Effect of fencing and grazing on a Kobresia-dominated meadow in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Grazing is one of the most important factors influencing community structure and productivity in natural grasslands. Fencing to exclude grazers is one of the main management practices used to protect grasslands. Can fencing improve grassland community status by restraining grazing? We conducted a field community study and indoor soil analyses to determine the long-term effects of fencing and grazing on the above-ground community and soil in a Kobresia-dominated meadow in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, NW China. Our results showed that fencing significantly improved above-ground vegetation productivity but reduced plant density and species diversity. Long-term fencing favored the improvement of forage grass functional groups and restrained the development noxious weed functional groups. There were significant positive effects of fencing on below-ground organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, total phosphorus and available phosphorus. The productivity of grazed meadow showed a weak decrease over time. There were long-term decreasing trends for plant density both in fenced and grazed meadows. Our study suggests that grazing can be considered as a useful management practice to improve species diversity and plant density in long-term fenced grasslands and that periodic grazing and fencing is beneficial in grassland management.     

青藏高原不同草地利用方式对土壤粒径分形特征的影响

研究青藏高原草地土壤粒径结构分形特征,为该地区土壤质量评价和生态恢复提供科学依据。以青藏高原4种高寒草地(放牧、围栏禁牧、围栏禁牧+补植、未干扰)为对象,采用分形理论,研究不同利用方式对高寒草地土壤颗粒组成及分形特征的影响,明确土壤粒径分形特征的影响因素。结果表明：与放牧和围栏禁牧+补植相比,围栏禁牧草地中黏粒和粉粒体积分数分别增加了60%—91.1%、43.5%—80.1%,禁牧能够促进土壤砂粒向黏粒和粉粒转变。不同草地利用方式对分形维数有显著影响,单重分形维数D值依次为放牧草地<围栏禁牧+补植草地<未干扰草地=围栏禁牧草地,多重分形维数,包括信息维数D₁、信息维数/容量维数比值D₁/D₀和关联维数D₂依次为放牧草地<围栏禁牧+补植草地<围栏禁牧草地<未干扰草地。单重分形维数D与土壤黏粒、粉粒呈极显著正相关(P<0.01);砂粒、黏粒、粉粒、有机碳和全氮是多重分形维数的限制因素。信息维数D₁、信息维数/容量维数比值D₁...     

不同恢复方式对退化高寒草甸土壤nifH和chiA微生物群落结构的影响

生物固氮和有机氮降解是土壤有效氮的主要来源,固氮和有机氮降解微生物对土壤氮素供应和地力维持具有重要作用。本研究以青藏高原4种不同利用方式的高寒草甸(未扰动、放牧、围封和围封+补播草甸)为对象,结合荧光实时定量和扩增子测序技术,研究了不同恢复方式对nifH固氮菌和chiA几丁质降解菌基因丰度及其微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明: 4种草甸的nifH和chiA基因丰度大小排序为: 未扰动草甸＞放牧草甸＞围封草甸＞围封+补播草甸,其中未扰动草甸的nifH和chiA基因丰度分别是其他3种草甸的3.4～6.3倍和3.3～8.3倍;固氮菌α多样性在放牧、围封和围封+补播草甸中显著高于未扰动草甸,而几丁质降解菌的α多样性在未扰动和放牧草甸中最高;放牧显著提高了变形菌的丰度而降低了蓝细菌和放线菌丰度;土壤含水量、养分和植被特征对nifH和chiA的基因丰度和群落结构均有显著影响。与未扰动草甸相比,放牧降低了高寒草甸的固氮和有机氮降解潜力,而10年的围封禁牧和补播植草措施对固氮和有机氮降解功能的改善作用不明显。草甸恢复时应综合考虑功能微生物特征及其影响因素,放牧草甸恢复至未扰动水平可能需要更长的封育时间或者采用更加合理的管护措施。     

调控措施对祁连山中度退化高寒草甸土壤的影响

研究不同调控措施(春季休牧、春季休牧-划破草皮、春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥、春季休牧-划破草皮-播种、春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥-播种)对祁连山中度退化高寒草甸植被、土壤理化性质和土壤微生物生物量的影响。结果表明: 各调控措施均显著增加了退化高寒草甸植被盖度以及地上、地下生物量,春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥与春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥-播种两种措施下植被物种丰富度显著增加,春季休牧-划破草皮-播种与春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥-播种措施下物种优势种为补播草种青海草地早熟禾。中度退化高寒草甸土壤(对照)pH和容重显著高于各调控措施样地,春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥-播种措施下土壤含水量、土壤有机碳、全氮、全钾含量及碳氮比、氮磷比均最高,分别为21.3%、22.30 g·kg^-1、2.77 g·kg^-1、19.93 g·kg^-1、8.3、3.5。春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥-播种措施下退化草地土壤微生物生物量氮、磷(分别为104.98和40.74 mg·kg^-1)显著高于其他措施,而退化草地在春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥措施下土壤微生物生物量碳(240.72 mg·kg^-1)显著高于其他措施。雷达图表明,调控措施对退化草地植被特征(地上、地下生物量)、土壤理化性质(含水量、有机碳、全氮、全磷、全钾)及土壤微生物生物量(碳、氮、磷)特征影响显著,且春季休牧-划破草皮-施肥-播种措施对研究区退化草地的修复效果最佳。     

Grazing increases functional richness but not functional divergence in Tibetan alpine meadow plant communities

Plant community diversity and ecosystem function are conditioned by competition among co-occurring species for multiple resources. Previous studies suggest that removal of standing biomass by grazing decreases competition for light, but coincident grazing effects on competition for soil nutrients remain largely unknown in Tibetan rangelands where grazing tends to deplete soil phosphorus availability. We measured five functional traits indicative of plant productivity and stoichiometry leaf carbon concentration (LCC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC), leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) for component species of plant communities in grazed and ungrazed plots in five Tibetan alpine meadows. We examined the diversity of traits singly Rao index of functional diversity (FDrao) and in aggregate functional richness (FRic), functional divergence (FDiv), and functional evenness (FEve) in response to grazing. We tested whether foliar trait diversity increases with nutrient competition but decreases with light competition when competitive exclusion is reduced by grazing. The FDrao of LPC significantly increased under grazing, but FDrao for LCC, LNC and SLA tended to decrease. The FDrao of LDMC increased at the drier site but decreased at the wettest site. There was a strong negative association between increase in FDrao of LPC and decrease in soil nutrients, especially soil phosphorus availability. The FRic for all five traits together increased with species diversity following grazing, but neither FDiv nor FEve differed significantly between grazed and ungrazed plots at most sites. Grazing in Tibetan alpine meadows tends to increase competition for soil phosphorus while decreasing competition for light, resulting in an increase in the functional richness in grazed plant communities without any significant changes in the overall functional diversity of foliar traits. Our study highlights the potential importance of grazing mediated competition for multiple resources in alpine meadow ecosystems.     

Relationship of plant diversity with litter and soil available nitrogen in an alpine meadow under a 9-year grazing exclusion

Grazing exclusion is widely used globally to restore degraded grasslands. Plant diversity has important impacts on grassland ecosystem functions, including grassland productivity and carbon storage. In this study, we selected a Kobresia meadow on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau to investigate how grazing exclusion affects plant diversity. Inorganic nitrogen (NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^?) was also measured because its availability impacts plant growth. We found that plant diversity in the meadow was significantly lower under grazing exclusion (fenced meadow) for 9 years compared with moderate grazing. Accumulated litter was significantly higher under grazing exclusion (386.41 g m^?2) compared with grazing (58.77 g m^?2). Soil inorganic nitrogen at 0–5 cm depth was significantly higher under grazing exclusion (13.60 × 10^?2 g kg^?1) than under grazing (9.40 × 10^?2 g kg^?1). The composition of the four functional groups (grasses, sedges, legumes, and forbs) might alter in response to significant changes in the amount of litter and soil available nitrogen content under grazing exclusion compared with grazing. However, the enhanced soil available nitrogen content showed weak feedbacks on plant diversity. In conclusion, light limitation induced by increased amounts of litter may be the main factor causing decreased plant diversity in grazing-excluded meadows compared with moderately grazed meadows.     

围栏禁牧对滇西北高寒湿地土壤活性有机碳的影响

过度放牧导致滇西北高寒湿地碳汇功能逐渐丧失,围栏禁牧作为一种有效的湿地恢复方式,其对滇西北高寒湿地土壤碳库的影响尚缺乏研究。为探明围栏禁牧对滇西北高寒湿地土壤活性有机碳的影响,以纳帕海湿地不同禁牧年限(未禁牧、禁牧3年、禁牧8年、禁牧10年)的草甸和沼泽化草甸作为研究对象,对比分析不同禁牧年限草甸和沼泽化草甸土壤总有机碳(TOC)、颗粒有机碳(POC)、溶解性有机碳(DOC)、易氧化有机碳(EOC)和微生物生物量碳(MBC)含量特征。研究结果表明,随着禁牧年限的增加(<10 a),草甸和沼泽化草甸土壤TOC、DOC、EOC、MBC含量显著增加(P<0.05);随着土壤深度的增加,草甸和沼泽化草甸土壤TOC、EOC和MBC含量逐渐下降,而POC和DOC含量逐渐增加。土壤理化性质显著影响土壤活性有机碳各组分含量,其中总氮(TN)是影响草甸和沼泽化草甸土壤活性有机碳各组分含量的主导因素。围栏禁牧有利于滇西北高寒湿地土壤质量和固碳能力的恢复,且随着禁牧年限的增加,恢复效果越明显。相同恢复年限,纳帕海沼泽化草甸土壤恢复效果比草甸土壤显著。研究可以为放牧湿地恢复研究提供理论基础。     

Plant community and soil available nutrients drive arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community shifts during alpine meadow degradation

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an important role in maintaining the function and sustainability of grassland ecosystem, but they are also susceptible to environmental changes. In recent decades, alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau have experienced severe degradation due to the impact of human activities and climate change. But it remains unclear how degradation affects the AMF community, a group of functionally important root associated microorganisms, which potentially limit the development and application of microbial technologies in the restoration of degraded grasslands. In this study, we investigated AMF communities richness and composition in non-degraded (ND), moderately degraded (MD) and severely degraded (SD) alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, and then explored their main biotic and abiotic determinants. Alpine meadow degradation significantly reduced plant community biomass, richness, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available nitrogen and available phosphorus, but increased soil pH. AMF community composition and the iesdominant family and genera differed significantly among different degradation stages. Grassland degradation shifted the AMF community composition in favor of Claroideoglomus over Rhizophagus, and resulted in a marked loss of Glomeraceae and the dominance of Diversisporaceae. Alpine meadow degradation significantly increased AMF hyphal density and richness, likely working as a plant strategy to relieve nutrient deficiencies or loss as a result of degradation. The structural equation model showed that AMF community richness and composition were significantly influenced by plant community, followed by soil available nutrients. Soil available nutrients was the key contributor to the increased AMF hyphal density and richness during grassland degradation. Our findings identify the effects of alpine meadow degradation on AMF richness and highlight the importance of the plant community in shaping the AMF community during alpine meadow degradation. These results suggest that plant community restoration should be the primary goal for the ecological restoration of degraded alpine meadows, and these soil functional microorganisms should be simultaneously integrated into ecological restoration strategies and management.     

生长季放牧对高寒草甸传粉网络的影响

植物-传粉者相互作用面临人类活动的威胁。在青藏高原地区,放牧是一项主要的人类活动干扰,过度放牧导致高寒草甸植被严重退化。然而在该区域放牧如何影响植物-传粉者相互作用网络还不得而知。在青藏高原东部的高寒草甸选取了两个研究样点,每个样点包括一块禁牧样地（生长季禁牧）和放牧样地（全年放牧）。在2016年至2018年每年的生长季（7月和8月）进行了连续3年观测,共构建16个传粉网络。结果发现,在研究区域的高寒草甸生态系统中,传粉者群落的物种组成以双翅目昆虫为主。放牧后双翅目、鳞翅目以及鞘翅目传粉者的种类数减少,但膜翅目传粉者的种类数未受到放牧的影响。放牧干扰显著降低了群落中植物、传粉者以及它们之间相互作用的多样性,但对传粉网络的嵌套性和特化程度（H₂''）没有显著影响,说明网络的稳定性和恢复力没有受到放牧的影响。探讨了放牧对传粉网络的影响,发现区域放牧强度过大,降低了传粉昆虫和传粉网络的多样性。未来需要进一步深入研究高寒草甸生态系统中放牧强度对传粉网络的影响模式,以期为合理的放牧制度模式提供理论依据。     

围封对退化高寒草甸土壤微生物群落多样性及土壤化学计量特征的影响

围封对植被处于近自然恢复状态的退化草地有一定的修复作用,开展轻度退化草地围封过程中生物与非生物因素的协同互作研究是完整地认识草地生态系统结构和功能的基础.本试验对围栏封育10年的轻度退化草地的土壤化学计量特征进行了研究,同时采用高通量基因测序技术并结合Biolog-Eco方法,调查了土壤微生物多样性和功能的变化.结果表明:轻度退化草地实施围封后,土壤铵态氮含量显著升高,全钾含量显著降低,土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、硝态氮、速效磷和速效钾则无明显变化.高寒草甸土壤微生物碳和氮在轻度退化和围栏封育草地间差异不显著;围栏封育后草地土壤微生物碳氮比显著高于轻度退化草地.随培养时间的延长,高寒草甸不同土层土壤微生物碳代谢强度均显著升高,土壤微生物碳代谢指数在轻度退化和围栏封育草地间差异不显著.高寒草甸土壤细菌OTUs显著高于真菌,轻度退化与围栏封育草地土壤微生物相似度为27.0%～32.7%.围封后,土壤真菌子囊菌门、接合菌门和球壶菌门相对丰富度显著升高,担子菌门显著降低,土壤细菌酸杆菌门显著低于轻度退化草地.土壤真菌和细菌群落组成在不同土层间差异较大,在轻度退化和围栏封育草地间仅有表层土壤真菌群落组成表现出较大差异.土壤细菌多样性受土壤全氮和速效钾影响较大,真菌多样性受地上生物量影响较大.土壤微生物对碳源利用能力主要受土壤速效钾影响.综上,长期围封禁牧对轻度退化草地土壤养分和土壤微生物无明显影响,且会造成牧草资源浪费,适度放牧可以保持草地资源的可持续利用.     

退化高寒草甸关键生态属性对多途径恢复措施的响应特征

高寒草甸是青藏高原的主体植被类型，但退化态势较为严峻，严重威胁青藏高原生态屏障的战略地位。退化高寒草甸的复健是世界性难题，治理效果也因退化状态、恢复措施及气候环境而异。以春季休牧、秋季休牧、畜群结构优化、减畜轮牧、围栏封育及翻耕改建等典型多途径恢复措施下的退化高寒草甸为对象，系统探讨主要生态要素和生态功能的响应特征及潜在过程。结果表明，典型恢复措施下退化高寒草甸的植被生产力、土壤有机碳密度及土壤饱和持水量等生态要素都得到一定程度的提升，而恢复效果与实施年限及恢复措施密切相关。围栏封育和翻耕改建下土壤有机碳密度及饱和持水量随恢复年限均表现为对数饱和型的响应特征，退化高寒草甸固碳持水功能的基本恢复年限约为6—10年。春季休牧、秋季休牧、畜群结构优化、减畜轮牧、围栏封育等放牧管理恢复措施应适用于轻度退化至重度退化的高寒草甸，而翻耕改建则是极度退化高寒草甸的适宜治理措施。由于多途径恢复措施的关注目标不同，今后研究应集中在恢复措施的组合优化和综合评价等方面。     

Moderate grazing increased alpine meadow soils bacterial abundance and diversity index on the Tibetan Plateau

The response of grassland soil bacterial community characteristics to different grazing intensities is central ecological topics. However, the underlying mechanisms between bacterial abundance, diversity index, and grazing intensity remain unclear. We measured alpine meadow soil bacterial gene richness and diversity index under four grazing intensities using 16S rDNA sequence analysis on the Tibetan Plateau. The results suggest that extreme grazing significantly decreased alpine meadow both bacterial gene abundance and diversity index (p < .05). The lowest operational taxonomic unit numbers were 3,012 ± 447 copies under heavy grazing in the growing season. It was significantly lower than heavy grazing with approximately 3,958 ± 119 copies (p < .05). The Shannon index for medium and high grazing grassland bacterial diversity was slightly higher than for light grazing in the growing season. Furthermore, the lowest index was approximately 9.20 ± 0.50 for extreme grazing of grassland in the growing season. The average bacterial gene abundance and diversity index in the dormancy period were slightly higher than that in the growing season. Soil bulk density, pH, ammonium, and nitrate nitrogen were the main positive factors driving grazed grassland bacterial communities. Our study provides insight into the response of alpine meadows to grazing intensity, demonstrating that moderate grazing increases bacterial community diversity in grazed grasslands.     

Changes in soil biochemical properties associated with Ligularia virgaurea spreading in grazed alpine meadows

Ligularia virgaurea, a toxic perennial weed, has become a dominant species in the heavily-grazed alpine meadows of the eastern Qinghai?CTibetan Plateau over recent decades. We investigated changes in soil biochemical properties associated with L. virgaurea spreading in grazed alpine meadows at three sites. Soil and root biomass samples were taken at depths of 0?C8?cm, 8?C16?cm and 16?C24?cm from patches where L. virgaurea was dominant and from areas between L. virgaurea patches, with only other native species. Across sites, root biomass, acid-extracted carbohydrate C, organic C and N mineralization, and microbial biomass C and N concentrations in the top 8-cm layer were significantly higher while nitrate N concentration was significantly lower in L. virgaurea patches than in areas between L. virgaurea patches. The increased activities of dehydrogenase, ???Cglucosidase, urease and phosphatase in the top 8-cm layer under L. virgaurea were associated with enhanced soil microbial biomass. Our results indicate a close association between changes in soil biochemical properties in the top 8-cm layer and the spread of L. virgaurea in grazed alpine meadows of the eastern Qinghai?CTibetan Plateau.     

Carbon Sequestration in Two Alpine Soils on the Tibetan Plateau

Soil carbon sequestration was estimated in a conifer forest and an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau using a carbon-14 radioactive label provided by thermonuclear weapon tests (known as bomb-¹⁴C). Soil organic matter was physically separated into light and heavy fractions. The concentration spike of bomb-¹⁴C occurred at a soil depth of 4 cm in both the forest soil and the alpine meadow soil. Based on the depth of the bomb-¹⁴C spike, the carbon sequestration rate was determined to be 38.5 g C/m² per year for the forest soil and 27.1 g C/m² per year for the alpine meadow soil. Considering that more than 60% of soil organic carbon (SOC) is stored in the heavy fraction and the large area of alpine forests and meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, these alpine ecosystems might partially contribute to "the missing carbon sink".     

不同强度牦牛放牧对青藏高原高寒草地土壤和植物生物量的影响

放牧作为家畜饲养方式之一,是草地最简单、有效的利用方式,放牧中的家畜对草地生态系统的影响是全球畜牧生态学研究的焦点。过度放牧导致草地退化严重,虽然在青藏高原地区已有较多放牧对草地影响的研究,但探究连续4年放牧对高寒草地生态系统影响的定位实验却鲜见报道。本研究在青藏高原东缘选取典型高寒草地,使用高原特有且分布最广的牦牛作为大型草食放牧家畜,设置了4个牦牛放牧强度（禁牧：无放牧、轻牧：1头/hm²、中牧：2头/hm²和重牧：3头/hm²）以研究其对高寒草地土壤和植物功能的影响。开展4年试验后的结果表明：放牧条件下土壤含水率显著增加;而土壤容重、全磷和有机质含量对放牧强度均无显著性响应;土壤全氮和pH的响应主要在表层0-20 cm,其中全氮为轻牧和重牧处理分别显著高于中牧,中牧处理下的土壤pH为显著高于轻牧;土壤全钾含量在禁牧处理中显著高于放牧处理;而土壤有效氮和速效钾均为中牧处理显著高于禁牧;放牧可以显著降低植物地上生物量。牦牛放牧强度显著影响土壤含水率、有效养分和植物地上生物量,而对其它土壤理化性质影响较弱。本研究结果揭示放牧对高寒草地土壤理化性质和植物地上生物量的影响,为青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统保护、可持续管理和合理放牧率提供理论依据。     

青藏高原多年冻土区不同水分条件的高寒草甸根系功能性状对增温的响应

在青藏高原多年冻土广泛分布的风火山地区,选择小嵩草（Kobresia pygmea）草甸和藏嵩草（Kobresia tibetica）沼泽化草甸为研究对象,采用开顶增温室（Open top chambers, OTCs）模拟气候变暖,探讨模拟增温对土壤水分差异的两种草甸地下生物量及根系功能性状的影响。结果显示,（1）增温显著增加小嵩草草甸0—20 cm根系生物量,主要是由于表层（0—10 cm）根系生物量显著增加,而对藏嵩草沼泽化草甸根系生物量无影响。（2）增温显著增加了小嵩草草甸根组织密度,同时提高了藏嵩草沼泽化草甸10—20 cm的比根长和比根面积（3）增温降低了小嵩草草甸的根系碳含量及10—20 cm根系氮含量,增加了藏嵩草沼泽化草甸的碳含量及10—20 cm根系氮含量,显著提高了小嵩草草甸和藏嵩草沼泽化草甸深层（10—20 cm）根系碳氮比。这些结果预示着增温使得土壤水分较低的小嵩草草甸朝着资源保守的慢速生长型发展,以适应暖干化的环境;土壤水分较高的藏嵩草沼泽化草甸朝着资源获取的快速生长型发展,加速利用土壤中的养分满足植物生长需要。可见,土壤水分可以调节高寒草甸对气候变暖的演变趋势,强调了水分的重要性。     

The microbially mediated soil organic carbon loss under degenerative succession in an alpine meadow

Land‐cover change has long been recognized as having marked effect on the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the microbially mediated processes and mechanisms on SOC are still unclear. In this study, the soil samples in a degenerative succession from alpine meadow to alpine steppe meadow in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were analysed using high‐throughput technologies, including Illumina sequencing and geochip functional gene arrays. The soil microbial community structure and diversity were significantly (p < .05) different between alpine meadow and alpine steppe meadow; the microbial ɑ‐diversity in alpine steppe meadow was significantly (p < .01) higher than in alpine meadow. Molecular ecological network analysis indicated that the microbial community structure in alpine steppe meadow was more complex and tighter than in the alpine meadow. The relative abundance of soil microbial labile carbon degradation genes (e.g., pectin and hemicellulose) was significantly higher in alpine steppe meadow than in alpine meadow, but the relative abundance of soil recalcitrant carbon degradation genes (e.g., chitin and lignin) showed the opposite tendency. The Biolog Ecoplate experiment showed that microbially mediated soil carbon utilization was more active in alpine steppe meadow than in alpine meadow. Consequently, more soil labile carbon might be decomposed in alpine steppe meadow than in alpine meadow. Therefore, the degenerative succession of alpine meadow because of climate change or anthropogenic activities would most likely decrease SOC and nutrients medicated by changing soil microbial community structure and their functional potentials for carbon decomposition.     

Nitrogen deposition and carbon sequestration in alpine meadows

Nitrogen deposition experiments were carried out in alpine meadow ecosystems in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in China, in order to explore the contribution of nitrogen deposition to carbon sequestration in alpine meadows. Two methods were used in this respect. First, we used the allocation of ¹⁵N tracer to soil and plant pools. Second, we used increased root biomass observed in the nitrogen-amended plots. Calculating enhanced carbon storage, we considered the net soil CO₂ emissions exposed to nitrogen deposition in alpine meadows. Our results show that nitrogen deposition can enhance the net soil CO₂ emissions, and thus offset part of carbon uptake by vegetation and soils. It means that we have to be cautious to draw a conclusion when we estimate the contribution of nitrogen deposition to carbon sequestration based on the partitioning of ¹⁵N tracer in terrestrial ecosystems, in particular in N-limited ecosystems. Even if we assess the contribution of nitrogen deposition to carbon sequestration based on increased biomass exposed to nitrogen deposition in terrestrial ecosystems, likewise, we have to consider the effects of nitrogen deposition on the soil CO₂ emissions.     

藏北古露高寒草地生态系统对短期围封的响应

过度放牧导致高寒草地生态系统退化,围封是生态保护和恢复的管理手段。以青藏高原那曲县古露镇过牧退化高寒草地为对象,系统分析了高寒草地生态系统的植被特征及土壤理化特性、土壤酶活性、土壤微生物生物量和群落结构对围封的响应。结果表明,短期围封后,(1)植被平均高度、盖度和地上生物量均有极显著增加(P0.01),而生物多样性指数则显著降低(P0.01);(2)土壤的水溶性有机碳含量、土壤物理结构(沙土与粉土的比例)及pH有显著变化(P0.05);(3)土壤酶活性没有明显改善;(4)土壤微生物生物量(细菌、放线菌、真菌)均呈显著增加(P0.05);(5)土壤中细菌的多样性有增加的趋势,其群落组成在门水平上也发生了变化;(6)Manteltest分析显示与土壤细菌群落结构的呈正相关性的环境因子主要为土壤有机碳含量(TOC)、总氮含量(TN)、碳磷比(C/P)与氮磷比(N/P)(P0.05)。这表明围栏封育有利于藏北草地植被、土壤理化特性的恢复,还能维持土壤微生物多样性,促进高寒草地生态系统的可持续发展。     

Effects of fencing and grazing on the temporal dynamic of soil organic carbon content in two temperate grasslands in Inner Mongolia,China

This study aimed to investigate the impact of long-term grassland management on the temporal dynamic of SOC density in two temperate grasslands. The top soil SOC density, soil total nitrogen density and soil bulk density (0–20 cm) under long-term fencing and grazing treatments, the aboveground net primary productivity of fenced plots and the associated climatic factors of Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis grasslands in Inner Mongolia were collected from literatures and analyzed. The results showed that the SOC density increased linearly with fenced duration but was insensitive to grazed duration in both grasslands. Compared with long-term grazing, fenced plots had larger potential for carbon sequestration, and the accumulation rate of SOC density was 29 and 35 g Cm^–2y^–1 for L. chinensis and S. grandis grasslands. Fenced duration and mean annual temperature jointly contributed large effect on temporal pattern of SOC density. Climate change and grazed duration had little influence on the inter-annual variance of SOC density in grazed plots. Our results confirmed the enhancement effect of long-term fencing on soil carbon sequestration in degraded temperate grassland, and long-term permanent plot observation is essential and effective for accurately and comprehensively understanding the temporal dynamic of SOC storage.