山地牧道与植被空间异质性研究评述

山地牧道和沿牧道放牧改变植被空间异质性。综合国内外研究进展,将山地牧道的涵义扩展为家畜在山地垂直空间移动的固定路线、放牧往返小道、相对固定的采食路径以及践踏小径等,并总结了山地牧道的形成与分布规律,重点评述了山地牧道与植被空间异质性相互作用机制。山地牧道作为一种线状廊道,为物种扩散提供通道、生境,分割斑块景观,影响植被边界动态,在不同尺度上影响植被空间异质性;家畜沿牧道的选择采食与植被空间异质性相互影响,家畜还通过践踏和排泄改变植被空间异质性;家畜采食、践踏和排泄综合作用于土壤,通过影响土壤异质性间接影响植被的空间分布。山地牧道在动物行为学、放牧生态学研究中具有理论和实践价值,可以为监测植被退化、控制载畜量提供依据。

A review of mountain grazing-paths and vegetation spatial heterogeneity

Vegetation spatial heterogeneity was changed by mountain grazing-paths and by grazing along the grazing-paths.Mountain grazing-paths were defined as settled movement ways,ascending or descending,and comparatively fixed trails of foraging and trampling of livestock on the mountain sides.Their formation and distribution are summarized based on published literature at home and abroad.This paper mainly reviews the interaction mechanisms between mountain grazing-paths and vegetation spatial heterogeneity.As a linear corridor,mountain grazing-paths provide channels and habitats for species diffusion;they divide patch landscapes,affect plant boundary dynamics,and also impact on vegetation spatial heterogeneity at different scales.There is mutual influence between livestock selective grazing along grazing-paths and vegetation spatial heterogeneity and vegetation spatial heterogeneity change by livestock trampling and excretion.Foraging,trampling and excretion of livestock play a comprehensive role in soil changes and indirectly affect the spatial distribution of vegetation.Mountain grazing-paths have theoretical and practical values in the study of animal behavior and grazing ecology.Furthermore,they could be a basis for monitoring vegetation degeneration and controlling grazing capacity.