均呈极显著的负线性关系（p<0.01）;猪毛菜4月和6月的密度和生物量呈极显著的正线性关系（p<0.01）。封育草地达乌里胡枝子、猪毛菜8月的植物密度和生物量呈极显著的正线性关系（p<0.01）。持续放牧和季节变化及其二者的交互作用对植被盖度、密度和生物量均有重要的影响（p<0.05）;放牧通过影响草地生长季中的优势植物密度变化和生物量积累,引起了草地植物密度和生物量关系的季节变化,也导致生长季物种丰富度和生物量无显著关系;封育草地植物的竞争导致了物种丰富度和生物量关系的季节变化。     

退化沙质草地土壤种子库和地上植被对封育的响应机理

从植物种和植物功能类群两个水平系统探讨退化沙质草地土壤种子库和地上植被对短期封育管理响应机理的研究尚不多。以内蒙古东部的科尔沁沙地退化沙质草地为研究对象,采取随机样方法对禁牧6 a的封育区及与其相邻的自由放牧草地的土壤种子库和地上植物群落的物种密度进行了比较研究,草本植物群落被区分为一年生禾本科植物、非禾本科一年生植物和多年生植物3个主要功能类群。利用测定数据,分析研究了短期禁牧封育对土壤种子库和地上群落不同植物种和各植物功能类群的生态恢复作用机理。主要研究结果是：①短期封育显著促进了退化沙质草地植被的生态恢复,但发现土壤种子库和地上植被对禁牧的响应模式和机理存在明显差异,短期禁牧使土壤种子库中所有3个植物功能类群的密度均得到显著提高,而仅提高了地上植被一年生禾本科植物和多年生植物两个类群的密度;相反,禁牧显著提高了地上植被所有3个功能类群的物种丰富度和多样性,仅提高了土壤种子库中多年生植物类群的物种多样性。②短期禁牧显著增加了地上植物群落组成中可食和优良牧草的比例,提高了草地的经济利用价值。主要结论是：短期禁牧封育是一种经济有效的提高退化沙质草地植被多样性、生产力及对植物群落物种组成和草地品质进行优化调控和改良的重要草地管理手段。研究建议,今后应重点开展不同禁牧时间下对退化沙质草地土壤种子库和地上植被多样性、生产力及其物种组成变化影响的长期生态学控制实验研究。     

Effects of land cover and soil properties on denitrification potential in soils of two semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia,China

High N₂O emissions have been observed in semi-arid grasslands, especially during freeze/thaw periods, when denitrification might be the main process of N₂O production. However, there have been few denitrification studies in semi-arid grassland. This study was designed to determine the denitrification potential of four representative land cover types (typical steppe, meadow steppe, marshland, arid steppe) in two grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China. We found that soils from different land cover types exhibited significantly different denitrification potentials, with highest rates in marshland and lowest rates in arid steppe. Denitrification potentials were maximal in the upper layer and generally decreased with depth for all soils. Soil water content, soil carbon and nitrogen availability, and C/N ratio were found to be significantly correlated with denitrification potentials in all soils. Addition of glucose or/and nitrate significantly increased denitrification activities throughout the profile for all soils, suggesting that both bioavailable carbon and nitrogen were limiting factors of denitrification in these grasslands soils. However, further field studies are needed to translate the denitrification potentials determined in laboratory measurements to denitrification rates under field conditions.     

内蒙古荒漠-草原过渡带灌木群落特征

荒漠-草原过渡带是草原逐渐被荒漠取代的区域.沿阿拉善左旗-乌拉特后旗调查灌木群落,分析植物群落的结构和物种多样性,以期为生物多样性保育提供理论依据.结果表明:该荒漠-草原过渡带有62种植物,隶属于18科、47属,禾本科、藜科、豆科和菊科的植物较多.植物主要由灌木和多年生草本构成,以旱生植物为主,主要包括红砂(Reaum...     

过牧及封育对红砂荒漠植被演替的影响

红砂灌丛植被是我国西北荒漠地区的主要放牧地,并在生态保护中具重要作用。本试验以内蒙古阿拉善盟不同过牧强度下的退化(轻度、中度和重度)红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)+无芒隐子草(Cleistogenes songorica)荒漠草地为对象。首次研究报道了不同过牧梯度和围栏封育对红砂植被演替的影响。经过6a过牧(平均1.8只羊·hm^-2),植被总盖度已由12%降至8%,平均每年盖度绝对值下降0.7%。随草地过牧加重红砂灌丛在逐渐消亡,在中度和重度退化样地的盖度已分别较轻度样地(7.5%)下降了74%和84% (P<0.05);质量差或产量低的草本在增加;无芒隐子草和匍根骆驼蓬(Peganum nigellastrum)的增加可分别作为该类草地中度和重度过牧演替的指示种。短期封育效果十分显著,封育一年的各样地平均较放牧样地比,植被盖度绝对值提高了1.7%,产草量增加2188%,红砂种子产量是放牧样地的371倍。然而,优势种红砂的产草量和盖度在封育期的相对恢复速率皆随样地退化加重而显著降低(P<0.05),重度退化区盖度封育当年的恢复速率为0。所以,封育是保护和恢复我国红砂荒漠植被的有效措施,但封育宜尽早开始,否则,红砂将恢复缓慢或难以复存。     

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.     

氮素添加对黄土高原荒漠草原草本植物物种多样性和生产力的影响

为了解大气氮沉降对荒漠草原植物物种多样性和生产力的影响,在黄土高原荒漠草原区进行了氮素添加试验,研究了氮素添加量对草本植物物种多样性和植物生产力的短期影响.结果表明:随氮素添加量的增加,群落Margalef物种丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数显著减小,中,高水平氮素添加处理下,群落Margalef物种丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener 多样性指数分别比对照下降了39.14%、47.07% 和25.57%、31.52%.随氮素添加量的增加,主要优势植物种相对重要值增大;处于弱势的伴生植物种在氮素添加后从群落中消失.氮素添加后,群落生产力显著提高,尤其是低水平氮添加时生产力增加量最大.氮素增加在短期内即可以提高黄土高原荒漠草原草本植物群落生产力,促进优势种群的生长,抑制不占主要地位的伴生种的生长,改变物种组成并降低物种多样性.     

Characterization of land cover types in Xilin River Basin using multi-temporal Landsat images

This study conducted computer-aided image analysis of land use and land cover in Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia, using 4 sets of Landsat TM/ETM+ images acquired on July 31, 1987, August 11, 1991, September 27, 1997 and May 23, 2000, respectively. Primarily, 17 sub-class land cover types were recognized, including nine grassland types at community level: F. sibiricum steppe, S. baicalensis steppe, A. chinensis + forbs steppe, A. chinensis + bunchgrass steppe, A. chinensis + Ar. frigida steppe, S. grandis + A. chinensis steppe, S. grandis + bunchgrass steppe, S. krylavii steppe, Ar. frigida steppe and eight non-grassland types: active cropland, harvested cropland, urban area, wetland, desertified land, saline and alkaline land, cloud, water body + cloud shadow. To eliminate the classification error existing among different sub-types of the same gross type, the 17 sub-class land cover types were grouped into five gross types: meadow grassland, temperate grassland, desert grassland, cropland and non-grassland. The overall classification accuracy of the five land cover types was 81.0% for 1987, 81.7% for 1991, 80.1% for 1997 and 78.2% for 2000.     

基于Landsat TM/ETM数据的锡林河流域土地覆盖变化

根据1987年、1991年、1997年和2000年4期Landsat TM/ETM影像的土地利用/土地覆盖分类结果,运用地理信息系统空间分析方法,分析了内蒙古锡林河流域1987~2000年间各土地利用类型及草甸草原、典型草原、荒漠草原的数量变化和空间变化特征。分析结果显示,锡林河流域土地利用/土地覆盖变化的主要特征为草甸草原、典型草原面积的大幅减少和荒漠草原、农田和沙漠化土地面积的大幅增加及城镇的扩张。其中面积增加最大的是荒漠草原,增加了2328 km²;相当于1987年荒漠草原面积的56 %。农田和城镇面积逐年增大,分别从1987年的114.3 km²和25.2 km²增加到2000年的332.1 km²和43.6 km²。面积减少最多的是羊草＋丛生禾草、羊草＋杂类草等优良高产温带典型草原类型,共减少2040 km²。草甸草原面积亦呈逐年减少的趋势,从1987年的1103 km²减少到2000年375 km²,面积减少了65.9 %。农田、沙化地及城镇等非草原土地利用类型面积增加了62.5 %。     

基于多时相陆地卫星图像的锡林河流域土地覆盖类型特征

1IntroductionThe growing concern over the impact of changes in land use and land cover on environmental conditions and the increasing human impact on the natural resources has captured worldwide attention of the political and scientific community (Ojima etal., 1991; Smith etal., 2001). It is expected that the changing land use/land cover pattern will be one of the driving forces of environmental changes superimposed on the natural changes at regional scale (Fu etal., 1993; Bonan, 1995). Arid…     

Comparison of ecosystem services provided by grasslands with different utilization patterns in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Although several previous studies in Inner Mongolia examined the effects of ecological conservation on the delivery of ecosystem services, they were often limited in scope (few ecosystem services were assessed) and often suffered from confounding by spatial variation. In this study, we examined the impact of conservation measures (changes in grassland utilization patterns) on the provision of selected ecosystem services in three types of grasslands (meadow steppe in Hulun Buir, typical steppe in Xilin Gol, and semi-desert steppe in Ordos) in Inner Mongolia. We examined five utilization patterns: no use (natural grasslands), light use, moderate use, intensive use, and recovery sites (degraded sites protected from further use). Through household surveys and vegetation and soil surveys, we measured the differences in ecosystem services among the different grassland utilization patterns. We also identified spatial factors that confounded the quantification of ecosystem services in different types of grasslands. We found that light use generally provided high levels of ecosystem services in meadow steppe and typical steppe, with the main differences in the supporting ecosystem services. Surprisingly, we found no consistently positive impacts of strict conservation activities across the sites, since the results varied spatially and with respect to differences in the land-use patterns. Our study suggests that appropriate grassland utilization patterns can enhance the supply of ecosystem services and reduce negative effects on both household livelihoods and the environment.     

Components of woody plant diversity in semi-arid Chaco forests with heterogeneous land use and disturbance histories

We assessed components of woody plant diversity within and between 16 sites dispersed across the nearly 200,000 ha of the Semi-arid Chaco vegetation of the Copo Conservation Unit, northern Argentina. Argentina's Semi-arid Chaco is an object of international conservation concern, as it is under pressure from conversion to agroindustry supplanting long-standing practices of logging and livestock grazing. We recorded from 16 (shrubby grassland following forest fire) to 27 (selectively logged forest) woody plant species per site and 37 species in total (gamma diversity). Additive partitioning showed that alpha diversity contributed 59% to gamma diversity and beta diversity only 41%. A separate additive partitioning of gamma diversity of the 13 forested sites alone showed that beta diversity attributable to logging history was considerably lower than remaining beta diversity and alpha diversity. Ordination analyses confirmed this finding: species composition of unlogged, selectively logged and intensively logged forest sites was quite similar. Results suggest that (1) woody vegetation, at least, of the Semi-arid Chaco is quite tolerant to traditional modes of land use and that (2) conservation of this vegetation as a whole must include not only “pristine” sites varying in edaphic conditions but also sites varying in land use and management histories.     

不同利用模式下内蒙古自治区草地生态系统服务供给的对比分析（英文）

Although several previous studies in Inner Mongolia examined the effects of ecological conservation on the delivery of ecosystem services, they were often limited in scope(few ecosystem services were assessed) and often suffered from confounding by spatial variation. In this study, we examined the impact of conservation measures(changes in grassland utilization patterns) on the provision of selected ecosystem services in three types of grasslands(meadow steppe in Hulun Buir, typical steppe in Xilin Gol, and semi-desert steppe in Ordos) in Inner Mongolia. We examined five utilization patterns: no use(natural grasslands), light use, moderate use, intensive use, and recovery sites(degraded sites protected from further use). Through household surveys and vegetation and soil surveys, we measured the differences in ecosystem services among the different grassland utilization patterns. We also identified spatial factors that confounded the quantification of ecosystem services in different types of grasslands. We found that light use generally provided high levels of ecosystem services in meadow steppe and typical steppe, with the main differences in the supporting ecosystem services. Surprisingly, we found no consistently positive impacts of strict conservation activities across the sites, since the results varied spatially and with respect to differences in the land-use patterns. Our study suggests that appropriate grassland utilization patterns can enhance the supply of ecosystem services and reduce negative effects on both household livelihoods and the environment.     

黑河流域植物物种多样性对土地利用变化的响应北大核心CSCD

黑河流域土地利用变化严重影响植物物种多样性。为了解自然、社会经济因素对黑河流域土地利用变化影响下植物物种多样性的变化趋势,本研究使用Dyna-CLUE模型,预测2050年土地利用变化,揭示多因素影响下黑河流域土地利用变化,及土地利用变化与草本、灌木物种多样性间的关系。结果表明:降水、GDP、与自然村距离等因子共同驱动土地利用变化,2050年林地、草地和水域面积的增加和未利用地面积的减小,提高了灌木、草本植物的多样性,并使之均匀度更高,种间优势度减小。耕地面积的扩张和耕地集约化导致植物分布不均、多样性减少。将模拟结果和植物物种多样性发展趋势相结合能够对未来的土地利用规划、政策及生态保护决策提供依据。应针对不同区域土地利用变化情况,制定相应的生物多样性和生态环境保护政策,促进黑河流域生态环境的恢复并支持流域可持续发展。     

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the northern Chihuahuan desert: Temporal trends and potential consequences

Rates and impacts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition are poorly understood in arid land ecosystems where soils are typically low in plant available N. To address this issue, we quantified long-term trends in N deposition and estimated its impact on plant community structure in the northern Chihuahuan desert of Central New Mexico, USA. Annual and seasonal rates of N deposition were strongly positively correlated with precipitation. When precipitation effects were removed statistically, N deposition increased at an annual rate of 0.049 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ between 1989 and 2004. Based on two independent fertilization studies at our desert grassland field site, continued atmospheric inputs are likely to increase grass cover, decrease legume abundance, and may favor blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) at the expense of the current dominant species, black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda). We conclude that, although arid lands have low rates of N deposition and are primarily water limited, observed trends in N deposition rates may lead to significant changes in plant community structure.     

围封对退化沙质草地植物群落的影响

对科尔沁沙地围封草地和放牧草地群落的种类组成、结构和多样性等特征进行比较研究。结果表明：（1）围封草地盖度、密度、地上生物量、高度均优于放牧草地（P<0.01）。与放牧相比,围封使植被盖度、密度、高度和地上生物量分别提高了237%、429%、77%和218%,植物群落结构得到明显改善。（2）与放牧草地相比,围封草地物种数增加了69%,多年生草本、灌木类种数和重要值均高于放牧草地。放牧草地的优势植物种依次是大果虫实（Corispermum macrocarpum）、狗尾草（Setaria viridis）、差巴嘎蒿（Artemisia halodendron）,重要值占72%;而围封草地优势植物种依次是达乌里胡枝子（Lespedeza davurica）、糙隐子草（Cleistogenes squarrosa）、虎尾草（Chloris virgate）和画眉草（Eragrostis pilosa）,重要值占57%,大果虫实、狗尾草和差巴嘎蒿逐渐处于群落的次要地位,取而代之的是与其环境条件相匹配的优质豆科和禾本科植物。围封使物种组成多样化,科属组成复杂化,优势物种发生了变化,群落结构和功能得到改善,沙地植被得以恢复。（3）围封草地的Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数、Margalef指数、均匀度指数均大于放牧草地。围封增加了群落的物种多样性,群落的稳定性得以提高。