青藏高原高寒灌丛植被对长期放牧强度试验的响应特征

在青藏高原中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位研究站对金露梅高寒灌丛草场植被开展了长期不同放牧强度试验,分别在短期(4年)、中期(11年)和长期(18年)放牧阶段研究不同放牧干扰强度对草地植物物种多样性、群落结构、地上生物量和草场质量的影响.研究表明,在不同放牧阶段,随着放牧强度增加植物群落的高度和盖度都降低.在中期放牧干扰阶段,物种多样性数和均匀度指数随着放牧强度增加呈现典型的单峰曲线模式;在长期放牧干扰阶段,随着放牧强度增加,占优势地位的灌木和禾草被典型杂类草替代,其中的重度放牧干扰简化了高寒灌丛植被群落结构,减少了地上现存生物量,特别是可食优良牧草生物量.植被对放牧的响应除了与放牧强度和放牧时间阶段密切相关外,还与该地区水热条件的变化有一定的相关性.针对长期放牧干扰的反应特性可将金露梅灌丛草场中植物划分为增加型、敏感型、忍耐型和无反应型4种类型.除了丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数外,其它一些特征参数并不支持著名的中度干扰假说.本研究发现,长期重度放牧促进了青藏高原高寒草地退化,适度放牧有利于高寒灌丛草场的生物多样性保护和牧草利用;"取半留半"的放牧原则在青藏高原草场放牧管理实践中值得推荐,它将有利于防止草场退化,提高牧草利用率和维持较高的生物多样性.     

放牧强度和地形对内蒙古典型草原物种多度分布的影响

为了更好地理解放牧对草原生态系统物种多度分布格局的影响, 以及常见种和稀有种对维持群落多样性的作用, 以内蒙古典型草原为研究对象, 基于长期放牧控制实验平台(包括7个载畜率水平(0、1.5、3.0、4.5、6.0、7.5、9.0 sheep·hm^-2)和两种地形系统(平地和坡地)), 研究了群落内全部物种、常见种和稀有种的丰富度和多度对放牧强度的响应规律, 并选取对数正态模型、对数级数模型和幂分割模型, 对物种多度数据进行拟合。结果表明: 1)平地系统中, 物种丰富度和多度在低放牧强度下(1.5、3.0 sheep·hm^-2)增加, 而在中、高度放牧强度下(4.5-9.0 sheep·hm^-2)降低, 全部物种的多度分布在大多数放牧强度下符合幂分割模型, 在高放牧强度下也符合对数正态模型; 坡地系统中, 物种丰富度和多度随着放牧强度增加而显著降低, 全部物种的多度分布在各个放牧强度下, 均符合幂分割模型和对数正态模型。2)随着放牧强度增加, 常见种的多度响应趋势与全部物种的响应趋势一致, 其多度分布均符合幂分割模型和对数正态模型; 稀有种的丰富度响应趋势与全部物种的响应趋势一致, 其多度分布符合幂分割模型, 同时也部分符合对数正态和对数级数模型。总之, 适宜的载畜率有利于生物多样性和初级生产力的提高, 平地系统中物种多度的响应在一定程度上支持放牧优化假说; 而坡地系统中不同物种多度的响应差异说明: 确定最佳载畜率时, 还需要考虑地形因素的影响。此外, 模型的拟合结果表明: 生态位分化机制对内蒙古典型草原物种多度分布起着主要作用, 常见种和稀有种通过不同的响应方式共同维持着草原生态系统的物种多样性。     

放牧干扰下高寒草甸物种和生活型丰富度与地上及地下生物量的关系

明晰放牧干扰下高寒草甸植物丰富度与生物量的相关关系,为草地植物不同生长时期生物量的预测提供依据。设置6个放牧强度样地,连续3a放牧,2014年进行3个季节(6月、8月、10月)的植物丰富度和地上、地下生物量调查,对比分析放牧干扰下物种和生活型丰富度(生活型的种类)分别与地上、地下生物量的相关关系。结果表明:(1)物种和生活型丰富度与地上生物量均受放牧强度的显著影响,物种丰富度仅在8月与放牧强度显著负相关,生活型丰富度在10月随放牧强度单峰变化,地上生物量在不同季节均与放牧强度显著负相关,而地下生物量与放牧强度无关。(2)物种丰富度与地上和地下生物量均受季节的显著影响,物种丰富度和地上生物量仅在低强度放牧区随季节呈单峰变化,地下生物量在中等强度放牧区随季节呈单峰变化;生活型丰富度与季节无关。(3)放牧干扰前物种和生活型丰富度与地上和地下生物量均显著正相关。3a放牧后仅在8月,物种丰富度只与地上生物量显著正相关,生活型丰富度与地上和地下生物量均显著正相关。(4)对于不同放牧强度,物种丰富度仅在低强度放牧区与地上生物量显著正相关,而生活型丰富度在所有放牧强度区均与地上生物量显著正相关。综上所述,放牧干扰扰乱了高寒草甸丰富度与生物量之间的关系,尤其影响了物种丰富度与地下生物量之间的相关关系。生活型丰富度与地上生物量之间的显著关系不受放牧强度干扰,使生活型丰富度在预测生物量方面表现出优势。     

Effects of grazing and precipitation variability on vegetation dynamics in a Mongolian dry steppe

Aims Grazing and water availability are the primary drivers of vegetation dynamics in grazing-dominated regions of Mongolia with a semi-arid climate and frequent droughts. Nomadic animal husbandry still plays a large part in the economy of Mongolia, but more variable precipitation regime and increase in livestock number have severely affected grassland ecosystems through overgrazing, leading to pasture degradation. This study aimed to examine the effects of grazing exclusion, interannual variation of plant-available precipitation (PAP) and their interaction on the aboveground biomass (AGB) of each dominant species, the AGB of annual species and the total AGB in a Mongolian dry steppe, using long-term field data.Methods To detect the effect of grazing on vegetation dynamics, vegetation surveys were conducted in a non-grazed exclosure zone and a fully grazed area outside the exclosure. We assessed the effects of grazing, PAP and their interaction on AGB parameters using a generalized linear model. A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) was used to visualize the effects of grazing and PAP on the AGB of each species.Important findings Grazing, PAP and their interaction had significant effects on AGB. The effect of grazing on AGB was larger with higher precipitation and higher amounts of AGB (i.e. forage) while AGB was strongly limited in drought years, which resulted in a smaller grazing effect. The current year PAP had the highest impact (r = 0.88, P < 0.01) on AGB. The dominance of annual species was characterized by the amount of PAP in the current and preceding years: annuals dominated in wet years that followed consecutive dry years. The DCA Axis 1 reflected the variation of AGB with interannual variation of PAP while the DCA Axis 2 differentiated the grazing effect. The DCA scatter diagram based on species score illustrated that Artemisia adamsii (an unpalatable herb) was clearly linked to grazing disturbance whereas palatable perennials such as Agropyron cristatum, Stipa krylovii and Cleistogenes squarrosa were related to grazing abandonment and wetter conditions. In brief, number of livestock, hence the grazing impacts on vegetation dynamic in this region could have driven by forage availability, which is mainly controlled by current-year PAP.     

Effects of grazing intensity on pollinator abundance and diversity,and on pollination services

1. Pollinating insects provide important ecosystem services and are influenced by the intensity of grazing. Based on the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH), pollinator diversity is expected to peak at intermediate grazing intensities. However, this hump‐shaped relationship is rarely found. 2. The effect of grazing intensity was tested on flower cover, on the abundance and richness of bees, hoverflies and bee flies, and on pollination services to early‐flowering bee‐pollinated Asphodelus ramosus L. For that, we used data on 11 plant–pollinator phryganic communities from Lesvos Island (Greece) widely differing in grazing intensities. 3. Flower abundance and richness showed hump‐shaped relationships with grazing intensity. Grazing affected the abundance and richness of bees and hoverflies directly and also indirectly, through changes in the flower community. Grazing influenced directly the richness but not the abundance of bee flies. Overall, pollinator abundance and richness showed hump‐shaped relationships with grazing intensity, but variations in strength (hoverfly abundance) and direction (bee community) of the effect appeared along the season. Early in the season, grazing increased bee abundance but decreased richness, resulting in increased pollen limitation in A. ramosus. 4. The effects of grazing on pollinators vary with the intensity of the disturbance, generally supporting the IDH, and the timing of land‐use activities may influence pollination services. Management strategies should include moderate grazing levels to preserve overall diversity in this area, however, the conservation of particular early bee or bee‐pollinated species may benefit from reduced grazing in early spring.     

The effect of horse, cattle and sheep grazing on the diversity and abundance of land snails in nutrient-poor calcareous grasslands

Livestock grazing is a common management practise in semi-natural grasslands in Central Europe. Different types of livestock (horses, cattle, sheep) and grazing intensity are known to affect the richness and composition of plant species. However, knowledge of grazing-dependent effects on invertebrates is limited. We examined the influence of horse, cattle and sheep grazing on the richness, abundance and composition of land snail species in 21 calcareous nutrient-poor grassland areas in the northwestern Jura Mountains, Switzerland. Grazing by different livestock species did not affect the species richness, abundance and species composition of land snails. Furthermore, the number of open-land species and the ratio of large- to small-sized snail species or individuals did not differ among the three pasture types. However, independent of livestock species, grazing intensity negatively influenced the snail fauna. Snail species richness, abundance and number of Red list species decreased with increasing grazing intensity. Grazing intensity also affected the occurrence of individual snail species (Truncatellina cylindrica, Cecilioides acicula, Candidula unifasciata and Trichia plebeia). To preserve the snail fauna in nutrient-poor grasslands, pastures can be stocked with horses, cattle or sheep. However, both maximum stocking rate (number of livestock units per hectare) and grazing duration (number of grazing days per year) must be carefully defined for the proper management of the pastures.     

·荒漠草地植物多样性对草食动物采食的响应机制

草食动物采食对草地植物多样性和生态系统功能的影响机制是放牧生态学研究的核心问题。该研究以内蒙古锡林郭勒盟苏尼特右旗荒漠草原的长期放牧控制实验为平台, 从既有草地植物多样性和动物偏食性两个层面系统地研究了荒漠草地植物多样性对草食动物采食的响应机制。结果显示: 1)荒漠草地植物对草食动物采食呈现4种响应模式: 放牧“隐没种”、放牧“敏感种”、放牧“无感种”、“绝对优势种”; 2)在群落尺度上, 物种多样性指数随放牧强度增加而减少, 与不放牧小区相比, 重度放牧(HG)与适度放牧(MG)小区植物多样性均下降, 且这一规律同样适用于功能群多样性, 灌木半灌木这一功能群内物种多样性对放牧干扰较敏感; 3)在草地既有植物的基础上, 以不放牧小区为参考系, 草食动物对植物功能群偏食性的排序为: 一二年生草本(AB) >多年生杂类草(PF) >灌木半灌木(SS) >多年生禾草(PG), 且偏食性物种主要分布于AB和PF中; 4)植物多样性与动物偏食性基本呈显著负相关关系(p < 0.05)。     

Deer grazing changes seed traits and functions of grazing-intolerant plants

Grazing by ungulates can affect seed production in plants, and consequently seed recruitment into seed banks, which is a plant strategy to increase their resilience. The impact of grazing on seed quantity has been well studied; however, the impact of grazing on seed quality has received less attention, despite its role in determining the longevity of a seed bank. Here, we examined the impact of ungulate grazing on seed quality in plants, using two grazing-intolerant grassland species (Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta and Geranium yesoense var. nipponicum). We found that grazing reduced seed length and weight, while increasing the germination rate. These changes in seed quality induced by grazing could reduce the persistence of seed banks and would thus seem to be an important mechanism involved in the impact of ungulate grazing on plant population dynamics.     

Impacts of grazing intensity and increased precipitation on a grasshopper assemblage (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in a meadow steppe

1. Grasshoppers are dominant herbivores in grassland ecosystems, and many studies have examined how grazing by large herbivores and precipitation patterns individually influence the dynamics of grassland grasshopper assemblages, but their combined effects are largely unknown. 2. In this study, grazing intensities (ungrazed, moderate, and heavy) were manipulated and precipitation (ambient and increased amount of rainfall) altered in a field experiment to test the effects of grazing and altered precipitation on a grasshopper community in a meadow steppe in northeastern China. 3. It was found that grasshopper species richness did not change according to different grazing intensities under ambient precipitation, but was significantly higher (by 38.1%) in moderate grazing intensities under increased precipitation. Grasshopper abundance increased considerably with increasing grazing intensities in ambient precipitation treatments; however, grasshopper abundance in heavy grazing intensities was significantly lower (by 32.9%) than in the other two grazing intensities under increased precipitation. Moreover, the responses of grasshopper abundance to grazing under altered precipitation were species‐specific. 4. Grazing effects on grasshopper species diversity were mediated through the species richness and biomass of grasses (food resources), but the effects on grasshopper abundance were mediated through plant height (vegetation structure) under altered precipitation. 5. These results suggest that appropriate grazing by large herbivores would be considered as beneficial management practices for maintaining grasshopper diversity and abundance under conditions of increased precipitation in grassland ecosystems. Additionally, greater attention should be paid to the population dynamics of different grasshopper species to better understand the responses of grasslands to grazing and altered precipitation.     

Changes in species diversity and canopy cover in steppe vegetation in Inner Mongolia under protection from grazing

This study describes changes in species diversity and canopy cover in relation to variation in livestock grazing in a semi-arid area in Inner Mongolia, China. Canopy cover for each species was recorded 2 and 3 years after cessation of livestock grazing, as well as in an area with continued grazing. Total species richness, alpha diversity, beta diversity and canopy cover were analysed. Sixty species were recorded during the study; 25 of them were annuals. The total number of species was the same, 52, in the grazed and the protected area, but species richness and alpha diversity per plot were lower in the area protected from grazing. The beta diversity showed little difference between the protected area and the grazed control. The total canopy cover was highest in the protected area, but the cover of annuals was higher in the grazed area. In CA ordination, the difference between treatments increased with time of protection. However, in the short period covered by this study it was difficult to separate the effects of protection from grazing and fluctuation in weather conditions, particularly of precipitation.     

Biophysical and human influences on plant species richness in grasslands: Comparing variegated landscapes in subtropical and temperate regions

A survey of grassy woodlands in the Queensland subtropics was conducted, recording herbaceous species richness at 212 sites on three properties (2756 ha). A range of habitats typical of cattle grazing enterprises was sampled and site variables included lithology, slope position, tree density, soil disturbance, soil enrichment and grazing. Results were compared with a previously published survey of temperate grasslands. Lithology, slope position and tree density had relatively minor effects on plant species richness, although in both surveys there was some evidence of lower species richness on the more fertile substrates. Soil disturbance and soil enrichment significantly reduced the richness of native species in both surveys, while exotic species were insensitive (subtropics) or increased (temperate) with disturbance. Rare native species were highly sensitive to disturbances, including grazing, in the temperate study. Although some trends were similar for rare species in the subtropics, the results were not significant and there were complex interactions between grazing, lithology and slope position. Grazing did not have a negative effect on native species richness, except in the closely grazed patches within pastures, and then only on the most intensively developed property. At the scale recorded (30 m²), the native pastures, roadsides and stock routes sampled in the subtropics appear to be among the most species‐rich grasslands ever reported, both nationally and globally. Native species richness was approximately 50% higher than the temperate survey figures across all the comparable habitats. While there are no clear reasons for this result, potential explanations are proposed.     

Limited effect of hare grazing and short-term climatic variations on the most common alpine vegetation community in the Snowy Mountains,Australia

Background: In the alpine zone of the Snowy Mountains, grazing by mammals is limited. However, introduced European hare numbers have increased since the 1970s.

Aims: To estimate the density of hares and hence grazing pressure among years. To assess the response of biomass, vegetation height and composition to a cessation of hare grazing.

Methods: We used indices of hare abundance based on spotlighting and counts of hare pellets on a transect. The effect of hare grazing on tall alpine herbfield was assessed by using 15 paired exclosure and control quadrats for six years.

Results: The indices of hare abundance suggested densities similar to those in upland areas of Britain. Grazing did not affect the composition, cover of herbs or graminoids or, for 2010, vegetation height or biomass. Variation in vegetation and hare numbers among years was not correlated with climatic variables. Observations of selective grazing suggested that impacts on vegetation may be localised and restricted to certain species. Prior analyses of hare pellets indicated that hares might spread seed of native and exotic species.

Conclusions: Hares are having no general effect on tall alpine herbfield but may affect certain plant species via selective grazing or by spread of viable seed.     

Response of Polygonum viviparum species and community level to long-term livestock grazing in alpine shrub meadow in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Grazing by domestic herbivores is generally recognized as a major ecological factor and an important evolutionary force in grasslands. Grazing has both extensive and profound effects on individual plants and communities. We investigated the response patterns of Polygonum viviparum species and the species diversity of an alpine shrub meadow in response to long-term livestock grazing by a field manipulative experiment controlling livestock numbers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. Here, we hypothesize that within a range of grazing pressure, grazing can alter relative allocation to different plant parts without changing total biomass for some plant species if there is life history trade-offs between plant traits. The same type of communities exposed to different grazing pressures may only alter relative species' abundances or species composition and not vary species diversity because plant species differ in resistant capability to herbivory. The results show that plant height and biomass of different organs differed among grazing treatments but total biomass remained constant. Biomass allocation and absolute investments to both reproduction and growth decreased and to belowground storage increased with increased grazing pressure, indicating the increasing in storage function was attained at a cost of reducing reproduction of bulbils and represented an optimal allocation and an adaptive response of the species to long-term aboveground damage. Moreover, our results showed multiform response types for either species groups or single species along the gradient of grazing Intensity. Heavy grazing caused a 13.2％ increase in species richness. There was difference in species composition of about 18％--20％ among grazing treatment. Shannon-Wiener (H') diversity index and species evenness (E) index did not differ among grazing treatments. These results support our hypothesis.     

放牧干扰下高寒草甸物种、生活型和功能群多样性与生物量的关系

为明晰放牧强度对高寒草甸物种、生活型以及功能群多样性和生物量的时间累积作用以及对多样性与生物量之间相互关系的影响。选择青藏高原东北缘高寒草甸,在6个放牧强度样地连续4 a(2012—2015)进行物种、生活型、功能群多样性和生物量调查。采用重复测量方差分析和线性回归法分析放牧强度和放牧年份对物种、生活型、功能群多样性以及多样性与生物量之间的相关关系的影响。结果表明:(1)放牧强度和放牧年份均对生物量产生显著影响。随放牧强度增加,生物量显著降低。但随放牧年份延长,不同放牧强度区生物量无一致的变化规律。(2)放牧年份对物种、生活型和功能群丰富度、均匀度和优势度的影响均达到显著水平。但放牧强度和放牧年份只对物种丰富度产生交互作用,放牧强度对物种丰富度的影响具有时间的累积效应。(3)放牧干扰下不同层次多样性,仅物种丰富度与所有多样性指数显著相关,物种丰富度可以作为物种多样性测度的代表性指标。(4)多样性与生物量关系的研究,对丰富度而言,仅低放牧强度样地(Plot2)中物种丰富度随生物量增加而显著降低,其余放牧强度样地的物种、生活型和功能群丰富度均与生物量无关。对均匀度而言,高放牧强度样地(Plot4、Plot5、Plot6)生活型均匀度随生物量的增加而显著降低。对优势度而言,高放牧强度样地生活型优势度随生物量的增加而显著增加。生活型多样性可作为放牧干扰下生物量变化快速预测的有效指标。     

阿尔泰山两河源牧区草地群落生物量及物种多样性

群落生物量和物种多样性是表征草地生态系统数量特征的重要指标。该研究以新疆阿尔泰山南麓两河源放牧区草地为研究对象,利用样方法对两河源不同放牧区的草地植被进行调查,分析研究区生物量和物种多样性变化,探讨二者与环境因子之间的关联性,为草地群落物种保护以及草地可持续利用提供理论依据。结果表明：(1) 两河源不同牧区间群落盖度、高度、植株密度、地上生物量和单位盖度生物量存在差异。(2) 两河源牧区草地群落地上生物量与群落盖度、植株密度呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05),且地上生物量主要受草地群落盖度的影响;不同牧区的物种多样性指数有一定差异,但物种分布相对均匀。(3)两河源牧区草地群落生物量及物种多样性主要受气温和降水的影响。     

Responses of vegetation and soils to three grazing management regimes in a semi‐arid highland mixed crop‐livestock system

Three grazing regimes [Cut‐and‐carry (CC), seasonal grazing (SG) and continuous grazing (CG)] currently applied in Tigrai region of northern Ethiopia were compared to identify the best grazing management in key native vegetation and soil attributes. More than 50% of the desirable species such as Andropogon, Cynodon and Phalaris spp were located in the CC and SG regimes. During the rainy season, the CC regime produced 1.7 and 2.7 more biomass than the SG and CG regimes, respectively. Herbaceous basal cover was 6.8 times more in the CC than in the CG regime. During the rainy season, herbaceous species diversity and richness were the least in the CG regime but similar in the CC and SG regimes. This similarity, however, changed during the dry season when the SG regime is grazed by livestock that led to a reduction in diversity. These results suggest that CC is superior to the traditional CG, but not always necessarily superior to the SG. The SG regime improved soil P status while the CG regime affected soil bulk density and total N negatively. The predominantly native vegetation grazing systems in Tigrai region can be improved cost effectively through cut‐and‐carry and seasonal grazing.     

Effects of livestock grazing on soil,plant functional diversity,and ecological traits vary between regions with different climates in northeastern Iran

Understanding the responses of vegetation characteristics and soil properties to grazing in different precipitation regimes is useful for the management of rangelands, especially in the arid regions. In northeastern Iran, we studied the responses of vegetation to livestock grazing in three regions with different climates: arid, semiarid, and subhumid. In each region, we selected 6–7 pairwise sampling areas of high versus low grazing intensity and six traits of the present species were recorded on 1 m² plots—five grazed and five ungrazed in each area. The overall fertility was compared using the dissimilarity analysis, and linear mixed‐effect models were used to compare the individual fertility parameters, functional diversity indices, and species traits between the plots with high and low grazing intensity and between the climatic regions. Both climate and grazing, as well as their interaction, affected fertility parameters, functional diversity indices, and the representation of species traits. Grazing reduced functional evenness, height of the community, the representation of annuals, but increased the community leaf area. In the subhumid region, grazing also reduced functional richness. Further, grazing decreased the share of annual species in the semiarid region and seed mass in the arid region. Larger leaf area and seed mass, smaller height and lower share of annuals were associated with intensive grazing. Species with large LA and seed mass, lower height and perennials can be therefore presumed to tolerate trampling and benefit from high nutrient levels, associated with intensive grazing. By providing a detailed view on the impacts of overgrazing, this study highlights the importance of protection from grazing as an effective management tool for maintaining the pastoral ecosystems. In general, the composition of plant traits across the pastures of northeastern Iran was more affected by intensive grazing than by the differences in climate.     

放牧和模拟增温对藏北高寒草地植物群落特征及生产力的影响

气候变化和放牧活动对草地植物物种多样性和生产力具有重要影响。为探索藏北高寒草地植物物种多样性和生产力对增温、放牧及其交互作用的响应, 于2011年在藏北高原开始建立增温实验平台, 2016年起增设放牧、增温+放牧实验, 连续2年(2016-2017年)观测了植物群落特征、群落组成、生产力和物种多样性。结果表明, 增温和放牧对高寒草地植物高度和净初级生产力具有显著交互作用。在放牧条件下, 增温对植物高度无显著影响; 但在不放牧条件下, 增温却显著增加了植物高度。在放牧条件下, 增温对净初级生产力的影响存在年际差异, 2016年增温对生产力无显著影响, 2017年增温显著降低了植物净初级生产力; 但在不放牧条件下, 增温对植物净初级生产力无显著影响。增温和放牧对高寒草地植物物种丰富度、盖度、重要值及多样性均无显著交互作用。植物盖度在增温和放牧条件下显著降低, 杂类草物种比例显著增加, 但物种多样性均无显著变化。研究表明, 增温和放牧显著改变高寒草地群落结构。未来气候变化条件下, 放牧活动加剧有可能导致高寒草地生产力降低。     

The important role of scattered trees on the herbaceous diversity of a grazed Mediterranean dehesa

Scattered trees are considered keystone structures and play an important role in Mediterranean sylvopastoral systems. Such systems are associated with high biodiversity and provide important natural resources and ecosystem services. In this study, we measured the contribution of scattered trees and different grazing management (cattle, sheep and wildlife only) to the diversity of the grassland sward in a dehesa (open holm oak woodland) located in Central Spain. We analyzed alpha and beta diversity through measurement of species richness, Shannon-Wiener, and Whittaker indices, respectively; and the floristic composition of the herb layer using subplots within two adjacent plots (trees present vs. trees absent) under three different grazing management regimes, including wildlife only, during a year. We found a 20–30% increment in the alpha diversity of wooded plots, compared to those without trees, regardless of grazing management. All beta indices calculated showed more than 60% species turnover. Wooded plots were occupied by different herbaceous species in different heterogeneous microsites (under the canopy, in the ecotone or on open land) created by the trees. Livestock grazing modified species composition (e.g. more nitrophilous species) compared to wildlife only plots. In addition to all their other benefits, trees are important to maintaining grassland diversity in Mediterranean dehesas.     

放牧家畜类型对内蒙古典型草原植物多样性和群落结构的影响

放牧家畜是调控草原植物多样性的重要因素, 探究不同家畜类型及其放牧行为下植物多样性的响应, 有助于全面理解草原植物多样性维持机制。该研究以内蒙古大学野外实验基地放牧控制实验为平台, 研究了中等放牧强度下不同家畜类型(牛、山羊、绵羊)及其选择性采食和聚集性放牧行为对植物α、β和γ多样性以及群落结构的影响。结果表明: (1)中等强度放牧牛、山羊和绵羊均在一定程度上提高了植物α、β和γ多样性。其中, 牛对植物多样性的提升作用最大且具有显著性。(2) 3种家畜放牧均显著改变了植物群落结构。绵羊的选择性采食导致下层优势物种糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)的相对多度显著降低, 使其与牛或山羊放牧导致的群落结构变化趋势相反。(3) 3种家畜具有不同的牧草选择和放牧聚集行为。牛和山羊放牧使上层优势种羊草(Leymus chinensis)和大针茅(Stipa grandis)以及下层优势种糙隐子草地上生物量均显著降低, 而绵羊放牧仅使糙隐子草地上生物量显著降低。此外, 牛的采食空间聚集性显著低于山羊和绵羊。(4)植物多样性随上层或下层优势种地上生物量增加而显著降低或呈下降趋势, 表明放牧家畜能够通过抑制优势种生物量来提高植物多样性。(5)植物多样性随家畜采食空间聚集程度增加而显著降低或表现出下降趋势, 说明较低的放牧聚集性有利于植物多样性的维持。该研究表明, 内蒙古典型草原植物多样性保护和持续管理体系需要同时考虑放牧强度和家畜类型的影响。