围封对内蒙古典型草原与荒漠草原植被-土壤系统碳密度的影响

草地生态系统是巨大的碳库, 在全球碳循环中起着重要的作用。该研究以内蒙古中温带草地区典型草原和荒漠草原为研究对象, 测定了两种草原类型围封与放牧后地上生物量碳密度、地下生物量碳密度和土壤碳密度, 探讨围封对两种草原类型植被-土壤系统碳密度的影响。结果表明: (1)围封显著地增加了典型草原地上和地下生物量的碳密度, 对荒漠草原地上生物量碳密度增加影响显著, 对地下生物量碳密度增加影响不显著; (2)围封显著地增加了典型草原土壤碳密度, 使荒漠草原土壤碳密度有增加的趋势, 但影响不显著; (3)典型草原围封样地地下生物量和土壤碳密度的垂直分布显著高于放牧样地, 而荒漠草原围封样地地下生物量和土壤碳密度的垂直分布与放牧样地的差异不显著; (4)围封分别提高了典型草原和荒漠草原植被-土壤系统碳密度的2.2倍和1.6倍, 典型草原和荒漠草原分别有超过65%和89%的碳储存在土壤中, 两种草原类型的地下生物量碳库均占总生物量碳库的90%以上。研究结果表明围封能够有效地增加草原生态系统的碳储量。     

天山北坡不同海拔梯度山地草原生态系统地上净初级生产力对气候变化及放牧的响应

以天山北坡三工河流域为例,利用改进后的Biome-BGC模型分别模拟了仅气候变化（Clm）、气候变化与放牧联合作用（ClmGra）下研究区不同海拔梯度3种山地草原生态系统（低山干旱草原,LAG;森林草甸草原,FMG;高寒草甸草原,AMG）1959—2009年地上净初级生产力（Aboveground Net Primary Production,ANPP）的动态,并通过假设27种放牧强度情景（0—8 羊/ha）模拟了其ANPP随放牧强度增加的变化趋势。近50年气候变化致使研究区各海拔梯度草原生态系统ANPP整体均呈上升趋势,但在放牧联合作用下,不同草原类型ANPP变化趋势差异显著;放牧导致FMG和AMG的ANPP呈下降态势,分别减少30.0%和33.2%,对比之下,由于1980前较低放牧强度促进了LAG的ANPP,放牧导致其ANPP整体增加1.3%。随着放牧强度增加,LAG的ANPP呈先增后减趋势,且在干旱年份最为显著;而FMG和AMG的ANPP呈显著非线性递减趋势。这些结果表明,近50年气候波动可能有利于中亚干旱区山地草原生态系统生产力的提高,但日益增强的放牧活动导致其净初级生产力显著降低;放牧对FMG与AMG生产力的负面效应随放牧强度增加而增强,但适度放牧可能促进LAG净初级生产力,尤其在干旱年份。     

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。     

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。     

不同放牧强度下短花针茅荒漠草原植被-土壤系统有机碳组分储量特征

草地生态系统作为陆地生态系统的重要组成部分,在全球碳循环中发挥着重要作用。以内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原不同放牧强度样地为研究对象,通过分析地上植物、凋落物、根系、土壤中有机碳和土壤轻组有机碳,研究草原植被-土壤系统有机碳组分储量的变化特征,从碳储量角度为合理利用草原提供指导。研究结果表明:(1)不同放牧强度荒漠草原地上植物碳储量为11.98—44.51 g/m~2,凋落物碳储量10.43—36.12 g/m~2,根系(0—40cm)碳储量502.30—804.31 g/m~2,且对照区(CK)均显著高于中度放牧区(MG)、重度放牧区(HG);(2)0—40cm土壤碳储量为7817.43—9694.16 g/m~2,其中轻度放牧区(LG)碳储量为9694.16 g/m~2,显著高于CK、HG(P0.05);(3)植被—土壤系统的碳储量为8342.14—10494.80 g/m~2,LGMGCKHG,有机碳主要储存于土壤当中,占比约90.54%—93.71%,适度放牧利用有利于发挥草地生态系统的碳汇功能;(4)土壤轻组有机碳储量为484.20—654.62 g/m~2,LG储量最高,表明适度放牧有助于草原土壤营养物质的循环和积累。     

Effects of enclosure on carbon density of plant-soil system in typical steppe and desert steppe in Nei Mongol,China

草地生态系统是巨大的碳库, 在全球碳循环中起着重要的作用。该研究以内蒙古中温带草地区典型草原和荒漠草原为研究对象, 测定了两种草原类型围封与放牧后地上生物量碳密度、地下生物量碳密度和土壤碳密度, 探讨围封对两种草原类型植被-土壤系统碳密度的影响。结果表明: (1)围封显著地增加了典型草原地上和地下生物量的碳密度, 对荒漠草原地上生物量碳密度增加影响显著, 对地下生物量碳密度增加影响不显著; (2)围封显著地增加了典型草原土壤碳密度, 使荒漠草原土壤碳密度有增加的趋势, 但影响不显著; (3)典型草原围封样地地下生物量和土壤碳密度的垂直分布显著高于放牧样地, 而荒漠草原围封样地地下生物量和土壤碳密度的垂直分布与放牧样地的差异不显著; (4)围封分别提高了典型草原和荒漠草原植被-土壤系统碳密度的2.2倍和1.6倍, 典型草原和荒漠草原分别有超过65%和89%的碳储存在土壤中, 两种草原类型的地下生物量碳库均占总生物量碳库的90%以上。研究结果表明围封能够有效地增加草原生态系统的碳储量。     

放牧制度对荒漠草原生态系统土壤养分状况的影响

从土壤N,P,K及土壤有机质等方面研究了在连续进行了7 a的放牧制度试验对荒漠草原生态系统土壤养分含量的影响。研究结果表明:放牧制度对土壤的养分状况有明显的影响。划区轮牧区和禁牧提高了土壤有机质、土壤氮素、土壤全钾和土壤速效钾含量。土壤表层磷含量划区轮牧区最高。放牧导致碳氮比减少。同时,土壤养分含量随土壤深度的变化在不同处理没有表现出较为一致的变化趋势。禁牧区土壤全氮含量随土壤深度的增加而增加;不同处理土壤速效氮、土壤速效钾含量均随土壤深度的增加逐渐降低;土壤全磷在自由放牧区随土壤深度的增加逐渐升高;土壤速效磷、全钾含量在划区轮牧区随土壤深度的增加逐渐降低;土壤养分含量与土壤深度的拟合曲线为二次幂函数。研究表明,禁牧和划区轮牧较自由放牧可以提高荒漠草原土壤养分元素的含量,有利于遏制草原土壤的退化。     

降水时间对内蒙古温带草原地上净初级生产力的影响

全球气候变化下降水时间的改变将深刻影响草原生态系统地上净初级生产力(ANPP),而草原生态系统ANPP是区域碳循环的重要过程.利用1998-2007年的SPOT-VEG NDVI数据并结合111个样点的ANPP地面样方调查数据,获得了内蒙古温带草原1998-2007年的ANPP区域数据,依此分析了中国内蒙古温带草原以及区域内的3种植被类型(荒漠草原、典型草原、草甸草原)降水时间对ANPP的影响.研究结果表明,对于整个内蒙古温带草原来说,一个水分年内(从上一年9月份到当年地上生物量达最大值时的8月份)影响ANPP较为重要的降水月份为2-7月份,其中,5-7月份降水尤为重要.具体到每个月降水的影响,研究发现,7月份降水最重要,而仍处于生长季的8月份降水相对于其他生长季降水作用最小;影响不同草地类型最重要的降水时期存在一定差异,对荒漠草原和典型草原地区来说,ANPP达最大值前3个月(5-7月份)的生长季降水最重要,而8月份降水影响较小,而草甸草原地区8月份和非生长季的3、4月份降水最重要,但各个降水时期降水对ANPP的影响都较荒漠草原和典型草原小,大部分地区降水对ANPP的影响不显著.     

温性草原利用方式对生态系统碳交换及其组分的影响

为了解管理利用方式变化对原本以放牧利用为主的草地生态系统的碳交换及碳平衡将产生怎样的影响。在中国北方温性草原区域利用连接同化箱的便携式红外分析系统,在相互毗连的地块调查了3种典型草地管理利用方式植被生长旺季的生态系统碳交换及其精细组分。结果表明,相比放牧草地,开垦农用显著降低生态系统的日均碳交换(下降56%,P0.05),而长期围封也趋向降低生态系统的日均碳交换,但变化并不显著(P0.05)。与之近似,NPP在放牧与禁牧草地间差异不显著,开垦农用使NPP显著下降,但降幅小于NEP。GPP在3种管理利用方式间差异相对较小。生态系统总呼吸、自养、异养、地上和地下呼吸在放牧和禁牧草地间均无显著差异,均显著低于开垦后的麦田,根系呼吸在3种管理利用方式间无显著变化。相比草地放牧,草地开垦显著增加自养呼吸在总呼吸中的占比,而土壤呼吸和根系呼吸的占比均显著下降,禁牧对呼吸组成的影响不明显。不同管理利用方式草地的地下生物量能很好的解释土壤呼吸占比(95%)和根系呼吸占比(77%)的变化,而LAI则与自养呼吸占比显著正相关(P0.001)。草地开垦利用增强生态系统的碳释放、减少CO_2固定,相比开垦农用,禁牧对放牧草地碳交换及其组分的影响相对较小。     

中国北方草地植物群落季节生长格局模拟

中国北方草地横跨干旱、半干旱及亚湿润干旱气候区,水分是限制中国北方草地植物群落生产力的主要气候因子.采用基于水分平衡过程的、简单的植物群落模型,利用460个气象站40年气象数据的月平均值,模拟中国北方7种草地类型的季节及年生长、叶片投影盖度(FPC)、蒸发系数(k)及净第一性生产力(NPP).野外观测数据对模型的验证显示模拟结果与观测值相符较好.温性草地自东向西,青藏高原自东南向西北,植物群落的k、NPP与FPC呈递减趋势,显示了中国温性草地自东向西,青藏高原自东南向西北逐渐干旱的水分梯度;其中高寒草甸的3个模拟参数值均最高,高寒草原FPC次于高寒草甸,而NPP却与温性典型草原相近,温性典型荒漠的3个参数最低.高寒草甸、高寒草原、温性草甸草原、温性典型草原、温性荒漠草原、温性草原化荒漠和温性典型荒漠等7种类型草地的畜群承载力约为每公顷5.2、2.3、3.6、2.1、1.0、0.6和0.2只羊单位,区域最适恢复植被盖度分别以93%、79% 、56%、50%、44%、38%和37%为宜.     

Spatial variations in aboveground net primary productivity along a climate gradient in Eurasian temperate grassland: effects of mean annual precipitation and its seasonal distribution

Concomitant changes of annual precipitation and its seasonal distribution within the context of global climate change have dramatic impacts on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of grassland ecosystems. In this study, combining remote sensing products with in situ measurements of ANPP, we quantified the effects of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and precipitation seasonal distribution (PSD) on the spatial variations in ANPP along a climate gradient in Eurasian temperate grassland. Our results indicated that ANPP increased exponentially with MAP for the entire temperate grassland, but linearly for a specific grassland type, i.e. the desert steppe, typical steppe, and meadow steppe from arid to humid regions. The slope of the linear relationship appeared to be steeper in the more humid meadow steppe than that in the drier typical and desert steppes. PSD also had significant effect on the spatial variations in ANPP. It explained 39.4% of the spatial ANPP for the entire grassland investigated, being comparable with the explanatory power of MAP (40.0%). On the other hand, the relative contribution of PSD and MAP is grassland type specific. MAP exhibited a much stronger explanatory power than PSD for the desert steppe and the meadow steppe at the dry and wet end, respectively. However, PSD was the dominant factor affecting the spatial variation in ANPP for the median typical steppe. Our results imply that altered pattern of PSD due to climate change may be as important as the total amount in terms of effects on ANPP in Eurasian temperate grassland.     

Primary Productivity and Precipitation-Use Efficiency in Temperate Grassland in the Loess Plateau of China

Clarifying spatial variations in aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and precipitation-use efficiency (PUE) of grasslands is critical for effective prediction of the response of terrestrial ecosystem carbon and water cycle to future climate change. Though the combination use of remote sensing products and in situ ANPP measurements, we quantified the effects of climatic [mean annual precipitation (MAP) and precipitation seasonal distribution (PSD)], biotic [leaf area index (LAI)] and abiotic [slope gradient, aspect, soil water storage (SWS) and other soil physical properties] factors on the spatial variations in ANPP and PUE across different grassland types (i.e., meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe) in the Loess Plateau. Based on the study, ANPP increased exponentially with MAP for the entire temperate grassland; suggesting that PUE increased with increasing MAP. Also PSD had a significant effect on ANPP and PUE; where more even PSD favored higher ANPP and PUE. Then MAP, more than PSD, explained spatial variations in typical steppe and desert steppe. However, PSD was the dominant driving factor of spatial variations in ANPP of meadow steppe. This suggested that in terms of spatial variations in ANPP of meadow steppe, change in PSD due to climate change was more important than that in total annual precipitation. LAI explained 78% of spatial PUE in the entire Loess Plateau temperate grassland. As such, LAI was the primary driving factor of spatial variations in PUE. Although the effect of SWS on ANPP and PUE was significant, it was nonetheless less than that of precipitation and vegetation. We therefore concluded that changes in vegetation structure and consequently in LAI and/or altered pattern of seasonal distribution of rainfall due to global climate change could significantly influence ecosystem carbon and water cycle in temperate grasslands.     

放牧对内蒙古典型草原α、β和γ多样性的影响机制

人类活动干扰对生物多样性和生态系统功能的影响机制是近年来生态学研究的一个热点问题。该研究以内蒙古锡林郭勒草原生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站的大型放牧控制实验为平台, 系统地研究了不同降水(丰水年份和平水年份)和地形(平地和坡地)条件下, 放牧对典型草原不同空间尺度植物多样性(α、β和γ多样性)的影响。研究发现: (1)降水和地形条件及其交互效应对植物多样性有明显的影响, 丰水年份的α、β和γ多样性均高于平水年份; 降水和地形条件存在交互效应, 平水年份坡地系统的α多样性高于平地系统, 丰水年份平地系统的α和γ多样性高于坡地系统, 而地形对β多样性并没有显著影响; (2)随着放牧强度的增加, 平地和坡地的α多样性均呈逐渐下降的趋势, 不同植物群落成员型(优势种、常见种和稀有种)对放牧的响应及其对α多样性的贡献不同, 其中稀有种对α多样性的贡献最大, 常见种次之, 优势种最小; (3) γ多样性对放牧强度的响应受地形条件的影响, 随着放牧强度的增加, 平地γ多样性呈逐渐下降的趋势, 而坡地γ多样性呈现先减少后增加的趋势; (4)平地β多样性随放牧强度的增加而逐渐减小, 而坡地并没有明显的规律。该研究表明, 植物多样性对放牧的响应受降水和地形因素的调控, 平地对放牧的缓冲能力强于坡地, 干旱会加剧过度放牧对生物多样性的影响; 稀有种对于草地生态系统的多样性维持具有重要意义。因此, 在确定合理的放牧强度时, 应结合降水和地形条件。在平水年份需加强平地系统植物多样性的保护, 而在丰水年份需加强坡地系统植物多样性的保护, 从而实现草地资源的可持续性利用。     

轮牧时间对荒漠草原土壤种子库特性的影响

探讨季节性放牧下土壤种子库的特性对荒漠草原合理利用具有重要作用。以宁夏荒漠草原为对象,通过封育(FY)、传统时间轮牧(FG)、延迟开始轮牧(YG)、提前结束轮牧(TG)、延迟开始并提前结束轮牧(YT)和自由放牧(ZY)处理,研究了0～5、5～10、10～15 cm土层土壤种子库物种组成、种子库密度、垂直分布、多样性及其与地上植被的关系,探讨了种子库与土壤环境因子的关系。结果表明: 研究区土壤种子库物种组成共有9个科21个种。土壤种子库物种组成以TG种子库种类最多,达13种,而FY和ZY土壤种子库种类最少,各8种。ZY土壤种子库密度显著高于FY、YG、TG、YT;FY的土壤种子库中多年生植物种子数量最多,达32.0%;ZY种子库中多年生植物种子数最少,仅为12.4%,主要以有性繁殖的一年生杂类草种子为主;土壤种子库主要集中于0～5 cm表层土壤,随着土层深度的增加,土壤种子库大小降低。土壤种子库的优势度和多样性均以FY最高,优势度、多样性和均匀度均以ZY最低。土壤种子库与地上植被的相似性总体较低,相比之下FG及ZY种子库与地上植被相似性较高,FY最低。土壤水分、有机质、全氮、全磷、土壤容重是影响土壤种子库的主要土壤因子。与传统全年自由放牧相比,季节性四区轮牧能使荒漠草原土壤种子库多年生植物种类、密度以及种子库物种丰富度、多样性和均匀度增加,虽作用不及长期封育草地,但对荒漠草原的利用与保护具有重要意义。     

Shifts in the dynamics of productivity signal ecosystem state transitions at the biome‐scale

Understanding ecosystem dynamics and predicting directional changes in ecosystem in response to global changes are ongoing challenges in ecology. Here we present a framework that links productivity dynamics and ecosystem state transitions based on a spatially continuous dataset of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) from the temperate grassland of China. Across a regional precipitation gradient, we quantified spatial patterns in ANPP dynamics (variability, asymmetry and sensitivity to rainfall) and related these to transitions from desert to semi‐arid to mesic steppe. We show that these three indices of ANPP dynamics displayed distinct spatial patterns, with peaks signalling transitions between grassland types. Thus, monitoring shifts in ANPP dynamics has the potential for predicting ecosystem state transitions in the future. Current ecosystem models fail to capture these dynamics, highlighting the need to incorporate more nuanced ecological controls of productivity in models to forecast future ecosystem shifts.     

Impact of grazing on soil carbon and microbial biomass in typical steppe and desert steppe of Inner Mongolia

The potential of grazing lands to sequester carbon must be understood to develop effective soil conservation measures and sustain livestock production. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of grazing on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in Typical steppe and Desert steppe ecosystems, which are both important grassland resources for animal grazing and ecological conservation in China, and to derive region-specific soil C changes associated with different stocking rates (ungrazed, UG; lightly grazed, LG; moderately grazed, MG; heavily grazed, HG). This study substantiated that significant higher SOC, TN and MBC appeared with the treatment of LG in typical steppe. From 2004 to 2010, grazing treatments increased soil carbon storage in desert steppe, which was partly due to the grazing history. The higher MBC concentration and MBC/SOC suggest a great potential for carbon sequestration in the desert steppe ecosystem. The greater MBC in desert steppe than typical steppe was mainly the result of higher precipitation and temperature, instead of soil substrate. The change of MBC and the strong positive relationships between MBC and SOC indicated that MBC in the soil was a sensitive index to indicate the dynamics of soil organic carbon in both steppes in Inner Mongolia of China.     

Soil Respiration in Semiarid Temperate Grasslands under Various Land Management

Soil respiration, a major component of the global carbon cycle, is significantly influenced by land management practices. Grasslands are potentially a major sink for carbon, but can also be a source. Here, we investigated the potential effect of land management (grazing, clipping, and ungrazed enclosures) on soil respiration in the semiarid grassland of northern China. Our results showed the mean soil respiration was significantly higher under enclosures (2.17μmol.m⁻².s⁻¹) and clipping (2.06μmol.m⁻².s⁻¹) than under grazing (1.65μmol.m⁻².s⁻¹) over the three growing seasons. The high rates of soil respiration under enclosure and clipping were associated with the higher belowground net primary productivity (BNPP). Our analyses indicated that soil respiration was primarily related to BNPP under grazing, to soil water content under clipping. Using structural equation models, we found that soil water content, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and BNPP regulated soil respiration, with soil water content as the predominant factor. Our findings highlight that management-induced changes in abiotic (soil temperature and soil water content) and biotic (ANPP and BNPP) factors regulate soil respiration in the semiarid temperate grassland of northern China.