降水变化对内蒙古典型草原地上生物量的影响

降水格局的变化是气候变化影响干旱和半干旱区草原植物群落结构和功能的关键过程。作为植物群落结构和功能的基本组成单位——植物功能群——对气候变化的响应差异明显。有关不同植物功能群如何响应降水格局的研究, 有助于揭示气候变化对干旱与半干旱区生态系统关键功能与过程稳定性的变异机制。该文利用1982-2015年的典型草原群落地上生物量长期动态监测数据及其所对应的气候数据, 系统揭示降水变化对干旱与半干旱区生态系统生产力的影响。主要研究结果如下: 1) 1982-2015年内蒙古典型草原区降水变化特征明显, 主要表现在降水集中度呈显著的降低趋势; 小降水事件(≤5 mm)明显增多。2)降水变化导致群落生物量呈下降趋势。其中, 多年生丛生禾草的生物量呈上升趋势; 一二年生植物、多年生杂类草、多年生根茎禾类草的生物量均呈下降趋势。3)群落生物量与生长季降水量、降水集中度呈显著的正相关关系。各功能群中, 多年生杂类草、半灌木和生长季降水量呈显著正相关关系, 灌木与降水集中度呈显著负相关关系。4)群落生物量与各等级降水的频率相关性均不显著, 但与I-II类(0.1-10 mm)降水贡献率显著负相关。各功能群中, 多年生杂类草与I类降水(0.1-5.0 mm)的发生频率和降水贡献率均呈显著的负相关关系, 与VI类降水(20-25 mm)的发生频率和贡献率均呈显著的正相关关系。多年生根茎禾类草和VIII类降水(>35 mm)的发生频率和贡献率均呈显著的正相关关系。说明小降水事件的增加将显著降低群落的地上生物量, 小降水事件对干旱、半干旱区植被生长具有重要的生态学意义。     

降水变化对内蒙古典型草原地上生物量的影响

降水格局的变化是气候变化影响干旱和半干旱区草原植物群落结构和功能的关键过程。作为植物群落结构和功能的基本组成单位——植物功能群——对气候变化的响应差异明显。有关不同植物功能群如何响应降水格局的研究,有助于揭示气候变化对干旱与半干旱区生态系统关键功能与过程稳定性的变异机制。该文利用1982–2015年的典型草原群落地上生物量长期动态监测数据及其所对应的气候数据,系统揭示降水变化对干旱与半干旱区生态系统生产力的影响。主要研究结果如下:1)1982–2015年内蒙古典型草原区降水变化特征明显,主要表现在降水集中度呈显著的降低趋势;小降水事件(≤5 mm)明显增多。2)降水变化导致群落生物量呈下降趋势。其中,多年生丛生禾草的生物量呈上升趋势;一二年生植物、多年生杂类草、多年生根茎禾类草的生物量均呈下降趋势。3)群落生物量与生长季降水量、降水集中度呈显著的正相关关系。各功能群中,多年生杂类草、半灌木和生长季降水量呈显著正相关关系,灌木与降水集中度呈显著负相关关系。4)群落生物量与各等级降水的频率相关性均不显著,但与I–II类(0.1–10mm)降水贡献率显著负相关。各功能群中,多年生杂类草与I类降水(0.1–5.0mm)的发生频率和降水贡献率均呈显著的负相关关系,与VI类降水(20–25 mm)的发生频率和贡献率均呈显著的正相关关系。多年生根茎禾类草和VIII类降水(35 mm)的发生频率和贡献率均呈显著的正相关关系。说明小降水事件的增加将显著降低群落的地上生物量,小降水事件对干旱、半干旱区植被生长具有重要的生态学意义。     

围封与放牧对青藏高原草地生物量与功能群结构的影响

以青藏高原高寒草甸、高寒草原、温性荒漠草原的退化草地为基础,比较了5年围封样地与放牧样地的生物量和群落结构。结果表明:(1)围封后3类草地地上总生物量较放牧样地分别显著增加了48.1%、10.8%、34.5%;地下生物量对围封的响应与地上总生物量一致,且围封后高寒草原0~10cm土层根系生物量比例较放牧地显著下降。(2)围封显著降低了高寒草甸的根冠比,高寒草原和温性荒漠草原无显著变化。(3)与放牧地相比,围封显著增加了高寒草甸和高寒草原禾本科植物的生物量比例,高寒草甸杂类草显著降低,温性荒漠草原功能群生物量比例无显著差异。     

Plant functional groups mediate effects of climate and soil factors on species richness and community biomass in grasslands of Mongolian Plateau

植物功能群在调控气候和土壤因子对蒙古高原草原群落物种丰富度和生物量影响中的作用 植物功能群组成主要受环境因素驱动,同时植物功能群组成也是影响草地生物多样性和生产力的主要因素之一。因此,理解植物功能群在调控环境因素对生态系统功能和生物多样性影响中可能发挥的作用至关重要。通过对蒙古高原草原65个样点的植物生物量和物种丰富度的调查,将157种多年生草本植物分为两种植物功能群(即禾草和杂类草)。通过随机森林模型和普通最小二乘回归,确定与植物功能群物种丰富度和地上生物量显著相关的环境因素(即干燥度、土壤总氮和pH),并利用结构方程模型探讨筛选出的环境因素与群落物种丰富度和生物量间的关系,以及植物功能群在驱动这种关系中发挥的作用。干燥度与禾草、杂类草以及整个群落的地上生物量和物种丰富度均呈显著的单峰关系。所有的物种丰富度和生物量指标均与土壤总氮和pH值显著相关。禾草在维持蒙古高原草原生态系统群落生物量中起着关键作用,并受气候因素的直接影响。而杂类草物种丰富度决定了群落总丰富度,并受到土壤因素直接的调控。因此,群落组成在调控环境因素对群落生物量和植物多样性的影响中起着关键作用。     

短花针茅荒漠草原物种多样性及生产力对长期不同放牧强度的响应

以内蒙古四子王旗短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原为研究对象,从植物个体尺度入手,通过2016年野外群落调查试验,对荒漠草原不同放牧处理[载畜率分别为0(CK)、0.91(LG)、1.82(MG)、2.71(HG)羊/(hm2·a-1)]下的物种组成、植物多样性与生产力的关系进行分析,以揭示荒漠草原群落中的物种组成、物种多样性及其功能群多样性对不同载畜率的响应机制。结果表明:(1)对照区的植物种最多,有13科30种,轻度放牧区只比对照区少野韭(Allium ramosum)1种植物,而中度放牧区和重度放牧区的植物种分别较对照区减少了30%和40%,其中减少的物种大多属于多年生杂类草与多年生根茎禾草两大功能群。(2)多年生丛生禾草在植物群落中占比始终最大(29%~78%),且随着载畜率的增加而增加,而其他功能群均随载畜率增加呈减小的趋势。(3)两种多样性指数中,除了功能群多样性的Margalef丰富度指数,其他多样性指数均在对照区达到最大值,且大小依次为对照轻度中度重度放牧区。(4)物种多样性的3个α多样性指数与草地生产力存在显著正相关关系,功能群多样性指数则与生产力无相关关系。研究认为,长期放牧使得荒漠草原群落结构趋于简单化,使多年生丛生禾草形成优势单种;且载畜率的增加使得短花针茅荒漠草原植物的多样性及生产力均显著下降,高水平的多样性会导致高水平的草地生产力,比较2种多样性指数指标,物种多样性指标对荒漠草原生产力的贡献更大。     

锡林河流域羊草草原植物种群和功能群的长期变异性及其对群落 …

分析了内蒙古锡林河流域羊草（Ｌｅｙｍｕｓ ｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）草原群落植物种群、功能群和群落生物量的长期变异性,以及植物功能群间的补偿作用对群落稳定性的影响。结果表明：从种群水平到功能群落水平,地上生物量的年度间变异性逐渐降低,而稳定性则逐渐增加。植物功能群组成对群落稳定性具有更强烈的影响,在植物生活型功能群组成中多年生根茎禾草与多年生丛生禾草和多年生杂类草功能群,在生物量的年度变化上具有补偿作用     

锡林河流域羊草草原植物种群和功能群的长期变异性及其对群落稳定性的影响

 分析了内蒙古锡林河流域羊草(Leymus chinensis)草原群落植物种群、功能群和群落生物量的长期变异性,以及植物功能群间的补偿作用对群落稳定性的影响,结果表明：从种群水平到功能群和群落水平,地上生物量的年度间变异性逐渐降低,而稳定性则逐渐增加。植物功能群组成对群落稳定性具有更强烈的影响,在植物生活型功能群组成中多年生根茎禾草与多年生丛生禾草和多年生杂类草功能群,在生物量的年度变化上具有补偿作用,在生态类群组成中,旱生植物与中旱生植物也具有补偿作用。植物种群多度的长期变异性可能依赖于物种对环境波动的敏感性和种间相互作用对环境波动的放大效应,生物多样性使物种对环境波动响应的多样性增加,并通过不同响应类型(功能群)间的补偿作用使群落稳定性增加。     

青藏高原典型草地植被退化与土壤退化研究

采用野外样方调查和室内分析法,探讨了青藏高原不同退化程度高寒草原和高寒草甸植被群落结构、植物多样性、地上-地下生物量、根系分配及土壤理化特性差异。研究表明:(1)随着退化程度加剧,高寒草原禾草优势地位未改变,高寒草甸优势种莎草逐渐被杂类草取代。(2)随着退化程度加剧,高寒草原地上生物量显著降低(P0.05),高寒草甸地上生物量先保持稳定再下降。高寒草甸地下生物量较高寒草原地下生物量对退化响应更敏感。(3)高寒草原退化过程中,莎草地上物生量变化不明显(P0.05),禾草地上生物量贡献率由88.12%减少至53.54%,杂类草地上生物量贡献率由0.08%增加至42.81%;高寒草甸退化过程中,禾草和杂类草地上生物量先增加后减小,莎草地上生物量占比由69.15%减少至0.04%,杂类草地上生物量占比由12.56%增加至92.61%。(4)随着退化程度加剧,高寒草原根系向浅层迁移,高寒草甸根系向深层迁移。(5)退化对高寒草甸土壤含水量(θ)、土壤有机碳(SOC)、总氮(TN)及土壤容重(BD)影响均比高寒草原更强烈。本研究对青藏高原退化草地恢复治理具有重要的参考价值。     

不同干扰方式对内蒙古典型草原植物种组成和功能群特征的影响

研究休牧、补播和自由放牧3种人为干扰方式对内蒙古典型草原群落植物种组成、功能群组成、群落物种多样性和地上生物量的影响.结果表明: 3种干扰方式对植物功能群结构及其多样性有显著影响,休牧方式下群落植物种数量、地上生物量、多样性指数和丰富度指数最大,分别为22种、171.32 g·m^-2、1.46和5.7,灌木半灌木和多年生禾草的重要值、物种所占比例、地上生物量、多样性指数、丰富度指数和均匀度指数显著高于其他干扰方式,多年生杂类草的重要值、物种所占比例、地上生物量、多样性指数和均匀度指数显著低于其他干扰方式,中生植物、C3和C4植物的地上生物量最大,分别为22.22、143.35和27.97 g·m^-2.补播方式下,中旱生植物地上生物量最大,为13.60 g·m^-2,旱生植物物种所占比例最小(48.5%),C4植物物种所占比例最大(28.8%).自由放牧方式下,一、二年生草本植物物种所占比例最大,达12.3%,中生植物和C4植物所占比例最小,分别为17.0%和20.9%.春季休牧措施有利于退化草原的恢复.     

凋落物输入变化和氮添加对半干旱草原群落生产力及功能群组成的影响

不同的草原利用方式(围封、放牧和割草等)随着大气氮沉降的不断加剧, 改变了凋落物输入量。凋落物作为连接地上-地下碳循环过程的关键环节, 对草原生态系统生产力和碳循环过程影响显著。氮是草原生产力的主要限制因子, 凋落物输入量的变化对草原生态系统结构和功能的影响仍缺乏长期实验证据支持。该研究在内蒙古半干旱典型草原建立一个凋落物输入变化和氮添加控制实验平台, 通过连续6年对群落生产力和功能群组成的监测, 研究了凋落物添加与去除和氮添加对半干旱草原群落生产力和功能群组成的影响。研究发现: 1)凋落物输入量增加和氮添加均显著提高了群落生产力, 在对照和氮添加处理下, 凋落物去除处理导致生产力分别降低了8.4%和7.6%, 而凋落物添加处理使生产力分别提高了10.7%和6.3%; 2)不同植物功能群对凋落物输入变化和氮添加的响应存在差异, 导致群落功能群结构发生变化。随着凋落物输入量增加和氮添加, 群落优势功能群多年生禾草(包括多年生丛生禾草和多年生根茎禾草)的生物量显著提高, 对群落生产力的贡献增加, 在群落中的优势地位增强; 而另一优势功能群多年生杂类草生物量对凋落物和氮添加处理均无显著响应, 进而导致在氮添加处理下其对群落生物量的贡献比例显著降低; 3)凋落物输入主要改善土壤水分状况, 而氮添加则主要通过提高土壤养分含量, 促进群落生产力, 并通过影响主要功能群生物量, 导致群落结构发生变化。以上结果表明, 适当的草原管理方式如围封禁牧和降低放牧强度等都能通过增加凋落物的输入来提高草原生产力, 维持生态系统稳定性。而适量的氮等养分添加管理也有助于提高草原生产力, 促进其恢复。     

青藏高原高寒灌丛植被对长期放牧强度试验的响应特征

在青藏高原中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位研究站对金露梅高寒灌丛草场植被开展了长期不同放牧强度试验,分别在短期(4年)、中期(11年)和长期(18年)放牧阶段研究不同放牧干扰强度对草地植物物种多样性、群落结构、地上生物量和草场质量的影响.研究表明,在不同放牧阶段,随着放牧强度增加植物群落的高度和盖度都降低.在中期放牧干扰阶段,物种多样性数和均匀度指数随着放牧强度增加呈现典型的单峰曲线模式;在长期放牧干扰阶段,随着放牧强度增加,占优势地位的灌木和禾草被典型杂类草替代,其中的重度放牧干扰简化了高寒灌丛植被群落结构,减少了地上现存生物量,特别是可食优良牧草生物量.植被对放牧的响应除了与放牧强度和放牧时间阶段密切相关外,还与该地区水热条件的变化有一定的相关性.针对长期放牧干扰的反应特性可将金露梅灌丛草场中植物划分为增加型、敏感型、忍耐型和无反应型4种类型.除了丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数外,其它一些特征参数并不支持著名的中度干扰假说.本研究发现,长期重度放牧促进了青藏高原高寒草地退化,适度放牧有利于高寒灌丛草场的生物多样性保护和牧草利用;"取半留半"的放牧原则在青藏高原草场放牧管理实践中值得推荐,它将有利于防止草场退化,提高牧草利用率和维持较高的生物多样性.     

Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Grazing is an important modulator of both plant productivity and biodiversity in grassland community, yet how to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland is still controversy. Here, we explore the effects of different grazing intensities on plant biomass and species composition, both at community level and functional group level, and examines the productivity–species richness relationship under four grazing patterns: no grazing (CK), light grazing (LG), moderate grazing, (MG) and heavy grazing (HG), attempt to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland. The results were as follows. The total aboveground biomass (AGB) reduced with increasing grazing intensity, and the response of plant functional groups was different. AGB of both sedges and legumes increased from MG to HG, while the AGB of forbs reduced sharply and the grass AGB remained steady. There was a significant positive relationship between productivity and species richness both at community level and functional group level. In contrast, the belowground biomass (BGB) showed a unimodal relationship from CK to HG, peaking in MG (8,297.72 ± 621.29 g/m²). Interestingly, the grassland community tends to allocate more root biomass to the upper soil layer under increasing grazing intensities. Our results suggesting that moderate levels of disturbance may be the optimal grassland management strategy for alpine meadow in terms of root production.     

Detecting changes in arctic tundra plant communities in response to warming over decadal time scales

Detecting the response of vegetation to climate forcing as distinct from spatial and temporal variability may be difficult, if not impossible, over the typical duration of most field studies. We analyzed the spatial and interannual variability of plant functional type biomass from field studies in low arctic tussock tundra and compared these to climate change simulations of plant community composition using a dynamic tundra vegetation model (ArcVeg). Spatial heterogeneity of peak season live aboveground biomass was estimated using field samples taken from low arctic tundra at Ivotuk, Alaska (68.5°N, 155.7°W) in 1999. Coefficients of variation for live aboveground biomass at the 1 m² scale ranged from 14.6% for deciduous shrubs, 18.5% for graminoids and 25.3% for mosses to over 57% for forbs and lichens. Spatial heterogeneity in the ArcVeg dynamic vegetation model was simulated to be greater than the field data, ranging from 37.1% for deciduous shrubs to 107.9% for forbs. Disturbances in the model, such as caribou grazing and freezing–thawing of soil, as well as demographic stochasticity, led to the greater variability in the simulated results. Temporal variances of aboveground live biomass over a 19-year period using data from Toolik Lake, AK fell within the range of field and simulation spatial variances. However, simulations using ArcVeg suggest that temporal variability can be substantially less than site-scale spatial variability. Field data coupled with ArcVeg simulations of climate change scenarios indicate that some changes in plant community composition may be detectable within two decades following the onset of warming, and shrubs and mosses might be the key indicators of community change. Model simulations also project increasing landscape scale spatial heterogeneity (particularly of shrubs) with increasing temperatures.     

Effects of grazing intensity in grasslands of the Espinal of central Chile

Question: How is grazing intensity associated with species and morpho‐functional traits (MFTs) composition, productivity and richness of annual dominated grasslands? Have native and exotic species similar associations to this gradient? Location: Anthropogenic grassland in the Espinal vegetation in the sub‐humid area of the mediterranean type climate region of Chile (35°58’ S, 72°17’ W). Methods: Data were obtained from a long‐term (eight years) experiment with six stocking rates (1 to 3.5 sheep/ha). Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and regression analysis were used to determinate the relationship between grazing intensity and biomass, richness, abundance and traits of the species. Results: The first DCA axis was related to grazing intensity and explained most of the floristic variation (69.3%); the abundance of some non‐native species, e.g. Vulpia megalura were highly correlated with this axis. In the DCA for MFTs the first axis explained 87% of the variance and was also related to grazing intensity; the abundance of small size plants and shallow roots increased with grazing intensity. The relative abundance of grasses and composites, but not of legumes, changed with stocking rate: as grazing intensity increased composites became the predominant species to the detriment of grasses. The above‐ground biomass measured in exclusion cages declined with increasing grazing pressure. The richness of exotic species was greater compared to native ones at low stocking rates, but they converge to similar values at higher stocking rates. However, the relative abundance of exotic species was greater than 75% in all stocking rates. Conclusions: Grazing intensification has large effects in the structure of grassland in central Chile. With grazing intensities greater than 1 sheep/ha species characteristics change; evolving in a few years (6–8) towards a similar community regardless of the stocking rate. The overgrazed community has more native than exotic species richness, possibly due to greater defence traits against herbivory of this group of species.     

高寒小嵩草草甸牦牛优化放牧强度的研究

高寒小嵩草草甸牦牛放牧强度试验表明:(1)不同放牧强度下各植物类群的地上生物量和总的地上生物量之间差异极显著,莎草科植物地上生物量的百分比组成之间差异极显著,禾本科和杂类草地上生物量的百分比组成之间差异显著,而且禾本科和莎草科(除对照外)植物的地上生物量及其百分比组成随放牧强度的增加而减小,杂类草的变化与之相反;(2)优良牧草比例和草地质量指数与放牧强度之间均呈负相关,而优良牧草比例的年度变化和牦牛个体增重的年度变化之间呈正相关;(3)群落的相似性系数随放牧强度的增加而减小.通过建立植被变化度量指标,认为优良牧草比例的年度变化是评价高寒小嵩草草甸放牧价值的直接度量指标,而相似性系数的变化和草地质量指数的变化与牦牛生产力没有明显的联系,不能反映草场植被放牧价值的变化,只能指示植物群落整体的相对变化程度;牦牛的放牧强度约为1.86头/hm2是小嵩草高寒草甸暖季草场可持续生产而不退化的最大放牧强度.     

Disentangling direct and indirect effects of a legume shrub on its understorey community

Direct and indirect interactions among plants contribute to shape community composition through above‐ and belowground processes. However, we have not disentangled yet the direct and indirect soil and canopy effects of dominants on understorey species. We addressed this issue in a semi‐arid system from southeast Spain dominated by the legume shrub Retama sphaerocarpa. During a year with an exceptionally dry spring, we removed the shrub canopy to quantify aboveground effects and compared removed‐canopy plots to open plots between shrubs to quantify soil effects, both with and without watering. We added a grass removal treatment in order to separate direct from indirect shrub effects and quantified biomass, abundance, richness and composition of the forb functional group. With watering, changes in forb biomass were primarily driven by indirect shrub effects, with contrasting negative soil and positive aboveground indirect effects; changes in forb abundance and composition were more influenced by direct shrub soil effects with contrasting species composition between open and Retama patches. As community composition was different between open and Retama patches the indirect effects of Retama on forb species did not concern forbs from the open community but forbs from Retama patches. Indirect effects are, thus, important at the functional group level rather than at the species level. Without watering, there were no significant interactions. Changes in species richness between treatments were weak and seldom significant. We conclude that shrub effects on understorey forbs are primarily due to their influence on soil properties, directly affecting forb species composition but indirectly affecting the biomass of the forbs of the Retama patches, and only with sufficient water.     

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.     

大兴安岭森林草原过渡带典型植物群落动态变化特征

大兴安岭森林草原过渡带是大兴安岭森林与呼伦贝尔草原接壤的关键区域。由于过渡带本身的脆弱性,气候变化和过度放牧等人为因素的干扰导致区域内植物群落结构和功能发生剧烈变化。然而,气候变化和放牧双重作用对森林草原过渡带草地植物群落动态影响的研究还鲜有报道。以内蒙古陈巴尔虎旗森林草原过渡带为研究对象,分别于2008、2009、2010和2019年沿着草甸草原-森林草原过渡区域-林间草地-森林的梯度进行野外调查,对比分析11年间受气候变化和过度放牧的双重干扰下,该区域植物物种丰富度、Raunkiear生活型功能群、牧草饲用价值以及群落生物量随时间的变化动态。结果表明：从总体上看,与2008-2010年均值相比,2019年植物物种数量明显下降,其中禾本科牧草减少10余种;植物Raunkiear生活型功能群组成发生显著变化,其中一、二年生植物物种数增加4%,地面芽植物降低8%;牧草饲用价值中优等牧草所占比例下降5%,劣等牧草比例增加7%;总地上生物量显著下降35%。在过渡带各区段中,草甸草原群落结构和功能受气候和过度放牧影响更加明显。与2008-2010年均值相比,2019年草甸草原群落物种丰富度降低12%,优等牧草比例降低4%,劣等牧草比例增加7%,植物地上生物量更是显著降低62%。对区域气候和放牧因素分析可得,年降水量和年均温与过渡带地上生物量均显著相关,其中降水是导致过渡带整体上生产力下降的主要因素;而过度放牧是导致草甸草原群落生产力下降的主要因素。     

放牧条件下高原鼠兔扰动对高寒草甸植物群落特征的影响

在高寒草甸生态系统中,大型草食动物放牧是重要的管理方式之一,对草地生物多样性起着关键的驱动作用。高原鼠兔是高寒草甸生态系统中生物多样性的重要组成成分,对生态系统的食物网结构以及其功能与稳定性起着关键作用。探明放牧条件下高原鼠兔扰动对高寒草甸的影响,对于高寒草甸建立合理的放牧提供理论依据,为鼠害的防治提供科学依据有一定的现实意义。2017年5—9月在青海省海北州祁连县矮嵩草草甸,以高原鼠兔为研究对象,通过小区控制研究放牧条件下高原鼠兔扰动对高寒草甸植物功能群植物特征的影响。结果显示高原鼠兔扰动降低了除杂类草以外的各植物功能群的高度;同时显著降低了禾本科、豆科功能群盖度及总盖度,而杂类草功能群的盖度有增加的趋势。另外,我们的结果也发现高原鼠兔扰动对各植物功能群生物量和重要值的影响不显著。该研究表明放牧条件下高原鼠兔扰动在一定程度上对杂草群落特征具有积极的作用,对其它功能群的群落特征具有抑制作用。     

Responses of phenology and biomass production of boreal fens to climate warming under different water‐table level regimes

Climate change affects peatlands directly through increased air temperatures and indirectly through changes in water‐table level (WL). The interactions of these two still remain poorly known. We determined experimentally the separate and interactive effects of temperature and WL regime on factors of relevance for the inputs to the carbon cycle: plant community composition, phenology, biomass production, and shoot:root allocation in two wet boreal sedge‐dominated fens, “southern” at 62°N and “northern” at 68°Ν. Warming (1.5°C higher average daily air temperature) was induced with open‐top chambers and WL drawdown (WLD; 3–7 cm on average) by shallow ditches. Total biomass production varied from 250 to 520 g/m², with belowground production comprising 25%–63%. Warming was associated with minor effects on phenology and negligible effects on community composition, biomass production, and allocation. WLD clearly affected the contribution of different plant functional types (PFTs) in the community and the biomass they produced: shrubs benefited while forbs and mosses suffered. These responses did not depend on the warming treatment. Following WLD, aboveground biomass production decreased mainly due to reduced growth of mosses in the southern fen. Aboveground vascular plant biomass production remained unchanged but the contribution of different PFTs changed. The observed changes were also reflected in plant phenology, with different PFTs showing different responses. Belowground production increased following WLD in the northern fen only, but an increase in the contributions of shrubs and forbs was observed in both sites, while sedge contribution decreased. Moderate warming alone seems not able to drive significant changes in plant productivity or community composition in these wet ecosystems. However, if warming is accompanied by even modest WL drawdown, changes should be expected in the relative contribution of PFTs, which could lead to profound changes in the function of fens. Consequently, hydrological scenarios are of utmost importance when estimating their future function.