不同放牧强度下羊草草原群落斑块植被-土壤特征

植物群落斑块化是天然放牧草地最基本的特征之一,影响着草地生态系统结构和功能。本研究以不同放牧强度下典型羊草草原植物群落斑块为研究对象,对植物群落多样性特征、初级生产力、土壤理化性质、植物养分含量及其相关关系进行研究。结果表明:随着放牧强度的增加,斑块群落内植物种类组成发生改变并趋于简单化,放牧敏感物种消失,物种多样性降低;高放牧强度显著降低了植物群落的地上净初级生产力;初级生产力与土壤氮含量具有显著的正相关关系;随着放牧强度增加,土壤碳、氮、磷含量呈现增加趋势;由于放牧强度及斑块结构的影响,土壤碳、氮、磷含量存在空间分布差异;同时,斑块群落中植被碳、氮、磷含量与土壤碳、氮、磷含量之间没有显著的相关性。研究表明,放牧能够改变草地群落结构和功能,引起植被-土壤养分之间的非同步性发展。     

放牧家畜组合对高寒草地植物群落特征及生产力的影响

为明晰中等放牧强度下不同放牧家畜组合如何调控高寒草地地上净初级生产力,进而提高高寒草地管理水平,本研究以青藏高原东端高寒草地为对象,设置中等放牧强度下不同放牧家畜组合样地(牦牛、藏羊单独放牧及1∶2混合放牧)和不放牧样地,分析了不同放牧家畜组合下高寒草地植物群落特征、土壤理化性质及地上净初级生产力变化。结果表明：不同放牧家畜组合对物种丰富度与多样性指数无显著影响,但显著降低高寒草地植物群落的高度与盖度,并改变功能群重要值占比;藏羊单独放牧显著增加高寒草地土壤速效氮、磷含量以及土壤容重;放牧弱化高寒草地植物多样性对地上净初级生产力的调控作用并加强土壤环境因子的作用强度;牦牛、藏羊混合放牧时高寒草地地上净初级生产力、家畜采食量均最高。为提升高寒草地管理水平,建议基于中等放牧强度进行牦牛、藏羊适宜比例的混合放牧,采用植被-家畜-土壤耦合管理方式以实现高寒草地生态功能维持与可持续利用。     

温带草原不同土地利用方式下优势种植物和生态系统的气体交换北大核心CSCD

在内蒙古温带草原围封、放牧和割草3种处理下的样地内,对生态系统尺度和大针茅(Stipa grandis)、冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)、羊草(Leymus chinensis)3种优势种植物叶片尺度上的气体交换和水分关系进行了测定,对比研究了植物碳水对环境的响应。结果表明,在优势种单株尺度和生态系统尺度上,大气-植被CO2交换因草地利用方式的不同而具有不同的表现。在生态系统层面,放牧样地的群落净CO2气体交换量和总初级生产力都与围封样地和割草样地有差异,群落总初级生产力受生态系统呼吸的影响。在放牧处理下,群落净CO2气体交换量日变化表现为生态系统对碳的吸收,而围封和割草则以碳释放为主。单叶光合速率出现负值并随时间推移而恢复的现象,应是植物对干旱高温、高光照的特殊反应。生态系统水分利用效率没有明显不同,但各样地的蒸散能力有趋势上的变化;对于同种植物,放牧样地植物单叶水分利用效率的日变化波动幅度最大,围封样地最小。     

不同载畜率处理下短花针茅荒漠草原生态系统净碳交换特征

草地生态系统是我国最大的陆地生态系统, 其碳循环的动态变化在全球碳收支平衡中扮演着重要角色。放牧是草地生态系统的主要利用方式。不同的放牧利用强度对草地生态系统会产生不同的影响。该文采用便携式光合仪LI-6400和密闭式箱法于2014-2016年生长季(5-10月)测定了3个载畜率处理(对照、轻度放牧和重度放牧)的生态系统净碳交换, 同步测定了土壤10 cm温度和湿度, 探讨载畜率、水热因素对短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原碳交换的影响。结果表明: 载畜率对生态系统净碳交换有显著影响, 随着载畜率的增加, 生态系统净碳交换、生态系统呼吸以及生态系统总初级生产力分别降低了48.6%、35.3%、40.4%。重度放牧显著降低了草地的固碳能力, 但轻度放牧对草地的固碳能力没有显著影响。年际间生态系统净碳交换主要受降水调控。整个生长季, 短花针茅荒漠草原均表现为碳吸收, 土壤温度对生态系统净碳交换的贡献率高于土壤湿度。     

短花针茅草原不同载畜率对植物多样性和草地生产力的影响

采用不同载畜率的围栏放牧试验,研究了内蒙古高原荒漠草原亚带短花针茅（Stipa breviflora Gfiseb．）草原群落在不同载畜率水平植物多样性变化规律和对草地生产力的影响。研究结果表明：在2a的放牧过程中,不同载畜率植物多样性指数的均值随年度的增加有降低的趋势,但年度间差异未达到显著水平;不同年度内,植物多样性指数均在载畜率1．027只羊／（hm^2·a）附近出现峰值;且载畜率为1．027只羊／（hm^2·a）时植物补偿性生长最高,是最理想的载畜率水平。研究结果支持群落物种多样性与生产力相关格局中的负二次函数关系的单峰格局模型,即中等生产力水平物种多样性最高。     

Net ecosystem carbon exchange characteristics in Stipa breviflora desert steppe with different stocking rates

草地生态系统是我国最大的陆地生态系统, 其碳循环的动态变化在全球碳收支平衡中扮演着重要角色。放牧是草地生态系统的主要利用方式。不同的放牧利用强度对草地生态系统会产生不同的影响。该文采用便携式光合仪LI-6400和密闭式箱法于2014-2016年生长季(5-10月)测定了3个载畜率处理(对照、轻度放牧和重度放牧)的生态系统净碳交换, 同步测定了土壤10 cm温度和湿度, 探讨载畜率、水热因素对短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原碳交换的影响。结果表明: 载畜率对生态系统净碳交换有显著影响, 随着载畜率的增加, 生态系统净碳交换、生态系统呼吸以及生态系统总初级生产力分别降低了48.6%、35.3%、40.4%。重度放牧显著降低了草地的固碳能力, 但轻度放牧对草地的固碳能力没有显著影响。年际间生态系统净碳交换主要受降水调控。整个生长季, 短花针茅荒漠草原均表现为碳吸收, 土壤温度对生态系统净碳交换的贡献率高于土壤湿度。     

放牧对贝加尔针茅草原群落植物多样性和生产力的影响

研究了不同放牧强度对贝加尔针茅草原群落植物多样性和生产力的影响。结果表明,在牧压梯度上,不同的植物表现出不同的生态适应对策,贝加尔针茅种群随着牧压的增加,种群株丛破碎化、小型化,羊草耐牧性较强,在中牧阶段生产力最高。群落初级生产力随着放牧强度的增加逐渐下降。较大的放牧压力下,群落中适口性差、耐牧的杂类草植物渐趋增加。而在更大的放牧压力下,群落逐步被耐牧的小丛生禾草、旱生小苔草、小灌木和灌木所替代。草地群落的稳定性随着放牧强度增加逐渐降低。放牧干扰对群落植物多样性和生产力及其稳定性的影响是不同步的,不对称的。植物群落初级生产力对放牧干扰的响应更迅速,变化更剧烈。     

放牧对草地生态系统服务和功能权衡关系的影响

内蒙古草原是我国北方的重要生态屏障和绿色畜牧业基地, 放牧是草原生态系统的主要利用和管理方式, 在放牧管理中充分发挥生态系统某一项或几项服务和功能最大利用价值时, 往往会与其他服务(功能)发生冲突, 需要权衡多项生态系统服务和功能, 制定合理的放牧管理制度。该研究以内蒙古锡林郭勒典型草原为例, 通过设置不放牧、轻度放牧、中度放牧以及重度放牧的放牧梯度, 从多项生态系统服务和功能权衡的角度比较了最适放牧管理强度。结果显示, 在放牧管理的草地生态系统服务和功能的权衡中, 权衡、协同、不相关关系同时存在, 如土壤呼吸速率与植物群落净生长量、生物多样性与植物群落净光合速率表现为权衡关系, 植物群落净生长量分别与土壤含水量、植物群落净光合速率及草地蒸散速率存在协同关系, 土壤有机碳含量与其他服务或功能间呈不相关关系; 放牧能不同程度地削弱多项生态系统服务及功能间的权衡关系(冲突对立关系); 中度放牧条件下的多项生态系统服务及功能的协同性最佳。     

短花针茅荒漠草原α多样性对绵羊载畜率的响应

以短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原为研究对象,采用巢式样方法分析在不同绵羊载畜率下草地的α多样性以及物种组成的变化,探讨荒漠草原生态系统在放牧利用下α多样性对载畜率的响应。结果表明:物种数和α多样性指数随着载畜率的升高而下降。放牧会减少群落非优势物种的相对多度,非优势物种能够反映α多样性。40 m~2为短花针茅荒漠草原多样性研究的最佳取样面积。种-面积关系以及α多样性指数-面积关系符合对数增长模型:y=aln(x)+b。随着取样面积尺度的增加,α多样性指数沿载畜率梯度差异性逐渐增大,在取样面积为0.16 m~2到0.64 m~2时可以体现中、高载畜率和零、低载畜率水平间的差异性,在160 m~2时可以体现各载畜率水平之间的差异显著性。     

内蒙古典型草原物种组成和群落结构对长期放牧的响应

该文比较研究了内蒙古羊草草原和大针茅草原放牧演替系列经过20a (1985~2005年) 放牧, 利用群落组成与结构的变化分析了这两个放牧演替系列上15个植物群落的变化趋势, 并依此探讨长期放牧对草原生态系统结构和功能的影响。结果表明:在大针茅 (Stipa grandis) 牧压梯度系列上, 群落仍以大针茅群系为主, 冷蒿 (Artemisia frigida) 为建群种的群落消失;在羊草 (Leymus chinensis) 牧压梯度系列上, 羊草和冷蒿不再是建群种, 被西伯利亚羽茅 (Achnatherum sibiricum) 、大针茅、冰草 (Agropyron cristatum) 和糙隐子草 (Cleistogenes squarrosa) 所替代。综合两个牧压梯度系列的研究结果得出以下基本结论:长期过度放牧进一步加速了草原群落的退化进程, 但退化草原具有较高的恢复弹性, 控制放牧使部分群落得到一定程度的恢复。同一植物群落时间变化, 或不同演替阶段的植物群落在空间序列上的位移程度主要取决于放牧史和利用强度。过去20a中, 特别是2003年以来草原管理政策的改变并没有导致该区域草地的整体退化, 而是在一定程度上有利于草地的恢复。     

Effects of grazing management system on plant community structure and functioning in a semiarid steppe: scaling from species to community

Under the aim of searching for a more sustainable grazing management system, a mixed management system (grazing and haymaking alternate annually) was proposed and tested against traditional management system (used consistently either for grazing or haymaking) in the semiarid grassland of Inner Mongolia with a field manipulation experiment. The responses of aboveground biomass to the two grazing management systems were examined across different levels of organization (i.e., species, plant functional group, and community) and in five consecutive years from 2005 to 2009. The effects of the two systems on seed production potential of four dominant species (Leymus chinensis, Stipa grandis, Agropyron cristatum, Cleistogenes squarrosa) were also investigated. Our results demonstrate that, in the traditional system, aboveground biomass production across all the levels of organization was reduced by grazing. In mixed system, however, no significantly negative relationship between the biomass response and stocking rate was detected at all organization levels. Precipitation fluctuation had strong influence on biomass responses, and compared to the traditional system the slope of the biomass-precipitation relationship tends to be higher in the mixed system. This effect might be attributed to the more positive response of L. chinensis and A. cristatum to increase in precipitation. In the traditional system, both the ratio and the density of reproductive tillers of the grazing subplots were significantly reduced compared to the haymaking or ungrazed control plots. In the mixed system, there was no significant difference between the haymaking subplots and the ungrazed control plots, regardless of the grazing pressures imposed on the haymaking subplots in the previous growing season. Our findings suggest that the mixed system mitigates the sheep grazing-induced species shift and it tends to be more responsive to increasing precipitation as compared to the traditional system. Therefore, replacement of the traditional grazing strategy with the mixed system could provide an important contribution to sustainable land-use of the Inner Mongolia grasslands.     

The relation of biomass production with leaf traits varied under different land-use and precipitation conditions in an Inner Mongolia steppe

The analyses of plant leaf traits that strongly influence aboveground net primary production (ANPP) are indispensable for understanding the process of plant biomass formation. However, there are few studies that have attempted to relate patterns of ANPP under contrasting management practices to plant leaf-level traits. To assess how leaf traits affect plant biomass accumulation under different land-use practices, we examined leaf traits and biomass production in three differently managed sites in the Inner Mongolia steppe: a site fenced since 1979 (UG), a winter grazing site (WG), and a heavily grazed site (HG). Low soil water content, leaf area index, and potential growth ability of species at site HG led to low crop growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), and relative growth rate (RGR); resulting in lower ANPP as compared to sites WG and UG. Irrespective of land-use management, prolonged drought significantly decreases ANPP even though it systematically increases mean CGR and RGR. However, leaf N content and leaf weight ratio are the crucial components necessary to determine the RGR at site WG. This suggests that low leaf N and availability of soil N due to haymaking may be responsible for neither over-compensatory nor compensatory growth in this site. The low ANPP in dry years is not due to the low mean CGR and RGR but rather to the short effective growing days (referring to the days the vegetation actually grows), suggesting that production-adjusted grazing regimes may be the most suitable measures for precision land management and avoiding grassland degradation.     

Plant responses following grazing removal at different stocking rates in an Inner Mongolia grassland ecosystem

Grazing removal is widely used in grassland management. Plant responses following grazing removal at different organizational levels, however, are not well understood. We examined plant responses at different stocking rates in an Inner Mongolia grassland ecosystem dominated by Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis. Our results indicated that plant response patterns differed significantly among stocking rates, at different levels of organization, and between wet and dry years. Community aboveground net primary production (ANPP) recovered more quickly at low and moderate stocking rates than those at high stocking rates. Response of aboveground net primary production (R_ANPP) was significantly positively correlated with both individual biomass and density responses of L. chinensis. Overcompensation of L. chinensis after grazing removal contributed greatly to positive R_ANPP at the community level. Significant compensatory effects were found between the two dominant species and between dominant species and the remaining non-dominant species. Variation in precipitation significantly affected community ANPP, relationships between community and species responses, and compensatory effects between species. Our study suggests that periodic grazing removal is likely to be a useful method for grassland management and that a combination of species with compensatory effects can be advantageous for reseeding practices in grassland restoration.     

Study on Over-compensation Growth of Cleistogenes squarrosa Population in Inner Mongolia Steppe

Cleistogenes squarrosa ((Trin.) Keng) is a C4 plant and a short, perennial grass with drought tolerance that tends to occupy the medium degradation grassland in Inner Mongolia steppe. It is an ideal plant suitable for the studies on compensation or over-compensation growth because its important value of population is the maximum in the medium disturbance in Inner Mongolia steppe. The results showed that the over-compensation existed for net primary productivity (NPP) of Cleistogenes squarrosa population because the plant morphotypes remaining in the population were characterized by a higher density with small individual plant in moderate stocking rate (1.33 sheep·hm-2 during 138 days of growth seasons). As for an individual plant, grazing reduced the height and biomass per plant, but the above-ground net photosynthesis efficiency or above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) was increased and it almost did not affect the below-ground net primary productivity (BNPP) in the moderate stocking rate. However, the lower compensation of ANPP was a greater cost with BNPP in heavy stocking rate (>4.00 sheep·hm-2 during 138 days of growth season). From this study, it appears that the plant-herbivore association might be regarded as mutualistic in moderate grazing because not only the ANPP of the population was increased, but also was the efficiency of herbage utilization. However, the compensation of ANPP was attained at the cost of BNPP, therefore, the association between plant and herbivore might trade-off in heavy grazing because the temporary higher efficiency of herbage utilization could not keep the sustainable development of the population. The results support the grazing optimization hypothesis.     

内蒙古典型草原优化放牧管理模拟研究——以内蒙古太仆寺旗为例

针对太仆寺旗公共草地全年连续放牧的传统放牧方式,通过控制性试验,并结合太仆寺旗多年的草地、家畜、经济和气象等数据,建立中国西部草地生态经济模型,对太仆寺旗典型草原公共放牧系统进行模拟分析。以草原生态恢复和牧民收入增加为目的,对典型草原的最适载畜率、家畜在冬春季节的合理补饲等问题进行探讨,提出了典型草原放牧管理优化模式。研究结果表明,从当年10月到翌年5月份,家畜能量需求与放牧、补饲能量供给严重不平衡,家畜体重下降;随着载畜率的增加,牧民年均净收入先增加后降低,在载畜率为2.275羊单位/hm2时,收入达到最高;太仆寺旗最适载畜率为每公顷1.55-2.275羊单位。降低载畜率、加强补饲、提高草地质量都有利于提高牧民收入。     

Grazing weakens temporal stabilizing effects of diversity in the Eurasian steppe

Many biodiversity experiments have demonstrated that plant diversity can stabilize productivity in experimental grasslands. However, less is known about how diversity–stability relationships are mediated by grazing. Grazing is known for causing species losses, but its effects on plant functional groups (PFGs) composition and species asynchrony, which are closely correlated with ecosystem stability, remain unclear. We conducted a six‐year grazing experiment in a semi‐arid steppe, using seven levels of grazing intensity (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, and 9.0 sheep per hectare) and two grazing systems (i.e., a traditional, continuous grazing system during the growing period (TGS), and a mixed one rotating grazing and mowing annually (MGS)), to examine the effects of grazing system and grazing intensity on the abundance and composition of PFGs and diversity–stability relationships. Ecosystem stability was similar between mixed and continuous grazing treatments. However, within the two grazing systems, stability was maintained through different pathways, that is, along with grazing intensity, persistence biomass variations in MGS, and compensatory interactions of PFGs in their biomass variations in TGS. Ecosystem temporal stability was not decreased by species loss but rather remain unchanged by the strong compensatory effects between PFGs, or a higher grazing‐induced decrease in species asynchrony at higher diversity, and a higher grazing‐induced increase in the temporal variation of productivity in diverse communities. Ecosystem stability of aboveground net primary production was not related to species richness in both grazing systems. High grazing intensity weakened the temporal stabilizing effects of diversity in this semi‐arid grassland. Our results demonstrate that the productivity of dominant PFGs is more important than species richness for maximizing stability in this system. This study distinguishes grazing intensity and grazing system from diversity effects on the temporal stability, highlighting the need to better understand how grazing regulates ecosystem stability, plant diversity, and their synergic relationships.     

Grassland responses to grazing: effects of grazing intensity and management system in an Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystem

The major aims of this study were, firstly, to analyse the grazing-induced steppe degradation process and, secondly, to identify an efficient and sustainable grazing management system for the widely degraded Inner Mongolian typical steppe ecosystem. From 2005?C2008 a grazing experiment was conducted to compare two grazing management systems, the Mixed System (MS) and the Traditional System (TS), along a gradient of seven grazing intensities, i.e. ungrazed (GI0), very-light (GI1), light (GI2), light-moderate (GI3), moderate (GI4), heavy (GI5), and very-heavy (GI6). Each grazing intensity treatment was considered a production unit comprising two adjacent plots, one for hay-making (single-cut system) and one for grazing. Hay-making and grazing alternated annually in the MS, while in the TS the same plots were used either for hay-making or for grazing. Effects of management system, grazing intensity, and year on end-of-season standing biomass (ESSB), aboveground net primary production (ANPP), relative difference in ANPP between 2005 and 2008 (ANPP_Diff), relative growth rate (RGR), and sward characteristics (litter accumulation, soil coverage) were analysed. Litter accumulation of production units was affected by grazing intensity (P?<?0.001) and decreased from GI0 to GI6 by 83%. Correspondingly, soil coverage decreased (P?<?0.001) from GI0 to GI6 by 43%, indicating an increased vulnerability to soil erosion. We found varying compensatory growth responses to grazing intensity among years, probably because of temporal variability in precipitation. The ability of plants to partially compensate for grazing damage was enhanced in years of greater seasonal precipitation. The ANPP of production units was negatively affected by grazing intensity and decreased from GI0 to GI6 by 37, 30, and 55% in 2006 (P?<?0.01), 2007 (P?<?0.05), and 2008 (P?<?0.001), respectively. The effect of management system × grazing intensity interaction on ANPP (P?<?0.05) and ANPP_Diff (P?<?0.05) suggested greater grazing resilience of the MS as compared to the TS at GI3 to GI6.     

Forage nutritional characteristics and yield dynamics in a grazed semiarid steppe ecosystem of Inner Mongolia,China

In the steppe of Inner Mongolia, forage is the only source of feed for sheep. The forage intake of sheep can be characterized in both quantity and quality terms, which are determined by environmental and anthropogenic factors and grazing has a strong effect on steppe productivity and the grassland ecosystem. Evaluation of forage quality and quantity is therefore of critical importance. The effects of grazing intensity, interannual variability effects, and species composition on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and forage nutritional characteristics were investigated in a controlled grazing experiment along a gradient of 7 grazing intensities (from non-grazed to very heavily grazed) over six years (2005–2010) on typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. Forage nutritional characteristics were defined by the nutritional value (concentrations of crude protein (CP), cellulase digestible organic matter (CDOM), metabolizable energy (ME) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF)) and the nutritional yield. The forage nutritional yield is a function of ANPP and the forage nutritional value. Forage nutritional value increased but ANPP and nutritional yields decreased with increasing grazing intensity. The inter-annual variation of ANPP, forage nutritional value and yield were weakly linked to the inter-annual variability of precipitation. However, ANPP and nutritional value also varied during the growing season, depending on the seasonal distribution of precipitation and temperature, which influence forage digestibility (CDOM) and metabolizable energy (ME), with higher CDOM and ME under high seasonal precipitation and low seasonal mean temperature. Forage nutritional value and yield, as well as ANPP, were predominantly determined by the dominant species rather than by species diversity. The results suggest that forage nutritional yield in the Inner Mongolian steppe is predominantly determined by the ANPP and only to a minor extent by forage nutritional value, and is predominantly determined by the dominant species and only to a minor extent by species diversity. Therefore, herbage productivity seems to be the most limiting factor in managing this steppe ecosystem as a feeding resource for livestock and to be the best ecological and environmental indicator for grassland management practices.     

Interactive Effects of Ungulate Herbivores, Soil Fertility, and Variable Rainfall on Ecosystem Processes in a Semi-arid Savanna

Large herbivores can both positively and negatively affect primary productivity and rates of nutrient cycling in different ecosystems. Positive effects of grazers in grasslands have been attributed to migratory behavior of the dominant ungulate species and soil fertility. We studied the effects of grazers on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and N cycling on central Kenyan rangeland characterized by intense, chronic grazing by a mixed community of cattle and resident native ungulates. Exclosure studies conducted at high and low levels of soil fertility showed that both soil fertility and annual rainfall patterns mediate the effects of grazers on ANPP and N cycling. In a low-rainfall year with short (1 month) growing seasons, grazers reduced aboveground productivity regardless of soil nutrient availability. However, in a high-rainfall year with a 5-month growing season, grazers increased ANPP on nutrient-rich glades and suppressed ANPP on nutrient-poor bushland sites. Concomitant studies of grazer effects on N cycling revealed complex interactions with the seasonal pattern of N-mineralization and inorganic N availability. Grazers increased the size of the inorganic N pool available to plants at the onset of the growing season, particularly in nutrient-rich glades. However, grazers also decreased N mineralization rates at all sites early in the growing season. Measures of N availability via ion-exchange resin bags suggested that the combined effects of grazers on inorganic N pool fluctuations and N-mineralization rates resulted in a net increase in N availability at glade sites and a net decrease in N availability at bushland sites. The net effect of grazers on soil N availability mirrored grazer effects on ANPP in the high-rainfall year. Overall, our results suggest that grazer effects on N dynamics are closely linked to effects on productivity and resilience to drought. Furthermore, even under optimal conditions of high soil fertility and above-average rainfall, grazer promotion of ANPP in this chronically grazed system dominated by resident ungulates was small compared to systems dominated by migratory ungulates.     

Determination of Aboveground Net Primary Productivity and Plant Traits in Grasslands with Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

Proposed links between biodiversity and ecosystem processes have generated intense interest in the linkage between aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and soil C storage. Quantity and quality of ANPP largely depend on plant functional groups and management practices. In a context of environmental change (that is, land-use and climate) long-term studies of ANPP and functional groups are gaining interest. However, rapid determination of ANPP and functional groups are often limited in time and money, resulting in less than ideal sampling schemes and replications. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) can relieve constraints of labor intensive hand-sorting by providing quick, non-destructive, and quantitative analyses of a range of organic constituents (for example, plant tissues). Here, we investigated the potential of a NIRS method to rapidly predict harvested green aboveground biomass, the proportion of dead material, and simple functional plant traits, necessary to determine ANPP and related ecosystem properties. The issue was investigated for two independent grassland experiments of contrasted long-term field management (high vs. low grazing and N fertilization). Our results show that NIRS analyses are well suited to determine ANPP (12 and 19% error of prediction) and simple plant traits (error 9%) of contrasted treatment of two independent multi-species grasslands. Moreover, we show that calibration may be simplified when compared to commonly used protocols, which offers ecologists enormous analytical power.