Canopy rainfall storage capacity as affected by sub‐alpine grassland degradation in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau,China

Grassland degradation resulting from global climate change, overgrazing, and rodent damage is expected to influence the magnitude of canopy hydrological fluxes because of reduced vegetation biomass and changed species composition. The objectives of this study were to estimate herbaceous canopy rainfall storage capacity (S) along three different stages of sub‐alpine grassland degradation (non‐degraded, lightly degraded and moderately degraded) in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China, and relate changes in S to canopy properties. An artificial wetting method and the water budget balance method, using rain simulations, were used for estimating S. Grassland degradation significantly reduced S. In non‐degraded, lightly degraded and moderately degraded grasslands, S estimated using the artificial wetting method were 0.612 ± 0.08 mm, 0.289 ± 0.04 mm, and 0.217 ± 0.01 mm, respectively; S estimated using the water budget balance method were 0.979 ± 0.32 mm, 0.493 ± 0.13 mm, and 0.419 ± 0.09 mm, respectively. These changes could be explained by accompanying changes in above‐ground biomass and leaf area index, as well as changes in species composition. Species‐specific rainfall storage capacity varied by a factor of 2.7 among the investigated species, with graminoids having the lowest values. Leaf area index was more correlated to S than was canopy coverage. Converting fresh weight of non‐leaf tissues into effective leaf area of the corresponding species and then introducing a coefficient of leaf area according to the specific storage capacity of leaves improved the linear relationship between S and leaf area index. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国西部地区历史草地面积重建的方法——以甘宁青新区为例

历史草地面积重建作为历史土地利用与土地覆被变化研究的重要组成部分,可为区域乃至全球环境变化研究提供重要的基础数据。但受研究客体特性与重建资料多寡的制约,目前无论是数量估算上还是空间格局重建上均非常薄弱。本文试图在客观把握中国西部地区历史草地变化趋势与特征的基础上,利用现代遥感土地利用数据和潜在植被数据,确定土地垦殖前草地植被潜在分布范围;并结合历史耕地网格数据,构建以间接扣减为核心的草地面积重建方法;重建甘肃、宁夏、青海和新疆等省区过去300年的草地网格数据。结果表明：土地垦殖前,案例区草地覆被率高达40.87%。受土地垦殖的影响,在过去300年草地面积呈持续减少的态势。草地面积由1661年的1.11亿 hm²下降到1980年的1.03亿 hm²,并经历了1661—1724年的急剧减少、1724—1873年的缓慢减少和1873—1980年的快速减少三个时段,草地年均减少量分别为4.76万 hm²、0.75万 hm²和3.38万 hm²。在空间上,研究时段内草地垦殖区呈现出由甘肃、宁夏向青海、新疆转移的特点。以历史文献资料和1980年遥感草地网格数据为基础,对重建的草地数据开展了可靠性评估。评估显示,重建结果能够较好的再现草地变迁过程。本文构建的重建方法可被用于中国西部地区长时段的草地面积重建。     

Effect of mixture sowing on biomass allocation in the artificially-planted pastures,Southeastern Tibetan

Artificial planting is an important measure to promote the restoration of degraded grassland and protect the ecological environment. The objectives of the current study were to investigate the allocation pattern between aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) in different seeding types of artificially-planted pastures. We explored the variation in biomass and the relationship between above-and belowground biomass in four artificiallyplanted pastures with one species from Elymus nutans Griseb(EN, perennial), Elymus sibiricus Linn(ES, perennial), Medicago sativa Linn(MS, perennial), and Avena sativa Linn(AS, annual) and in six artificially-planted communities with mixtures of two species by seeding ratio 1:1 from the abovementioned grasses(EN + AS, MS + AS, EN + ES, MS + EN, MS + ES, AS + ES) in 2015 and 2016. The results showed that E. nutans is the most productive species with the highest biomass production among the single crops. MS + ES was the most productive group in 2015, while the group with the highest biomass production changed to AS + ES in 2016. AGB was positively correlated to BGB in the surface soil layer in the first year, but positively related to BGB in the subsoil layer in the second year. In the early stageof artificial grassland succession, plants allocated more biomass to aboveground parts, with a root to shoot(R/S) ratio of 1.98. The slope of the log-log relationship between AGB and BGB was 1.07 in 2016, which is consistent with the isometric theory. Different sowing patterns strongly affected the accumulation and allocation of biomass in artificiallyplanted grassland, E. sibiricus was the suitable plant in the alpine regions, which will be conducive to understanding vegetation restoration and plant interactions in the future.     

基于生境-生物一体化视角的鄱阳湖草洲景观连通度研究

分析景观连通度动态变化特征是研究景观生态过程的重要途径,也是维持区域生物多样性的重要手段。本文以鄱阳湖草洲为研究对象,立足于影响景观连通度的生境（水位变化）与生物（物种扩散）一体化视角,在识别不同水位梯度下草洲生境范围和斑块组成的基础上,利用景观格局指数分析不同水位梯度下草洲景观结构连通度的变化特征,通过基于图论的景观连通度方法对草洲景观功能连通度分别进行不同水位梯度和不同扩散距离下的情景模拟,并剖析景观结构连通度与功能连通度的相关关系。结果表明：（1）鄱阳湖草洲呈现“水落滩出、水进草退”的景观特征,草洲生境同时面临水体的淹没效应和分割效应。随着水位的增加,草洲分布范围不断缩小,大斑块破碎与小斑块消失并存。（2）从水位变化过程来看,随着水位的增加,草洲斑块的面积不断萎缩、形状趋于简单、密度减小、破碎化程度加剧,草洲景观结构连通度下降。此外,随着水位的增加,草洲斑块在生态功能上的链接数减少、难以连接的独立组分增加、连接的可能性降低,草洲景观功能连通度降低。（3）从物种扩散过程来看,物种扩散距离对草洲景观功能连通度具有绝对正向作用,随着扩散距离的增加,草洲景观功能连通度显著增大。（4）相关...     

典型草原地区降水-径流演变趋势分析

深入探究典型草原降水和径流演变趋势和规律,对地区水资源合理配置及利用等工作具有重要意义。基于此,根据锡林浩特市气象站和锡林河水文站实测数据,运用Mann-Kendall法和线性回归法分析了典型草原地区锡林河流域40多年的降水、径流变化特征和演变规律;同时,结合降水频率,对不同水平年降水与径流相关性进行了分析。结果表明,两种评价方法一致认为,降水随时间的变化呈减少趋势,但减少趋势不显著;径流随时间的变化亦呈减少趋势,减少趋势较为显著。另外,不同水平年之间,随降水的增加,典型草原径流增加幅度表现为平水年丰水年枯水年。     

藏北地区草地退化空间特征及其趋势分析

根据草地退化国家标准和藏北地区草地退化实际情况,结合藏北地区1981—2004年多年遥感监测数据以及其它相关数据,采用遥感手段和GIS技术,分析藏北地区草地退化与坡向、坡度和海拔高度之间的关系;并计算藏北地区草地退化趋势系数,对该地区草地退化空间特征的趋势进行了分析。结果表明：在藏北地区,草地退化主要发生在平地（坡度小于1°）草地,平地的草地退化趋势比坡地显著,阳坡的草地退化指数（GDI）大于阴坡。在草地面积最大的4 500～5 250 m的海拔高度范围内,草地退化明显,草地退化趋势也显著。      

草原植被覆盖度遥感估算模型的适用性比较

植被覆盖度及其变化对区域生态系统的稳定性具有直接影响,且这种影响在草原地区更加明显。为探寻草原植被覆盖度的最佳遥感估算方法,本文对像元二分模型、Carlson模型和Baret模型的估算精度和适用性进行了比较,优化了Baret模型的参数,以提高其在草原地区的估算精度。内蒙古呼伦贝尔地区的草地计算结果表明：像元二分模型有高估植被覆盖度的现象;Carlson模型在低植被覆盖区低估了植被覆盖度,而在高植被覆盖区高估了植被覆盖度;Baret模型在草原地区的估算精度最高。对Baret模型进行参数优化后,其在高植被覆盖度区域的估算精度提升了4.9%。     

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.     

Soil Priming Effect Mediated by Nitrogen Fertilization Gradients in a Semi-arid Grassland,China

The priming effect is well acknowledged in soil systems but the effect of nitrogen (N) fertilization remains elusive. To explore how N modifies the priming effect in soil organic matter (SOM), one in situ experiment with ¹³C labeled glucose addition (0.4 mg C g^-1 soil, 3.4 atom % ¹³C) was conducted on soil plots fertilized with three gradients of urea (0, 4 and 16 g N m^-2 yr^-1). After glucose addition, the soil CO₂ concentration and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) were measured on day 3, 7, 21 and 35. The study found that N fertilization decreased soil CO₂, PLFA and the fungi to bacteria ratio. Glucose triggered the strongest positive priming in soil at 0 g N m^-2 yr^-2, meanwhile N fertilization decreased SOM-derived CO₂. Soil at 4 g N m^-2 yr^-2 released the largest amount of glucose-derived carbon (C), likely due to favorable nutrient stoichiometry between C and N. Stable microbial community biomass and composition during early sampling suggests “apparent priming” in this grassland. This study concludes that N fertilization inhibited soil priming in semi-arid grassland, and shifted microbial utilization of C substrate from SOM to added labile C. Diverse microbial functions might be playing a crucial role in soil priming and requires attention in future N fertilization studies.     

荒漠草原沙生针茅(Stipa glareosa)群落物种多样性和地上生物量对降雨量的响应

利用野外降雨量增减试验平台,研究了荒漠草原沙生针茅(Stipa glareosa)群落物种多样性和地上生物量对降雨量的响应特征。结果表明:降雨量增加或减少均能导致物种的改变,使物种多样性发生变化。处理中,4种物种多样性指数整体表现为8月高于6月。降雨量减少40%时,Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson优势集中性指数和物种丰富度Patrick指数最低,减少20%时,Pielou均匀度指数最低。降雨量增减也能够导致盖度与生物量的响应。降雨量减少60%、40%、20%时,6月植被盖度高于8月;降雨量增加20%、40%、60%时,6月植被盖度低于8月。降雨量减少和增加对荒漠草原植被盖度都有累加效应,即随时间变化,增雨处理使植被盖度持续升高,反之亦然。随降雨量增加,地上现存生物量逐渐升高,且在降雨量增加60%时达最大。降雨量减少60%、40%、20%和增加20%,都会显著降低凋落物生物量(P<0.05)。随降雨量增加,地上现存生物量与凋落物生物量的比值增大。在荒漠草原沙生针茅群落中,降雨量增加,有利于地上现存生物量的积累和地上总生物量的提高。影响荒漠草原地区植物群落地上生物量和物种多样性的关键降雨量变化范围为减雨40%～20%和增雨40%～60%。超出该范围,植物群落地上生物量和物种多样性对降雨变化的响应都会减弱。增雨20%～40%对地上生物量和物种多样性的影响不显著。