Seasonal Patterns of Forage Availability in the Fescue Grasslands Under Contrasting Grazing Histories

Grazing by large herbivores has been shown to condition vegetation in a manner that improves grassland quality for subsequent herbivory. Fescue grasslands evolved with disturbance from fire and winter grazing by bison but are now grazed primarily by cattle during summer. We examined the effect of long-term summer grazing on the seasonal forage production and quality of fescue grasslands in an examination of the hypothesis that long-term grazing had conditioned fescue grasslands to benefit livestock. This hypothesis was examined by comparing, between grazed and ungrazed plots, the biomass and composition of herbage components, concentrations of nitrogen (N) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) therein, and the ability of major plant types to maintain their biomass and quality throughout the growing season. The study was conducted in southern Alberta at five sites that had long-term exclosures (20+ yr) on grasslands that had been moderately grazed. Grazing had no effect on the N concentration of associated grasses, but grasses had lower N concentration than forbs. Concentrations of ADF followed a reciprocal trend to N. Grazing increased the mass of forbs from about 10% to 20% as a proportion of total biomass, which in turn, was not affected by grazing history. However, this grazing-induced shift to a higher quality vegetation type was not sufficient to affect total mass of N or total digestible nutrients at the community level. Rather than changes in current growth and quality, the predominant effect of summer grazing was in reducing litter mass, which also had the potential for affecting forage production and selection by herbivores. Finally, grazing reduced the relative contribution of rough fescue to total biomass by about 30%, and despite no significant effect on the potential to support summer grazing, this change could reduce the quality of these grasslands for winter grazing.     

Glyphosate Alters Aboveground Net Primary Production,Soil Organic Carbon,and Nutrients in Pampean Grasslands (Argentina)

We have previously demonstrated that recurrent application of glyphosate causes dramatic shift in the vegetation structure of the native grasslands of Flooding Pampa. As these structural changes might alter functional processes such as primary production, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, this study aims to evaluate functional changes associated with the application of glyphosate in these temperate grasslands. We measured aboveground net primary production (ANPP) during two consecutive years, and the concentration of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil during the following six years after primary production measurements ended in glyphosate treated and non- treated (control) paddocks of a commercial livestock far. We related the vegetation data, basal cover, species richness and diversity, obtained in a previous study conducted in the same paddocks of the livestock farm, with ANPP data obtained in this one. Late summer applications of glyphosate greatly reduced the biomass contribution of warm-season perennial grasses and legumes and increased the contribution of cool season annual grasses, altering the seasonal pattern of ANPP. As the reduction of the spring and summer productivity could not be compensated by the increase of cool-season productivity, the annual ANPP was lower in the glyphosate-treated paddocks than in control paddocks. Glyphosate applications also decreased soil organic carbon and phosphorus concentration, probably because of the reduction of ANPP, the changes of its seasonal distribution and the shift in the floristic composition of the community, which may modify the amount and quality of the litter. We found a linear positive relationship between basal cover, species richness and species diversity with ANPP, which suggest that the negative effects on ecosystem functioning would be directly related with the changes in vegetation structure caused by glyphosate application.     

模拟降水和氮沉降增加对草地生物量影响的研究进展

研究降水和氮沉降增加对草地生态系统生物量的作用机制及其适应特征,有助于深刻理解气候变化对草地生态系统生产力和各项服务功能的影响,对草地生态系统的可持续发展具有重要意义。本文综述了模拟降水和氮沉降增加对草地植物生物量的改变及其可能的机制分析,探讨了植物对环境的适应特征,并在此基础上提出了未来气候变化条件下草地生态系统所面临的挑战和当前研究中主要存在的问题。     

呼伦贝尔草甸草原地上净初级生产力对气候变化响应的模拟

利用内蒙古呼伦贝尔草原额尔古纳右旗牧业气象试验站1994-2009年牧草生长季逐月实测资料,对CENTURY模型进行检验,模拟了呼伦贝尔草甸草原1961-2010年间地上净初级生产力(ANPP)动态,并与26个气象因子进行相关性分析。模型检验结果显示,生长季内逐月地上生物量模拟值与观测值之间的相关系数为R²=0.53,斜率b=0.94,误差平方根值为72.07 g/m²,平均绝对百分比误差为38.02%。检验结果表明,CENTURY模型能够成功地模拟这类草原的季节动态和年际变化。在过去的50年中,呼伦贝尔草甸草原温度增加,降水略增,ANPP增加。相关分析表明,ANPP与生长季降水量(r=0.372)呈极显著正相关;与年平均最低气温、年平均地面气温、年平均气温、7月降水量呈显著正相关;与年平均风速(r=-0.382)呈极显著负相关;与其他气象因子无显著的相关关系。应用区域气候模式系统PRECIS输出的2021-2050年气候情景数据分析得出,在SRES B2、A2和A1B情景下,未来呼伦贝尔草甸草原平均最高气温和最低气温都将呈显著升高趋势,降水量略增,ANPP虽然在年际间存在波动,但总体呈明显增加态势,分别较基准时段增加了67.14%,69.65%和76.58%,增加速率分别为16.51,17.34和16.42 g/(m²·10 a)。在3种情景下,未来气候变化均会对呼伦贝尔草甸草原群落生产力产生显著的正面影响。     

Long-Term Response Patterns of Tallgrass Prairie to Frequent Summer Burning

Knowledge of how tallgrass prairie vegetation responds to fire in the late growing season is relatively sparse and is based upon studies that are either spatially or temporally limited. To gain a more robust perspective of vegetation response to summer burning and to determine if repeated summer fire can drive vegetational changes in native tallgrass prairie, we evaluated species cover and richness over a 14-yr period on different topographic positions from ungrazed watersheds that were burned biennially in the growing season. We found that annual forbs were the primary beneficiaries of summer burning, but their fluctuations varied inconsistently among years. Concomitantly, species richness and diversity increased significantly with summer burning but remained stable through time with annual spring burning. After 14 yr, species richness was 28% higher in prairie that was burned in the summer than in prairie burned in the spring. Canopy cover of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans [L.] Nash) increased significantly over time with both summer and spring burning, whereas heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides [L.] Nesom), aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium [Nutt.] Nesom), and sedges (Carex spp.) increased in response to only summer burning. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cover declined in both spring-burned and summer-burned watersheds. Repeated burning in either spring or summer did not reduce the cover or frequency of any woody species. Most perennial species were neutral in their reaction to summer fire, but a few species responded with large and inconsistent temporal fluctuations that overwhelmed any clear patterns of change. Although summer burning did not preferentially encourage spring-flowering forbs or suppress dominance of the warm-season grasses, it is a potentially useful tool to increase community heterogeneity in ungrazed prairie.     

宁夏草原针茅属植物群落物种多样性和生产力格局及影响因素研究

物种多样性和生产力是草地生态系统的核心指标,是实现草地生态系统服务与功能的根本所在.宁夏温性草原位于干旱与半干旱的过渡区,针茅属植物是其优势种群,对水热变化敏感;因此,在全球气候变化背景下,探讨宁夏草原针茅属植物群落物种多样性与生产力的格局,在宏观尺度揭示其影响因素,不仅在生态学理论研究中具有重大价值,而且对宁夏天然草...     

放牧强度对草甸草原植物群落主要功能群碳氮磷贮量的影响

本试验以呼伦贝尔草甸草原中禾本科、杂类草和灌木这3种功能型植物为研究对象,开展放牧强度对不同功能型植物碳、氮、磷含量,化学计量特征以及贮量的影响研究.结果表明:禾本科有机碳含量在各放牧强度下均最高;氮磷含量杂类草最高;3种功能群的有机碳含量均在适度放牧时最高,过度放牧时降低;轻度放牧使得禾本科、灌木的碳氮比、碳磷比升高...     

内蒙古农牧交错区草地气候生产力对气候变化的响应

摘要：本研究以太仆寺旗为例,利用1979-2009年的气候数据,分析了内蒙古农牧交错区气候变化趋势,并结合Miami和Thornthwaite Memorial模型研究草地气候生产力对不同气候变化情景的响应。结果表明,近30年来,太仆寺旗年平均气温增温趋势明显（每10年0.62 ℃）,四季平均气温均有显著上升,以冬季升温最明显（每10年0.84 ℃）;年降水量有下降趋势（每10年5.3 mm）,但趋势不明显;综合考虑水热因子的Thornthwaite Memorial模型更能够反映草地气候生产力的变化趋势,与温度相比,降水是影响草地生产力的关键因子;在气候变暖的背景下, “暖湿型”气候可提高草地气候生产力,变化幅度为8.3%~16.7%,假如未来气候向“暖干型”发展,草地气候生产力的变化为-4.8%~3.5%。     

农牧交错带退耕还草对土壤化学性质的影响

在北方农牧交错带,以马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum L.)地为对照,研究了退耕地建植多年生人工草地对土壤化学性质的影响。结果表明,退耕地种草可提高土壤的有机碳含量,增加表层土壤的全氮含量。人工草地0~10 cm土层有机碳和氮素含量分别较耕地高20.84%和18.21%;退耕地种草对土壤速效磷含量、电导率和pH水平无显著影响;耕地与人工草地土壤化学指标之间的差异在很大程度上受生长季节的影响,选择适宜的采样季节是评价退耕地种草效果的关键。     

冬季火烧对黄土高原典型草原群落特征及土壤特征的影响

本研究采用野外样方调查和室内分析相结合的方法,分析了黄土高原典型草原冬季火烧区和未火烧区植物群落的物种组成、功能群组成、物种多样性、地上生物量,以及土壤有机碳和全氮。结果表明：冬季火烧显著降低了多年生禾草的重要值,而提高了多年生杂类草的重要值,而对一、二年生草本和灌木、半灌木功能群的重要值影响不显著。冬季火烧显著提高了灌木、半灌木在群落中的比例,并且降低了一、二年生草本的比例,但对多年生禾草和多年生杂类草的比例影响不显著。灌木、半灌木功能群的丰富度指数在火烧地显著大于未火烧地,而一、二年生草本的丰富度指数显著小于未火烧地。冬季火烧显著降低多年生禾草功能群的生物量和显著提高多年生杂类草功能群的生物量。火烧草地的土壤有机碳和全氮含量在0～10 cm土层中均显著高于未火烧草地。     

模拟干旱对藏北高寒草甸植物物候期和生产力的影响

为探究生长季不同时期干旱事件对高寒草甸植物物候期和生产力的影响,采用截雨棚于藏北高寒草甸生长季前期和后期进行为期2年(2016-2017年)的截雨试验.结果表明:1)植物物候期对不同时期干旱处理响应不同,高寒草甸关键物种植物物候期对生长季前期干旱(SE)响应较为敏感,SE会导致植物返青期大幅推迟,生长季长度和繁殖期明显...     

宁夏中部干旱带草地气候-土壤生产潜力分析

利用宁夏中部干旱带海原、盐池、同心三个县1961年-2008年48年的气象资料,采用Miami模型和Thornthwaite Memorial模型计算了研究区草地气候生产潜力,用土壤修正系数对气候生产潜力做修正,研究了该区域气候-土壤生产潜力的时空演变特征,旨在探索影响宁夏中部干旱带草地生产力的主要限制因素,为当地的草地生产提供参考。结果表明：研究区气候呈暖干型发展趋势,温度呈显著增加趋势而降水呈波动中递减趋势;研究区气候生产力呈波动中递减趋势。与温度相比,降水是影响研究区气候生产潜力的制约因子;由于土壤肥力存在空间分异,研究区草地气候-土壤生产潜力的大小排序依次为海原县3 025 kg·hm^-2·a^-1>盐池县2 993 kg·hm^-2·a^-1>同心县2 051 kg·hm^-2·a^-1。     

高施氮量对高寒矮嵩草甸主要类群和多样性及质量的影响

研究高寒矮嵩草草甸高强度施氮试验（150和300kgN/hm^2)对不同在群的影响。结果表明，昌类植物的反应较大，其综合优势比呈明显增大趋势，非豆科杂草次之，莎草类和豆科杂草的反应不显著。增施氮肥能明显降低矮嵩草草甸的植物多样性，其草甸质量指数以施氮150kg/hm^2最高，过量施氮（300/hm^2)并不再提高草甸质量。其地上生物量对施氮的反应比多样性和草甸质量指数的变化滞后，地上生物总量在施氮后明显增加，其中禾草类明显增加，杂类草则明显降低。7月的降水量及其分布对施氮的效果影响较大。土壤水分状况对施肥效果十分重要。     

人工草地建植对甘南高寒草甸草地生产力及土壤理化特征的影响

为明确重度退化草地经人工建植后土壤理化性质和草地初级生产力状况.以甘南州碌曲县典型退化高寒草甸为研究对象,采用70％垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)+30％黑麦草(Lolium multiflorum)混播的方式,结合整地和施肥2种措施,测定其土壤理化性质和草地初级生产力变化特征,探寻适宜的人工建植方式.结果表...     

基于广义线性模型估算内蒙古荒漠草原及典型草原地上生物量变化

本研究基于广义线性模型（generalized linear model,GLM）,利用中分辨率成像光谱仪（moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer,MODIS）植被指数产品和野外实测的地上生物量数据（aboveground biomass,AGB）,分析了2009-2015年主要生长季5-10月内蒙古荒漠草原及典型草原AGB动态变化及气候因子的关系。结果表明：NDVI幂函数模型最佳模拟内蒙荒漠草原AGB,RVI对数函数模型最优模拟内蒙典型草原AGB;七年间荒漠草原平均地上总生物量为6.51 Tg,典型草原平均地上总生物量为36.94 Tg;2009-2015年主要生长季内蒙荒漠草原及典型草原AGB变化趋势呈现单峰曲线,生物量高峰出现在每年7,8月份,低值出现在每年10月份;AGB空间分布5-10月,以8月为节点随着季相变化南北交替推进;最后采用面板分析方法解释2类草原的限制因子,结果表明荒漠草原降水贡献较大,典型草原气温贡献较大,因此水热动态假说对该格局解释最佳。     

松嫩平原南部羊草草地水分生态环境分析

根据1985～1989年的试验,对松嫩平原南部天然羊草(Aneurolepidium chinense)草地的水分生态环境进行了分析。研究表明:松嫩平原南部羊草草地年水分收支基本相等,但收与支的时间格局不一致,6月明显干旱,7月末地表暂时性积水;土壤含水率在生长季初期(4月)最高,雨季来临前(6月)最低;空气相对湿度在整个生长季中均较低,生长季初期尤为明显;人类对草地的过度利用已对水分生态环境造成严重的不良影响。生长季前期干旱抑制植物同化器官的充分生长和发育,使其不能有效利用雨季的大量降水;空气干旱降低植物的 CO_2同化量,二者都制约草地生产力的提高。本文还从治标和治本两个角度探讨了改善松嫩羊草草地的水分生态环境,提高生产力的途径。     

草地生态系统氮循环关键过程对全球变化及人类活动的响应与机制

氮(N)是蛋白质、核酸、酶、激素、叶绿素等物质的主要组成部分,对生态系统结构的组成和功能的发挥具有十分重要的影响。国际地圈与生物圈计划(IGBP)以及政府间气候变化委员会(IPCC)的许多大型研究计划均把氮素循环过程作为其核心研究内容。草原生态系统作为地球上宝贵的自然资源,其功能的发挥对于维持全球及区域性生态平衡有极其重要的作用。但迄今为止,对草地氮循环关键过程及其对全球变化(CO₂浓度升高、温度与降水变化、氮沉降)以及人类活动(放牧、开垦、火烧等)响应与反馈的认知远不及对草地碳循环过程那么系统与深入,迫切需要开展相关领域系统的科学试验研究。本文综述了目前国内外全球变化和人类活动因子对草地氮循环过程影响的相关研究成果,分析了其主要影响途径以及关键机制,在此基础上对目前研究中存在的不足进行了剖析,并对未来研究中迫切需要关注的重点研究方向进行了探讨与展望。     

降水和氮沉降对草地生态系统碳循环影响研究进展

随着全球变化的不断加剧,陆地生态系统碳循环备受关注,近年来预测未来降水格局变化和氮沉降增加对草地生态系统碳循环影响的研究不断深入。本文综述了全球背景下降水格局变化和氮沉降增加对草地生态系统碳循环的影响及其内在机理。降水量、强度、时间分布和频度以及氮沉降量、频度和形态的变化,通过改变土壤含水量、土壤温度、土壤养分及微生物活性影响生态系统的物种组成和结构,最终影响生态系统水平的碳循环。降水格局变化和氮沉降增加对生态系统水平碳循环是否存在交互作用没有统一的结论,因此在将来的研究中应采用多因子的实验,才能够更好的研究未来全球变化下生态系统碳循环的响应机理。     

补播时间和补播草种对退化草甸草原植物群落的影响

气候变化和不合理的利用导致草原退化，探究补播时间及补播草种对植物群落的影响，可为提高草地产量和品质提供理论依据。本试验设置3个补播时间(夏播、秋播、春播)和5种补播材料(扁蓿豆(Medicago varia)、黄花苜蓿(Medicago falcata L.)、杂花苜蓿(Melissilus ruthenicus L.)、‘中科1号’羊草(Leymus chinensis ‘Zhongke No.1’)、野生羊草(Leymus Chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel)，对生物量、多样性指数及温度和降水量进行3年连续监测。结果表明：生长季积温和降水量是影响植物群落的关键因素，降水量与禾本科比例呈显著正相关关系，与其他科比例呈显著负相关关系；随年份增加地上生物量显著增加，而物种丰富度显著降低(P<0.05)；春播羊草提高10%~15%禾本科比例，降低5%~10%其他科比例。综合群落生物量和多样性，在呼伦贝尔干旱年份适宜春季补播羊草，有助于提高禾本科优势牧草比例，提高草地品质，对草地生产力无显著影响。     

2006-2013年三江源草地产草量的时空动态变化及其对降水的响应

三江源地区是我国重要的江河发源地,分析该地区多年草地产草量的时空动态变化,探讨产草量与降水量的关系,对于在未来气候变化情景下合理管理草地、指导畜牧业发展具有重要意义。利用2006-2013年MODIS-NDVI数据和同期442个地面采样数据,对3个草地类型分别建立NDVI与实测产草量之间的经验关系模型,并用这些模型推算2006-2013年三江源草地产草量的分布;同时,从三江源不同类型草地产草量与年降水量、不同月份降水量及不同降水累积时期的关系入手,探讨三江源地区草地生产力如何响应降水格局的变化。结果表明,从整个三江源地区来看:(1)2006-2013年产草量呈现增加的趋势,不同草地类型产草量对年降水量变化的响应程度不同。(2)对产草量影响最重要的降水月份是前一年10月,其次是当年4和5月。(3)驱动产草量年际变化最重要的累积降水时期是前一年的10月到当年5月。(4)前一年秋季和当年春季的累积降水量对第二年产草量有着至关重要的影响。