放牧与围封对青藏高原草地土壤和植物叶片化学计量学特征的影响

生态化学计量可反映生态系统能量平衡和多种化学元素对生态系统的相互作用。本研究对西藏那曲放牧与围封草地土壤和优势种植物叶片C、N、P含量及化学计量特征进行了调查,以探讨不同草地利用方式对土壤和植物的影响及二者的相互作用。结果显示:放牧草地土壤p H显著高于围封草地,前者为7.30,后者为7.13;放牧草地植物叶片P含量显著高于围封草地,而C∶P显著低于围封草地,前者分别为1.25 g·kg~(-1)、335.21,后者分别为1.05 g·kg~(-1)、434.60;植物叶片C与N、P呈极显著负相关,叶片N与叶片P呈极显著正相关;叶片N含量与土壤全N不相关,叶片P含量与土壤全P含量呈显著负相关;研究区草地植物主要受P元素的限制。该结果可为青藏高原草地可持续发展提供科学依据。     

围封对天山高寒草原4种植物叶片和土壤化学计量学特征的影响

以中国科学院巴音布鲁克草原生态系统研究站长期围栏内外的羊茅(Festuca ovina)、天山赖草(Leymus tiansecalinus)、二裂委陵菜(Potentilla bifurca)和鹅绒委陵菜(Potentilla anserine)4种植物叶片和土壤为研究对象,分析了放牧与围封对植物叶片和土壤C、N、P的化学计量特征的影响。结果表明,围封样地土壤养分浓度整体高于放牧样地(P0.05),全氮(TN)浓度除外。围封显著增加羊茅叶片C、N浓度(P0.05),对P浓度影响不显著;围封显著增加鹅绒委陵菜叶片的C浓度,但是显著降低叶片的N和P浓度(P0.05),围封对天山赖草和二裂委陵菜养分含量影响不显著。围封显著增加鹅绒委陵菜C∶N和C∶P(P0.05);围封显著降低羊茅C∶N、C∶P和增加N∶P(P0.05);围封显著降低二裂委陵菜C∶N(P0.05),对天山赖草的化学计量特征影响不显著。不同植物对围封的响应不同,意味着长期围封可能会改变天山高寒草原生态系统的结构。围封降低优势种(羊茅)的固碳能力,增加退化期出现的代表性植物(鹅绒委陵菜)的固碳能力,表明在长期围封下植物凋落物中的杂类草(鹅绒委陵菜)可能更多的为土壤提供碳来源,也能促进优势禾本科物种的氮含量和碳含量的增加。     

内蒙古温带草原不同放牧强度和围栏封育对凋落物分解的影响

放牧和围封通过影响植物群落结构和土壤微环境来调控草地生态系统的碳循环。该研究在内蒙古温带草原设置轻度放牧后围封、轻度放牧、重度放牧后围封、重度放牧4种样地, 通过测定干旱年(2011年)和湿润年(2012年)地上、地下凋落物产量、质量及其分解速率和土壤养分含量, 分析不同放牧强度对凋落物形成和分解的影响, 以及围栏封育对生态系统恢复的作用。结果表明: 重度放牧地上凋落物产量和分解速率均高于轻度放牧。干旱年轻度放牧样地地下凋落物产量和分解速率高于重度放牧, 湿润年相反。短期围封显著提高了凋落物产量, 轻度放牧样地围封后地上凋落物分解速率和养分循环加快, 而重度放牧样地围封后地上凋落物分解减慢。因此, 与重度放牧相比, 轻度放牧草地的恢复更适合采用围栏封育措施; 而重度放牧草地的恢复可能还需辅以必要的人工措施。降水显著促进地上、地下凋落物形成和分解。地下凋落物的生产和分解受降水年际波动影响较大, 重度放牧草地对降水变化的敏感度比轻度放牧草地高。地上凋落物分解速率与凋落物N含量显著正相关, 与土壤全N显著负相关, 与地上凋落物C:N和木质素:N相关性不大; 地下凋落物分解速率与凋落物C、C:N和纤维素含量显著负相关。该研究结果将为不同放牧强度的草地生态系统恢复和碳循环研究提供理论依据。     

放牧对全球草地生态系统碳氮磷化学计量特征影响的Meta分析

为明确全球尺度下放牧管理措施对草地生态系统碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)化学计量特征的影响,提高草地生态系统管理水平,本研究选取国内外83篇中英文文献进行Meta分析,并通过亚组分析探讨了放牧家畜组合(羊单牧、牛单牧和牛羊混牧)和放牧强度(轻度、中度、重度)对草地生态系统叶片、凋落物、根系,以及土壤C、N、P化学计量特征的影响。结果表明: 放牧会显著降低叶片和凋落物C含量、C/N、C/P,增加N、P含量及N/P;显著降低根系和土壤C、N含量,C/P和N/P,增加P含量和C/N。叶片、凋落物化学计量特征变化对牛、羊单独放牧响应更为明显,而根系、土壤化学计量特征变化则对混牧响应更为明显,重度放牧会对草地生态系统化学计量特征产生更大的影响。放牧会降低土壤N含量,增加P含量,表明放牧对草地N、P含量的影响路径不同。进一步研究N、P含量变化对放牧活动不平衡响应机制,将放牧方式、强度的影响纳入草地生态系统预测、管理模型,能够有效提高草地生态系统管理水平。     

内蒙古典型草原不同恢复演替阶段植物养分化学计量学

对内蒙古典型草原不同恢复演替阶段群落土壤养分动态及空间格局、植物养分及其化学计量比时空动态、植物与土壤养分相关性等进行了分析, 以揭示放牧干扰对植物的养分及其化学计量比影响。结果表明: 土壤各养分含量表现为恢复群落略高于严重退化群落, 土壤全氮(STN)/土壤全磷(STP)恢复群落高于严重退化群落, 土壤有机质(SOC)/STN恢复群落低于严重退化群落; 大多数植物叶片C含量在恢复群落最高, 严重退化群落最低, 与恢复演替时间呈正相关, 而植物的全氮(TN)和全磷(TP)含量则是严重退化群落最高, 恢复群落最低, 与退化程度呈正相关, 且TP含量的变幅明显高于TN含量; 植物叶的N:P和C:N表现为严重退化群落最低, 与退化程度呈负相关; 严重退化群落植物相对于P而言, 总体上表现为缺N; 而恢复群落相对于N而言, 更为缺P, 或同时缺N和P; 群落优势种化学计量学特征对群落演替方向有一定的指示作用。     

青藏高原筑路取土迹地恢复植物群落与土壤的碳氮磷化学计量特征

恢复筑路取土迹地植物群落是青藏高原退化高寒草地恢复的重要组分,而生态化学计量是揭示退化草地自然恢复过程中土壤和植物间养分互作的重要方法。通过调查青藏公路筑路取土迹地自然恢复群落和天然群落内植物和土壤C、N、P的含量及其比值,研究了恢复群落和天然群落的C、N、P生态化学计量特征。结果表明:经历18a自然恢复后,不同地点筑路取土迹地均已逐步实现植物群落的定居,但其恢复程度存在明显差异。恢复群落植物叶片N含量高于天然群落,导致其叶片C∶N较低,表明恢复群落植物的N利用效率较低,N含量较高的模式主要原因可能是豆科植物比例较高和土壤有效N的供应较充足所致。恢复样地在0—10 cm和10—20 cm的土层内的有机碳(SOC)都显著低于天然样地,恢复样地土壤全氮(STN)仍一定程度上低于天然样地但含量较接近,恢复样地在10—20 cm土层中土壤全磷(STP)含量较高,这说明恢复群落尽管在土壤恢复方面并未达到天然群落的水平,但已得到了明显改善,土壤肥力正发生着正向的演替。叶片N含量与土壤STN相关性不显著,叶片P含量与土壤STP含量显著地正相关,表明植物叶片P含量在一定程度上受到土壤环境中全磷的影响。综合N∶P判定阈值和叶片土壤养分相关分析结果表明研究地区草地植被主要受到P元素的限制,且工程迹地草地恢复群落比天然群落容易受到P元素的限制。     

模拟氮沉降对土壤酶活性和微生物组成的影响

氮沉降改变了草地生态系统的氮(N)素循环过程,由此带来的生态学效应已成为当前研究的热点。以乌鲁木齐周边短期围封草地为研究对象,通过模拟氮沉降实验,分析了自由放牧地和围封草地土壤酶活性和微生物组成,结合土壤养分及化学计量特征,探讨了氮沉降对短期围封草地土壤微生物组成及酶活性的影响,为该地区放牧草地的保护、恢复及管理提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)含量随围封年限的增加总体呈升高趋势,表明围封有利于提高土壤养分含量。与中国草地平均值相比,该草地土壤碳氮比(C/N)相对较高,碳磷比(C/P)、氮磷比(N/P)相对较低,表明该草地土壤有机质分解良好,有利于土壤碳(C)、磷(P)的释放,而土壤N素较为缺乏。(2)就不同围封年限而言,围封3年草地5-20cm层土壤真菌数量高于其它样地;围封3年草地表层土壤蔗糖酶与过氧化氢酶活性最高;围封7年草地放线菌数量最多,说明围封能够促进土壤微生物生长及酶活性的提高。(3)氮素添加对土壤真菌具有抑制作用,N5(4.6gN m^-2 a^-1)、N10(9.8gN m^-2 a^-1)处理显著增加了各样地土壤细菌数量,氮素添加对围封7年草地0-10cm层土壤放线菌无显著影响,而氮沉降显著增加了其它样地5-20cm层土壤放线菌数量,其中N5、N10处理下促进作用最明显;氮素添加对该草地土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、过氧化氢酶均具有促进作用,N5、N10处理促进作用最明显。综合分析表明,氮沉降可直接或间接影响土壤微生物及酶活性,短期围封作为一种草地管理手段,对退化草地生态系统的修复具有一定作用,并可通过改善土壤理化性质、调节养分含量及其化学计量比来加速退化草地的恢复。     

藏北古露高寒草地生态系统对短期围封的响应

过度放牧导致高寒草地生态系统退化,围封是生态保护和恢复的管理手段。以青藏高原那曲县古露镇过牧退化高寒草地为对象,系统分析了高寒草地生态系统的植被特征及土壤理化特性、土壤酶活性、土壤微生物生物量和群落结构对围封的响应。结果表明,短期围封后,(1)植被平均高度、盖度和地上生物量均有极显著增加(P0.01),而生物多样性指数则显著降低(P0.01);(2)土壤的水溶性有机碳含量、土壤物理结构(沙土与粉土的比例)及pH有显著变化(P0.05);(3)土壤酶活性没有明显改善;(4)土壤微生物生物量(细菌、放线菌、真菌)均呈显著增加(P0.05);(5)土壤中细菌的多样性有增加的趋势,其群落组成在门水平上也发生了变化;(6)Manteltest分析显示与土壤细菌群落结构的呈正相关性的环境因子主要为土壤有机碳含量(TOC)、总氮含量(TN)、碳磷比(C/P)与氮磷比(N/P)(P0.05)。这表明围栏封育有利于藏北草地植被、土壤理化特性的恢复,还能维持土壤微生物多样性,促进高寒草地生态系统的可持续发展。     

福建三种常绿阔叶林碳氮磷生态化学计量特征

为探明福建三种常绿阔叶林生态系统的养分循环状况及其主要影响因素,采用样地调查采样法,研究了福建武夷山自然保护区甜槠（Castanopsis eyrei）林、天宝岩自然保护区刨花润楠（Machilus pauhoi）林和虎伯寮自然保护区薄叶润楠（Machilus leptophylla）林的植物、凋落物和表层土壤（0-10 cm）碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）含量、化学计量特征及其与环境因子的相关性。结果表明：（1）比较3个样点同组分C、N和P含量,除了乔木层的N含量外,虎伯寮植物和凋落物层C、N和P含量均显著高于天宝岩和武夷山;武夷山表层土壤的C和N含量显著高于虎伯寮和天宝岩,P含量排序为天宝岩>武夷山>虎伯寮。（2） P是福建天然林植物生长的主要限制因子,土壤P的缺乏是影响福建常绿阔叶林养分循环的重要因素。（3）植物叶片与凋落物中的养分含量及化学计量比呈极显著正相关,与表层土壤呈极显著负相关,可见福建常绿阔叶林生态系统养分循环过程中,土壤养分消耗速率超过了凋落物的养分供给速率,导致生态系统养分循环缓慢。（4）气温和土壤C ∶ N是影响常绿阔叶林生态系统养分循环的关键环境因子。     

中亚热带植被恢复阶段植物叶片、凋落物、土壤碳氮磷化学计量特征

为揭示植被恢复过程中生态系统的养分循环机制及植物的生存策略, 根据亚热带森林群落演替过程, 采用空间代替时间方法, 以湘中丘陵区地域相邻、环境条件基本一致的檵木(Loropetalum chinensis) +南烛(Vaccinium bracteatu) +杜鹃(Rhododendron mariesii)灌草丛(LVR)、檵木+杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata) +白栎(Quercus fabri)灌木林(LCQ)、马尾松(Pinus massoniana) +柯(Lithocarpus glaber) +檵木针阔混交林(PLL)、柯+红淡比(Cleyera japonica) +青冈(Cyclobalanopsis Glauca)常绿阔叶林(LCC)作为一个恢复系列, 设置固定样地, 采集植物叶片、未分解层凋落物和0-30 cm土壤样品, 测定有机碳(C)、全氮(N)、全磷(P)含量及其化学计量比, 运用异速生长关系、养分利用效率和再吸收效率分析植物对环境变化的响应和养分利用策略。结果表明: (1)随着植被恢复, 叶片C:N、C:P、N:P显著下降, 而叶片C、N、P含量和土壤C、N含量、C:P、N:P显著增加, 其中LCC植物叶片C、N含量, 土壤C、N含量及其N:P, PLL植物叶片P含量, 土壤C:P显著高于其他3个恢复阶段, 各恢复阶段植物叶片N:P > 20, 植物生长受P限制; 凋落物C、N、P含量及其化学计量比波动较大。(2)凋落物与叶片、土壤的化学计量特征之间的相关关系较弱, 叶片与土壤的化学计量特征之间具有显著相关关系, 其中叶片C、N、P含量与土壤C、N含量、C:N (除叶片C、N含量外)、C:P、N:P呈显著正相关关系; 叶片C:N与土壤C、N含量、C:P、N:P, 叶片C:P与土壤C含量、C:N、C:P, 叶片N:P与土壤C:N呈显著负相关关系。(3)植被恢复过程中, 叶片N、P之间具有显著异速生长关系, 异速生长指数为1.45, 叶片N、P的利用效率下降, 对N、P的再吸收效率增加, LCC叶片N利用效率最低, PLL叶片P利用效率最低而N、P再吸收效率最高。(4)叶片N含量内稳态弱, 而P含量具有较高的内稳态, 在土壤低P限制下植物能保持P平衡。植被恢复显著影响叶片、凋落物、土壤C、N、P含量及其化学计量比, 叶片与土壤之间C、N、P含量及化学计量比呈显著相关关系, 植物通过降低养分利用效率和提高养分再吸收效率适应土壤养分的变化, 叶片-凋落物-土壤系统的N、P循环随着植被恢复逐渐达到“化学计量平衡”。     

Grazing intensity significantly affects belowground carbon and nitrogen cycling in grassland ecosystems: a meta‐analysis

Livestock grazing activities potentially alter ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles in grassland ecosystems. Despite the fact that numerous individual studies and a few meta‐analyses had been conducted, how grazing, especially its intensity, affects belowground C and N cycling in grasslands remains unclear. In this study, we performed a comprehensive meta‐analysis of 115 published studies to examine the responses of 19 variables associated with belowground C and N cycling to livestock grazing in global grasslands. Our results showed that, on average, grazing significantly decreased belowground C and N pools in grassland ecosystems, with the largest decreases in microbial biomass C and N (21.62% and 24.40%, respectively). In contrast, belowground fluxes, including soil respiration, soil net N mineralization and soil N nitrification increased by 4.25%, 34.67% and 25.87%, respectively, in grazed grasslands compared to ungrazed ones. More importantly, grazing intensity significantly affected the magnitude (even direction) of changes in the majority of the assessed belowground C and N pools and fluxes, and C : N ratio as well as soil moisture. Specifically,light grazing contributed to soil C and N sequestration whereas moderate and heavy grazing significantly increased C and N losses. In addition, soil depth, livestock type and climatic conditions influenced the responses of selected variables to livestock grazing to some degree. Our findings highlight the importance of the effects of grazing intensity on belowground C and N cycling, which may need to be incorporated into regional and global models for predicting effects of human disturbance on global grasslands and assessing the climate‐biosphere feedbacks.     

Effects of livestock grazing intensity on soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and glomalin-related soil protein in a mountain forest steppe and a desert steppe of Mongolia

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important components of the grassland ecosystems in terms of plant phosphorus uptake and accumulation of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP). Though Mongolian grasslands are seriously degraded by livestock grazing, the effects of grazing on soil AMF and GRSP remain unclear. Here, we examined community composition and diversity of AMF as well as amount of GRSP at three different grazing intensities: lightly grazed (LG), moderately grazed (MG), and heavily grazed (HG) under two different types of grassland, mountain forest steppe at Hustai and desert steppe at Mandalgobi. The diversity and biomass of AMF-host and non-AMF plants strongly affected the overall AMF community composition and its diversity. When we separately analyzed the factors affecting soil AMF diversity at Hustai and Mandalgobi, decrease in the shoot biomass of Poaceae plants at Hustai and decreases in the species number and shoot biomass of AMF-host plants at Mandalgobi were significantly correlated with AMF diversity. GRSP decreased with increasing grazing intensity, which was significantly correlated with soil pH and total root biomass at Hustai. The decrease in plant biomass caused by grazing thus led to GRSP reduction. Our results showed that change in soil AMF community caused by livestock grazing were associated with change in the biomass and diversity of functional vegetation groups such as Poaeceae, AMF-host and non-AMF plants, indicating the importance to focus on such functional vegetation groups to evaluate the effect of grazing on AMF.

     

Herbivore influence on soil microbial biomass and nitrogen mineralization in a northern grassland ecosystem: Yellowstone National Park

Microorganisms are largely responsible for soil nutrient cycling and energy flow in terrestrial ecosystems. Although soil microorganisms are affected by topography and grazing, little is known about how these two variables may interact to influence microbial processes. Even less is known about how these variables influence microorganisms in systems that contain large populations of free-roaming ungulates. In this study, we compared microbial biomass size and activity, as measured by in situ net N mineralization, inside and outside 35- to 40-year exclosures across a topographic gradient in northern Yellowstone National Park. The objective was to determine the relative effect of topography and large grazers on microbial biomass and nitrogen mineralization. Microbial C and N varied by almost an order of magnitude across sites. Topographic depressions that contained high plant biomass and fine-textured soils supported the greatest microbial biomass. We found that plant biomass accurately predicted microbial biomass across our sites suggesting that carbon inputs from plants constrained microbial biomass. Chronic grazing neither depleted soil C nor reduced microbial biomass. We hypothesize that microbial populations in grazed grasslands are sustained mainly by inputs of labile C from dung deposition and increased root turnover or root exudation beneath grazed plants. Mineral N fluxes were affected more by grazing than topography. Net N mineralization rates were highest in grazed grassland and increased from dry, unproductive to mesic, highly productive communities. Overall, our results indicate that topography mainly influences microbial biomass size, while mineral N fluxes (microbial activity) are affected more by grazing in this grassland ecosystem. Received: 4 June 1997 / Accepted: 16 December 1997     

Grazing increases functional richness but not functional divergence in Tibetan alpine meadow plant communities

Plant community diversity and ecosystem function are conditioned by competition among co-occurring species for multiple resources. Previous studies suggest that removal of standing biomass by grazing decreases competition for light, but coincident grazing effects on competition for soil nutrients remain largely unknown in Tibetan rangelands where grazing tends to deplete soil phosphorus availability. We measured five functional traits indicative of plant productivity and stoichiometry leaf carbon concentration (LCC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC), leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) for component species of plant communities in grazed and ungrazed plots in five Tibetan alpine meadows. We examined the diversity of traits singly Rao index of functional diversity (FDrao) and in aggregate functional richness (FRic), functional divergence (FDiv), and functional evenness (FEve) in response to grazing. We tested whether foliar trait diversity increases with nutrient competition but decreases with light competition when competitive exclusion is reduced by grazing. The FDrao of LPC significantly increased under grazing, but FDrao for LCC, LNC and SLA tended to decrease. The FDrao of LDMC increased at the drier site but decreased at the wettest site. There was a strong negative association between increase in FDrao of LPC and decrease in soil nutrients, especially soil phosphorus availability. The FRic for all five traits together increased with species diversity following grazing, but neither FDiv nor FEve differed significantly between grazed and ungrazed plots at most sites. Grazing in Tibetan alpine meadows tends to increase competition for soil phosphorus while decreasing competition for light, resulting in an increase in the functional richness in grazed plant communities without any significant changes in the overall functional diversity of foliar traits. Our study highlights the potential importance of grazing mediated competition for multiple resources in alpine meadow ecosystems.     

Asymmetric effects of grazing intensity on macroelements and microelements in grassland soil and plants in Inner Mongolia Grazing alters nutrient dynamics of grasslands

Grazing is a traditional grassland management technique and greatly alters ecosystem nutrient cycling. The effects of grazing intensity on the nutrient dynamics of soil and plants in grassland ecosystems remain uncertain, especially among microelements. A 2‐year field grazing experiment was conducted in a typical grassland with four grazing intensities (ungrazed control, light, moderate, and heavy grazing) in Inner Mongolia, China. Nutrient concentration was assessed in soil and three dominant plant species (Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis, and Cleistogenes squarrosa). Assessed quantities included four macroelements (carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg)) and four microelements (copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn)). Soil total C, total N, total P, available N, and available P concentrations significantly increased with grazing intensity but soil Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn concentrations had no significant response. Plant C concentration decreased but plant N, P, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations significantly increased with grazing intensity. In soil, macroelement dynamics (i.e., C, N, and P) exhibited higher sensitivity with grazing intensity, conversely in plants, microelements were more sensitive. This result indicates macroelements and microelements in soil and plants had asymmetric responses with grazing intensity. The slopes of nutrient linear regression in C. squarrosa were higher than that of S. krylovii and L. chinensis, indicating that C. squarrosa had higher nutrient acquisition capacity and responded more rapidly to heavy grazing. These findings indicate that short‐term heavy grazing accelerates nutrient cycling of the soil–plant system in grassland ecosystems, elucidate the multiple nutrient dynamics of soil and plants with grazing intensity, and emphasize the important function of microelements in plant adaptation in grazing management.     

Increased inorganic nitrogen leaching from a mountain grassland ecosystem following grazing removal: a hangover of past intensive land-use?

Heathlands and grasslands occur in montane regions, naturally or due to anthropogenic land-use. These are typically nutrient-poor but exposure to elevated nitrogen deposition and intensive livestock grazing causes large-scale ecological change. We studied the long-term implications of grazing removal on soil and drainage water biogeochemistry and the implications for nitrogen cycling in 50-year replicated grazing exclosures on a montane grassland exposed to high rates of ambient nitrogen deposition. Evidence of ‘ecosystem recovery’ represented by successional change from graminoid to shrub-dominance after cessation of grazing was not reflected in the soil biogeochemistry. Cessation of grazing had a negative impact, with increased soil extractable and soil solution nitrate concentrations; an apparent shift towards a more nitrogen-rich, bacterially dominated microbial community; and the acidification of soils and leachate. The increase in nitrate leaching appears to have been counterbalanced by a decrease in dissolved organic nitrogen leaching, approximately maintaining the overall nitrogen balance of the system, whilst apparently altering ecosystem functioning. High rates of organic matter cycling and inorganic nitrogen uptake in grazed grassland may have sustained ecosystem N limitation under elevated nitrogen deposition. Grazing removal caused long-term over-supply of nitrogen from mineralisation of enriched organic matter, exacerbated by continued high nitrogen deposition, exceeding the uptake demand of heath vegetation and resulting in nitrification and nitrate leaching. This disequilibrium between vegetation and soil following grazing removal has implications for restoration after periods of intensive grazing. Grazing may not simply leave a legacy of nutrient enrichment but its cessation may trigger nitrogen saturation and soil and freshwater eutrophication and acidification which counteract the immediate benefits of natural vegetation recovery. Long term, nitrogen saturation of abandoned grasslands is likely to reduce ecosystem resilience to invasion by nitrophilous species, pathogen attack and vulnerability to environmental pressures such as climate change. We conclude that partial and/or phased reduction in grazing levels may permit the more synchronised recovery of soils and vegetation, thereby avoiding imbalances between nitrogen supply and nitrogen demand and detrimental ecological effects.     

Responses of the functional structure of soil microbial community to livestock grazing in the Tibetan alpine grassland

Microbes play key roles in various biogeochemical processes, including carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. However, changes of microbial community at the functional gene level by livestock grazing, which is a global land‐use activity, remain unclear. Here we use a functional gene array, GeoChip 4.0, to examine the effects of free livestock grazing on the microbial community at an experimental site of Tibet, a region known to be very sensitive to anthropogenic perturbation and global warming. Our results showed that grazing changed microbial community functional structure, in addition to aboveground vegetation and soil geochemical properties. Further statistical tests showed that microbial community functional structures were closely correlated with environmental variables, and variations in microbial community functional structures were mainly controlled by aboveground vegetation, soil C/N ratio, and NH₄⁺‐N. In‐depth examination of N cycling genes showed that abundances of N mineralization and nitrification genes were increased at grazed sites, but denitrification and N‐reduction genes were decreased, suggesting that functional potentials of relevant bioprocesses were changed. Meanwhile, abundances of genes involved in methane cycling, C fixation, and degradation were decreased, which might be caused by vegetation removal and hence decrease in litter accumulation at grazed sites. In contrast, abundances of virulence, stress, and antibiotics resistance genes were increased because of the presence of livestock. In conclusion, these results indicated that soil microbial community functional structure was very sensitive to the impact of livestock grazing and revealed microbial functional potentials in regulating soil N and C cycling, supporting the necessity to include microbial components in evaluating the consequence of land‐use and/or climate changes.     

放牧对草地生态系统影响的研究进展

全球草地占据30%左右的陆地面积, 在全球气候变化、碳氮及养分循环、保持水土、调节畜牧业生产等方面具有重要的作用。目前草地的主要利用方式之一就是放牧, 不同的牲畜种类、放牧强度、年限、历史和制度等, 会影响草地植物群落、生物多样性及土壤微生物, 进而影响草地生态系统结构、功能和过程。该文围绕放牧对草地生态系统结构、功能和过程的影响, 1)回顾了20世纪50年代到现在各个历史阶段放牧对草地生态系统影响的研究; 2)利用文献计量分析的方法, 剖析了放牧对草地影响研究的热点内容、重要区域和关键词等; 3)阐明了放牧对草地植物生长、群落特征、碳氮及养分循环、生产力及土壤质量等的各方面影响的研究进展及国内相关研究的优势及存在的主要问题和不足; 4)基于上述分析, 从草地放牧精准管理、经典假说验证、放牧和全球变化研究相结合等方面, 提出未来研究的前沿方向和优先领域。该文在系统总结放牧对草地生态系统影响的研究进展、研究优势及存在问题的基础上, 提出未来的研究应与全球变化相结合, 为我国的草地放牧生态学研究、适应性管理和可持续利用等提供科学基础。     

Grazing simplifies soil micro‐food webs and decouples their relationships with ecosystem functions in grasslands

Livestock grazing often alters aboveground and belowground communities of grasslands and their mediated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling processes at the local scale. Yet, few have examined whether grazing‐induced changes in soil food webs and their ecosystem functions can be extrapolated to a regional scale. We investigated how large herbivore grazing affects soil micro‐food webs (microbes and nematodes) and ecosystem functions (soil C and N mineralization), using paired grazed and ungrazed plots at 10 locations across the Mongolian Plateau. Our results showed that grazing not only affected plant variables (e.g., biomass and C and N concentrations), but also altered soil substrates (e.g., C and N contents) and soil environment (e.g., soil pH and bulk density). Grazing had strong bottom‐up effects on soil micro‐food webs, leading to more pronounced decreases at higher trophic levels (nematodes) than at lower trophic levels (microbes). Structural equation modeling showed that changes in plant biomass and soil environment dominated grazing effects on microbes, while nematodes were mainly influenced by changes in plant biomass and soil C and N contents; the grazing effects, however, differed greatly among functional groups in the soil micro‐food webs. Grazing reduced soil C and N mineralization rates via changes in plant biomass, soil C and N contents, and soil environment across grasslands on the Mongolian Plateau. Spearman's rank correlation analysis also showed that grazing reduced the correlations between functional groups in soil micro‐food webs and then weakened the correlation between soil micro‐food webs and soil C and N mineralization. These results suggest that changes in soil micro‐food webs resulting from livestock grazing are poor predictors of soil C and N processes at regional scale, and that the relationships between soil food webs and ecosystem functions depend on spatial scales and land‐use changes.