Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Abstract Grazing is an important modulator of both plant productivity and biodiversity in grassland community, yet how to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland is still controversy. Here, we explore the effects of different grazing intensities on plant biomass and species compos...
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Wiley
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5494 |
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| author | Licong Dai Xiaowei Guo Xun Ke Fawei Zhang Yikang Li Cuoji Peng Kai Shu Qian Li Li Lin Guangmin Cao Yangong Du |
| author_facet | Licong Dai Xiaowei Guo Xun Ke Fawei Zhang Yikang Li Cuoji Peng Kai Shu Qian Li Li Lin Guangmin Cao Yangong Du |
| author_sort | Licong Dai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Grazing is an important modulator of both plant productivity and biodiversity in grassland community, yet how to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland is still controversy. Here, we explore the effects of different grazing intensities on plant biomass and species composition, both at community level and functional group level, and examines the productivity–species richness relationship under four grazing patterns: no grazing (CK), light grazing (LG), moderate grazing, (MG) and heavy grazing (HG), attempt to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland. The results were as follows. The total aboveground biomass (AGB) reduced with increasing grazing intensity, and the response of plant functional groups was different. AGB of both sedges and legumes increased from MG to HG, while the AGB of forbs reduced sharply and the grass AGB remained steady. There was a significant positive relationship between productivity and species richness both at community level and functional group level. In contrast, the belowground biomass (BGB) showed a unimodal relationship from CK to HG, peaking in MG (8,297.72 ± 621.29 g/m2). Interestingly, the grassland community tends to allocate more root biomass to the upper soil layer under increasing grazing intensities. Our results suggesting that moderate levels of disturbance may be the optimal grassland management strategy for alpine meadow in terms of root production. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03a0609ffb3e484b9cb059d1be9e5dcd |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-03a0609ffb3e484b9cb059d1be9e5dcd2025-08-20T02:15:23ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582019-08-019169395940610.1002/ece3.5494Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet PlateauLicong Dai0Xiaowei Guo1Xun Ke2Fawei Zhang3Yikang Li4Cuoji Peng5Kai Shu6Qian Li7Li Lin8Guangmin Cao9Yangong Du10Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaKey Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Botany, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Science Xining ChinaAbstract Grazing is an important modulator of both plant productivity and biodiversity in grassland community, yet how to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland is still controversy. Here, we explore the effects of different grazing intensities on plant biomass and species composition, both at community level and functional group level, and examines the productivity–species richness relationship under four grazing patterns: no grazing (CK), light grazing (LG), moderate grazing, (MG) and heavy grazing (HG), attempt to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland. The results were as follows. The total aboveground biomass (AGB) reduced with increasing grazing intensity, and the response of plant functional groups was different. AGB of both sedges and legumes increased from MG to HG, while the AGB of forbs reduced sharply and the grass AGB remained steady. There was a significant positive relationship between productivity and species richness both at community level and functional group level. In contrast, the belowground biomass (BGB) showed a unimodal relationship from CK to HG, peaking in MG (8,297.72 ± 621.29 g/m2). Interestingly, the grassland community tends to allocate more root biomass to the upper soil layer under increasing grazing intensities. Our results suggesting that moderate levels of disturbance may be the optimal grassland management strategy for alpine meadow in terms of root production.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5494functional groupsgrazing intensitiesplant biomassproductivity–richness relationshipspecies composition |
| spellingShingle | Licong Dai Xiaowei Guo Xun Ke Fawei Zhang Yikang Li Cuoji Peng Kai Shu Qian Li Li Lin Guangmin Cao Yangong Du Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Ecology and Evolution functional groups grazing intensities plant biomass productivity–richness relationship species composition |
| title | Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_full | Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_short | Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_sort | moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in kobresia meadow on the northern qinghai tibet plateau |
| topic | functional groups grazing intensities plant biomass productivity–richness relationship species composition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5494 |
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