青藏高原不同牧草人工草地对土壤线虫群落的影响

为缓解草蓄矛盾,青藏高原人工草地得到快速发展。土壤线虫对环境变化敏感,是草地生态系统的重要组成部分。然而,不同牧草人工草地对土壤线虫群落的影响尚不明确。2016年7月,对多年生禾本科(垂穗披碱草Elymus nutans Griseb.、老芒麦Elymus sibiricus L.、早熟禾Poa annua L.和羊茅Festuca ovina L.)、一年生禾本科燕麦Avena sativa L.和多年生豆科紫花苜蓿Medicago sativa L.等6种单播牧草人工草地(建植期4年)和天然草地(对照)的土壤线虫群落进行了调查。结果表明：(1)土壤线虫隶属于2纲8目32科58属,平均密度为1754个/100 g干土;紫花苜蓿样地的线虫密度最低,为949个/100 g干土;燕麦样地最高,为3267个/100 g干土;(2)与天然草地相比,燕麦样地的线虫群落总密度、多样性以及植食性和杂食-捕食性线虫密度显著增加,而其他人工草地的线虫群落密度、多样性以及植食性、食真菌和食细菌线虫密度均无显著变化;(3)土壤线虫总密度以及各营养类群密度在不同人工草地间差异显著,且均在燕麦样地最高;(4)建...     

Persistent surface water acidification in an organic soil-dominated upland region subject to high atmospheric deposition: The North York Moors,UK

The North York Moors National Park, in Northeast England, is one of the few upland areas of the United Kingdom located immediately downwind of major sulphur and nitrogen emission sources. Despite this, few studies of air pollution impacts have been undertaken, and there is no formal long-term upland water quality monitoring site. We examined the condition of surface waters in the National Park based on (1) a unique 20 year stream pH record from three locations; and (2) a snapshot survey of 51 surface waters draining moorland and conifer plantations. Interpretation was supported by sulphur isotope analysis of a subset of water samples, and a diatom survey of one of the monitoring streams. Long-term pH data for a stream draining the peat plateau demonstrate extreme, year-round acidification, with recovery only evident in the last few years. Lower-elevation sites are less acidic, but show similar temporal trends, and are characterised by frequent and severe acid episodes. The snapshot survey confirmed that acidification of the moorland area is widespread, to a degree observed in few other areas globally; out of 37 moorland streams sampled, 32 had an acid neutralising capacity (ANC) below −50 μequiv. l⁻¹. Sulphate was found to be (by far) the dominant cause of acidification, and sulphur isotope analysis confirmed that this derives primarily from atmospheric deposition. Nitrate concentrations remain low, indicating that the organic moorland soils continue to retain most incoming nitrogen. It appears that conifer planting has exacerbated acidification, leading to fivefold higher nitrate and threefold higher aluminium concentrations compared to the moorland sites. Available biological data suggest that waters in the region have been impoverished by acidification. We speculate that the slow recovery of surface waters in the North York Moors is due to the release of a legacy of stored sulphur from the peats, released during droughts. We conclude that: (1) acidification is far from being a solved problem in this sensitive near-source upland region, despite reductions in sulphur deposition; (2) plantation forestry has exacerbated the effects of atmospheric pollution, and triggered nitrogen saturation; (3) the lack of any formal long-term monitoring in the North York Moors represents a major gap in the current evidence base for the effects of long-range air pollutants on UK upland ecosystems.     

Effect of long-term grazing on soil organic carbon content in semiarid steppes in Inner Mongolia

To clarify the response of soil organic carbon (SOC) content to season-long grazing in the semiarid typical steppes of Inner Mongolia, we examined the aboveground biomass and SOC in both grazing (G-site) and no grazing (NG-site) sites in two typical steppes dominated by Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis, as well as one seriously degraded L. chinensis grassland dominated by Artemisia frigida. The NG-sites had been fenced for 20 years in L. chinensis and S. grandis grasslands and for 10 years in A. frigida grassland. Aboveground biomass at G-sites was 21–35% of that at NG-sites in L. chinensis and S. grandis grasslands. The SOC, however, showed no significant difference between G-site and NG-site in both grasslands. In the NG-sites, aboveground biomass was significantly lower in A. frigida grassland than in the other two grasslands. The SOC in A. frigida grassland was about 70% of that in L. chinensis grassland. In A. frigida grassland, aboveground biomass in the G-site was 68–82% of that in the NG-site, whereas SOC was significantly lower in the G-site than in the NG-site. Grazing elevated the surface soil pH in L. chinensis and A. frigida communities. A spatial heterogeneity in SOC and pH in the topsoil was not detected the G-site within the minimal sampling distance of 10 m. The results suggested that compensatory growth may account for the relative stability of SOC in G-sites in typical steppes. The SOC was sensitive to heavy grazing and difficult to recover after a significant decline caused by overgrazing in semiarid steppes.     

The influence of seed addition and cutting regime on the success of grassland restoration on former arable land

Questions: Can seed addition enhance the success of establishing species‐rich grassland on former arable land? Are sowing date and cutting regime important in determining success? Location: Aberdeen and Elgin, northeast Scotland, United Kingdom. Methods: A field experiment was conducted at two sites to assess the effect of seed addition, sowing date and cutting regime on the vegetation developing on former arable land, the aim being to compare the success of different treatments at producing a species‐rich grassland. Results: Sowing a seed mix resulted in the establishment of vegetation very distinct from the species‐poor vegetation dominated by perennial grasses which otherwise developed, though establishment success of the sown grassland species was highly variable between sites. Where establishment of the sown species was poor, sowing date had no significant effect on species composition, whereas the cutting regime was very important. Cutting the vegetation significantly increased both the number and abundance of sown species compared with the uncut control. Conversely, where establishment had been good, the cutting regime in the first year had little effect on species composition. Cutting the vegetation at least twice a year appeared to be the most effective management over the length of the experiment. Conclusions: Sowing a seed mixture significantly reduced the abundance and number of naturally colonising species, effectively controlling problem weed species such as Senecio jacobaea and Cirsium vulgare, highlighting the agronomic value of sowing seed mixtures on fallow farmland. The sowing of a seed mix on former arable land has demonstrated that it is feasible to create vegetation similar in character to that of species‐rich grasslands.     

Consequences of shrub expansion in mesic grassland: Resource alterations and graminoid responses

Abstract. In the mesic grasslands of the central United States, the shrub Cornus drummondii has undergone widespread expansion in the absence of recurrent fire. We quantified alterations in light, water and N caused by C. drummondii expansion in tall‐grass prairie and assessed the hypothesis that these alterations are consistent with models of resource enrichment by woody plants. Responses in graminoid species, particularly the dominant C₄ grass Andropogon gerardii, were concurrently evaluated. We also removed established shrub islands to quantify their legacy effect on resource availability and assess the capability of this grassland to recover in sites formerly dominated by woody plants. The primary effect of shrub expansion on resource availability was an 87% reduction in light available to the herbaceous understorey. This reduced C uptake and N use efficiency in A. gerardii and lowered graminoid cover and ANPP at the grass‐shrub ecotone relative to undisturbed grassland. Shrub removal created a pulse in light and N availability, eliciting high C gain in A. gerardii in the first year after removal. By year two, light and N availability within shrub removal areas returned to levels typical of grassland, as had graminoid cover and ANPP were similar to those in open grassland. Recovery within central areas of shrub removal sites lagged behind that at the former grass‐shrub ecotone. These results indicate that the apparent alternative stable state of C. drummondii dominance in tall‐grass prairie is biotically maintained and driven by reductions in light, rather than resource enrichment. Within areas of shrub removal, the legacy effect of C. drummondii dominance is manifest primarily through the loss of rhizomes of the dominant grasses, rather than any long‐term changes in resource availability. C. drummondii removal facilitates grassland recovery, but the effort required to initiate this transition is a significant cost of woody plant expansion in mesic grasslands. Prevention of woody plant expansion in remnant tall‐grass prairies is, therefore, a preferred management option.     

Seeds of change: The value of using Rhinanthus minor in grassland restoration

Question: What is the value of using Rhinanthus minor in grassland restoration and can restrictions on its establishment be overcome? Location: England (United Kingdom). Methods: Two experiments were established to determine the efficacy of inoculating R. minor on a suite of four agriculturally improved grasslands and the efficacy of using R. minor in grassland restoration. In Experiment 1, the effect of herbicide gap creation on the establishment and persistence of R. minor in grasslands ranging in productivity was investigated with respect to sward management. In Exp. 2, R. minor was sown at 1000 seeds/m² in conjunction with a standard meadow mix over a randomized plot design into Lolium perenne grassland of moderate productivity. The treatment of scarification was investigated as a treatment to promote R. minor. Results: Gap size had a significant role in the establishment and performance of R. minor, especially the 30 cm diameter gaps (Exp. 1). However, R. minor failed to establish long‐term persistent populations in all of the agriculturally improved grasslands. In Exp. 2, establishment of R. minor was increased by scarification and its presence was associated with a significant increase in Shannon diversity and the number of sown and unsown species. Values of grass above‐ground biomass were significantly lower in plots sown with R. minor, but values of total above‐ground biomass (including R. minor) and forb biomass (not including R. minor) were not affected. Conclusions: The value of introducing R. minor into species‐poor grassland to increase diversity has been demonstrated, but successful establishment was dependent on grassland type. The scope for using R. minor in grassland restoration schemes is therefore conditional, although establishment can be enhanced through disturbance such as sward scarification.     

Fast growth involves high dependence on stored resources in seedlings of Mediterranean evergreen trees

Background and Aims Extreme climatic events such as severe droughts are expected to increase with climate change and to limit grassland perennity. The present study aimed to characterize the adaptive responses by which temperate herbaceous grassland species resist, survive and recover from a severe drought and to explore the relationships between plant resource use and drought resistance strategies.Methods Monocultures of six native perennial species from upland grasslands and one Mediterranean drought-resistant cultivar were compared under semi-controlled and non-limiting rooting depth conditions. Above- and below-ground traits were measured under irrigation in spring and during drought in summer (50 d of withholding water) in order to characterize resource use and drought resistance strategies. Plants were then rehydrated and assessed for survival (after 15 d) and recovery (after 1 year).Key Results Dehydration avoidance through water uptake was associated with species that had deep roots (>1·2 m) and high root mass (>4 kg m⁻³). Cell membrane stability ensuring dehydration tolerance of roots and meristems was positively correlated with fructan content and negatively correlated with sucrose content. Species that survived and recovered best combined high resource acquisition in spring (leaf elongation rate >9 mm d⁻¹ and rooting depth >1·2 m) with both high dehydration avoidance and tolerance strategies.Conclusions Most of the native forage species, dominant in upland grassland, were able to survive and recover from extreme drought, but with various time lags. Overall the results suggest that the wide range of interspecific functional strategies for coping with drought may enhance the resilience of upland grassland plant communities under extreme drought events.     

乌鲁木齐山地草地生态系统服务价值变化评估——基于遥感与GIS

草地生态系统服务功能是指草地生态系统及其生态过程所形成和维持的人类赖以生存的自然环境及其有效性,中国干旱半干旱地区的草地退化严重制约着生态系统服务功能的。以乌鲁木齐市山地草地为研究靶区,利用遥感图像(Landsat TM/OLI)划分出7种不同草地类型并计算其生态系统服务价值(Ecosystem Service Values, ESV)。使用空间统计方法、网格分析、空间自相关等方法进一步分析研究区山地草地退化程度和ESV变化。结果表明:21年中,乌鲁木齐市草地生态系统服务价值呈现波动性下降趋势,年均减少0.27×10~7元。生态损失主要是由山地荒漠草地(7.44%)、山地荒漠草原草地(10.71%)、山地草甸草原草地(18.32%)和高寒草甸草地(40.69%)退化造成。单项生态系统服务价值中,草地对调节服务(土壤形成)和供给服务的贡献率较高。草地ESVs Moran平均值为0.869(1994—2015年),并且草地ESV与相邻网格(2 km×2 km)具有更高的空间相关性。草地ESV具有明显的空间分布特征,高ESV区基本上分布在南山山区,低ESV区主要分布在平原草地区,博格达山草地亚区呈现随机分布格局。研究区气候变化对草地的影响十分显著,平均气温、平均地表温度、湿度、蒸散量、降水量和风速对草地ESV变化均有一定的影响,过度放牧、不合理垦荒、药用植物过度开发、城市化等人为活动仍然是驱动草地退化的主要因子,因此亟需采取措施保育乌鲁木齐市山地草原生态系统。     

Evidence of Physiological Decoupling from Grassland Ecosystem Drivers by an Encroaching Woody Shrub

Shrub encroachment of grasslands is a transformative ecological process by which native woody species increase in cover and frequency and replace the herbaceous community. Mechanisms of encroachment are typically assessed using temporal data or experimental manipulations, with few large spatial assessments of shrub physiology. In a mesic grassland in North America, we measured inter- and intra-annual variability in leaf δ¹³C in Cornus drummondii across a grassland landscape with varying fire frequency, presence of large grazers and topographic variability. This assessment of changes in individual shrub physiology is the largest spatial and temporal assessment recorded to date. Despite a doubling of annual rainfall (in 2008 versus 2011), leaf δ¹³C was statistically similar among and within years from 2008-11 (range of −28 to −27‰). A topography*grazing interaction was present, with higher leaf δ¹³C in locations that typically have more bare soil and higher sensible heat in the growing season (upland topographic positions and grazed grasslands). Leaf δ¹³C from slopes varied among grazing contrasts, with upland and slope leaf δ¹³C more similar in ungrazed locations, while slopes and lowlands were more similar in grazed locations. In 2011, canopy greenness (normalized difference vegetation index – NDVI) was assessed at the centroid of individual shrubs using high-resolution hyperspectral imagery. Canopy greenness was highest mid-summer, likely reflecting temporal periods when C assimilation rates were highest. Similar to patterns seen in leaf δ¹³C, NDVI was highest in locations that typically experience lowest sensible heat (lowlands and ungrazed). The ability of Cornus drummondii to decouple leaf physiological responses from climate variability and fire frequency is a likely contributor to the increase in cover and frequency of this shrub species in mesic grassland and may be generalizable to other grasslands undergoing woody encroachment.     

Effects of simulated long-term climatic change on the bryophytes of a limestone grassland community

The bryophyte vegetation of upland limestone grassland at Buxton in the southern Pennine Hills (UK) was studied following seven years' continuous simulated climate change treatments. The experimental design involved two temperature regimes (ambient, winter warming by 3°C) in factorial combination with three moisture regimes (normal, summer drought, supplemented summer rainfall) and with five replicate blocks. Percentage cover of the bryophytes was estimated visually using 15 randomly positioned quadrats (30 cm × 30 cm) within each of the 30 3 m × 3 m plots. Significant treatment effects were found but these were relatively modest. Total bryophyte cover and cover of Calliergonella cuspidata and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus responded negatively to drought, whereas Fissidens dubius increased in the droughted plots. Campyliadelphus chrysophyllus increased with winter warming, while R. squarrosus, Lophocolea bidentata and species richness all decreased. The effects on the total bryophyte flora were further studied by canonical correspondence analysis, which yielded a first axis reflecting the combined effects of the moisture and temperature treatments. However, this analysis and a detrended correspondence analysis of the plot data also revealed that natural factors were more important causes of variation in the grassland community than the simulated climate treatments. It was concluded that dewfall may be an important source of moisture for grassland bryophytes and that this factor may have reduced the impact of the moisture treatments. The absence of some thermophilous species such as Homalothecium lutescens in the plots initially may also have reduced their scope for major vegetational change.     

Influences of Plant Species Composition,Fertilisation and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium perenne</Emphasis> Ingression on Soil Microbial Community Structure in Three Irish Grasslands

Semi-natural grassland soils are frequently fertilised for agricultural improvement. This practice often comes at a loss of the indigenous flora while fast-growing nitrogen-responsive species, such as Lolium perenne, take over. Since soil microbial communities depend on plant root exudates for carbon and nitrogen sources, this shift in vegetation is thought to influence soil microbial community structure. In this study, we investigated the influence of different plant species, fertilisation and L. perenne ingression on microbial communities in soils from three semi-natural Irish grasslands. Bacterial and fungal community compositions were determined by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis, and community changes were linked to environmental factors by multivariate statistical analysis. Soil type had a strong effect on bacterial and fungal communities, mainly correlated to soil pH, as well as soil carbon and nitrogen status. Within each soil type, plant species composition was the main influencing factor followed by nitrogen fertilisation and finally Lolium ingression in the acidic upland and mesotrophic grassland. In the alkaline grassland, however, Lolium ingression had a stronger effect than fertilisation. Our results suggest that a change in plant species diversity strongly influences the microbial community structure, which may subsequently lead to significant changes in ecosystem functioning.     

Carbon flow in an upland grassland: effect of liming on the flux of recently photosynthesized carbon to rhizosphere soil

The effect of liming on the flow of recently photosynthesized carbon to rhizosphere soil was studied using ¹³CO₂ pulse labelling, in an upland grassland ecosystem in Scotland. The use of ¹³C enabled detection, in the field, of the effect of a 4‐year liming period of selected soil plots on C allocation from plant biomass to soil, in comparison with unlimed plots. Photosynthetic rates and carbon turnover were higher in plants grown in limed soils than in those from unlimed plots. Higher δ¹³C‰ values were detected in shoots from limed plants than in those from unlimed plants in samples clipped within 15 days of the end of pulse labelling. Analysis of the aboveground plant production corresponding to the 4‐year period of liming indicated that the standing biomass was higher in plots that received lime. Lower δ¹³C‰ values in limed roots compared with unlimed roots were found, whereas no significant difference was detected between soil samples. Extrapolation of our results indicated that more C has been lost through the soil than has been gained via photosynthetic assimilation because of pasture liming in Scotland during the period 1990–1998. However, the uncertainty associated with such extrapolation based on this single study is high and these estimates are provided only to set our findings in the broader context of national soil carbon emissions.     

Frequency and Extent of Water Limitation to Primary Production in a Mesic Temperate Grassland

The frequency and extent of water limitation to aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in a mesic grassland in NE Kansas (Konza Prairie, USA) was assessed with an 8-year irrigation experiment. Since 1991, transects spanning upland and lowland sites in annually burned, ungrazed tallgrass prairie were provided with supplemental water to satisfy evapotranspirational demands. This protocol minimized water limitations during the growing season, as well as interannual variability in water stress. Irrigation of this mesic grassland increased ANPP in 6 of 8 years by an average of 26% when compared to control transects. Although interannual variation in ANPP was greater in uplands than lowlands at nominal levels of precipitation, reducing interannual variability in water availability via irrigation eliminated topographic differences; the irrigation protocol also reduced interannual variability in ANPP by as much as 40%. The addition of supplemental water enabled us to extend the relationship between annual precipitation and ANPP in grasslands to precipitation levels (average, 1153 mm; maximum, 1346 mm) similar to those experienced by more mesic grasslands that today exist only as remnants several hundred kilometers east of Kansas. This relationship was linear (r ²= 0.81), with maximum ANPP (738 g/m²) similar to values reported for sites in Illinois and Wisconsin. After 8 years of irrigation, production of the C₃ forb component was twice that in control sites. These results indicate that water limitations in grasslands at the western edge of the presettlement extent of tallgrass prairie affect ANPP in most years and that this high frequency of water limitation may lead to greater dominance of the C₄ grasses than is seen in more eastern grassland sites. Received 18 January 2000; accepted 19 July 2000.     

Phenology of the dioecious shrub Baccharis halimifolia along a salinity gradient: Consequences for the invasion of Atlantic subhalophilous communities

Atlantic subhalophilous communities are habitats of high conservation value that are seriously threatened by plant invasions. The dioecious alien shrub Baccharis halimifolia L. (Asteraceae) is among the most aggressive invaders in estuarine communities in Europe, especially in sea rush communities of Juncus maritimus. We investigated the growth and flowering phenology of B. halimifolia through fine-scale environmental gradients, and we assessed the intersexual differentiated responses. We monitored 120 individuals of B. halimifolia growing in rush communities differing in salinity and waterlogging through one growing season in Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Ground water salinity and water table level were also recorded. Overall, B. halimifolia shoot growth occurred from May to December and flowering in late August, but males flowered earlier than females. However, we found high intrapopulation and intersexual variation in the phenology of B. halimifolia, related to fine-scale variations in edaphic conditions. Growth rate and leaf production were lower in high-salinity rush communities. Females and males showed different phenological responses to environmental conditions. Females appeared to be more sensitive to salinity than males, but males experienced higher levels of attack by natural enemies. The implications for the invasiveness and management of sea rush communities are discussed.     

Cattle grazing in CRP grasslands during the nesting season: effects on avian reproduction

Bird populations in grasslands have experienced declines coinciding with loss and fragmentation of prairies. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-administered Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the most extensive grassland restoration program in North America and it has especially benefitted grassland birds. Grazing by domestic cattle has been restricted in CRP during avian nesting seasons despite the potential improvements in structuring habitat for a greater diversity of grassland bird species. Potential negative consequences of grazing in CRP grasslands include trampling of nests by cattle, reductions in nest concealment from predators, and attraction of brood-parasitic brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). We designed an experiment to test for effects of cattle grazing in CRP fields during the nesting season on nest survival and brood parasitism of 5 bird species that commonly nest in CRP grasslands: mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), dickcissel (Spiza americana), and eastern (Sturnella magna) and western (S. neglecta) meadowlarks. Grazing was implemented during summers 2017 and 2018 on 17 of 36 fields followed by a year of rest on all fields in 2019. Of the 879 nests on grazed fields, only 4 were likely trampled by cattle (vs. 54% of all nests estimated as failing because of depredation). Experimental grazing (grazed vs. ungrazed fields) had variable effects on nest survival and cowbird parasitism among the bird species analyzed. Negative effects of grazing on daily nest survival of dickcissel and meadowlarks were apparent, at least in some years. We found no direct effects of grazing on nest survival of mourning dove or grasshopper sparrow. Probability and intensity (cowbird offspring/nest) of cowbird parasitism in dickcissel nests was higher on grazed versus ungrazed sites but only in conservation practice (CP) CP2 (vs. CP25 fields). Parasitism probability of grasshopper sparrow nests by cowbirds was higher on grazed fields in the 2 years after introduction of cattle in 2017. Greater vegetative concealment around nest sites was associated with reduced cowbird parasitism of meadowlark and grasshopper sparrow nests and higher nest survival for grasshopper sparrows. Reductions in vegetative height caused by longer-term or high-intensity grazing might therefore have negative consequences for some grassland birds by increasing nest site visibility and exposure to cowbird parasitism. Our results indicate that cattle grazing in CRP fields during the nesting season might have some negative effects on reproductive success of some grassland bird species, at least in the short term; however, the potential improvements of structuring habitat to accommodate more grassland bird species and increasing landowner participation in the CRP are considerable.     

Broad-scale analysis of soil microbial community DNA from Upland grasslands

We have applied a broad-scale approach to the analysis of DNA extracted from soils which support characteristic grasslands at an upland site in the UK. To test for the degree of coherence between microbial and vascular communities, grasslands were characterised as improved, semi-improved, or unimproved, according to the degree of management they had received and consequent botanical composition. Microbial DNA was extracted directly from the grassland soils and analysed by three techniques: (i) thermal denaturation, which profiles the guanine and cytosine (G÷C) base distribution within the community; (ii) cross hybridisation of the DNA which measures the degree of similarity between the samples; (iii) measurement of reassociation kinetics of denatured DNA, which provides a measure of the complexity of the DNA. Thermal denaturation revealed significant differences in the %G+C composition of the communities. DNA from the improved soil had the highest median %G+C value, whilst that from the unimproved soil had the lowest. The relative distribution of G+C bases also differed significantly between the samples from the three grasslands. Cross hybridisation of DNA from the different soils also indicated significant differences in the degree of similarity between the DNA from the grasslands, with unimproved showing 59% similarity to improved. Indices from the cross hybridisation assay suggested that, in terms of complexity, the samples ranked unimproved > semi-improved > improved. Reassociation kinetics supported this conclusion, but the rates of reassociation were such that less than 40% reassociation occurred over a 31-day period, thus preventing calculation of C _o t_1/2.     

Biomass carbon stocks and their changes in northern China’s grasslands during 1982–2006

Grassland covers approximately one-third of the area of China and plays an important role in the global terrestrial carbon (C) cycle. However, little is known about biomass C stocks and dynamics in these grasslands. During 2001–2005, we conducted five consecutive field sampling campaigns to investigate above-and below-ground biomass for northern China’s grasslands. Using measurements obtained from 341 sampling sites, together with a NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) time series dataset over 1982–2006, we examined changes in biomass C stock during the past 25 years. Our results showed that biomass C stock in northern China’s grasslands was estimated at 557.5 Tg C (1 Tg=10¹² g), with a mean density of 39.5 g C m⁻² for above-ground biomass and 244.6 g C m⁻² for below-ground biomass. An increasing rate of 0.2 Tg C yr⁻¹ has been observed over the past 25 years, but grassland biomass has not experienced a significant change since the late 1980s. Seasonal rainfall (January–July) was the dominant factor driving temporal dynamics in biomass C stock; however, the responses of grassland biomass to climate variables differed among various grassland types. Biomass in arid grasslands (i.e., desert steppe and typical steppe) was significantly associated with precipitation, while biomass in humid grasslands (i.e., alpine meadow) was positively correlated with mean January-July temperatures. These results suggest that different grassland ecosystems in China may show diverse responses to future climate changes.     

Plant–pollinator networks in semi‐natural grasslands are resistant to the loss of pollinators during blooming of mass‐flowering crops

Mass‐flowering crops lead to spatial redistributions of pollinators and to transient shortages within nearby semi‐natural grasslands, but the impacts on plant–pollinator interactions remain largely unexplored. Here, we characterised which pollinator species are attracted by oilseed rape and how this affected the structure of plant–pollinator networks in nearby grasslands. We surveyed 177 networks from three countries (Germany, Sweden and United Kingdom) in 24 landscapes with high crop cover, and compared them to 24 landscapes with low or no oilseed rape during and after crop blooming. On average 55% of grassland pollinator species were found on the crop, which attracted 8–35% of individuals away from grasslands. However, networks in the grasslands were resistant to these reductions, since mainly abundant and highly mobile species were attracted. Nonetheless, simulations indicated that network structural changes could be triggered if > 50% of individuals were attracted to the crop (a value well‐above that found in our study system), which could affect community stability and resilience to further disturbance.     

Cattle grazing in CRP grasslands during the nesting season: effects on avian abundance and diversity

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a primary tool for restoring grassland in the United States, in part as wildlife habitat, which has benefited declining grassland bird populations. Among potential mid-contract management practices used to maintain early-successional CRP grasslands, cattle grazing had been prohibited and is currently disincentivized during the primary nesting season for birds (much of the growing season), despite the important role that large herbivores historically played in structuring grassland ecosystems. Conservative grazing of CRP grasslands could increase spatial heterogeneity in vegetation structure and plant diversity, potentially supporting higher densities of some grassland bird species and higher bird diversity. Our objective was to determine the effect of experimental cattle grazing on species-specific relative abundance and occupancy, species diversity, and community dissimilarity of grassland birds on CRP grasslands across the longitudinal extent of Kansas, USA (a 63.5-cm precipitation gradient) during the 2017–2019 avian breeding seasons. Fifty-three of 108 fields were grazed by cattle during the growing seasons of 2017 and 2018 and all fields were rested from grazing in 2019. For all analyses, we examined separate model sets for semiarid western versus more mesic eastern Kansas. Using data from line transect surveys, we modeled relative abundances of 5 songbird species: grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), dickcissel (Spiza americana), eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), and brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). Grazing had delayed yet positive effects on abundances of grasshopper sparrow in western Kansas, and eastern meadowlark in eastern Kansas, but negative effects on dickcissel abundance in western Kansas and especially on burned fields in eastern Kansas. Somewhat counterintuitively, brown-headed cowbirds in western Kansas were more abundant on ungrazed versus grazed fields in the years after grazing began. In addition, we modeled multi-season occupancy of 3 gamebird species (ring-necked pheasant [Phasianus colcicus], northern bobwhite [Colinus virginianus], mourning dove [Zenaida macroura]) and Henslow's sparrow (Centronyx henslowii); grazing did not affect occupancy of these species. In eastern Kansas, species diversity was highest in grazed, unburned fields. In western Kansas, bird communities in grazed and ungrazed fields were dissimilar, as determined from multivariate analysis. Though regionally variable, conservative stocking of cattle on CRP grasslands during the nesting season as a mid-contract management tool might increase bird species diversity by restructuring habitat that accommodates a greater variety of species and decreasing abundances of species associated with taller, denser stands of vegetation.     

Substrate controls growth rates of the woody pioneer Leptospermum lanigerum colonizing montane grasslands in northern Tasmania

Woody encroachment into grasslands is occurring across the world and is of concern to land managers. Studies of forest–grassland boundaries have informed models describing factors that govern tree establishment and the maintenance and origin of grassland ecosystems. Central to these models is the role of fire relative to ‘bottom up’ resources such as soil and the geological substrate in determining the extent of grassland and forest in the landscape. The view that human lit fires have shaped vegetation across the Australian continent has been bolstered by early 19th century observations of Aboriginal‐set fires in Tasmanian montane grasslands and the documented encroachment of trees into these grasslands in the 20th century. We examined the pattern of lateral encroachment of woolly tea‐tree (Leptospermum lanigerum (Sol. ex Aiton) Sm.) into these grasslands and used tree ring chronologies to investigate (i) past fire activity and (ii) how the geological substrate mediates growth rates of L. lanigerum. Changes in fire regimes inferred from L. lanigerum recruitment were corroborated by historical records. Encroachment (and increases in woody cover) of trees into grasslands was highest on granitic substances, although L. lanigerum growth rates were highest on basalt substrates, followed by conglomerate, granite and Mathinna sediments. Frequent burning up to the 1980s may have stymied the encroachment of trees in grasslands underlain by basalt. Growth rates decreased with increasing distance from the forest edge. This may be due to incremental changes in soil resources, grass competition and/or microclimate. The dynamics between grasslands and forests in montane Tasmania are consistent with tree growth–fire interaction models that highlight the interplay of edaphic factors, growth rates and fire history. Such complexity cautions against generalizations concerning the direct effects of landscape fire in shaping vegetation distribution across Australia.