牦牛放牧强度对小嵩草草甸两季轮牧草场植物群落数量特征的影响

基于小嵩草(Kobresia parva)草甸连续2年的牦牛放牧控制试验,研究了暖季和冷季放牧草场植物群落数量特征的变化.结果表明:在2年的放牧期内,小嵩草草甸2季草场优良牧草的盖度随放牧强度的提高呈降低趋势,而杂草的盖度呈增加趋势;2季草场对照、轻度放牧和中度放牧组的优势种均为小嵩草和垂穗披碱草,但暖季草场重度放牧下主要优势种变为鹅绒委陵菜和阿拉善马先蒿,冷季草场重度放牧下小嵩草和鹅绒委陵菜为主要优势种;放牧强度之间的差异越大,2季草场各放牧处理间群落的相似性程度越低,说明放牧强度是引起群落差异的主要原因,也是群落变化的主导因子.2季草场各放牧处理的物种丰富度、多样性指数、均匀度指数在对照组最低,中度放牧组最高,其指数排序为:对照＜轻度放牧＜重度放牧＜中度放牧,这一结果支持“中度干扰理论”.     

植物群落和物种多样性动态过程及物种丧失机制放牧试验

在长期严格的沙地草场放牧试验的基础上,通过调查及多种计算和分析,揭示了在放牧条件下植物群落和物种多样性的动态演变规律及物种丧失的机制,主要结论是:(1)在不同稳定的牧压下群落外貌特征及组分发生明显的分异。(2)持续强度放牧使物种消失,α多样性下降,为理解现代物种消亡和灭绝机制提供了部分依据,现代物种的消亡和灭绝正是由于人们对于生境的破坏引起的,生境破坏引起局部地区物种的消失,这种局部消失的不断累加就可能引起物种的消亡和绝灭。(3)放牧试验对物种组成和β多样性的影响表现在时空两个方面。     

内蒙古草原草场放牧退化模式研究及退化监测专家系统雏议

本文将定位研究与路线考察相结合,将放牧影响下草原的动态演替及其在牧压梯度上的空间变化相对比,研究了内蒙古主要草原草场的放牧退化模式,并在此基础上初步探讨了判别草场退化的数量指标和退化监测专家系统。1)植物种与牧压关系的分析,区别出放牧的定性和定量指示植物及宜中牧植物,并划分植物为不同的放牧生态种组。2)退化草原恢复过程的研究表明,根茎禾草的恢复快于丛生禾草;群落恢复过程是单稳态的,且恢复演替动态与其牧压梯度上的空间变化相对应。3)内蒙古高原主要草原草场在持续放牧影响下均趋同于冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)草原。冷蒿是最可靠的正定量放牧指示植物,但同时又是优良牧草和草原退化的阻击者。4)讨论了草原草场退化的概念,论述了草原逆向演替与草场退化的区别和联系,提出了区分草原的逆向演替为草场熟化和退化两个过程,并依草场群落与牧压的关系建立了判定草场是否退化及退化程度的数量指标。5)初步设计了草原草场退化监测—决策专家系统,包括监测、判别和决策三个步骤。     

草地群落放牧干扰梯度β多样性研究

放牧过程通过牲畜的啃食、践踏作用干扰草场环境,使草地群落的物种组成发生变化,植物种群的优势地位发生更替。结果表明,随放牧干扰强度加重,从盐湿化草甸到典型草原,群落植物种丰富度呈下降趋势。β多样性测度结果显示,盐湿化草甸和羊草杂类草草甸群落物种变化的中度干扰出现在轻牧→中牧阶段,并在整个放牧干扰进程中,表现较低的稳定性;草甸草原和典型草原群落出现在中牧→重牧阶段;而荒漠草原物种变化表现出高度的稳定性,从轻牧到过牧物种替代仅1～3种。各群落放牧干扰植物多样性的稳定性次序是:荒漠草原>典型草原≥草甸草原>盐湿化草甸.     

草地群落放牧干扰梯度β多样性研究

放牧过程通过牲畜的啃食、践踏作用干扰草场环境,使草地群落的物种组成发生变化,植物种群的优势地位发生更替．结果表明,随放牧干扰强度加重,从盐湿化草甸到典型草原,群落植物种丰富度呈下降趋势．β多样性测度结果显示,盐湿化草甸和羊草杂类草草甸群落物种变化的中度干扰出现在轻牧→中牧阶段,并在整个放牧干扰进程中,表现较低的稳定性;草甸草原和典型草原群落出现在中牧→重牧阶段;而荒漠草原物种变化表现出高度的稳定性,从轻牧到过牧物种替代仅１～３种．各群落放牧干扰植物多样性的稳定性次序是：荒漠草原＞典型草原≥草甸草原＞盐湿化草甸     

不同放牧强度下高寒灌丛群落特征和演替规律的数量研究

本文应用多样性指数、聚类分析等数学方法,研究了不同放牧强度下高寒灌丛群落特征的变化,用主分量分析方法,研究了不同放牧强度下高寒灌丛的演替规律。多样性分析结果表明,植物多样性指数在放牧强度为C组的草场达到最大。聚类分析结果,当相关系数R≥0.90 时,以重要值为特征的植物聚合为10类,它们分别属于植物群落不同演替阶段的建群种、优势种和伴生种。主分量分析表明,5个不同放牧强度的高寒灌丛群落聚合为3类,A和B组草场属于以灌木和杂类草为优势植物的2层结构的植物群落,C组草场属于以灌木为建群植物、杂类草和耐牧的莎草为共优势植物的2层结构的植物群落,D和E组草场属于以灌木为建群植物、禾草和莎草为共优势植物的3层结构的植物群落。     

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。     

沙地草场放牧试验植物群落的TWINSPAN数量分析

 在长期严格沙地草场放牧试验的基础上,通过样方调查和TWINSPAN数量分析,揭示了植物群落的物种组成及种群在放牧压力下的变化趋势,主要结论是：1）不同的放牧压力使试验地的群落发生分化,形成差异明显的类群,而相同的放牧强度又使群落趋同,使群落的组成和物种的生态适应特性趋于一致。2）随着放牧强度的增加,群落中多年生成分减少,一年生杂类草增多,排列出了不同植物种组与放牧强度的对应关系。     

退化草原冷蒿群落13年不同放牧强度后的植物多样性

放牧过程通过家畜的啃食、践踏干扰草原环境,使草原的物种组成发生变化,植物种群的优势地位发生更替。对退化草原中的冷蒿群落在经历13a不同放牧强度——无牧（0．00只羊,hm^2）、轻牧（1．33只羊／hm^2）、中牧（4．00只羊／hm^2）、重牧（6．67只羊,hm^2）的围栏放牧后的植物群落多样性进行研究,结果表明：经过13a的演替变化,（1）无牧处理下植被密度显著低于其它3个放牧处理下的植被密度,而其它3个放牧处理之间的植被密度差异不显著;（2）无牧处理下羊草成为群落的优势种,轻牧和中牧处理下冷蒿依然是群落的优势种。这3种处理下寸草苔的种群密度最大;重牧处理下优势种变为星毛委陵菜,并且其种群密度最大;随着放牧强度增加,不同放牧退化阶段指示植物的种群密度的变化趋势是：冷蒿为先增大后减小,而星毛委陵菜为先急剧增大,然后平缓增大,最后再急剧增大;（3）植物多样性和均匀度指数在中牧处理下最大,在无牧处理下最小,说明中牧处理下群落的多样性最高,无牧处理下群落的多样性最小。而优势度指数正相反。植物群落结构和多样性的变化主要是由放牧家畜选择性采食、不同植物对放牧响应的不同策略、植物种间的竞争、动植物协同进化以及由放牧改变的土壤理化性质等因素综合决定的。此研究有助于进一步认识退化草原在继续放牧干扰下的演替规律以及为退化草原的保护和恢复提供理论依据。     

放牧后自然恢复沙质草地土壤节肢动物群落结构与多样性

以中国科学院奈曼沙漠化研究站为依托,对不同放牧强度后自然恢复沙质草地土壤节肢动物群落进行了调查,分析了土壤节肢动物群落结构及其多样性变化,探讨了植被和土壤环境对土壤节肢动物群落的影响.结果表明: 无牧草地土壤动物种类丰富,个体数量较多,多样性最高;中牧后恢复草地土壤动物个体数量少,但主要类群较多,分布较均匀,多样性较高;重牧后恢复草地土壤动物主要类群少,但个体数量多,多样性较高;而轻牧后恢复草地土壤动物分布均匀性最差,多样性最低.植物个体数、高度及盖度和土壤酸碱度是影响不同放牧强度后恢复草地土壤动物种类和个体数量分布的主要因素.说明沙质草地经过12年的围封可以一定程度上恢复土壤动物群落,而放牧干扰对土壤动物群落的负面影响是长期的.     

Use of environmental predictors for vegetation mapping in semi‐arid mountain rangelands and the determination of conservation hotspots

Question: Can we predict the spatial distribution of plant communities in semi‐arid rangelands based on a limited set of environmental variables? Where are priority areas for conservation located? Location: Al Jabal al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman. Methods: A Classification Tree Analysis (CTA) was used to model the presence/absence of seven rangeland communities and agricultural areas based on seven selected environmental predictor variables. The latter were either obtained from existing digital datasets or derived from a digital elevation model and satellite images, whereas the grazing intensity was spatially modelled with the kernel density estimation technique. The resulting decision rules of a CTA were applied for predictive mapping within the study area (400 km², resolution of 5 m) by means of ENVI's decision tree classifier. Plant communities of natural rangelands were subsequently evaluated to determine priority areas for nature conservation. Results: Altitude, grazing intensity and landform revealed the highest predictive power. Most of the rangelands were predicted as Sideroxylon–Oleetum. The overall classification accuracy was 89%, whereby agricultural areas and the Ziziphus spina‐christi‐Nerium oleander community at wadi sites had no misclassification. Inaccuracies occurred mainly because of low sample numbers and errors in available maps of predictor variables. The highest rank for nature conservation was observed for the Teucrio‐Juniperetum occupying 20% of the study area. Conclusions: Vegetation mapping using CTA is a valuable tool for rangeland monitoring and identification of key representative areas for nature conservation. An extrapolation of the model used might be feasible to regions adjacent to the central Hajar Mountains.     

Herbivore species and grazing intensity regulate community composition and an encroaching woody plant in semi-arid rangeland

Grazing by livestock can influence ecosystems in various ways, including altering plant communities, influencing woody plant encroachment, and determining livestock productivity. Evaluating long term effects of grazing on plant composition is valuable not only to understand herbivory on rangelands but to be able to address the primary factors that can threaten long term livestock productivity. We examined plant species composition and woody plant encroachment 45 years after the initiation of differing grazing treatments within a semiarid savanna of the southern Great Plains, USA. Grazing treatments varied in herbivore type (domestic cattle, sheep, and goats vs. goats only) and grazing intensity (heavy, moderate, and no-herbivory). All individual trees of Juniperus ashei Buchholz, the encroaching woody plant of the area, were removed prior to treatment initiation. Moderate and heavy grazing by a combination of species resulted in similar plant communities, while a history of heavy browsing by goats only and no-herbivory resulted in more distinct communities. Cover of J. ashei did not differ between mixed grazing and no-herbivory treatments, indicating that grazing was not responsible for woody plant encroachment. J. ashei cover within the browsed treatment was a third less compared to other treatments; compositional differences within this treatment are possibly due to reduced cover of woody vegetation. Declines in livestock productivity of the area are likely related to compositional changes resulting from increased woody plants. Livestock production within this semi-arid rangeland is likely unsustainable without management of woody plant encroachment, as communities tend to a closed canopy woodland.     

Vegetation change in semiarid communities

In arid regions, the effects of grazing or sparing management on natural communities of long-lived plants generally take decades to become evident. Event-driven dynamic behavior, unpredictable and low rainfall and complicated interactions between species make it difficult to assess probabilities and time scales of vegetation change.To gain a better understanding of the main processes and mechanisms involved in vegetation change, we have developed a spatially explicit individual based model that simulates changes in plant communities over long time spans. The model, based on life-history attributes of the five dominant component plant species of a typical Karoo shrub community, follows the fate of each individual plant within the community, the sum of which is community dynamics. The model explores the differential effects of a realistic range of rainfall pattern on the abilities of these species to compete, survive, grow and reproduce.The specific aim of the model is to identify key processes of vegetation change and to calculate probabilities and timespans for transitions between different vegetation states. Such knowledge is needed for species conservation and sustained animal production.We show that the time-scale for changes of the dynamic state of the system are long compared with human lifespans. Employing the full range of possible rainfall scenarios showed that short-term community dynamics (years to decades) and species composition depend strongly on the short-term (years) sequence of rainfall events. In all simulation experiments the final vegetation state varied by more than 37% after a 60 year simulation period. Simulating resting of an overgrazed part of the shrub community indicated that little improvement in rangland condition was likely during a period of 60 years. Even such active management, as (simulated) clearing of unpalatable shrubs, resulted in only a 66% probability that degraded shrubland would be in good condition after 60 years resting. Simulated overgrazing of a rangeland in good initial condition only became obvious 40 or 50 years after the initiation of heavy grazing, and after 70 years the mean vegetation state eventually reached that of an overgrazed rangeland.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alter plant community composition along a grazing gradient in Inner Mongolia Steppe

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have a significant influence on plant productivity and diversity in non-grazing grassland. However, the interactive effects between grazing intensity and AMF on plant community composition in natural grassland communities are not well known. We conducted a field experiment that manipulated AMF colonization and grazing intensity to study the impact of AMF suppression on plant community composition and nutrient status over 2 years (2015–2016) with contrasting rainfall levels. We found that AMF root colonization was significantly reduced by the application of the fungicide benomyl as a soil drench. Grazing intensity regulated plant community composition and aboveground biomass mainly by reducing the growth of Leymus chinensis over 2 years. AMF suppression increased the growth of Chenopodium glaucum, but it did not alter other plant species across all grazing intensities. The effects of AMF suppression on plant community composition changed along a grazing gradient considerably between years: AMF suppression increased the biomass of C. glaucum across all grazing intensities in 2015, but slightly increased it in 2016. Interactions between AMF suppression and grazing intensity altered the phosphorus concentration of Stipa grandis and Cleistogenes squarrosa in 2015 but not in 2016. AMF suppression decreased the shoot phosphorus content of L. chinensis but increased that of C. glaucum across all grazing intensities. Our results indicate that grazing intensity substantially alters aboveground community biomass and affects growth of dominant species; AMF by itself have limited effects on plant communities along a grazing gradient in typical steppe.     

Positive effects of shrubs on plant species diversity do not change along a gradient in grazing pressure in an arid shrubland

Facilitative or positive interactions among species are driven mainly by the environmental amelioration or protection from grazing provided by nurse plants. Some studies have suggested that protection from grazing is inconsequential in water-limited environments because of low herbivore densities and their grazing effects. Others, however, argue that herbivores have a major effect on semi-arid plant communities, and that protection from grazing is a significant factor driving positive plant–plant interactions in such environments. We identified a gradient in grazing pressure in a semi-arid shrubland in south-eastern Australia along which we compared soil condition, incident radiation and plant composition beneath two nurse shrub species with open (shrub-free) interspaces. Our aim was to assess the degree of microclimatic amelioration provided by both shrubs, and changes in the interactions (intensity, importance and frequency) between both nurse shrubs and their understorey species, and their effects on species richness at the community level. Both the relative interaction intensity (RII) and interaction importance (I_imp) indices of plant–plant interactions were generally positive and independent of grazing pressure. Soil beneath both nurse plants had significantly greater indices of nutrient cycling and infiltration, and contained more C and N than soil in the open. Almost twice as many species occurred under the canopies of both shrubs (44 species) than in the open (23 species), and the composition of species differed significantly among microsites. Fifty-four percent of all perennial plant species occurred exclusively under shrubs. Our results suggest that environmental amelioration is a stronger driver of the facilitatory effect of shrubs on their understorey species than protection from grazing. Our conclusions are based on the fact that the substantial effect of plant–plant interactions on plant species richness was largely independent of grazing pressure. Irrespective of the underlying mechanism for this effect, our study illustrates the ecological role of shrubs as refugia for understorey plants in semi-arid environments and cautions against management practices aimed at reducing shrub populations.     

Impact of livestock grazing on abundance of Miridae and Reduviidae (Hemiptera) in crested wheatgrass pastures

Miridae of the genera Labops and Irbisia, collectively referred to as "black grass bugs," can cause significant damage to wheatgrasses (Poaceae) of several genera on western North American rangeland. Another mirid in the same area, Capsus cinctus (Kolenati), causes damage to bluegrass (Poa spp.). Previous studies suggest that grazing management may reduce mirid populations on rangeland by eliminating preferred oviposition sites and reducing accumulations of litter that provide diurnal refuges for nymphs. We tested the hypothesis that grazing reduces mirid populations, along with those of Reduviidae, during a controlled grazing experiment. Densities of mirids and reduviids declined with increasing intensity of grazing, even though grazing occurred after the peak of mirid abundance each year. This suggests that declines in hemipteran densities resulted from grazing that occurred during previous years, perhaps because the most heavily grazed plots had the least plant litter. The results further confirm that grazing has the potential to control black grass bug populations, although the benefits could be potentially offset by negative impacts on beneficial insects such as reduviids.     

Patterns of plant species turnover along grazing gradients

Questions: How are plant species distributed along grazing gradients? What is the shape of species richness patterns? How can we test for the existence of potential discontinuities in species turnover pattern? Location: Semi‐deserts in the eastern Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Gobustan district. Methods: We studied the distribution of vascular plant species along transects 900‐m long, perpendicular to five farms, and estimated grazing intensity as current livestock units per distance. We modelled species response curves with Huismann–Olff–Fresco (HOF) models and calculated species turnover by accumulating the first derivatives of all response curves. To test for potential discontinuities in changes of vegetation composition along the grazing gradient, we introduce a new null model based on the individualistic continuum concept that uses permutations of the observed pattern of species responses. Results: Most species show a sigmoidal negative response to grazing intensity, while a few species respond with a unimodal pattern. The monotonic decrease in species richness with increasing grazing intensity marks a process of overgrazing that leads to the complete extirpation of plant species. Although the species turnover pattern shows a clear peak, it does not deviate significantly from the null model of individualistic continuous changes. Conclusions: Our approach offers a method for differentiating between transition zones and continuous shifts in species composition along ecological gradients. It also provides a valuable tool for rangeland management to test state‐and‐transition concepts and gives deeper insights into ecological processes affected by grazing.     

乌素沙地水源圈植物群落的分布格局

水源圈是干旱地区普遍存在的现象.以毛乌素沙地围栏牧场水源点为中心,在辐射状样带上等间距取样调查10户围栏牧场的植物群落,并对植物群落及植物功能群的丰富度、盖度与其距水源点距离进行回归分析和间接梯度分析.结果表明：随着距水源点距离的增加,毛乌素沙地植物群落的特征呈现出明显的梯度变化,植物群落及其功能群的丰富度增大,植物群落总盖度、灌木和禾草的盖度均表现出增加趋势,而杂类草的盖度却呈现下降趋势.植物群落结构和组成的变化反映了水源点附近沙地上的放牧梯度.水源圈是研究我国北方地区草场退化格局及其驱动因素的切入点.     

放牧对草地土壤氮素循环关键过程的影响与机制研究进展

放牧是人类管理利用草地生态系统的最主要途径之一.食草动物的采食、践踏、卧息和排泄物归还等干扰不仅会改变草地地上植物群落,也会对土壤养分循环产生显著的影响.随着人类活动的加剧,放牧强度和频率也在逐渐增加,从而对草地土壤氮素循环关键过程产生重要影响.放牧主要通过改变土壤的物理性质、土壤氮库以及微生物的组成和结构,进而影响氮素在土壤中的迁移与转化.适度放牧会促进土壤氮素的矿化过程和硝化过程,加快氮素的周转,有利于植物吸收可利用氮素,而对于反硝化的影响与草地的水热条件和土壤类型等密切相关.目前,关于放牧强度对土壤氮素循环关键过程影响的研究结果不一致,其影响机制尚不明晰,尤其对于不同类型的草原仍存在较大的差异.本研究在大量查阅国内外已有研究结果的基础上,论述了放牧对土壤氮素循环关键过程的影响效应,总结了放牧对土壤氮素循环的影响机制,指出了目前研究过程中存在的不足,并对未来研究中值得重点关注和深入研究的科学问题进行了探讨与展望,为进一步理解放牧对草地土壤氮素循环的影响提供参考.