内蒙古典型草原群落实生苗动态对刈割和放牧干扰的响应

该文通过刈割和放牧样地的实生苗动态观测,试图揭示刈割和放牧干扰对冰草(Agropyron cristatum)、克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii)和糙隐子 草(Cleistogenes squarrosa )等 3种禾草实生苗出生、存活和死亡季节动态的影响,以及这种效应是如何受气温和降水影响的。利用有重复测 量的方差分析,比较了不同刈割留茬高度(0、5和15 cm)与放牧处理之间在实生苗密度、死亡率和出现率的时间动态方面的差异。结果表明：3 种禾草的实生苗密度自5月下旬至8月中旬一直呈增加态势。刈割在一定程度上抑制了克氏针茅的实生苗出现率,原因可能是相对高大的克氏针 茅在前一年刈割时会被去掉相当多的生殖部分,其种子数量必然受到影响,导致实生苗出现率的降低。同时,刈割对相对低矮的糙隐子草实生 苗有正向效应 ,即促进其实生苗的出现,可能的原因是刈割使植被高度降低、植被稀疏,植被冠层以下至地面的光照较好、地温较高,同时位 于下层的糙隐子草受到的高大植株的竞争压力减小。生长季早期和晚期实生苗死亡率较高,这与这两个时期的干旱和低温有关,而自6月中旬至 7月初之间的死亡率小高峰也是先前的干旱少雨导致的。3种禾草实生苗的大规模出现几乎都在5～7月,这与该时期相对适宜的气温、地温和水 分条件有关。对实生苗更新相关过程 (如种子萌发、休眠、种子库存量等)进行更加深入细致的研究,将进一步揭示种子生产和有性繁殖在群落 过程中的作用。     

放牧对布氏田鼠主要食物选择的影响

动物的食物选择受食物资源量、质量和喜好度决定。尽管放牧可减少鼠类的喜食植物的数量和质量,但其如何影响鼠类的食物选择尚不清楚。本研究于2014年5月至10月,在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟锡林浩特市毛登牧场的大型试验围栏内进行了布氏田鼠的食物选择实验。利用大型实验围栏内5年连续放牧处理所构建的植被变化条件,采用扣笼试验,调查了布氏田鼠对其三种主要植物的取食情况。研究发现：连续放牧后,糙隐子草的盖度增加,而羊草、克氏针茅盖度降低;糙隐子草的盖度显著高于羊草、克氏针茅,成为各季节的优势植物种类。放牧对布氏田鼠取食羊草、克氏针茅和糙隐子草的绝对取食频次均无显著影响。在季节上,布氏田鼠对克氏针茅和糙隐子草的取食在三个季节均无差异,但布氏田鼠对羊草取食的绝对频次夏季显著高于春季和秋季;布氏田鼠对三种植物的喜好程度依次为羊草>克氏针茅>糙隐子草,但季节和放牧因素对布氏田鼠对这三种植物的喜好度无显著影响。结果表明,布氏田鼠的食物选择及食物组成相对稳定,表现为其对放牧或季节因素造成的喜食植物资源量的变化具有很好的适应性,推测是其调整取食努力来实现食物组成的平衡。     

刈割留茬高度对大针茅草原群落结构及稳定性的影响

2014—2018年8月在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟毛登牧场大针茅典型草原,以围封为对照,设置2、5和8 cm 3个刈割留茬高度,研究刈割留茬高度对群落结构及稳定性的影响。结果表明: 群落中共出现15科23属27种植物;优势种为大针茅、知母、羊草及糙隐子草,累计相对重要值为76.1%。多年生杂类草15种,一、二年生植物5种,多年生丛生禾草和灌木半灌木植物各有3种,多年生根茎禾草有1种。大针茅等处于群落上层;知母、羊草等植物处于群落中层;糙隐子草、刺穗藜、猪毛菜等植物处于群落底层。刈割造成大针茅及多年生丛生禾草相对重要值降低,使得糙隐子草、刺穗藜、猪毛菜及一、二年生植物相对重要值增加。留茬2 cm降低羊草相对重要值,而留茬5、8 cm使其增加;留茬5 cm增加知母相对重要值,而留茬2、8 cm使其降低;留茬8 cm降低杂类草相对重要值,而留茬2、5 cm使其增加。物种及功能群多样性年度间差异显著。总体上,刈割对物种丰富度无显著影响,对其物种多样性影响较小,但对功能群多样性存在一定影响。表明在刈割过程中,群落各功能群存在一定的补偿作用,使得群落保持相对稳定。刈割使群落稳定性增加,留茬5和8 cm时群落稳定性较大;留茬5 cm时群落变异性较大,而留茬8 cm时最小。留茬8 cm时群落稳定性高且变异性小,能促进群落长期稳定。     

草地利用方式对草甸草原植被空间异质性的影响

研究不同利用方式下植物群落中物种的分布特征,有助于解释植物在不同利用方式干扰下的演替规律。本研究以内蒙古呼伦贝尔草甸草原为研究对象,通过野外调查,基于幂函数法则,探讨围封、放牧和刈割利用方式下草地植被物种分布状况和群落整体空间分布的变化。结果表明:在放牧和刈割利用及围封下,草甸草原植被物种分布规律符合幂函数法则;与围封相比,放牧增加了群落整体的空间分布异质性,而刈割则降低了这种变化,刈割和放牧草地物种异质性指数高于群落整体异质性指数的物种增多;物种出现频率发生变化,如对糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)种群而言,围封地中糙隐子草的出现频率为0.010,刈割和放牧增加了糙隐子草的出现频率(0.151和0.521),刈割和放牧降低了狭叶青蒿(Artemisia dacunculus)的出现频率(0.132和0.028)。     

刈割干扰下内蒙古草原两种丛生禾草繁殖策略的适应性调节

刈割是内蒙古草原的主要利用方式之一。当植物面对刈割干扰时, 可以通过繁殖策略的调节适应变化的环境。研究刈割干扰下植物繁殖策略的调节对于揭示植物的适应与进化机制具有重要意义。为此, 选择内蒙古典型草原的大针茅(Stipa grandis)和糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa), 在1979年围封的羊草(Leymus chinensis)样地(对照)和毗邻的长期刈割区对其繁殖策略进行了研究。结果显示: 1)长期刈割干扰下, 大针茅的种群生物量与对照区无显著差异, 由于其株丛生物量显著降低, 大针茅种群生物量的维持得益于种群密度的显著增加。糙隐子草的种群生物量比对照区显著提高, 由于其株丛生物量与对照区无显著差异, 糙隐子草种群生物量的增加也是因为密度的显著提高。因此, 密度调节是两种植物应对长期刈割干扰的重要的调节机制。2)长期刈割干扰下, 两种植物在无性繁殖和有性繁殖过程所采取的密度调节策略并不相同。大针茅种群生殖株丛的密度无显著变化, 非生殖株丛的密度显著提高, 导致其非生殖株丛的相对密度显著增加, 而生殖株丛的相对密度显著降低。因此刈割干扰下大针茅种群在密度调节上采取了保持有性繁殖株丛密度, 增加无性繁殖株丛密度的策略。糙隐子草种群非生殖株丛的密度显著增加, 但生殖株丛的密度增加幅度更大, 导致其非生殖株丛的相对密度显著降低, 而生殖株丛的相对密度显著提高。因此刈割干扰下糙隐子草种群在密度调节上采取了增加无性繁殖株丛密度的同时, 更大幅度地增加有性繁殖株丛密度的策略。3)长期刈割干扰下, 两种植物对生物量生殖分配的调节采取了不同的策略。大针茅株丛生物量向生殖枝分配的比例无显著变化, 通过降低生殖枝向穗的生物量分配比例, 降低了对有性生殖过程的生物量分配的投入; 而糙隐子草则通过增加株丛生物量向生殖枝分配的比例, 维持生殖枝向穗的生物量分配比例, 从而增加了对有性繁殖过程生物量分配的投入。4)长期刈割干扰下, 大针茅的株丛面积和株丛分蘖数与对照区无显著差异。糙隐子草株丛面积降低, 但是株丛分蘖数无显著变化。本实验说明, 植物种群有性繁殖和无性繁殖之间的密度调节和资源分配调节是草原植物应对刈割干扰下的重要调节机制, 不同的响应策略影响着植物种群的消长动态。     

利用方式对大针茅草原优势种糙隐子草空间异质性的影响

为探讨不同草地利用方式下糙隐子草种群空间分布的变化特点,以内蒙古自治区锡林郭勒盟毛登牧场大针茅草原优势物种糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)为研究对象,通过野外试验,以地统计学为基础,采用半方差函数、分形维数及克里格插值法,分析了围封、放牧和刈割样地糙隐子草种群小尺度空间分布异质性。结果表明:糙隐子草种群密度分别为放牧(28.63株·m~(-2))围封(13.60株·m~(-2))刈割(3.85株·m~(-2))(P0.05),放牧显著增加糙隐子草种群密度(P0.05),而刈割显著降低糙隐子草种群密度(P0.05);通过半方差函数进行模型拟合,围封、放牧和刈割样地糙隐子草种群分布分别符合指数模型、球状模型和球状模型;空间分布格局分析表明,各样地糙隐子草种群的结构比分别为刈割(91.9%)放牧(75.3%)围封(71.1%),放牧与刈割样地的空间自相关性均较高,主要受结构性因素影响,而围封样地空间自相关处于中等程度,受随机性因素影响较大;结合分形维数、2D平面图及3D立体图分析,3块样地空间结构良好,空间分布简单,说明合理放牧及刈割不会对种群分布格局造成很大影响,但与围封样地相比,放牧增加了糙隐子草种群空间异质性,而刈割降低了种群异质性。     

冷蒿对三种禾本科植物种子萌发和幼苗生长的化感作用

研究了冷蒿茎叶水浸提液及冷蒿斑块土壤对羊草草原3种禾本科植物(羊草、克氏针茅和糙隐子草)种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响.结果表明:冷蒿茎叶水浸提液使受试植物种子的发芽指数降低,平均发芽时间延长.羊草、克氏针茅和糙隐子草幼苗苗高及克氏针茅幼苗根长均受冷蒿茎叶水浸提液抑制;浸提液浓度≥0.075g.ml-1时显著抑制羊草幼苗根长生长,≤0.05g.ml-1时则无显著影响;而茎叶水浸提液对糙隐子草幼苗根长有"低促高抑"的作用.冷蒿斑块土壤抑制受试植物幼苗生长;3种植物对冷蒿化感效应的敏感性依次为克氏针茅羊草糙隐子草,且幼苗根长的敏感性均大于苗高.     

放牧对大针茅草原建群种与优势种空间分布关系的影响

为探讨放牧下大针茅草原建群种大针茅(Stipa grandis)和优势种羊草(Leymus chinensis)及糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)种群空间分布特点及关系,本实验以内蒙古自治区锡林郭勒盟毛登牧场大针茅草原建群种大针茅、优势种羊草和糙隐子草为研究对象,通过野外试验,以地统计学为基础,采用半方差函数、分形维数及克里格插值法,分析了围封(CK)和放牧(G)样地大针茅、羊草及糙隐子草种群小尺度空间分布关系。结果表明:围封样地大针茅、羊草及糙隐子草植株密度分别为10.94株/m~(2 )、12.95株/m~(2 )、13.60株/m~(2 ),放牧样地植株密度分别为16.84株/m~(2 )、48.28株/m~(2 )、28.63株/m~(2 ),放牧显著增加大针茅、羊草及糙隐子草种群密度(P0.05);半方差函数进行模型拟合发现,大针茅、羊草及糙隐子草种群空间分布函数关系均符合高斯模型;通过对空间分布函数关系分析,围封和放牧样地结构比为G (93.3%) CK(60.4%),表明放牧样地大针茅种群空间分布主要受结构性因素影响,而围封大针茅种群则受随机性因素影响较大;围封和放牧样地分形维数值为CK(1.796) G(1.361),表明放牧样地大针茅、羊草和糙隐子草所形成的空间分布格局相比围封样地较为复杂,大针茅空间分布对羊草和糙隐子草空间分布的依赖性较弱;通过立体图分析,在放牧利用过程中,羊草处于中低密度时,及糙隐子草处于高密度时,均与大针茅种群间的关系从围封中的竞争关系变为放牧过程中的亲和关系,可见放牧导致种间关系改变。     

内蒙古克氏针茅草原土壤种子库对刈割和放牧干扰的响应

种子库是潜在的植物群落并在一定程度上预示着群落的演替方向。草原牧区自退牧还草政策实施以来,草原利用方式由自由放牧为主逐步转向以围封割草为主。为研究割草和放牧对土壤种子库密度、植物功能群和种类组成的影响及其与地上植被的相似性关系,在内蒙古克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii)典型草原区设置3个不同强度的刈割处理,即无刈割对照(CK)和分别留茬15 cm(M15)、5 cm(M5)的处理,以及一个自由放牧处理(GR),土壤种子库采用环刀法多点取样结合四唑染色法测定种子活力,计数所有被检测有生命力的种子,并计算土壤种子库与地上植被在物种组成方面的相似性。结果表明:不同处理的土壤种子库密度范围为6245.0±1351.9~8155.9±909.1粒·m-2,无刈割对照的土壤种子库密度显著高于M15;从种子库的功能群组成来看,多年生杂类草种子密度最大,占种子库总量的55%~60%,1年生杂类草占36%~43%,GR与M15有显著差异;从物种组成来看,只有克氏针茅、砂韭的种子数量在刈割和放牧处理下显著低于对照。采用Sorensen指数计算土壤种子库与地上植被的物种相似性,CK、GR、M5、M15相似系数分别为0.55、0.58、0.48和0.60;研究预示,内蒙古典型草原土壤种子库对割草和自由放牧有很强的敏感性,刈割和自由放牧均降低土壤种子库密度,将降低退化克氏针茅草原的自然恢复能力。     

亚洲小车蝗对内蒙古典型草原3种禾本科植物取食特性研究

通过了解亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus的取食特性,为有害生物的防治和草原生态环境的保护提供理论依据。在分析亚洲小车蝗发生与羊草Leymus chinensis、克氏针茅Stipa krylovii及糙隐子草Cleistogenes squarrosa等3种禾本科植物特征参数关系的基础上,通过罩笼试验调查了罩笼内亚洲小车蝗3~5龄蝗蝻的存活率,比较了亚洲小车蝗的取食数量、取食高度及取食率等特性。结果表明,克氏针茅和糙隐子草生态优势度与亚洲小车蝗发生数量显著正相关,亚洲小车蝗喜食克氏针茅和糙隐子草(0.25≤RFN<0.5),少食羊草(0.025≤RFN<0.25)。4龄和5龄蝗蝻对克氏针茅和糙隐子草取食量显著大于羊草。亚洲小车蝗取食高度位于植物中下部(9~10cm),与3种植被高度无关;取食后上部掉落造成损失,特别是对克氏针茅的为害更大;亚洲小车蝗取食克氏针茅和糙隐子草时的存活率显著高于取食羊草时的存活率。结论:以克氏针茅和糙隐子草为优势植物的典型草原更适合亚洲小车蝗的发生与为害,应加强该类草原亚洲小车蝗的监测预警和防控。     

Effects of experimental and real land use on seedling recruitment of six fen species

Seedling emergence and early establishment of six fen species differing in seed mass and growth form were investigated under experimental land use with changed vegetation structure and under real land use in a calcareous fen. Seeds of all six species were sown in plots with different experimental land-use treatments: summer and autumn mowing with or without litter removal, trampling and abandonment. Additionally, emergence and survival of experimentally sown seeds was investigated under real land use on adjacent sites managed by mowing, grazing, intense trampling or abandonment.On abandoned plots and on plots without litter removal of the land-use experiment, emergence rates of all species were negatively affected either by high litter and moss cover or by tall canopy. No differences were found between autumn and summer mowing. Gap creation by experimental trampling did not increase germination rate. Under real land use, establishment of seedlings of most species was positively affected by litter cover and tall canopy. Trampling, in contrast, had a severe negative effect on seedling survival.The investigated species differed in their germination ability which was tested in the germination chamber and in their response to land use. Succisa pratensis with the highest seed mass germinated well in the chamber and in the field more or less regardless of land use. The low germination rate of Parnassia palustris in the germination chamber indicated a limitation of viable seeds. In the field, however, seedling emergence was additionally limited by microsite availability. Seeds of Serratula tinctoria and Primula farinosa germinated well in the germination chamber, but seedling recruitment in the field was hampered in the presence of a high litter or moss cover. Seeds of Tofieldia calyculata and Pinguicula vulgaris were strongly dependent on the availability of suitable microsites in the field. They hardly germinated under natural conditions, in spite of a high number of germinable seeds in the germination chamber.     

放牧和围封条件下克氏针茅草原土壤种子库的比较

应用幼苗萌发法对比研究了我国北方农牧交错区克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii)草原在放牧和围封条件下土壤种子库的差异。围封样地的土壤种子库中记录有16个物种,其中禾草类6种,非禾草类10种;若以生活型划分,则全部为多年生植物;若以单子叶或双子叶植物划分,则单子叶植物9种,双子叶植物7种。放牧样地的土壤种子库中记录有13个物种,其中禾草类4种,非禾草类9种;多年生植物12种,一二年生植物1种;单子叶植物5种,双子叶植物8种。放牧样地土壤种子库的密度为(3 664±1 087)粒·m^-2,围封样地土壤种子库的密度是(5 139±1 848)粒·m^-2,差异显著。采用Sorensen指数计算土壤种子库与地上植被的物种相似性,围封样地和放牧样地分别是0.711 1和0.611 1。两个地点的全部种子中, 81.0%属于冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)、克氏针茅、星毛委陵菜(Potentilla acaulis)、糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)和砂韭(Allium bidentatum)5种优势植物,16.2% 属于二裂委陵菜(P. bifurca)、菊叶委陵菜(P. tanacetifolia)、猪毛蒿(A. scoparia)、冰草(Agropyron cristatum)和羊草(Leymus chinensis)5种常见植物,而其余9种植物的种子数只占2.8%。此外,通常作为优良牧草的豆科植物的种子数仅占0.6%。上述结果表明,在放牧条件下由于土壤种子库中一些重要物种的缺失或数量很少以及极不均匀的分布,可能会降低退化克氏针茅草原的自然恢复速度。我们建议采取补播这些重要物种并结合其它恢复措施来加快退化克氏针茅草原的恢复进程。     

Effect of season of burning and removal of herbaceous cover on seedling emergence in a eucalypt savanna of north‐eastern Australia

Abstract Seedling emergence in a eucalypt savanna of north‐eastern Australia was documented over a 12‐month period, between May 1999 and May 2000. Seedling emergence for grasses, forbs and subshrubs was found to mainly occur in a brief pulse at the start of the wet season following fire or the removal of grass biomass. Only a minor number of tree and shrub seedlings were detected overall. Burning, or cutting away the grass layer in unburnt savanna, in both the early (i.e. May) and the late (i.e. October) dry seasons significantly increased seedling emergence over undisturbed savanna that had been unburnt for 3 years. Removing the grass layer in unburnt savanna, during either the early or the late dry season, triggered similar seedling densities to savanna burnt in the early dry season. Late dry season fires promoted the greatest seedling density. We attribute this to the higher intensity, late dry season fires releasing a greater proportion of seed from dormancy, coupled with the higher density of soil seed reserves present in the late dry season.     

Effects of Frequent Mowing on Survival and Persistence of Forbs Seeded into a Species-Poor Grassland

Many early attempts at tallgrass prairie reconstruction failed to achieve the high species diversity of remnant prairies, and instead consist primarily of C₄ grasses. We hypothesized that frequent mowing of established prairie grasses could create sufficient gaps in the aboveground and belowground environment to allow for the establishment of native forbs from seed. We studied forb seedling establishment in a 25‐year‐old prairie planting in northern Iowa that was dominated by native warm‐season grasses. In winter 1999, 23 species of native forbs were broadcast into the recently burned sod at a rate of 350 viable seeds/m². Treatment plots were mowed weekly for either one or two growing seasons, and control plots were unmowed. Mowed plots had greater light availability than controls, especially when warm‐season grasses began to flower. Overwinter seedling mortality was 3% in mowed treatments compared to 29% in the controls. Forbs in mowed plots had significantly greater root and shoot mass than those in control plots in the first and second growing seasons but were not significantly more abundant. By the fourth growing season, however, forbs were twice as abundant in the mowed treatments. No lasting negative impacts of frequent mowing on the grass population were observed. Mowing a second year influenced species composition but did not change total seedling establishment. Experimental evidence is consistent with the idea that mowing reduced competition for light from large established grasses, allowing forb seedlings the opportunity to reach sufficient size to establish, survive, and flower in the second and subsequent years.     

Mechanisms of structural change derived from patterns of seedling emergence and mortality in a semi-natural meadow

Questions: Is seedling emergence limited by the set of viable seeds, by incompatibility between the phenology of seed shedding and timing of mowing, or by dry weather in germination periods? Does seedling mortality fluctuate with season and weather? Location: Negrentino, southern Alps, Switzerland. Methods: Fecundity estimates of the dominant grass Bromus erectus; highly frequent counts of spontaneous seedlings by species and calculation of a community-level average mortality rate across 5 years; species-level records of seed shedding date and measurements of seed mass; measurement of soil moisture. Results: B. erectus produced 143.9 viable seeds/m²/year while the density of its seedlings was a 55 times smaller fraction. Grasses had fewer seedlings than forbs and their phenology of seed shedding was less compatible with mowing date. Soil moisture was a strong determinant of seedling emergence in spring and less so in autumn. Average seedling mortality declined with age of the populations and reached a maximum in an extremely dry summer. In relatively wet summers establishment success was positively related to seed mass. Conclusion: Community structure is susceptible to drought through mechanisms that selectively reduce recruits of coexisting plant functional groups. We propose that (1) more frequent intense droughts tend to reduce species that depend on frequent recruitment from seed, hence favour long-lived clonally spreading species, (2) drought timing selects between species with different germination phenology and drought resistance, and (3) drought impacts can be mitigated by changing management regimes that affect seed shedding.     

Competitive effects of herbaceous vegetation on tree seedling emergence,growth and survival: Does gap size matter?

Question: What is the effect of gap size on the seedling emergence, growth and survival of four common tree species in wooded pastures? Location: A pasture in the Jura mountains, Switzerland. Methods: Seeds were sown in a complete three‐way factorial design with eight blocks in May 2003. Each block consisted of a competition treatment (four gap sizes including zero) and a mowing treatment (mown and unmown). Emergence, survival and total biomass of tree seedlings of three species (Picea abies, Acer pseudoplatanus and Fagus sylvatica) were measured. A fourth species (Abies alba) failed to germinate. Results: Gaps had a positive influence on the early stages of tree development for all species. Larger gaps favoured growth and survival more than small gaps. Seedling growth was higher when vegetation around the openings was mown. Mowing the vegetation at gap size zero enhanced both growth and survival compared to unmown vegetation. Mown gaps larger than zero had increased seedling desiccation but decreased seedling predation. Species showed similar trends in their emergence and growth responses to gap size and mowing treatments but for Picea emergence rate was higher and survivorship was lower than for Acer and Fagus. Conclusions: Gap size does matter for tree seedling success but even in more favourable large gaps only a small percentage of seedlings emerged and survived. The effects of gaps on tree seedling establishment are complex as a result of interactions between biotic and abiotic changes caused by gaps.     

Emergence and survival of herbaceous seedlings in temperate grassy woodlands: Recruitment limitations and regeneration niche

Abstract Field experiments examined herbaceous seedling emergence and survival in temperate grassy woodlands on the New England Tablelands of New South Wales. Effects of intensity of previous grazing, removal of ground cover by fire or clearing, burial of seeds, grazing and seed theft by ants on seedling emergence and survival were studied in two field experiments. Thirteen species with a range of traits were used in the experiments and their cumulative emergence was compared with laboratory germination studies. Field emergence correlated to laboratory germination but all species had lower emergence in the field. Little natural emergence of native species was observed in the field in unsown treatments. Short‐lived forbs had the highest emergence, followed by perennial grasses; rhizomatous graminoids and perennial forbs had the lowest emergence. Soil surface and cover treatments did not markedly enhance emergence suggesting that intertussock spaces were not prerequisites for forb emergence. No consistent pattern of enhanced emergence was found for any treatment combination across all species. Seedling survival varied among species, with perennial grasses and short‐lived forbs having the highest seedling mortality. Low mortality rates in the graminoids and rhizomatous forbs appeared partially to compensate for lower seedling emergence. All perennial grasses and some short‐lived forbs showed increased risk of mortality with grazing. Differences in emergence and survival of species were related to ground cover heterogeneity, soil surfaces and, to some extent, herbivory. The complexity of these patterns when superimposed on temporal variability suggests that no generalizations can be made about the regeneration niche of herbaceous species groups. Strong recruitment limitation and partitioning of resources in the regeneration niche may reduce competition among native species and explain the high species richness of the herbaceous layer in the temperate grassy communities of eastern Australia.     

Top‐down control of rare species abundances by native ungulates in a grassland restoration

Ecological restorations are predicted to increase in species diversity over time until they reach reference levels. However, chronosequence studies in grasslands often show that diversity peaks after the first few years and then declines over time as grasses become more dominant. We addressed whether bison grazing and seed additions could prevent this decline in diversity. Exclosures that prevented bison grazing were compared with grazed plots over 4 years, and seed additions were conducted inside and outside exclosures to test for seed and microsite limitations. A previous study conducted 4‐months post seeding found that local species richness was primarily seed limited, but that grazing could sometimes increase seedling emergence. Here, we tested whether increased seedling emergence led to longer‐term increases in the species diversity of the plant community. We found that the seed addition effect grew smaller and the grazing effect grew stronger over time, and that seed additions affected the abundance of added species only when plots were grazed. Grazed plots had higher species diversity and lower biomass and litter buildup compared to non‐grazed plots. Our results suggest that moderate grazing by bison or management that mimics grazing can maintain diversity in grass‐dominated situations. Our results also emphasize the need to follow seed additions over several years to assess correctly whether seed limitation exists.