基于分子生态学网络探究西藏草地放牧对土壤微生物群落的影响

【目的】揭示西藏地区放牧对在功能基因层面上的微生物相互作用的影响。【方法】利用最近发明的网络工具(基于随机矩阵理论的分子生态学网络)分别在对照和放牧条件下分析基因芯片中碳循环和氮循环基因。【结果】碳和氮循环基因网络在对照和放牧条件下都具有无标度、小世界、模块性和层次性的拓扑学特征。放牧条件下的网络关键基因(模块枢纽和连通者)与对照显著不同。放牧导致网络变得小而紧密,暗示环境压力的存在。地上植物生物量与微生物基因网络显著相关(P=0.001),证实了研究样地地上植物与地下微生物紧密相连。【结论】放牧显著改变了西藏草地在功能基因层面上的微生物相互作用关系。     

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.     

Long-Term Consequences of Grazing and Burning on Northern Peatland Carbon Dynamics

Abstract Using a 50-year-old field experiment, we investigated the effects of the long-term land management practices of repeated burning and grazing on peatland vegetation and carbon dynamics (C). Plant community composition, C stocks in soils and vegetation, and C fluxes of CO₂, CH₄ and DOC, were measured over an 18-month period. We found that both burning and grazing reduced aboveground C stocks, and that burning reduced C stocks in the surface peat. Both burning and grazing strongly affected vegetation community composition, causing an increase in graminoids and a decrease in ericoid subshrubs and bryophytes relative to unburned and ungrazed controls; this effect was especially pronounced in burned treatments. Soil microbial properties were unaffected by grazing and showed minor responses to burning, in that the C:N ratio of the microbial biomass increased in burned relative to unburned treatments. Increases in the gross ecosystem CO₂ fluxes of respiration and photosynthesis were observed in burned and grazed treatments relative to controls. Here, the greatest effects were seen in the burning treatment, where the mean increase in gross fluxes over the experimental period was greater than 40%. Increases in gross CO₂ fluxes were greatest during the summer months, suggesting an interactive effect of land use and climate on ecosystem C cycling. Collectively, our results indicate that long-term management of peatland has marked effects on ecosystem C dynamics and CO₂ flux, which are primarily related to changes in vegetation community structure.     

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.     

Vegetation and soil responses to livestock grazing in Central Asian grasslands: a review of Chinese literature

Grasslands in northern China and the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are particularly important to both ecosystem functioning and pastoral livelihoods. Although there are numerous degradation studies on the effect of livestock grazing across the region, they are largely only published in Chinese, and most focus on single sites. Based on case studies from 100 sites, covering a mean annual precipitation gradient of 95–744 mm, we present a comprehensive, internationally accessible review on the impact of livestock grazing on vegetation and soils. We compared ungrazed or slightly grazed sites with moderately and heavily grazed sites by evaluating changes in two indicator groups: vegetation (plant species richness, vegetation cover, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio) and soil (pH, bulk density, organic C, total N, total P and available P). Most indicators declined with intensified grazing, while soil pH, bulk density and belowground biomass increased. Available P showed no clear response. Variables within indicator groups were mostly linearly correlated at a given grazing intensity. Relative grazing effects on different indicators varied along specific abiotic gradients. Grazing responses of plant species richness, aboveground biomass, soil bulk density, total N and available P interacted with precipitation patterns, while grazing effects on belowground biomass were influenced by temperature. Elevation had impact on grazing responses of aboveground biomass and soil organic carbon. Complex grazing effects reflect both methodological inconsistency and ecological complexity. Further assessments should consider specific characteristics of different indicators in the context of the local environment.     

Influence of Grazing on Soil Seed Banks Determines the Restoration Potential of Aboveground Vegetation in a Semi‐arid Savanna of Ethiopia

Species composition, number of emerging seedlings, species diversity and functional group of the soil seed banks, and the influence of grazing on the similarity between the soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation, were studied in 2008 and 2009 in a semi‐arid savanna of Ethiopia. We tested whether the availability of persistent seeds in the soil could drive the transition from a degraded system under heavy grazing to healthy vegetation with ample perennial grasses. A total of 77 species emerged from the soil seed bank samples: 21 annual grasses, 12 perennial grasses, 4 herbaceous legumes, 39 forbs, and 1 woody species. Perennial grass species dominated the lightly grazed sites, whereas the heavily grazed sites were dominated by annual forbs. Heavy grazing reduced the number of seeds that can germinate in the seed bank. Species richness in the seed bank was, however, not affected by grazing. With increasing soil depth, the seed density and its species richness declined. There was a higher similarity in species composition between the soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation at the lightly grazed sites compared with the heavily grazed sites. The mean similarity between the seed banks and aboveground vegetation was relatively low, indicating the effect of heavy grazing. Moreover, seeds of perennial grasses were less abundant in the soil seed banks under heavy grazing. We concluded that restoration of grass and woody species from the soil seed banks in the heavily grazed areas could not be successful in semi‐arid savannas of Ethiopia.     

放牧对呼伦贝尔草地植物和土壤生态化学计量学特征的影响

放牧通过畜体采食、践踏和排泄物归还影响草地群落组成、植物形态和土壤养分,植物通过改变养分利用策略适应环境变化。通过分析呼伦贝尔草原放牧和围封样地中的群落植物和土壤的碳氮磷养分及化学计量比,探讨放牧对生态系统化学计量学特征和养分循环速率的影响机制。结果如下:(1)群落尺度上,放牧和围封草地植物叶片C、N和P的含量没有显著差异;但是在种群尺度上,放牧草地植物叶片N含量显著高于围封草地;(2)放牧草地土壤全C、全N、有机C、速效P含量,低于围封草地,硝态N含量高于围封草地;土壤全P和铵态N指标没有显著差异;(3)放牧草地植物C∶N比显著低于围封草地,植物残体分解速率较快,提高了生态系统养分循环速率。     

内蒙古高原典型草原区河漫滩湿地植物群落退化表征

草原区河流河漫滩草甸是生物多样性表现最充分和生物生产力最高的地段, 但由于过度放牧利用, 绝大部分草甸处于退化状态。该文以锡林河流域中游的河漫滩草甸为研究对象, 比较分析了围封保育湿地与放牧退化湿地的群落组成、地上生物量, 以及共有植物种的植株高度、节间长、叶长、叶宽, 土壤含水量、容重, 群落地下根量及根的分布, 土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的变化。结果表明: 1)放牧使得湿地植物群落优势种发生变化, 原有湿生植物逐渐向旱生化转变, 同时地上及地下生物量明显降低。2)退化湿地的植物呈现显著小型化现象。3)放牧退化湿地的土壤含水量较围封保育湿地低, 其垂直分布及地下根的垂直分布也发生变化。在低河漫滩, 土壤水分随土层的增加而增加, 根量也趋于深层化。但在高河漫滩湿地, 土壤含水量接近典型草原, 根未出现深层化分布趋势。4)放牧践踏引起土壤容重和土壤紧实度增加。5)放牧使得低河漫滩湿地土壤微生物生物量增加, 而在过渡区及高河漫滩湿地, 放牧使得土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量显著降低。     

Insensitivity of Soil Microbial Activity to Temporal Variation in Soil N in Subarctic Tundra: Evidence from Responses to Large Migratory Grazers

Large migratory grazers commonly influence soil processes in tundra ecosystems. However, the extent to which grazing effects are limited to intensive grazing periods associated with migration has not previously been investigated. We analyzed seasonal patterns in soil nitrogen (N), microbial respiration and extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs) in a lightly grazed tundra and a heavily grazed tundra that has been subjected to intensive grazing during reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) migration for the past 50 years. We hypothesized that due to the fertilizing effect of the reindeer, microbial respiration and EEAs related to microbial C acquisition should be higher in heavily grazed areas compared to lightly grazed areas and that the effects of grazing should be strongest during reindeer migration. Reindeer migration caused a dramatic peak in soil N availability, but in contrast to our predictions, the effect of grazing was more or less constant over the growing season and the seasonal patterns of microbial activities and microbial N were strikingly uniform between the lightly and heavily grazed areas. Microbial respiration and the EEAs of β-glucosidase, acid-phosphatase, and leucine-aminopeptidase were higher, whereas that of N-acetylglucosamidase was lower in the heavily grazed area. Experimental fertilization had no effect on EEAs related to C acquisition at either level of grazing intensity. Our findings suggest that soil microbial activities were independent of grazing-induced temporal variation in soil N availability. Instead, the effect of grazing on soil microbial activities appeared to be mediated by substrate availability for soil microorganisms. Following a shift in the dominant vegetation in response to grazing from dwarf shrubs to graminoids, the effect of grazing on soil processes is no longer sensitive to temporal grazing patterns; rather, grazers exert a consistent positive effect on the soil microbial potential for soil C decomposition.     

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.

     

短期氮素添加和模拟放牧对青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统呼吸的影响

氮沉降和放牧是影响草地碳循环过程的重要环境因子,但很少有研究探讨这些因子交互作用对生态系统呼吸的影响。在西藏高原高寒草甸地区开展了外源氮素添加与刈割模拟放牧实验,测定了其对植物生物量分配、土壤微生物碳氮和生态系统呼吸的影响。结果表明:氮素添加显著促进生态系统呼吸,而模拟放牧对其无显著影响,且降低了氮素添加的刺激作用。氮素添加通过提高微生物氮含量和土壤微生物代谢活性,促进植物地上生产,从而增加生态系统的碳排放;而模拟放牧降低了微生物碳含量,且降低了氮素添加的作用,促进根系的补偿性生长,降低了氮素添加对生态系统碳排放的刺激作用。这表明,放牧压力的存在会抑制氮沉降对高寒草甸生态系统碳排放的促进作用,同时外源氮输入也会缓解放牧压力对高寒草甸生态系统生产的负面影响。     

Response of Vegetation and Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Storage to Grazing Intensity in Semi-Arid Grasslands in the Agro-Pastoral Zone of Northern China

Overgrazing has been the primary cause of grassland degradation in the semi-arid grasslands of the agro-pastoral transition zone in northern China. However, there has been little evidence regarding grazing intensity impacts on vegetation change and soil C and N dynamics in this region. This paper reports the effects of four grazing intensities namely un-grazed (UG), lightly grazed (LG), moderately grazed (MG) and heavily grazed (HG) on vegetation characteristics and soil properties of grasslands in the Guyuan county in the agro-pastoral transition region, Hebei province, northern China. Our study showed that the vegetation height, canopy cover, plant species abundance and aboveground biomass decreased significantly with increased grazing intensity. Similarly, soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (STN) in the 0–50 cm were highest under UG (13.3 kg C m⁻² and 1.69 kg N m⁻²) and lowest under HG (9.8 kg C m⁻² and 1.22 kg N m⁻²). Soil available nitrogen (SAN) was significantly lower under HG (644 kg N hm⁻²) than under other treatments (725–731 kg N hm⁻²) in the 0–50 cm. Our results indicate that the pasture management of “take half-leave half” has potential benefits for primary production and livestock grazing in this region. However, grazing exclusion was perhaps the most effective choice for restoring degraded grasslands in this region. Therefore, flexible rangeland management should be adopted in this region.     

Elevated temperature shifts soil N cycling from microbial immobilization to enhanced mineralization,nitrification and denitrification across global terrestrial ecosystems

We assessed the response of soil microbial nitrogen (N) cycling and associated functional genes to elevated temperature at the global scale. A meta‐analysis of 1,270 observations from 134 publications indicated that elevated temperature decreased soil microbial biomass N and increased N mineralization rates, both in the presence and absence of plants. These findings infer that elevated temperature drives microbially mediated N cycling processes from dominance by anabolic to catabolic reaction processes. Elevated temperature increased soil nitrification and denitrification rates, leading to an increase in N₂O emissions of up to 227%, whether plants were present or not. Rates of N mineralization, denitrification and N₂O emission demonstrated significant positive relationships with rates of CO₂ emissions under elevated temperatures, suggesting that microbial N cycling processes were associated with enhanced microbial carbon (C) metabolism due to soil warming. The response in the abundance of relevant genes to elevated temperature was not always consistent with changes in N cycling processes. While elevated temperature increased the abundances of the nirS gene with plants and nosZ genes without plants, there was no effect on the abundances of the ammonia‐oxidizing archaea amoA gene, ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria amoA and nirK genes. This study provides the first global‐scale assessment demonstrating that elevated temperature shifts N cycling from microbial immobilization to enhanced mineralization, nitrification and denitrification in terrestrial ecosystems. These findings infer that elevated temperatures have a profound impact on global N cycling processes with implications of a positive feedback to global climate and emphasize the close linkage between soil microbial C and N cycling.     

放牧对草地的作用

从牧草生长、种群、群落、土壤和生态系统5个方面分析了放牧的作用、机理与途径。放牧改变牧草的物质与能量分配格局,多途径地诱导牧草的补偿性生长,取决于放牧制度等因素。放牧还改变种间竞争格局、调控种群更新,以及群落结构和功能。介绍了草地健康管理的阈限双因子法,讨论了稳定态一过渡态假说和草地灌丛化。家畜对土壤有直接和间接两种作用途径,作用效果与放牧强度、季节、地形有密切关系,重点分析了放牧对土壤C贮量的作用机制。阐述了提高放牧系统生产力的系统耦合机制,以及放牧对生态系统物质循环的影响。根据放牧生态学的发展趋势和我国放牧管理现状,提出7项值得深入研究的问题。     

Effects of livestock grazing intensity on soil biota in a semiarid steppe of Inner Mongolia

Intensive livestock is known to significantly affect soil physical and chemical parameters in steppe ecosystems. However, the effects on soil biological parameters still remain unknown. We hypothesized that intensive grazing would significantly decrease the size and diversity of soil biota due to deterioration of the soil environment and reduction in vegetation cover, while the adapted grazing intensity would improve the biological parameters. Soil samples were collected from five sites with different grazing intensities and history in a semiarid steppe of Inner Mongolia in August 2005. Two sites were long-term ungrazed since 1979 (UG79) and 1999 (UG99), one had been moderately grazed in winter (WG), one continuously grazed moderately (CG) and one long-term site was heavily grazed (HG). Soil microbial biomass carbon (C), basal respiration (BR), catabolic diversity of soil microbial communities, protozoa and nematodes abundance were measured. Soil physicochemical variables were also measured to establish the relationships between soil biological parameters and key soil physical and chemical properties. Soil microbial biomass C, BR, biomass specific respiration (qCO₂) and soil protozoa abundance were significantly lower at the HG site compared to the UG79 site, but no clear differences were found in the other sites. However, soil nematodes abundance increased with increasing grazing intensity, and the abundance of soil amoeba were greater in CG than in the other sites. Principal component analysis (PCA) of Biolog data revealed large differences in catabolic capacity of soil microbial communities between UG79, HG and UG99, WG, CG. However, Shannon??s diversity index did not indicate marked effects of grazing intensity on substrate catabolic community structure. In conclusion, heavy grazing negatively affected soil microbial biomass, activity and protozoan abundance, but positively influenced soil nematodes abundance and did not affect soil microbial catabolic diversity. Based on these results, CG may provide an appropriate grazing intensity to be used in the long term in the semiarid steppe of Inner Mongolia.     

Linkages between grazing history and herbivore exclusion on decomposition rates in mineral soils of subalpine grasslands

Background & aims

Herbivore-driven changes to soil properties can influence the decomposition rate of organic material and therefore soil carbon cycling within grassland ecosystems. We investigated how aboveground foraging mammalian and invertebrate herbivores affect mineral soil decomposition rates and associated soil properties in two subalpine vegetation types (short-grass and tall-grass) with different grazing histories.

Methods

Using exclosures with differing mesh sizes, we progressively excluded large, medium and small mammals and invertebrates from the two vegetation types in the Swiss National Park (SNP). Mineral soil decomposition rates were assessed using the cotton cloth (standard substrate) method between May and September 2010.

Results

Decomposition displayed strong spatio-temporal variability, best explained by soil temperature. Exclusion of large mammals increased decomposition rates, but further exclusion reduced decomposition rates again in the lightly grazed (tall-grass) vegetation. No difference among treatments was found in the heavily grazed (short-grass) vegetation. Heavily grazed areas had higher decomposition rates than the lightly grazed areas because of higher soil temperatures. Microbial biomass carbon and soil C:N ratio were also linked to spatio-temporal decomposition patterns, but not to grazing history.

Conclusions

Despite altering some of the environmental controls of decomposition, cellulose decomposition rates in the SNP’s subalpine grasslands appear to be mostly resistant to short-term herbivore exclusion.     

Long‐term nitrogen addition modifies microbial composition and functions for slow carbon cycling and increased sequestration in tropical forest soil

Nitrogen (N) deposition is a component of global change that has considerable impact on belowground carbon (C) dynamics. Plant growth stimulation and alterations of fungal community composition and functions are the main mechanisms driving soil C gains following N deposition in N‐limited temperate forests. In N‐rich tropical forests, however, N deposition generally has minor effects on plant growth; consequently, C storage in soil may strongly depend on the microbial processes that drive litter and soil organic matter decomposition. Here, we investigated how microbial functions in old‐growth tropical forest soil responded to 13 years of N addition at four rates: 0 (Control), 50 (Low‐N), 100 (Medium‐N), and 150 (High‐N) kg N ha^?1 year^?1. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content increased under High‐N, corresponding to a 33% decrease in CO₂ efflux, and reductions in relative abundances of bacteria as well as genes responsible for cellulose and chitin degradation. A 113% increase in N₂O emission was positively correlated with soil acidification and an increase in the relative abundances of denitrification genes (narG and norB). Soil acidification induced by N addition decreased available P concentrations, and was associated with reductions in the relative abundance of phytase. The decreased relative abundance of bacteria and key functional gene groups for C degradation were related to slower SOC decomposition, indicating the key mechanisms driving SOC accumulation in the tropical forest soil subjected to High‐N addition. However, changes in microbial functional groups associated with N and P cycling led to coincidentally large increases in N₂O emissions, and exacerbated soil P deficiency. These two factors partially offset the perceived beneficial effects of N addition on SOC storage in tropical forest soils. These findings suggest a potential to incorporate microbial community and functions into Earth system models considering their effects on greenhouse gas emission, biogeochemical processes, and biodiversity of tropical ecosystems.     

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.     

Reindeer grazing and soil microbial processes in two suboceanic and two subcontinental tundra heaths

In oceanic, nutrient-rich Fennoscandian arctic-alpine tundra heaths, grazing by reindeer has been found to increase herbs and graminoids in relation to dwarf shrubs. In continental lichen heaths in the inland with nutrient-poor conditions, however, slowly decomposable dwarf shrubs are favoured by grazing. According to a hypothesis, by favouring easily decomposing plants in nutrient-rich conditions and slowly decomposing plants in nutrient-poor conditions, herbivory enhances soil nutrient cycling in nutrient-rich and retards it in nutrient-poor areas. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the impact of reindeer grazing on soil C and N mineralization between two oceanic and two continental arctic-alpine tundra heaths.
Although soil respiration and microbial metabolic activity were enhanced by grazing in the suboceanic but not in the subcontinental tundra heaths, gross N mineralization rates were higher in the grazed areas in soils from all study sites, indicating that reindeer grazing leads to increased rates of nutrient cycling in both nutrient-poor and nutrient-rich tundra heaths. Thus, in the subcontinental tundra heaths, the increase in soil N concentrations due to mammalian waste products enhances N mineralization rates, even though the organic C quality is not improved by reindeer grazing. There was some site-specific variation in the strength of the reindeer effects on various microbial processes and soil properties, which can be related to spatial variation in grazing intensity and timing, as these factors in turn affect the nutrient sink strength of the vegetation.     

Effect of cattle grazing on soil salinity and vegetation composition along an elevation gradient in a temperate coastal salt marsh of Samborombón Bay (Argentina)

Salt marshes of Samborombón Bay (Argentina) have been grazed sporadically at very low stocking rates, but in the last decade, grazing intensity increased due to agriculture expansion. We investigated the effect of cattle grazing on vegetation and soil salinity on the most extended Spartina densiflora community. This community develops along an elevation gradient where the frequency and duration of tidal flooding and soil salinity increased as elevation decreased. Vegetation and soil data were collected from a national park excluded to cattle grazing for 30 years and from an adjacent commercial livestock farm continuously grazed by cattle. As elevation level decreased, plant cover, richness and diversity of functional groups and species decreased. As we expected, grazing altered soil salinity and vegetation composition in different extent along the elevation gradient. Grazing changed vegetation structure more intensively in the high elevation level because it reduced the competitive exclusion exerted by S. densiflora, allowing the increase in floristic richness. Grazing increased soil salinity and the contribution of salt-tolerant species only in the medium but not in the low elevation level probably because the higher frequency and duration of tidal flooding counterbalanced the increase in evaporation promoted by biomass removal in the low respect to the medium elevation level. While grazing may cause positive impacts for plant conservation in the high elevation level, it may cause negative consequence for livestock production because of the reduction in forage quality along the entire elevation gradient.