利用方式对高寒牧区土壤有机碳含量及土壤结构性质的影响

在高山草原带选择了围栏草地、一年生人工草地(先围栏草地后开垦种植燕麦草)和多年生人工草地(先围栏草地后开垦种植多年生垂穗披碱草和无芒雀麦)三种利用方式,就人工草地利用方式对土壤有机碳含量和结构性质的影响进行了研究。研究结果表明,在高寒牧区,开垦自然植被分别种植一年生燕麦草20多年和种植多年生禾草7年以后与围栏草地相比较,0-30cm深度土壤有机碳密度分别平均降低了27.7% 和8.5%,土壤结构的稳定性(MWD)分别平均降低了46.9%和42.6%。同时土壤容重和土壤密度显著增加, 土壤孔隙度显著降低。在高寒牧区开垦自然植被建植人工草地情况下,土壤结构性质的恶化与有机碳(质)含量的降低密切相关。     

Microbial growth rate measurements reveal that land-use abandonment promotes a fungal dominance of SOM decomposition in grazed Mediterranean ecosystems

The present study investigated the effects of land-use abandonment on the soil decomposer community of two grazed Mediterranean ecosystems (an annual grassland with scattered holm oaks and a low-density shrubland). To test the influence of grazing abandonment, a set of plots within each site were fenced and kept undisturbed during 4–5 years, during which above-ground plant community structure was monitored. After that, soil samples were collected from grazed and abandoned plots corresponding to the three different soil conditions: away from (“grass”) and below tree canopies (“oak”) within the annual grassland, and from the shrubland (“shrub”). Soil samples were split into two different layers (0–5 and 5–15 cm) and then analyzed for saprotrophic fungal (acetate into ergosterol incorporation) and bacterial (leucine incorporation) growth rates. Ergosterol content (as a fungal biomass estimator) and a standard set of soil chemistry variables were also measured. After 5 years of grazing exclusion, saprotrophic fungal growth rate clearly increased in both grass and oak surface layers whereas bacterial growth rate was not altered. This translated into significantly higher fungal-to-bacterial (F/B) growth rate ratios within the ungrazed plots. Similar trends were observed for the shrub soils after 4 years of exclusion. On the contrary, abandonment of grazing had negligible effects on the ergosterol content, as well as on the soil chemical variables (soil organic carbon, total N, C/N ratio, and pH), in all the three soil conditions assessed. These results indicated a shift toward a more fungal-dominated decomposer activity in soils following cessation of grazing and highlighted the sensitivity of the microbial growth rate parameters to changes associated with land use. Moreover, there were evidences of a faster fungal biomass turnover in the ungrazed plots, which would reflect an accelerated, though not bigger, fungal channel in soil organic matter mineralization.     

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions and water‐stable aggregation as affected by cropping and grassland reclamation in an arid sub‐alpine soil

This paper investigates effects of cropping abandonment and perennial grass growing on soil organic C and N pools and aggregate stability, by comparing soils under native grassland, crop cultivation, perennial grass growing and cropping abandonment, in degraded cropland at a sub‐alpine site in north‐western China. The pools of total and particulate organic C (115 and 37 Mg ha⁻¹) in the 0–30 cm soil layer of native grassland were reduced by 31 and 54% after 30 years of crop cultivation. After 4 years of conversion from cropland to perennial grass growing total and particulate organic C pools were increased by 29 and 56%, whereas 4 year cropping abandonment increased particulate organic C by 36%. Rapid increases in total and particulate N were also found in perennial grass growing and cropping abandonment soils. The native grassland soil and soils of cropping abandonment and perennial grass growing had higher carbohydrate C concentrations in the 0–10 cm layer than the cropped soil. The rapid recovery of particulate organic fraction and carbohydrates in the re‐vegetated soils were probably due to higher plant biomass inputs and lower organic matter decomposition compared with those in the cropped soil. Aggregate stability of the 0–30 cm soil layer was significantly decreased by crop cultivation but showed a good recovery after 4 year re‐vegetations. This study suggests that reduction of soil organic matter and aggregate stability under crop cultivation may be remedied by cropping abandonment or perennial grass growing. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

围栏封育对荒漠草原灌丛草地土壤优先流的影响研究

为探究围封对灌丛草地土壤优先流的影响,以宁夏吴忠市盐池县典型荒漠草原区为研究区,通过野外入渗染色试验、图像处理分析等方法,对围封荒漠草原灌丛草地土壤优先流的影响进行评价。结果表明:(1)围栏封育与放牧管理样地土壤水分入渗特征存在差异,在围栏封育样地,草地、天然柠条林地、人工柠条林地的入渗染色图像分别在0—125,0—115,0—105 cm呈现均匀分布,而在125—240,115—150,105—140 cm呈现染色分支,在放牧管理样地,草地、天然柠条林地、人工柠条林地入渗染色图像分别在0—80,0—70,0—80 cm呈现均匀分布,围栏封育导致土壤优先流发生深度更大;(2)土壤剖面染色面积比表现为围栏封育草地＞围栏封育天然柠条林地＞围栏封育人工柠条林地＞放牧管理人工柠条林地＞放牧管理天然柠条林地＞放牧管理草地,土壤染色深度表现为围栏封育草地＞围栏封育天然柠条林地＞放牧管理草地＞放牧管理天然柠条林地＞围栏封育人工柠条林地＞放牧管理人工柠条林地,围栏封育管理会导致土壤剖面染色面积比及染色深度增大;(3)土壤优先流变异系数表现为放牧管理天然柠条林地＞放牧管理人工柠条林地＞围栏封育天然柠条林地＞放牧管理草地＞围栏封育人工柠条林地＞围栏封育草地,放牧管理导致土壤优先流程度增加,而围栏封育降低灌木林地及草地的优先流程度。因此,在荒漠草原等干旱半干旱地区,围栏封育可作为提升土壤水分均匀入渗深度、降低优先流发生程度、提高土壤水分利用效率的重要管理方式。     

Plant‐compositional effects on surface runoff and sediment yield in subalpine grassland

Soil erosion such as sheet erosion is frequently encountered in subalpine grassland in the Urseren Valley (Swiss Central Alps). Erosion damages have increased enormously in this region during the last 50 y, most likely due to changes in land‐use practices and due to the impact of climatic changes. In order to estimate the effect of vegetation characteristics on surface runoff and sediment loss, we irrigated 22 pasture plots of 1 m² during 1 h at an intense rain rate of 50 mm h^–1 in two field campaigns using a portable rain simulator. The rain‐simulation plots differed in plant composition (herb versus grass dominance) and land‐use intensity but not in plant cover (>90%) nor in soil conditions. Prior to the second rain‐simulation campaign, aboveground vegetation was clipped in order to simulate intense grazing. The generated surface runoffs, sediment loss, relative water retention in the aboveground vegetation, and changes in soil moisture were quantified. Runoff coefficient varied between 0.1% and 25%, and sediment loss ranged between 0 and 0.053 g m^–2. Thus, high infiltration rates and full vegetation cover resulted in very low erosion rates even under such extreme rain events. Surface runoff did not differ significantly between herb‐ and grass‐dominated plots. However, clipping had a notable effect on surface runoff in the test plots under different land‐use intensity. In plots without or with intensive use, surface runoff decreased after clipping whereas in extensively used plots, surface runoff increased after the clipping. This opposite effect was mainly explained by higher necromass and litter presence at the extensively used plots after the clipping treatment. The results obtained here contribute to a better understanding of the importance of vegetation characteristics on surface‐runoff formation, thus, on soil‐erosion control. Overall, we delineate vegetation parameters to be crucial in soil‐erosion control which are directly modified by the land‐use management.     

Management effects on the vegetation and soil seed bank of calcareous grasslands: An 11-year experiment

Calcareous grasslands, most of which are man made and therefore depend on some kind of human interference for their maintenance, are among the most species-rich communities on Earth at a small scale. For many centuries, most of these grasslands have been used as extensive pasture. However, after 1900, and particularly from 1940 onwards, livestock grazing has declined throughout Europe leading to the abandonment of low intensity grasslands over large areas. To conserve the remaining grasslands or to restore recently abandoned grasslands, better insights about the effects of grassland management on above and belowground species diversity are needed. Here, we describe the results of an 11-year experiment to investigate the role of grassland management (grazing, mowing and abandonment) in determining species composition and diversity both in the aboveground vegetation and the seed bank of a calcareous grassland in Belgium. Species diversity declined by about 60% 11 years after abandonment, from 29 species m⁻² to as few as 12 species m⁻². Plots that were grazed remained constant in species richness, whereas mown sites lost about 20% of their original species. Abandoned plots were largely dominated by a few grass species, in particular Festuca rubra. Concomitant with changes in the aboveground vegetation, both the number of species found in the seed bank and seed density (number of seeds m⁻²) had changed significantly 11 years after abandonment. Species diversity and seed density were significantly lower in abandoned plots than in grazed or mown plots. We conclude that abandonment of calcareous grasslands may lead to rapid decline of plant species diversity both in the aboveground vegetation and in the seed bank. As a result, seed banks probably have a limited role to play in the restoration of recently abandoned grasslands.     

捡拾牦牛粪对高寒草甸植物功能群特征与生产力的影响

青藏高原高寒草甸广大牧区由于交通不便、能源短缺和生活习俗等原因,牛粪依然是当地牧民的主要生活能源来源,长期、大量地捡拾牛粪改变了粪斑的数量和面积,使养分在天然草地上无法回到草地生态系统进行再循环,因而对草地植物群落结构和生物量产生一定影响,从而增加了生态风险。为探讨捡拾牛粪对草地的生态影响,本文以青海省河南县高寒草甸生态系统为研究对象,通过对适度放牧草地上牦牛粪开展为期3年的不捡拾、一半捡拾和全部捡拾3个处理的试验研究,探讨捡拾牛粪对高寒草甸生态系统植物经济功能群落特征和生产力的影响。结果表明:牛粪不捡拾处理的草地生产力显著低于半捡拾和全捡拾处理,植物多样性显著低于半捡拾处理,禾草类优良牧草生物量显著高于半捡拾和全捡拾处理,莎草类优良牧草生物量显著高于全捡拾处理;牛粪半捡拾处理比不捡拾处理草地植被丰富度显著提高31.9%,植物多样性显著增加,群落生产力显著提高9.7%(42.6 g·m~(-2)),优良牧草和可食牧草生物量变化不显著;牛粪完全捡拾比不捡拾处理也显著增加草地植被的丰富度,增幅为10.7%,植物多样性显著增加,群落生产力显著提高4.1%(17.96 g·m~(-2)),但同时毒杂草显著增多,优良牧草和可食性牧草显著减少,牧草适口性变差。捡拾(半捡和全捡)牛粪会使禾草类和莎草类优质牧草生物量显著减少,莎草类在完全捡拾牛粪区生物量极显著减少70%以上;豆科植物生物量显著增加,在完全捡拾牛粪区生物量极显著增加,可达5倍以上;占总生物量74%~79%的杂类草和毒草的生物量也显著增加,且以半捡拾区增量最多。适度的牛粪捡拾可增加植被的丰富度和多样性,也提高了植被的生物量,并可保证牧草的营养品质和适口性。本项研究结果可以为高寒草甸牧区牛粪的适度捡拾和草地生态系统可持续管理提供科学依据。     

Effect of vegetation manipulation of abandoned arable land on soil microbial properties

 The effect of vegetation composition on various soil microbial properties in abandoned arable land was investigated 2 years after agricultural practice had terminated. Microbial numbers and processes were determined in five replicate plots of each of the following treatments: continued agricultural practice (monoculture of buckwheat in 1997), natural colonization by the pioneer community (arable weeds), and manipulated colonization from low (four species, three functional groups: grasses, forbs and legumes) or high diversity (15 species, three functional groups) seed mixtures from plant species that are characteristic of abandoned fields in later successional stages. The results indicated that differences in above-ground plant biomass, plant species composition and plant species diversity had no significant effect on soil microbial processes (net N mineralization, short-term nitrification, respiration and Arg ammonification), microbial biomass C and N (fumigation-incubation) or colony-forming units of the major microbial groups. Hence, there were no indications that soil microbial processes responded differently within 2 years of colonization of abandoned arable land by later successional plants as compared to that by plants from the natural pioneer weed community. Therefore, it seems that during the first few years after arable field abandonment, plants are more dependent on the prevailing soil microbiological conditions than vice versa. Received: 8 April 1999     

Vegetation characteristics and soil properties in grazing exclusion areas of the Inner Mongolia desert steppe

In arid and semi-arid desert steppe areas, grazing exclusion with fencing is widely regarded as an effective strategy for restoring degraded vegetation and enhancing the quality of degraded soil. In this study, we hypothesized that grazing exclusion caused by fencing enhances both vegetation and soil properties, and that the longer an area is fenced, the more considerable the improvement. We conducted an observational study wherein random sampling was utilized to select 9 plots fenced for ten or more years, 25 plots fenced for four to nine years, 25 plots fenced for one to three years and 29 free-grazing plots within an area of approximately 63,000 km² of Inner Mongolia desert steppe. A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in the characteristics of grassland vegetation or soil properties between grasslands fenced for one to three years and free-grazing grassland. After 4 years of fencing, noticeable increases in above-ground biomass, litter content, Simpson index, soil organic carbon, and available nitrogen were observed. Significant positive differences in vegetation coverage, height, species richness, soil available phosphorus, and available potassium were associated with plots with a minimum of 10 years of fencing. The soil layer with the greatest difference in the fenced-in areas for soil organic carbon was at 0–25 cm. For available nitrogen and available phosphorus, fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0–20 cm soil layer, while for available potassium, fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0–30 cm soil layer. However, the fencing did not indicate any statistically significant differences in terms of clay, silt, and sand content in any soil layer. The data support our hypothesis that grazing exclusion improves both vegetation and soil properties, and that longer periods of grazing exclusion result in greater degrees of improvement. This research offers technical guidance for the reasonable choice of fencing time across a vast area of the Inner Mongolian desert steppe.     

HERBIVORE‐DRIVEN LAND DEGRADATION: CONSEQUENCES FOR PLANT DIVERSITY AND SOIL IN ARID SUBTROPICAL THICKET IN SOUTH‐EASTERN AFRICA

Investigations were made of plant and soil responses to severe degradation through heavy grazing and browsing in arid, succulent, subtropical thicket. Severe degradation of thicket is of major concern in terms of threatened biodiversity, unsustainable utilization and collapse of other ecosystem services. We used a natural, field contrast, case‐study approach, sampling within plots under lightly and heavily stocked conditions. Mean plant species diversity and richness did not change significantly at sample plot level although there was a 27 per cent decline in richness with degradation at the scale of the study site. On degraded plots, there was a high species turnover and high beta diversity, which created a replacement zone rather than an impoverished zone. Replacement species were confirmed as mainly, but not exclusively, weedy annual grasses and alien forbs. The few persisting perennials were small trees that survived above the browse line, and hardy shrub species. Perennial persisting and replacement species below the browse line may suggest potential candidates for restoration. Nitrogen was the only measured nutrient that showed a significant decrease with degradation. Phosphorous, potassium and magnesium increased significantly, with the first two mentioned reaching potentially excessive levels. Soil salinization occurred with an order of magnitude increase in sodium. Thus, the increased cation exchange capacity occurred together with development of a nutrient imbalance. The elevation in some nutrients and soluble salts is ascribed to wind‐determined directional grazing that concentrate livestock in the degraded area. The implications of the above altered soil conditions for thicket restoration need to be further explored. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mycorrhizal colonization of plants in set-aside agricultural land

Agricultural overproduction has led the European Union to encourage long-term abandonment of agricultural land and the adoption of management practices which enhance transition to semi-natural grassland or forest. This paper reports the results of a field study conducted in newly abandoned agricultural land where the development of the mycorrhizal community was investigated in response to manipulation of the above-ground vegetation. The field site consisted of plots where the plant diversity was managed by (1) sowing 15 plant species, (2) sowing four plant species, and (3) allowing plots to be naturally colonized by plants. The plant mixture contained grasses, legumes and forbs that were all expected to occur on the site following succession. Each of the low diversity replicates contained a different subset of the high diversity mixture, in order to avoid confounding diversity effects with sampling effects. A subset of these plots was inoculated with soil cores from a later successional stage and the experiment was arranged in a randomized block design. The catch plants, Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies and Plantago lanceolata, were planted in the experimental plots and the presence of ecto- or arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on their roots was determined. The level of AM colonization of P. lanceolata and the ectomycorrhizal colonization of F. sylvatica was lower in the sown treatments with high and low plant diversity compared to areas that were naturally colonized by plants. The survival of catch plants of the tree species was also higher in the naturally colonized plots. Soil inoculations had no effect on either of the mycorrhizal types or the survival of catch plants. The establishment of non-introduced woody plant species was more successful in the naturally colonized treatments.     

Influences of continuous grazing and livestock exclusion on soil properties in a degraded sandy grassland, Inner Mongolia, northern China

Overgrazing is one of the main causes of desertification in the semiarid Horqin sandy grassland of northern China. Excluding grazing livestock is considered as an alternative to restore vegetation in degraded sandy grassland in this region. However, few data are available concerning the impacts of continuous grazing and livestock exclusion on soil properties. In this paper, characteristics of vegetation and soil properties under continuous grazing and exclusion of livestock for 5 and 10 years were examined in representative degraded sandy grassland. Continuous grazing resulted in a considerable decrease in ground cover, which accelerates soil erosion by wind, leading to a further coarseness in surface soil, loss of soil organic C and N, and a decrease in soil biological properties. The grassland under continuous grazing is in the stage of very strong degradation. Excluding livestock grazing enhances vegetation recovery, litter accumulation, and development of annual and perennial grasses. Soil organic C and total N concentrations, soil biological properties including some enzyme activities and basal soil respiration improved following 10-year exclusion of livestock, suggesting that degradation of the grassland is being reversed. The results suggest that excluding grazing livestock on the desertified sandy grassland in the erosion-prone Horqin region has a great potential to restore soil fertility, sequester soil organic carbon and improve biological activity. Soil restoration is a slow process although the vegetation can recover rapidly after removal of livestock. A viable option for sandy grassland management should be to adopt proper exclosure in a rotation grazing system in the initial stage of grassland degradation.     

Temporal dynamics of soil nematode communities in a grassland plant diversity experiment

We report here on an 8-year study examining links between plant and nematode communities in a grassland plant diversity experiment, located in the north of Sweden on previous agricultural soil. The examined plots contained 1, 4 and 12 common grassland plant species from three functional groups; grasses, legumes and forbs. The same plant species composition was maintained in the plots through weeding and resowing during the experimental period. The hypotheses were (i) that the nematode community would shift towards a more diverse and mature fauna over time and (ii) that the effects of both plant species identity and plant species richness would increase over time. As hypothesized, the Bongers’ Maturity Index (a measure of nematode responses to disturbance) increased over time, but not nematode diversity. Instead, the nematode community development in the present grassland experiment seemed to be more characterized by shifts in dominance patterns than by colonization of new taxa. Clear temporal trends were found for plant-feeders and Adenophorea bacterial-feeders which increased in abundance over time in almost all plant treatments. Rhabditidae bacterial-feeders decreased in abundance over time, in particular in plots with legumes. Fungal-feeders, omnivores/predators and the two nematode indices PPI (Bongers’ Plant Parasitic Index) and NCR (Nematode Channel Ratio) had significant interactions between plant composition and time giving some support to our second hypothesis. Our results highlight the need for long-term experiments to examine plant species effects on soil fauna, especially on taxa belonging to higher trophic levels. The results also stress the importance of plant composition for belowground soil faunal communities.     

Impact of land‐use changes on soil hydraulic properties of Calcaric Regosols on the Loess Plateau,NW China

Vegetation restoration efforts (planting trees and grass) have been effective in controlling soil erosion on the Loess Plateau (NW China). Shifts in land cover result in modifications of soil properties. Yet, whether the hydraulic properties have also been improved by vegetation restoration is still not clear. The objective of this paper was to understand how vegetation restoration alters soil structure and related soil hydraulic properties such as permeability and soil water storage capacity. Three adjacent sites with similar soil texture, soil type, and topography, but different land cover (black locust forest, grassland, and cropland) were selected in a typical small catchment in the middle reaches of the Yellow River (Loess Plateau). Seasonal variation of soil hydraulic properties in topsoil and subsoil were examined. Our study revealed that land‐use type had a significant impact on field‐saturated, near‐saturated hydraulic conductivity, and soil water characteristics. Specifically, conversion from cropland to grass or forests promotes infiltration capacity as a result of increased saturated hydraulic conductivity, air capacity, and macroporosity. Moreover, conversion from cropland to forest tends to promote the creation of mesopores, which increase soil water‐storage capacity. Tillage of cropland created temporarily well‐structured topsoil but compacted subsoil as indicated by low subsoil saturated hydraulic conductivity, air capacity, and plant‐available water capacity. No impact of land cover conversion on unsaturated hydraulic conductivities at suction > 300 cm was found indicating that changes in land cover do not affect functional meso‐ and microporosity. Our work demonstrates that changes in soil hydraulic properties resulting from soil conservation efforts need to be considered when soil conservation measures shall be implemented in water‐limited regions. For ensuring the sustainability of such measures, the impact of soil conversion on water resources and hydrological processes needs to be further investigated.     

Fungal diversity in set-aide agricultural soil investigated using terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism

As part of the restoration of biodiversity on former agricultural land there has been focused on methods to enhance the rate of transition from agricultural land towards natural grasslands or forest ecosystems. Management practices such as sowing seed mixtures and inoculating soil of later successional stages have been used. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a managed plant community on the diversity of soil fungi in a newly abandoned agricultural land. A field site was set up consisting of 20 plots where the plant diversity was managed by either sowing 15 plant species, or natural colonization was allowed to occur. The plant mixture contained five species each of grasses, legumes and forbs that all were expected to occur at the site. A subset of the plots (five from each treatment) was inoculated with soil cores from a late successional stage. The plant community composition was subject to a principal component analysis based on the coverage of each species. Five years after abandonment, soil samples were taken from the plots, DNA was extracted and the ITS region of the rDNA gene was amplified using fluorescently labelled fungal specific primers (ITS 1F/ITS 4). The PCR products were digested using HinfI and TaqI and sequenced. Results from both restriction enzymes were combined and a principal component analysis performed on the presence/absence of fragments. Also the fungal diversity expressed as number of restriction fragments were analysed. There was significantly higher fungal species richness in the experimental plots compared to the forest and field soils, but no differences between sown and naturally colonized plots. The different plant treatments did not influence the below ground fungal community composition. Soil water content on the other hand had an impact on the fungal community composition.     

Exotic vs. native plant dominance over 20 years of old-field succession on set-aside farmland in Argentina

Exotic plants are major constituents of species pools in modern landscapes. Managing succession for restoration of degraded ecosystems thus requires an understanding of novel trajectories unfolding in mixed, native/exotic plant assemblages. We examined trends in native and exotic species abundance over 20 years of old-field succession on set-aside farmland in the Inland Pampa, Argentina. Changes in plant cover and species richness were annually monitored on adjacent permanent plots established in different years (1978-1989). Both native and exotic species occurred in early, mid and late successional stages, exhibiting similar life-form replacement patterns, from annual forbs, through annual to perennial grasses. Exotic plant richness declined with plot age. Yet, four exotic grasses remained dominant through succession (50-70% cover), with plots initiated in later years showing increased exotic cover. While native perennial grasses occurred from the onset of succession, increasing from 5 to 12 spp/plot, they only showed transient peaks below 30% cover. Cluster analysis of 113 plot-year samples identified alternative community states for early, mid and late successional stages, which were connected by a complex network of interweaving dynamic pathways. Depending on the plot, vegetation dynamics comprised directional temporal trajectories as well as nondirectional pathways, and arrested community states dominated by exotic grasses. Our results illustrate the overwhelming role of exotic species in modern old-field succession, and their potential to hinder recovery of native communities on former agricultural land. Community states with novel, native/exotic plant mixtures could be managed to deliver specific ecosystem services (e.g. forage production, carbon sequestration). However, meeting conservation goals may require active restoration measures, including exotic plant removals and native grass seeding.     

SOIL EROSION IN THREE GRAZED PLANT COMMUNITIES IN NORTHEASTERN PATAGONIA

Grazing has been identified as the main cause of land degradation in Patagonia. However, land degradation is highly variable among areas, even within the same paddock. This strongly suggests that different plant communities differ in their resistance to land degradation. In this study, we have evaluated soil erosion at both microsite and community scales in coexisting plant communities subject to sheep grazing in northeastern Patagonia. Three plant communities coexist in the area: two shrub steppes dominated by Chuquiraga avellanedae Lorentz and Nassauvia ulicina (Hook. f.) Macloskie, and a grass steppe dominated by Nassella tenuis (Phil.) Barkworth. At a community scale, our results indicate that shrub steppes generally experienced soil erosion, whereas the grass steppe commonly did not show signs of soil erosion/deposition. At a microsite scale, non‐vegetated soil surface types and degraded mounds never accumulated sediments, regardless of plant community. In contrast, we found that in some sites, the intact mounds and grasses entrapped sediments, but in other sites, soil erosion prevailed. Our results highlight the fact that soil erosion measurements are scale dependent, because results at microsite and community scales often differ. When comparing among communities, grass steppe is more intensely grazed, but at the same time, it shows less evidence of past and present erosion. In contrast, the N. ulicina community showed a direct relationship between grazing and soil erosion. Finally, soil erosion was not related to grazing in the C. avellanedae community. Our results demonstrate that the grass steppe is more resistant to land degradation than shrub steppes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nutrient limitation of alpine plants: Implications from leaf N : P stoichiometry and leaf δ15N

Nitrogen (N) deposition can affect grassland ecosystems by altering biomass production, plant species composition and abundance. Therefore, a better understanding of the response of dominant plant species to N input is a prerequisite for accurate prediction of future changes and interactions within plant communities. We evaluated the response of seven dominant plant species on the Tibetan Plateau to N input at two levels: individual species and plant functional group. This was achieved by assessing leaf N : P stoichiometry, leaf δ¹⁵N and biomass production for the plant functional groups. Seven dominant plant species—three legumes, two forbs, one grass, one sedge—were analyzed for N, P, and δ¹⁵N 2 years after fertilization with one of the three N forms: NO$ _3^- $ , NH$ _4^+ $ , or NH₄NO₃ at four application rates (0, 7.5, 30, and 150 kg N ha^–1 y^–1). On the basis of biomass production and leaf N : P ratios, we concluded that grasses were limited by available N or co‐limited by available P. Unlike for grasses, leaf N : P and biomass production were not suitable indicators of N limitation for legumes and forbs in alpine meadows. The poor performance of legumes under high N fertilization was mainly due to strong competition with grasses. The total above‐ground biomass was not increased by N fertilization. However, species composition shifted to more productive grasses. A significant negative correlation between leaf N : P and leaf δ¹⁵N indicated that the two forbs Gentiana straminea and Saussurea superba switched from N deficiency to P limitation (e.g., N excess) due to N fertilization. These findings imply that alpine meadows will be more dominated by grasses under increased atmospheric N deposition.     

坡位对土壤水分及植被空间分布的影响

[目的]探讨微地形对土壤含水量和生物量的影响,为浑善达克沙地环境建设和合理开发利用提供理论参考。[方法]以内蒙古锡林郭勒盟白音锡勒牧场境内的中国科学院内蒙古草原生态系统定位站沙地样地为研究对象,对坡底、坡顶、阴坡和阳坡等坡位的植被和土壤水分等指标的测定,对其进行方差分析和相关性分析。[结果]坡底以多年生杂类草占优,阴坡以灌木、半灌木及多年生禾草为主,阳坡以灌木、半灌木、多年生禾草及1,2年生植物为主,坡顶以多年生禾草和1,2年生草本植物为主;0—50cm土壤平均含水量的大小顺序为:坡底阴坡阳坡坡顶,生物量顺序与土壤平均含水量一致;坡顶、坡底、阳坡和阴坡各层土壤水分变异系数由大到小的顺序因土层和坡位的不同而表现出一定的差异性,0—50cm各层平均变异系数坡顶最大,坡底次之,阳坡最低;生物量和各层土壤含水量均呈现正相关关系,其中0—5,5—10和20—30cm土壤含水量与生物量之间表现为极显著线性正相关(p0.01)。[结论]微地形对植被种类和土壤含水量具有一定影响,且土壤含水量和植物生物量呈现正相关关系。     

Carbon cycling and sequestration opportunities in temperate grasslands

Abstract. Temperate grasslands account for c. 20% of the land area in Europe. Carbon accumulation in grassland ecosystems occurs mostly below ground and changes in soil organic carbon stocks may result from land use changes (e.g. conversion of arable land to grassland) and grassland management. Grasslands also contribute to the biosphere–atmosphere exchange of non-CO₂ radiatively active trace gases, with fluxes intimately linked to management practices. In this article, we discuss the current knowledge on carbon cycling and carbon sequestration opportunities in temperate grasslands. First, from a simple two-parameter exponential model fitted to literature data, we assess soil organic carbon fluxes resulting from land use change (e.g. between arable and grassland) and from grassland management. Second, we discuss carbon fluxes within the context of farming systems, including crop–grass rotations and farm manure applications. Third, using a grassland ecosystem model (PaSim), we provide estimates of the greenhouse gas balance, in CO₂ equivalents, of pastures for a range of stocking rates and of N fertilizer applications. Finally, we consider carbon sequestration opportunities for France resulting from the restoration of grasslands and from the de-intensification of intensive livestock breeding systems. We emphasize major uncertainties concerning the magnitude and non-linearity of soil carbon stock changes in agricultural grasslands as well as the emissions of N₂O from soil and of CH₄ from grazing livestock.