Influences of pika and simulated grazing disturbances on bare patches of alpine meadow in the Yellow River Source Zone

Li, Jie-xia; Li, Xilai; Gao, Jay; Yan, Shi; Ma, Geliang; Kazhaocairang,

doi:10.1007/s11629-020-6196-y

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The interactions between them may be synergistic, superimposed, or antagonistic. Some studies have shown that grazing prohibitions do not have a significant effect on vegetation species richness (Buschmann et al, 2005; Li, Li, et al, 2021; Li, Peng, et al, 2021; Watts et al, 2019). However, in our study, grazing exclusion played a role in the recovery of vegetation species, and species richness increased significantly under grazing prohibition and increased precipitation (Figure 7), which was mainly related to differences in grazing intensity, herbivore species, forage diversity, and grassland type (Pöyry et al, 2006; Thammanu et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Simultaneous changes in multiple influences can have complex interactions on grassland soil structure and function (Li, Li, et al, 2021; Li, Peng, et al, 2021). Soil structure and fertility levels are the basis for plant diversity and stability (Chang et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to intensive livestock and agricultural use, Inner Mongolia's grasslands face the consequence of biodiversity loss and soil degradation, resulting in lower yields, desertification, reduced carrying bulk density, nutrient loss, and environmental degradation (Huang et al, 2021; Wang et al, 2022). On the other hand, grazing also drives the response of vegetation growth to changes in climatic conditions (Jiang et al, 2016; Li, Li, et al, 2021; Li, Peng, et al, 2021; Maestre et al, 2022). The effect of variation in precipitation on grassland vegetation is particularly significant (Liu et al, 2022; Zheng et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of precipitation and grazing on recovery of plant vegetation in temperate grasslands

Lin,

Zhao,

Zhang

et al. 2023

Land Degrad Dev

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Grasslands support a rich diversity that plays a pivotal role in ecological balance, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation. Grassland ecosystems are facing a loss of biodiversity and a decline in soil function due to precipitation variations caused by climate change. However, variations in grassland species diversity are not clearly known, especially under the combined effects of precipitation and grazing. Based on a 5‐year split‐plot experiment with two grazing regimes (i.e., moderate grazing and grazing prohibition) along with three precipitation controls (ambient precipitation and ±50% precipitation) in Inner Mongolian grasslands, we researched the response of precipitation variability and grazing prohibition to vegetation diversity indices and investigated the response of vegetation community composition and biomass to these factors. Five years results showed that increasing precipitation resulted in a significant increase in the coverage of perennial forbs, annual and biennial plants, and Gramineae. Grazing prohibition and increased precipitation significantly increased biomass and species richness compared to all other treatment combinations. Interestingly, grazing exclusion significantly reduced the percentage of Amaryllidaceae, especially in the presence of altered precipitation. The vegetation community composition of a typical grassland was correlated with soil volumetric water content (VWC), bulk density (SBD) and pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), and total nitrogen (TN). VWC, SBD, and TN were found to be the most significant factors affecting vegetation diversity under grazing. Partial canonical ordination revealed that soil moisture, soil bulk density, and SOC had the most significant correlation with vegetation diversity under both grazing prohibition and increased precipitation treatment conditions. These results suggested that alterations in precipitation can change the species composition and ecosystem function of plant communities, leading to a close relationship between species diversity and soil properties. Our results underline the importance of species diversity for soil characteristics and environmental factors in a typical Eurasian steppe ecosystem.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of precipitation and grazing on recovery of plant vegetation in temperate grasslands

Lin,

Zhao,

Zhang

et al. 2023

Land Degrad Dev

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“…In addition, plateau zokors (Eospalax baileyi) and plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) are abundant in the Yellow River source area [19]. As essential sources of biological disturbance in alpine meadow ecosystems, their digging and gnawing behaviors not only have a significant impact on vegetation and soil [20][21][22], but the loose mounds formed by their mounding can also directly form secondary bald patches of bare ground, as well as provide material sources for soil erosion [23][24][25]. Many scholars have shown that meadow degradation is closely related to the degree of development of bald patches, and soil erosion after meadow degradation positively influences further soil erosion and meadow degradation [26][27][28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Water Erosion and Its Hydrodynamic Characteristics in Degraded Bald Patches of Alpine Meadows in the Yellow River Source Area, Western China

Tong

et al. 2023

Sustainability

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Degraded bald patches have been active influencing factors in recent years, leading to meadow degradation and soil erosion in the Yellow River source area. In this study, we aimed to quantify the soil water erosion patterns and the hydrodynamic characteristics of degraded bald patches under different vegetation coverage (10%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%) and slope (10°, 20° and 30°) combination treatments through simulated rainfall experiments, and to investigate the influence of rodent activities on meadow degradation and soil erosion using zokor mound bare ground as a control. The results show that rodent activity exacerbates erosion problems and that soil erosion rates are negatively correlated with the degree of meadow degradation as an exponential function (p < 0.01). All slope flows are laminar; Reynolds and Froude numbers decrease as a function of vegetation coverage exponentially and linearly (p < 0.01), respectively, and are positively correlated with slope. Flow resistance increases with increasing vegetation coverage and decreasing slope, and vegetation coverage and slope are significant factors affecting flow resistance (p < 0.05). Runoff shear stress was found to range from 1.71 to 5.27 N m−2 in the study area and is positively correlated with vegetation coverage and slope, with a much greater influence of slope than vegetation coverage (p < 0.05). Based on the Pearson correlation and grey correlation method analysis, we concluded that runoff rate, flow velocity, Reynolds number and the Froude number can all describe the hydraulic erosion state under the action of soil erosion on slopes. The Reynolds number was tentatively judged to be the best hydrodynamic parameter to describe the soil erosion process. We conclude that developing degraded bald patches reduces flow resistance and increases surface runoff capacity and soil erodibility by reducing vegetation coverage. The reasonable control of rodent activity can effectively combat erosion on degraded bald patches.

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“…Because of the formation time of mounds, different ages of zokor mounds coexist in grasslands, which may increase plant diversity. First, if new plants colonize continuously, the plant diversity of zokor mounds increases 8 . Second, plant diversity is highest if the plant community contains many short-lived plants and long-lived species sensitive to disturbance 9 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of moderate livestock grazing on soil and vegetation characteristics in zokor mounds of different ages

Zhang

Yan

Zhang

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Mounds formed by plateau zokors (Eospalax baileyi) in alpine meadows are easily disturbed by livestock. We aimed to reveal the effect of moderate livestock grazing (from October 15 to March 15 of the following year) on plant and soil characteristics of zokor mounds. This study explored the effect of zokor mounds of different ages (2015–2018) on soil nutrient content, soil enzymatic activity, plant diversity, and aboveground biomass (AGB) at grazing and non-grazing sites. Compared with the non-grazing sites, soil organic carbon (SOC), total soil phosphorus, and ratio of SOC to total nitrogen were 16.6%–98.7% higher and soil urease activity was 8.4% and 9.6% higher in 1- and 3-year-old mounds, respectively, at the grazing sites. Grazing significantly increased the plant Pielou index, richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index of 4-year-old mounds by 20.7%–52.4%. Partial least squares path modeling showed that plant species diversity was the main factor affecting the plant AGB of mounds at the grazing sites, whereas soil enzyme activity was the primary factor at the non-grazing sites. We propose that moderate grazing increases soil nutrient content and the plant diversity in zokor mounds in alpine meadows, which should be considered in future grassland restoration.

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Influences of pika and simulated grazing disturbances on bare patches of alpine meadow in the Yellow River Source Zone

Cited by 9 publications

References 34 publications

Impact of precipitation and grazing on recovery of plant vegetation in temperate grasslands

Impact of precipitation and grazing on recovery of plant vegetation in temperate grasslands

Soil Water Erosion and Its Hydrodynamic Characteristics in Degraded Bald Patches of Alpine Meadows in the Yellow River Source Area, Western China

Effect of moderate livestock grazing on soil and vegetation characteristics in zokor mounds of different ages

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