Interactions between herbivory and resource availability on grazing tolerance of Leymus chinensis

Gao, Ying; Wang, Deli; Ba, Lei; Bai, Yuguang; B, Liu

doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2007.10.030

Cited by 80 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 69 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In contrast, no compensatory growth appeared in the drought year 2005, which probably resulted from high stress load caused by the combination of both drought and overgrazing. Our results agreed with findings of Gao et al (2008) and Van Staalduinen and Anten (2005), who reported more compensatory growth of severely clipped Leymus chinensis plants under wet than under dry conditions. Furthermore, the history of grazing determines plant responses to grazing as grasslands are more grazing resistant after long grazing (Turner et al 1993, Milchunas et al 1994.…”

Section: Relative Growth Rate (Rgr)supporting

confidence: 96%

Grassland responses to grazing: effects of grazing intensity and management system in an Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystem

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The major aims of this study were, firstly, to analyse the grazing-induced steppe degradation process and, secondly, to identify an efficient and sustainable grazing management system for the widely degraded Inner Mongolian typical steppe ecosystem. From 2005-2008 a grazing experiment was conducted to compare two grazing management systems, the Mixed System (MS) and the Traditional System (TS), along a gradient of seven grazing intensities, i.e. ungrazed (GI0), verylight (GI1), light (GI2), light-moderate (GI3), moderate (GI4), heavy (GI5), and very-heavy (GI6). Each grazing intensity treatment was considered a production unit comprising two adjacent plots, one for hay-making (single-cut system) and one for grazing. Hay-making and grazing alternated annually in the MS, while in the TS the same plots were used either for hay-making or for grazing. Effects of management system, grazing intensity, and year on end-of-season standing biomass (ESSB), aboveground net primary production (ANPP), relative difference in ANPP between 2005 and 2008 (ANPP Diff ), relative growth rate (RGR), and sward characteristics (litter accumulation, soil coverage) were analysed. Litter accumulation of production units was affected by grazing intensity (P<0.001) and decreased from GI0 to GI6 by 83%. Correspondingly, soil coverage decreased (P<0.001) from GI0 to GI6 by 43%, indicating an increased vulnerability to soil erosion. We found varying compensatory growth responses to grazing intensity among years, probably because of temporal variability in precipitation. The ability of plants to partially compensate for grazing damage was enhanced in years of greater seasonal precipitation. The ANPP of production units was negatively affected by grazing intensity and decreased from GI0 to GI6 by 37, 30, and 55% in 2006 (P< 0.01), 2007 (P<0.05), and 2008 (P<0.001), respectively. The effect of management system × grazing Plant Soil (2011) 340:103-115 intensity interaction on ANPP (P<0.05) and ANPP Diff (P<0.05) suggested greater grazing resilience of the MS as compared to the TS at GI3 to GI6.

show abstract

Section: Relative Growth Rate (Rgr)supporting

confidence: 96%

Grassland responses to grazing: effects of grazing intensity and management system in an Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystem

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Temperatures range from an average minimum of −35.2°C in January to maximum of 32.8°C in August. The average annual temperature is approximately 4.9°C and annual precipitation is in the 280-450 mm range with 70% falling in June-August (Gao et al 2008). The soil is a mixed salt-alkali meadow steppe soil with an average pH of 8.7 (Zhu 1993).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and grazing in a meadow steppe

Ning

Wang

et al. 2011

Plant Soil

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims To study the relationship between changes in soil properties and plant community characters produced by grazing in a meadow steppe grassland and the composition and diversity of spore-producing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Methods A field survey was carried out in a meadow steppe area with a gradient of grazing pressures (a site with four grazing intensities and a reserve closed to grazing). The AMF community composition (characterized by spore abundance) and diversity, the vegetation characters and soil properties were measured, and root colonization by AMF was assessed. Results AMF diversity (richness and evenness) was higher under light to moderate grazing pressure and declined under intense grazing pressures. Results of multiple regressions indicated that soil electrical conductivity was highly associated with AMF diversity. The variation in AMF diversity was partially associated to the density of tillers of the dominant grass (Leymus chinensis), the above and below-ground biomass and the richness of the plant community. Conclusions We propose that the relationship between plants and AMF is altered by environmental stress (salinity) which is in turn influenced by animal grazing. Direct and indirect interactions between vegetation, soil properties, and AMF community need to be elucidated to improve our ability to manage these communities.

show abstract

“…A recent meta-analysis by Coupe and Cahill (2003) suggested that, on average, insects reduce NPP by 13% in temperate herbaceous plant communities. But there was considerable variation among studies--some showed increases in, or no eVects of, insect herbivory on NPP (Carson and Root 2000;Coupe and Cahill 2003;Chapman et al 2003;Del-Val and Crawley 2005;Gao et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The variable effects of soil nitrogen availability and insect herbivory on aboveground and belowground plant biomass in an old-field ecosystem

et al. 2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nutrient availability and herbivory can regulate primary production in ecosystems, but little is known about how, or whether, they may interact with one another. Here, we investigate how nitrogen availability and insect herbivory interact to alter aboveground and belowground plant community biomass in an old-field ecosystem. In 2004, we established 36 experimental plots in which we manipulated soil nitrogen (N) availability and insect abundance in a completely randomized plot design. In 2009, after 6 years of treatments, we measured aboveground biomass and assessed root production at peak growth. Overall, we found a significant effect of reduced soil N availability on aboveground biomass and belowground plant biomass production. Specifically, responses of aboveground and belowground community biomass to nutrients were driven by reductions in soil N, but not additions, indicating that soil N may not be limiting primary production in this ecosystem. Insects reduced the aboveground biomass of subdominant plant species and decreased coarse root production. We found no statistical interactions between N availability and insect herbivory for any response variable. Overall, the results of 6 years of nutrient manipulations and insect removals suggest strong bottom-up influences on total plant community productivity but more subtle effects of insect herbivores on aspects of aboveground and belowground production.

show abstract

Interactions between herbivory and resource availability on grazing tolerance of Leymus chinensis

Cited by 80 publications

References 69 publications

Grassland responses to grazing: effects of grazing intensity and management system in an Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystem

Grassland responses to grazing: effects of grazing intensity and management system in an Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystem

The relationship between the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and grazing in a meadow steppe

The variable effects of soil nitrogen availability and insect herbivory on aboveground and belowground plant biomass in an old-field ecosystem

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About