Seasonal Timing of Fire Alters Biomass and Species Composition of Northern Mixed Prairie

Fire plays a central role in influencing ecosystem patterns and processes. However, documentation of fire seasonality and plant community response is limited in semiarid grasslands. We evaluated aboveground biomass, cover, and frequency response to summer, fall, and spring fires and no fire on silty and clayey sites in semiarid, C₃-dominated grassland. The magnitude of change in biomass between years was greater than any differences among fire treatments. Still, differences existed among seasons of fire. Summer fire reduced non-native annual forb frequency (3% vs. 10% ± 2%) and Hesperostipa comata, reduced native annual forbs the first year, increased Poa secunda and bare ground, and increased Vulpia octoflora the second year. Fall fire increased grass biomass (1224 vs. 1058 ± 56 kg ? ha^? 1), but fall fire effects were generally similar to those of summer fire. Spring fire effects tended to be intermediate between no fire and summer and fall fire with the exception that spring fire was most detrimental to H. comata the first growing season and did not increase bare ground. All seasons of fire reduced litter, forb biomass, and frequency of Bromus japonicus and Artemisia spp., and they reduced H. comata, V. octoflora, and native annual forbs the first year, but increased basal cover of C₃ perennial grasses (2.2% vs. 0.6% ± 0.4%). Fire during any season increased dominance of native species compared with no fire (6.6% vs. 2.0% ± 1.0% basal cover) and maintained productivity. Seasonal timing of fire manipulated species composition, but increased C₃ perennial grass cover and native species dominance with fire during any season indicated that using fire was more important than the season in which it occurred. In addition, fire effects on the vegetation components tended to be counter to previously observed effects of grazing, suggesting fire and grazing may be complementary.     

Fire as a Land Management Tool: Rural Sector Perceptions of Burn-off Practice in New Zealand

Fire has long been used as a tool to remove pests and disease, regenerate land, and remove unwanted vegetation buildup. Although traditionally used as a widespread land management tool in the past, its continued use could be under threat due to public perceptions pertaining to risks from burns getting out of control, as well as the impacts of smoke pollution and ecological damage. To determine the attitudes of rural practitioners and residents toward use of fire as a land management tool, this paper reports the results, analysis, and interpretation to a survey question: “Do you feel fire is a good option for managing rural land?”, along with an analysis of key attitudes toward the use of fire as a land management tool. The survey was undertaken with 696 respondents consisting of (rural land managers, rural populace, and rural fire personnel) within New Zealand. The survey identified differing perceptions about the suitability of prescribed fire use by land-based sectors. Five constructs explained the attitudes toward use of fire as a land management tool: benefits of fire use, the tradition of fire as a tool, regulations and liabilities, smoke impacts from fire, and the risks from knowledge loss and changing land use. Results showed that a person’s high agreement with the construct concerning negative smoke impacts resulted in less agreement that fire was a good option for use in rural land management in New Zealand. Main demographics influencing a positive attitude toward the use of fire included gender (male), their current use of fire, and larger land area managed. For prescribed fire to continue to be a useful tool, an improved understanding of current management practices and clear guidelines around best practice in using fire in New Zealand to manage land are required, with particular emphasis on limiting smoke impacts.     

Effect of Parity,Season and FSH Treatment on the Calving Interval of Ayrshire Cows in the Tropics

A total of 607 calving intervals on 99 Ayrshire cows with parities from 1 to 10 and belonging to one dairy herd at Iringa in the southern highlands of Tanzania were analysed to study the effect of parity and season or month of calving on the subsequent calving interval. In addition, 22 calving intervals incorporating a superovulatory cycle were compared with those of 52 controls that had calved around the same period.The average (mean±SEM) age at first calving was 985±16 days. The effect of parity on calving interval was highly significant (p<0.001). Cows that calved in December, at the beginning of the rainy season, exhibited the shortest calving interval (404±13), while those that calved in September/October, in the dry season, exhibited the longest average calving interval (466±20 days), although this difference was not significant. Prior treatment with follicle-stimulating hormone to induce superovulation, significantly lengthened the average calving interval (579±28 vs 457±15 days; p<0.001).It was concluded that both parity and FSH treatment affected the calving interval. However, season (rainy vs dry) or month of calving did not influence this interval.     

冬季火烧对高寒草甸牧草产量及品质的影响

中国科学院海北高寒草甸定位站以围栏封育草地冬季火烧为研究对象、围栏封育未火烧草地为对照,对其产草量、牧草营养品质进行测定,探讨了冬季草原火烧对第二年牧草产量和品质的影响。结果表明:围栏封育草地冬季火烧之后第二年地上鲜草生物量显著高于围栏封育未火烧草地,火烧之后第二年地上枯草的积累量显著低于围栏封育未火烧草地。围栏封育草地火烧之后牧草粗蛋白含量比围栏封育未火烧草地粗蛋白含量显著提高;粗脂肪含量与围栏封育未火烧草地之间没有显著差异(P0.05)。围栏封育草地冬季火烧之后中性洗涤纤维(NDF)、酸性洗涤纤维(ADF)含量比围栏封育未火烧草地显著升高,酸性洗涤木质素(ADL)含量与围栏封育未火烧之间没有显著差异。该研究表明草原火烧短期内对牧草产量和品质有一定的促进作用,加速了退化草地的恢复进程。     

松嫩平原人工草地羊草和野大麦叶种群的趋同生长格局

羊草和野大麦均为根茎型禾草，具有较强的营养繁殖力和相似的营养繁殖特性，是典型的无性系植物。在松嫩平原生长季末期，羊草和野大麦的无性系均由不同形成和生长时间的分蘖株组成，构成种群生活史中营养生长格局的连续统。根据植物种群的构件理论，采用大样本取样方法，对羊草和野大麦营养分蘖株进行了叶种群统计的生长分析。结果表明，羊草和野大麦营养分蘖株的叶种群均呈相同的幂函数变化规律，蕴涵着趋同的叶种群形成与生长过程,趋同的叶种群生物量生长格局；趋同的生长调节和物质分配策略；以及趋同的叶片生长过程。     

放牧和刈割对坝上草原羊草根茎与营养枝生长的影响

在河北张家口坝上羊苹草原上,选择植被均匀、微地形差异较小的割草地和放牧地作为研究样地,通过对羊草种群的营养枝和根茎两个指标研究表明：割草地与放牧营养枝和根茎呈不显著拮抗关系,放牧地根茎随季节波动性要显著大于割草地。综合分析结果表明,割草地羊草种群的营养枝和根茎生物性状要优于放牧地。     

Longer-Term Evaluation of Sagebrush Restoration After Juniper Control and Herbaceous Vegetation Trade-offs

Degradation of shrublands around the world from altered fire regimes, overutilization, and anthropogenic disturbance has resulted in a widespread need for shrub restoration. In western North America, reestablishment of mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana [Rydb.] Beetle) is needed to restore ecosystem services and function. Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis ssp. occidentalis Hook) encroachment is a serious threat to mountain big sagebrush communities in the northern Great Basin and Columbia Plateau. Juniper trees can be controlled with fire; however, sagebrush recovery may be slow, especially if encroachment largely eliminated sagebrush before juniper control. Short-term studies have suggested that seeding mountain big sagebrush after juniper control may accelerate sagebrush recovery. Longer-term information is lacking on how sagebrush recovery progresses and if there are trade-offs with herbaceous vegetation. We compared seeding and not seeding mountain big sagebrush after juniper control (partial cutting followed with burning) in fully developed juniper woodlands (i.e., sagebrush had been largely excluded) at five sites, 7 and 8 yr after seeding. Sagebrush cover averaged ~ 30% in sagebrush seeded plots compared with ~ 1% in unseeded plots 8 yr after seeding, thus suggesting that sagebrush recovery may be slow without seeding after juniper control. Total herbaceous vegetation, perennial grass, and annual forb cover was less where sagebrush was seeded. Thus, there is a trade-off with herbaceous vegetation with seeding sagebrush. Our results suggest that seeding sagebrush after juniper control can accelerate the recovery of sagebrush habitat characteristics, which is important for sagebrush-associated wildlife. We suggest land manager and restoration practitioners consider seeding sagebrush and possibly other shrubs after controlling encroaching trees where residual shrubs are lacking after control.     

冬季火烧对青藏高原亚高山草甸草地地上生产力和植物群落的影响

以2010年1月21日发生于青藏高原亚高山草甸草地火灾的过火草地为对象,通过对比2010年生长季火烧与未火烧草地生产力及植物群落的变化,发现火烧后第1年草地生产力有不同程度提高,以高寒灌丛草甸线叶嵩草+发草+苔草草地增产影响最大(P0.05)。火烧对植物群落中的种类成分没有明显影响,但在各火烧草地牧草经济类群中,以占优势的莎草科植物呈现出明显的增产效果(P0.05),说明火烧对根茎型莎草科植物起着刺激生长的作用。群落中禾本科植物产草量均有较大幅度下降(P0.05),表明火烧对根茎型禾本科高草的叶层高度有明显的抑制。火烧对各类草地植物生长期产生不同的影响,牧草返青期提前15~25d,生长期延长。     

高寒退化禾本科混播草地地下芽库特征与群落持续性初探

为探明多年生不同混播组合草地退化后的群落稳定性和可持续性,本研究以祁连山金强河地区22年前建植的6种混播草地为研究对象,对草地群落结构及地下芽库构成进行调查分析。结果表明：4组分混播草地能够较好的保留建植种的地下芽,且以建植种分蘖芽为主,而3组分混播草地地下芽主要由侵入种的分蘖芽、根茎芽、根颈芽和根蘖芽构成,建植种芽密度占比较低;分蘖芽密度与建植种植物盖度、密度和地上生物量正相关,根茎芽、根颈芽、根蘖芽密度与侵入种植物盖度、密度和地上生物量正相关。其中,混播组合“冷地早熟禾(Poa crymophila)+多叶老芒麦(Elymus sibiricus)+无芒雀麦(Bromus inermis)+扁穗冰草(Agropgyron cristatum)”草地地下芽结构最优,可适当延长混播草地使用年限,是适宜青藏高原高寒地区的混播草种组合。     

松嫩平原光稃茅香实验无性系的营养繁殖力及生长规律

光稃茅香是长根茎型禾草, 是典型的无性系植物.在松嫩平原, 实验光稃茅香无性系的芽库在整个生长季有25.9%～32.0%输出成分蘖株, 芽库储备与输出具有相对的稳定性.在具有充分生长空间而又没有种间竞争的风沙土生境, 实验光稃茅香无性系在一个生长季内所占据的空间面积平均为1.238 m2.在生长季末期, 光稃茅香无性系根茎的干物质贮量比分蘖株的生物量平均高9.7%.不同无性系在分蘖株和根茎的生长、生产及物质贮藏上具有相对的一致性.实验光稃茅香无性系的营养繁殖力具有较大的生态可塑性, 每条根茎的长度及节间长度的生态可塑性则相对较小.在一个生长季内, 实验光稃茅香无性系的分蘖株数量呈指数生长.     

Effects of 34 Years of Experimentally Manipulated Burn Seasons and Frequencies on Prairie Plant Composition

Historically, tallgrass prairie burns occurred at many seasons and frequencies. Currently, tallgrass prescribed burns often occur annually in the spring, usually for cattle forage production. Altering burning season and frequency is known to affect plant composition and biomass production, but researchers are still uncertain how burning season and frequency interact. We present the long-term effects of a factorial combination of different burn seasons (spring, summer, autumn, or variable [rotated through seasons]) and frequencies (annual or quadrennial) on the plant composition and biomass production of an ungrazed, restored tallgrass prairie in eastern Nebraska, United States. The experimental plots were established in 1978 and visually surveyed for baseline data in 1979 and 1981. Experimental burn treatments were begun in 1982. Plots were visually surveyed until 2011 with the following results: 1) annual spring and summer burns increased C₄ graminoid abundance; 2) annual autumn burns increased forb abundance; 3) burn season had little effect on plant composition for quadrennial burns; and 4) variable season burns generally led to plant composition that was intermediate between annual spring/summer and annual autumn burns. We also clipped biomass to estimate aboveground annual net primary production (ANPP) in 2015, a year in which both annual and quadrennial burns occurred. Total ANPP did not differ significantly between burn frequencies nor between spring and autumn burns (772 g m^? 2 average) but was lower in summer burns (541 g m^? 2). ANPP results were similar to visual surveys, with significantly higher C₄ graminoid ANPP in spring than autumn burns and significantly lower forb and C₃ graminoid ANPP in spring than autumn burns. Overall, these results suggest autumn burns can increase forb and C₃ graminoid abundance, without strongly affecting total ANPP relative to spring burns. Future studies should compare plant and livestock production between spring and autumn burns in grazed fields.     

家畜排泄物对牧草种子传播和萌发的作用

放牧调控牧草的生殖格局,包括牧草有性繁殖和无性繁殖分配、种子生产、传播和萌发等,其中家畜的排泄物是重要的作用途径之一。放牧家畜的排泄物促进种子生产、远距离扩散和种子萌发,同时也会损伤种子、抑制萌发等。本文从种子生产、传播及萌发等方面阐述放牧家畜排泄物对牧草种子的作用,认为其是牧草自然更新有效途径之一。放牧家畜排泄物能够增加种子产量、采食几率、散布距离及改变萌发自身与生境条件,从而提高种子传播数量和质量,以促进牧草的有效自然更新。通过了解家畜排泄物在牧草种子传播和萌发中的作用并再此基础上探讨牧草自然更新的机制,以期为草地更新和退化草地恢复提供理论参考。     

Restoring Perennial Grasses in Medusahead Habitat: Role of Tilling,Fire, Herbicides,and Seeding Rate

Restoring arid regions degraded by invasive annual grasses to native perennial grasses is a critical conservation goal. Targeting site availability, species availability, and species performance is a key strategy for reducing invasive annual grass cover while simultaneously increasing the abundance of seeded native perennial grasses. However, the potential for establishing successful seedings is still highly variable in rangeland ecosystems, likely because of variable year-to-year weather. In this study, we evaluated the independent and combined inputs of tilling, burning, applying imazapic herbicide, and varying seeding rates on existing species and seeded native perennial grass performance from 2008 to 2012 in a southwestern Idaho rangeland ecosystem. We found that combining tilling, fire, and herbicides produced the lowest annual grass cover. The combination of fire and herbicides yielded the highest seeded species density in the hydrologic year (HY) (October ? September) 2010, especially at higher than minimum recommended seeding rates. Although the independent and combined effects of fire and herbicides directly affected the growth of resident species, they failed to affect seeded species cover except in HY 2010, when weather was favorable for seedling growth. Specifically, low winter temperature variability (few freeze-thaw cycles) followed by high growing season precipitation in HY 2010 yielded 14 × more seeded perennial grasses than any other seeding year, even though total annual precipitation amounts did not greatly vary between 2009 and 2012. Collectively, these findings suggest that tilling, applying prescribed fire, and herbicides before seeding at least 5 × the minimum recommended seeding rate should directly reduce resident annual grass abundance and likely yield high densities of seeded species in annual grass ? dominated ecosystems, but only during years of stable winter conditions followed by wet springs.     

关于开发中国西部地区退耕还林还草的建议

关于退耕还林还草,提出了两个方面的建议:1.在草原、荒漠和高寒高原地区,由于生物气候带规律性的制约,天然林基本上是不存在的,但在非林地带的局部地段,如:山地阴坡、沟谷底部、河岸湖滨低地和含水较多的沙地,则有森林存在,而且宜于造林。种树与生物气候带之间的这种辩证关系应予以更多的考虑。不仅如此,在营林目的、林业的概念、森林结构以及树种等方面都要求作相应的修改,以适应干旱-半干旱的非森林气候。目前在林业经营管理上存在着把灌木和灌丛等同于林木和森林的荒诞问题。它可能给生态学、生物学、林学甚至自然地理学带来概念上的混乱。2.还草,应看作“草业”的光辉起点。草业,以草和畜为核心,同农业饲料生产、生态保护性的林业、草原荒漠和高原特殊有用植物的集约栽培相结合,为一个整体的生态系统工程。围绕着这样的草业系统工程还包括广大天然草原围栏轮牧系统。在这里,放牧并非古老落后的草场利用方式,而是一种有先进科学含义的生物学营养循环的系统,对中国尤其具有主要意义。     

退化高寒草甸暖季休牧恢复过程中植被和土壤特性

为探讨暖季休牧恢复过程中退化高寒草甸植被和土壤恢复特性,本研究对泽库县退化高山嵩草草甸暖季休牧样地不同恢复阶段植被和土壤特性进行调查,结果显示植被高度、地上生物量、土壤含水量、土壤有机碳含量等生态功能属性随自然恢复时间的延长不断得到改善(P<0.05),在恢复末期(9—10年)恢复最好;植被盖度、地下生物量、多样性、土...     

火烧后亚高山草甸恢复过程中物种组成和群落特征变化规律的研究

为了解火烧对植物群落结构和植被恢复速度的影响,本研究以甘肃省皇城羊场亚高山草甸为研究对象,于2017年5月进行了火烧试验,并分别在2017,2018及2019年的5月(返青期)、7月(生长期)和9月(生长末期)测量了该区域火烧样地和原生样地的植被覆盖度、群落多样性和裸地百分比等指标.结果表明:2019年5月后火烧样地与...     

松嫩平原碱化草甸獐毛种群有性生殖的数量特征及营养繁殖特性的研究

通过对单优群落随机取样的调查与测定，分析了松嫩平原碱化草甸漳毛种群有性生殖的数量特征及营养繁殖特性。樟毛种群以营养生长和营养繁殖为主，成穗率仅为１５．７％，结实率为４１．６％。獐毛的匍匐茎在整个生长季均不断地增节伸长。至生长季末期，大多数匍匐茎可产生２０～２２个节，总长度可达２６９．５～３０４．５ｃｍ，节上可共产生８５．５～ｌ１１．４个营养繁殖株。不同月份的匍匐茎，其营养繁殖具有相同的规律性。匍匐茎的营养繁殖株在翌春存活与繁殖的数量最少者为１０株，多者达１３１株，基部１～２节无存活，３～１９节可形成１～２３株的营养繁殖株丛，最远存活的节营养繁殖株距母株２９４ｍ。