Diversity and community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi in a wooded meadow

Wooded meadows are seminatural plant communities that support high diversity of various taxa. Due to changes in land use, wooded meadows have severely declined during the last century. The dominant trees in wooded meadows acquire mineral nutrients via ectomycorrhizal fungi. Using anatomotyping and sequencing of root tips, interpolation and extrapolation methods, we studied the diversity and community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi in two soil horizons of both managed and forested parts of a wooded meadow in Estonia. Species of Thelephoraceae, Sebacinaceae and the genus Inocybe dominated the whole ectomycorrhizal fungal community of 172 observed species. Forested and managed parts of the wooded meadow harboured different communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi, whereas soil horizon had a negligible effect on the fungal community composition. Diverse soil conditions and host trees likely support the high richness of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the wooded meadow ecosystem. Direct sequencing integrated with interpolation and extrapolation methods are promising to identify the fungi at the species level and to compare species richness between communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi.     

青藏高原区退化高寒草甸植被和土壤特征

高寒草甸约占青藏高原草地的46.7%,是我国草地生态系统重要的组成部分。近年来,在气候变化和人为活动的影响下,高寒草甸生态系统退化严重,植被和土壤均呈现出不同的退化趋势。在大空间尺度上表现为草地覆盖度下降,杂草类植被增加,土壤退化甚至沙化;在微观尺度上,退化高寒草甸的土壤粒径、土壤微生物和土壤酶也发生改变。本研究从高寒草甸物种多样性、植物群落结构、植被生物量、土壤物理性质、土壤微生物、土壤酶和土壤养分等方面,分析了高寒草甸生态系统退化过程中植被和土壤的变化特征,提出当前研究中存在的一些不确定性和有待深入研究的问题,为全面了解高寒草甸的退化机制和规律、有效干预高寒草甸生态系统和恢复生态功能提供科学依据。     

Domestic pig uprooting emerges as an undesirable disturbance on vegetation and soil properties in a plateau wetland ecosystem

Pig disturbances are recognized as key factors influencing the structure of ecosystems. Cage-free domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica) searching for food by uprooting vegetation is emerging as a threat to wetlands located in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. As a unique and fragile ecosystem, the ecological impacts of pig uprooting (PR) here remain unclear. Here, we examined vegetation and soil properties under PR in the meadows of a plateau wetland, Napahai. Quadrat surveys and sampling were taken during the late growing season (September) of 2014 at three sites: one was seasonally flooded (wet meadow) and the other two were unflooded (dry meadows). Compared to controls (pig-undisturbed patches), plant biomass and density decreased (p < 0.001), while soil bulk density increased (p < 0.05) for all sites under PR. In addition, divergent responses to pig disturbances were observed in different sites. In the wet meadow, PR caused a shift in vegetation from Blysmus sinocompyessus, a dominant perennial herb towards the annual hydrophyte Polygonum hydropiper. In the two dry meadows, the dominant species remained unchanged, but nutrients stored in soils were severely reduced by PR, accelerating the soil impoverishment when compared to the wet meadow. Overall, PR impacts on local ecosystems are largely dependent on the moisture characteristics of micro-habitats, and proper management should be taken to counteract ecosystem degradation, especially in dry meadows.     

Steeplebushes conquer the countryside: influence of invasive plant species on spider communities (Araneae) in former wet meadows

Central European wet meadows are diminished by abandonment of cultivation measures, drainage, pollution, intensive agriculture and climate change during the last decades. In addition, original wet meadow communities can be threatened by immigrating neophytes. Typical invasive species in wet meadows are the steeplebushes Spiraea tomentosa and Spiraea douglasii, but their impact on the indigenous arthropod fauna is unknown. The present study therefore investigates Spiraea-induced changes in ground- and herb dwelling spiders in Spiraea sites, uncultivated meadows with interspersed Spiraea sp. and mowed meadows without Spiraea sp. using pitfall traps and sweep netting. Light intensity, vegetation height and coverage differed significantly between the Spiraea sites and the mowed meadows. In consequence, the activity density of ground-dwelling spiders was much lower in the Spiraea sites and their habitat preferences differed significantly from the two meadow types. Species preferring forests and forest edges were more abundant in invaded sites whereas specimens preferring open habitats decreased. Although the vegetation height and coverage of mowed meadows and cultivated meadows did not differ remarkably, uncultivated meadows contained less spiders of open dry habitats whereas forest species increased. In contrast, differences between herb dwelling spider assemblages of the three habitat types were not significant. Based on the results of the project, the risk of steeple bush invasion and management methods of wet meadows are discussed.     

Seed bank diversity in mesic grasslands in relation to vegetation type,management and site conditions

Questions: 1. Do different management types (i.e. hay meadow, silage meadow, meadow‐pasture, pasture) have different impact on the size and composition of the seed bank of mesic grassland (Arrhenatheretalia)? 2. How strong is the effect of management on the seed bank in relation to above‐ground vegetation, edaphic factors and land‐use history? 3. Are there differences in C‐S‐R plant strategy types and seed longevity under different management regimes? Location: Lahn‐Dill Highlands in central‐western Germany. Methods: Above‐ground vegetation and the soil seed bank of 63 plots (at 21 sites) in mesic grasslands were studied. Differences between management types in quantitative seed bank traits and functional characteristics were tested by ANOVA. The impact of management, above‐ground vegetation, site conditions and land‐use history on seed bank composition were analysed by partial CCA. Results: Management had no significant impact on species richness and density of the seed bank but significantly influenced their floristic composition and functional characteristics. CCA revealed that even after adjustment for soil chemical parameters and above‐ground vegetation management still had significant impact on seed bank composition. ANOVA revealed that silage meadows contained higher proportions of R‐strategy compared to hay meadows. In contrast, in hay meadows and meadow‐pastures proportions of S‐strategy were higher than in silage meadows. Conclusions: The type of grassland management has little impact on quantitative seed bank traits. Management types with a high degree of disturbance lead to an increase of species following a ruderal strategy in the seed bank. Irrespective of management type only a limited proportion of characteristic grassland species is likely to re‐establish from the seed bank after disappearance from above‐ground vegetation.     

Plant community response to nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment varies across an alpine tundra moisture gradient

Background: The extent to which nutrient availability influences plant community composition and dynamics has been a focus of ecological enquiry for decades.

Aims: Results from a long-term nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition experiment in alpine tundra were used to evaluate the importance of the two nutrients in structuring plant communities in three communities that differed in their snow cover amounts and duration and soil moisture characteristics.

Methods: A factorial N and P experiment was established in three meadows differing in initial vegetation composition and soil moisture. Plant and soil characteristics were measured after 20 years, and the dissimilarity among meadows and treatments were measured using permutational analysis of variance.

Results: Plant species richness declined uniformly across the three meadow types and in response to N and N + P additions, while both evenness and the Shannon diversity index finding indicated that nutrient additions had the highest impact on moister habitats. Overall, N impacts overshadowed changes attributed to P additions, and the N and N + P plots in wet meadow sites were the least diverse and scored the lowest dissimilarity averages among treatments. Dissimilarity estimates indicated that the control and P plots in the dry meadow community were more distinct in composition than all other plots, and especially those in the moist or wet meadows. Above-ground biomass of grasses and sedges (graminoids) increased with N additions while forbs appeared to show responses dictated in part by the graminoid responses. The most abundant grass species of moist and wet meadow, Deschampsia cespitosa, dominated N and N + P plots of the wet sites, but did not show a N response in moist areas in spite of its general abundance in moist meadow. Competition from other plant species in the moist areas likely diminished the D. cespitosa response and contributed to the resilience of the community to nutrient enrichment.

Conclusions: Initial community composition, as influenced by the specific moisture regime, appears to control the extent to which changes in nutrient resources can alter plant community structure. Long-term fertilization tends to support most but not all findings obtained from shorter-termed efforts, and wet meadows exhibit the largest changes in plant species numbers and composition when chronically enriched with N.     

The impact of site conditions and seed dispersal on restoration success in alluvial meadows

Abstract. We studied the restoration success of flood plain meadows in the northern Upper Rhine valley, where between 1988 and 1992, 35 ha of arable land was converted into grassland and subsequently managed for nature conservation. Remnant populations of typical alluvial meadow species were found in old meadows and along drainage ditches that dissect the whole area. We analysed the site conditions and phytosociological relevés in old and new meadows. Small differences in site parameters between old and new meadows contrasted with a clear floristic differentiation between the two meadow types. The vegetation of old meadows was much more differentiated along prevailing environmental gradients than the vegetation of new meadows. Despite the favourable site conditions for the re‐establishment of species‐rich meadows on the former arable land, restoration success was limited to the vicinity of remnant stands. In contrast to old meadows, indicator species of new grassland were still typical species of regularly disturbed ruderal and arable habitats, often capable of building up a persistent seed bank. The precise mapping of 23 target species revealed that even wind dispersal predominantly leads to re‐establishment in the close circumference of parent plants. We found no indication that regular flooding, hay‐making and autumnal grazing had an impact on recolonization of newly created grassland. Even under favourable conditions for the re‐establishment of target species, restoration success in alluvial meadows proved to be strongly dispersal limited. We discuss the implications of our findings for future restoration management in grasslands.     

Dynamics of species-rich upland hay meadows over 15 years and their relation with agricultural management practices

Questions: Has the species-rich vegetation of upland hay meadows been maintained under low intensity management imposed by an agri-environment scheme? Is the target plant community re-establishing where it has been modified previously by intensive agricultural practices? What combinations of management practices and soil properties are associated with changes towards or away from the target community? Location: The Pennines, northern England, UK. Methods: A survey of 116 hay meadows in 1987 was repeated in 2002 by recording plant species in permanent quadrats. Changes in community variables (species richness, Ellenberg values, upland hay meadow community coefficients) were analysed in species-rich, modified species-rich and degraded grassland types. Redundancy Analysis and Generalised Linear Models were used to show the relationship between management practices and soil properties and change in species composition and community variables. Results: Few sites contained the species-rich grassland type, and here forb richness declined. In the modified species-rich type, total and grass species richness increased but Ellenberg N-values also increased. Total and grass species richness increased in the degraded type and the community coefficient increased. Management was weakly related to change in species composition but showed clear relationships with the community variables. Re-establishment of the target species-rich community was more likely with late cutting, in the absence of cattle or prolonged spring grazing, and at lower soil nutrient status. Conclusion: The species-rich community was not maintained but some reversion occurred in degraded grassland. Inorganic fertiliser application and intensive spring grazing should be avoided and cutting delayed until late July.     

Restoration of species‐rich flood‐plain meadows from abandoned arable fields in NE France

Abstract. Attempts to restore species‐rich flood‐plain meadows from abandoned arable fields in the valley of the river Meuse, NE France, were studied. The study area was sown with a commercial seed mixture, composed of Phleumpratense, Festuca pratensis, Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens. The above‐ground vegetation in the study area 1, 2 and 3 yr after restoration was compared to (1) the vegetation present during the previous 5‐yr fallow stage and (2) target flood‐plain meadows. Before restoration, the above‐ground fallow vegetation was dominated by ruderal and annual species, while only very few meadow species were present. Sowing led to tall, dense vegetation, mainly dominated by the sown species. Ruderal and annual species had decreased 3 yr after restoration, but target species were still poorly represented. Species richness was significantly lower in the sown site than in the semi‐natural target meadows and the vegetation had a different composition. Analysis of the soil seed bank of the restored meadow showed that only a few meadow species were present and that it was dominated by a few ruderal species. Three years after sowing, the vegetation of our experimental site is moving slowly towards the target communities but impoverished seed sources seem to limit the success of this restoration operation and will lead to under‐saturated communities.     

Restoration of wooded meadows ‐ a comparative analysis along a chronosequence on Öland (Sweden)

Abstract. Wooded meadows on the Baltic Island of Öland result from traditional agricultural management over centuries which has led to a species‐rich vegetation with high species diversity. Today, nearly all of these meadows have been abandoned and became rapidly overgrown by deciduous shrub and tree species forming a closed canopy which resulted in a rapid and strong decrease in species numbers of the herb layer. Recent efforts aim to restore overgrown wooded meadows by cutting single shrubs and trees to open the canopy. However, the effects of abandonment as well as of any restoration management in wooded meadows have rarely been documented until now. Mechanisms driving succession after restoration such as the dispersal potential of the respective species over time and space have not been analysed yet. Therefore, a chronosequence was studied which included a traditionally managed wooded meadow, an overgrown meadow which has been abandoned for more than 100 yr and a meadow which was restored 36 yr ago by cutting and is now grazed. We analysed the soil seed bank of the 3 meadows in comparison with the established vegetation and endozoochorous seed dispersal by cattle and sheep. After abandonment 87% of the typical grassland species vanished from the established vegetation and were replaced by species characteristic of woodland and disturbed grassland communities. The mean number of species decreased from 52 species per plot (4 m²) to 18 species. Mean species number and number of seeds in the seed bank declined significantly from the traditionally managed to the overgrown meadow. Most of the grassland species were assigned to a transient seed bank type while only 1/3 could be classified as having a short‐term persistent seed bank. Thus, restoration of wooded meadows cannot rely on the soil seed bank. Endozoochorous seed dispersal by cattle and sheep was shown for 15% of the species with seed densities per 100 g air dried dung of 737 and 767, respectively. Movement of animals between ancient and restored wooded meadows is recommended since many of the species only occurred in low densities and therefore, will probably not be found in the dung samples.     

高寒草毡层基本属性与固碳能力沿水分和海拔梯度的变化

高寒草毡层是高原寒区自然植被下形成的松软而坚韧且耐搬运的表土层,认识其生态功能是促进草牧业生产休养保护和工程施工主动利用的前提。通过对青藏高原东部若尔盖高原植被的广泛调查,在布设沼泽、退化沼泽、沼泽化草甸、湿草甸、干草甸和退化草甸水分梯度群落样地,以及亚高山草甸、亚高山灌丛草甸、高山灌丛草甸和高山草甸海拔梯度群落样地的基础上,通过对不同类型群落样地草毡层容重、土壤颗粒组成和土壤有机碳(SOC)含量的测定分析,比较了水分和海拔梯度下草毡层固碳能力。结果表明,草毡层厚度平均为30cm,沼泽湿地草毡层容重最小,SOC含量在300g/kg以上;退化草甸容重最高,SOC含量显著下降。不同群落草毡层SOC密度在10—24kg C/m~2之间,随着土壤水分有效性的降低而降低;高山灌丛草甸草毡层SOC密度比草甸高15%。研究得出,保持草毡层稳定的质量含水量阈值为30%,SOC含量阈值为30g/kg;高寒植被草毡层在沼泽到草甸的退化演替中,容重、紧实度变大,有机碳含量减少,碳密度和碳储量下降;灌丛草甸的固碳能力大于草甸,但灌丛草甸的生产功能降低;保持可持续发展的草地生产能力,维护固碳生态功能,需要防止草毡层退化,抑制草甸向灌丛草甸演替。     

三江源区高寒草甸退化对土壤水源涵养功能的影响

三江源区是我国重要的水源涵养区,研究草地退化对土壤水源涵养功能的影响,可为三江源区水源涵养功能的科学评估与合理监测提供科学依据。以实地采样与室内测试分析相结合的方法研究了三江源区内不同土壤类型高寒草甸生物量特征、土壤水文物理性质及土壤水源涵养量。结果表明:高寒草甸在重度退化阶段地上生物量、地下生物量、毛管孔隙度、总孔隙度、自然含水量、最大持水量、土壤水源涵养量显著低于未退化和中度退化阶段(P<0.05)。随着高寒草甸退化程度加剧,土壤容重逐渐增大,且非毛管孔隙度规律不显著。未退化、中度退化、重度退化草甸的土壤水源涵养量范围分别为1884.32—1897.44t/hm2、1360.04—1707.79t/hm2、1082.38—1550.10t/hm2。中度退化草甸土壤水源涵养量比未退化草甸低9.37%—10.35%,重度退化草甸低18.31%—27.82%。草甸退化进程中土壤总孔隙度与毛管孔隙度的降低是影响土壤水源涵养量下降的直接原因,而草甸退化进程中地上生物量与地下生物量的减少则是间接原因。度量三江源区高寒草甸土壤水源涵养功能时应着重考虑毛管孔隙度的蓄水作用。研究表明高寒草甸地上生物量与土壤水源涵养量之间存在显著的正相关关系(P<0.05),该结果能够推动水源涵养功能评估向空间化、精细化发展,为探索利用遥感技术监测三江源区水源涵养功能提供参考依据。     

Linking Above- and Belowground Responses to 16 Years of Fertilization,Mowing, and Removal of the Dominant Species in a Temperate Grassland

Species-rich oligotrophic meadows are affected by a wide range of management interventions that influence their functioning and capacity to deliver ecosystem services, but long-term studies on the above- and belowground adaptations to different management tools are still scarce. We focused on the interactive effects of NPK fertilization, mowing, and removal of the initially dominant species (Molinia caerulea) on plant, soil, and microbial responses in wet oligotrophic grassland in a 16-year full-factorial manipulative experiment. Changes in vegetation composition, soil pH, and nutrient availability were accompanied by altered microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition, whereas treatment effects on soil microbial biomass and carbon (C) mineralization were mainly related to changes in soil organic matter (SOM) content and nutrient availability. Fertilization decreased plant species richness aboveground and lowered SOM storage and microbial activity belowground. Mowing preserved high plant diversity and led to more efficient recycling of N within the grassland, whereas Molinia removal significantly affected only plant community composition. Mowing combined with fertilization maintained high species richness only in the short term. Belowground, mowing reduced N leaching from the fertilized system but did not prevent SOM depletion, soil acidification, and concomitant adverse effects on soil microbes. We conclude that annual mowing is the appropriate type of extensive management for oligotrophic species-rich meadows, but the concomitant nutrient depletion should not be compensated for by regular NPK fertilization due to its adverse effects on soil quality.     

Effects of fertilization and afforestation on community structure of traditionally managed hay meadows in western Norway

The aims of this paper were to find the effects of artificial fertilizer, intensive cultivation and abandonment with afforestation on species composition of traditional meadows at a broad scale, and to describe the ecological variation of different meadow communities. The flora of 21 traditionally managed hay meadows was compared with that of 52 artificially fertilized hay meadows, 28 intensively cultivated grasslands and 29 afforested grasslands by means of classification. Predictors for differences in species composition were tested using multiple regression analyses with associated Monte Carlo permutation tests. Habitat diversity and Ellenberg N were the most important predictors for differences in species composition of traditional meadows. High habitat diversity was associated with maximum occurrences of all kinds of meadow species (high-productive, generalist, low-productive, habitat specialist, regionally rare, vulnerable and orchid species). These meadows are therefore of high conservation value. Traditional meadows contained also some nitrophilous species that dominate artificially fertilized meadows, but in small populations. Artificially fertilized meadows supported the generalist and productive subset of the species from traditional meadows. Thus, artificially fertilized meadows are of low conservation value. As regionally rare and vulnerable species were only recorded at sites with no use of artificial fertilizer, its application should be avoided whenever the aim is to recreate or maintain semi-natural grasslands of high conservation value. Regionally rare and vulnerable meadow species were not recorded in afforested sites, suggesting that afforestation of traditional meadows may have similar negative effects for the traditional meadow flora as the use of artificial fertilizer.     

Habitat loss of floodplain meadows in north Germany since the 1950s

Floodplain meadows are severely threatened by land use change and intensification in Central Europe. This study investigates quantitative and qualitative changes in the vegetation of wet and species-rich mesic meadows in the floodplains of north Germany since the 1950s, considering their spatial extent, fragmentation, and replacement by other land use types. Historical high-resolution vegetation maps were compared with recent vegetation surveys in seven study regions (six unprotected areas, one protected reference area) in former West and East Germany. The unprotected sites showed alarming losses in wet and species-rich mesic meadows in the past 50 years (>80%). Wet meadows were substituted by species-poor, intensively managed grasslands (26–60% of the former area), arable fields (0–47%) or set-asides (2–33%). Species-rich mesic meadows were transformed to arable fields (42–72%) or species-poor, intensively managed meadows (14–72%). Decreases in effective mesh size and patch size indicated increasing fragmentation of wet meadows, whilst changes in landscape structure were less consistent in mesic meadows. Only slight changes in the protected floodplain study area indicate that landscape change is mostly caused by local effects such as fertilisation and drainage, but not by general trends such as atmospheric N deposition or climate warming. Despite the contrasting political systems in West and East Germany with different agroeconomic frames, all unprotected study areas showed similar losses and increasing fragmentation of floodplain meadows, which may negatively influence the natural dynamics of, and the gene flow between, meadow plant populations. We conclude that floodplain meadows in north Germany urgently call for high-priority conservation measures.     

Vegetation dynamics related to sediment accumulation in Kushiro Mire, northeastern Japan

We investigated the relationship between vegetation changes and site condition in Kushiro Mire, northeastern Japan, where massive depositions of sediment from the watershed have been observed over the last several decades. These changes also included the changing area of floodplain forest. To determine the factors that induced the changing floodplain forest area and the effect of sediment accumulation on floodplain vegetation, we examined site conditions where vegetation had recently changed. We classified the pattern of vegetation change as new forest (formerly meadow), new meadow (formerly forest), stable forest (forest since 1967), and stable meadow (meadow since 1967) with the help of aerial photographs taken in 1967, 1977, and 2000. The survey results showed that the quadrats were divided into six vegetation types based on current vegetation composition. All new forests comprised alder (Alnus japonica) and were divided into two vegetation types. New meadows were also considered alder forest based on remnants of former forest and divided into two vegetation types. The site condition showed better correspondence to the pattern of vegetation change than the current vegetation composition, though it had a significant relationship with the latter. In new forests, high water table and a relatively high content of clay and silt characterized the site condition, whereas in new meadows, low water table and high sand content were the site characteristics. We discuss these site characteristics in the context of alder’s adaptability to site. It is suggested that coarse sediment probably along with intense flooding and fine sediment coupled with high water table contributed to the disappearance and establishment of alder forests, respectively.     

Habitat structure versus food abundance: the importance of sparse vegetation for the common redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

As many other birds breeding in agricultural areas, the common redstart declined strongly in many Central European countries over the last 60 years. The destruction of traditionally managed orchards, an important breeding habitat in Central Europe, is a relevant cause. An additional factor for the decline of this species could be the intensified management of the ground vegetation in orchards through reducing food availability and lowering prey detectability and accessibility. In this study we examined the importance of surfaces with sparse vegetation for the location of redstart territories and for foraging. To validate the results of these field studies we made habitat-choice experiments in aviaries with captive birds. Territories occupied by redstarts in orchards of northwestern Switzerland contained a significantly higher proportion of surfaces with sparse vegetation than unoccupied control sites. Redstarts made almost five times more hunting flights into experimentally established ruderal vegetation strips than into adjacent unmown meadows. No difference was observed when the meadow was freshly mown. Vegetation height and the proportion of open ground surface correctly predicted the vegetation type for hunting in 77% of the cases. Experiments in aviaries offering two types of sparse vegetation and a dense meadow supported the results of the field experiments. Even a four-fold increase of the food abundance in the meadow did not lead to a noticeable change in preference for the sparse vegetation types. For the conservation of the common redstart, not only traditionally managed orchards with tall trees with cavities should be preserved but also areas with sparse vegetation should be favored.     

Restoration of upland hay meadows over an 11‐year chronosequence: an evaluation of the success of green hay transfer

Grassland restoration has become a key tool in addressing the drastic losses of seminatural grassland since the mid‐twentieth century. This study examined the restoration by green hay transfer of upland hay meadows, a particularly scarce and vulnerable habitat, over an 11‐year chronosequence. The community composition of 18 restoration meadows was compared with that of donor reference sites in two study areas in the Pennine region of northern England. The study investigated: differences in community composition between donor and restoration meadows; transfer of upland hay meadow target species; and the effect of time and isolation from neighboring meadows on the community composition of the restoration meadows. Results showed that restoration meadows differed from donor meadows in that some target species were easily transferred whilst others were not found in the restoration meadows, or were at low levels of cover. Time had a significant effect on the community composition of the restoration meadows, but the similarity between restoration sites and donor sites did not increase with time, and the effect of isolation was not significant. The study showed that the green hay transfer method increases botanical diversity and is an important first step in meadow restoration. However, further restoration activity, such as seed addition, is likely to be required if restoration sites are to resemble closely the reference donor sites.     

Grazing buffers the effect of climate change on the species diversity of seedlings in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Climate change predominated by warming over the past decades has affected plant biodiversity, distribution, and ecosystem functioning in alpine grasslands. Yet, little is known about the interactive effect of climate change and grazing on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Here, we conducted a vegetation translocation experiment (ten soil‐vegetation blocks were translocated from high‐altitudinal site 3,245 m to low‐altitudinal site 3,045 m) combined with grazing treatment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that (a) translocation induced effect of climate change from harsh, high‐altitudinal site to benign, low‐altitudinal site significantly promoted species richness, and density of asexual and sexual seedling, with an increase in the proportion of asexual recruitment to sexual recruitment; (b) grazing decreased the proportion of asexual seedling to sexual recruitment within community, led to a shift in the dominant plant functional groups from graminoids and legumes to forbs; and (c) grazing partly offset the increased species richness of seedling, but not seedling density, induced by climate change. These findings suggest that moderate grazing may buffer the effect of climate change on the plant community composition, and thus, functional role in alpine meadows. Further understanding the influence of climate change on grassland ecosystems needs to consider the non‐additive effect of grazing and climate change to sustainability of grassland services.