The Effect of Fertilizers on Biomass and Biodiversity on a Semi-Arid Grassland of Northern China

Abstract

Semi-arid grassland in northern China faces degradation and desertification problems, with fertilizer application appearing to be a potential solution by improving soil fertility and plant fields or biodiversity. In this study, mineral and organic fertilizers were used in a semi-arid natural grassland in Hebei Province for three years. The plant characteristics, biomass and species diversity index were assessed and analyzed. In the years 2016 and 2017, mineral fertilizers (RC) significantly increased the total aboveground biomass and the aboveground biomass, natural height, density and coverage of Leymus chinensis compared with organic fertilizers (RO), especially at a moderate application rate (RC2). Leymus chinensis was first divided into its own group and then separated into four groups via cluster tree analysis. The importance values of Leymus chinensis showed continuous increases in mineral fertilizer treatments, but not for organic fertilizers. Margalef’s species richness indexes increased significantly (to 2.09) in the organic treatment (RO1) when compared with RC2. Thus, it was concluded that mineral fertilizers could enhance the position of Leymus chinensis in the natural grassland, while organic fertilizers could promote species biodiversity. This study also provides recommendations regarding the use of fertilizers for the purposes of increasing plant biomass and biodiversity in semi-arid grasslands of northern China.

Preliminary Study of the Effect of Chemical and Organic Fertilizers on a Semi-Natural Grassland in Vlăhiţa, Harghita Mountains, Romania

“…The diversity index (Shannon) was higher in the fertilized plots (2.575-chemical fertilizer, 2.642-diluted fertilizer type I, 2.752-diluted fertilizer type II, and 2.637-organic fertilizer) than in the control plot (1.825). This result is in accordance with other studies that report the increase in species richness by the utilization of organic fertilizer (Tong et al, 2019) or different type of fertilizers (mineral nitrogen or manure) (Samuil et al, 2013). However mineral fertilizers are responsible for long-term nitrogen deposition and can decrease biodiversity (Stevens et al 2004;Pallett et al, 2016).…”

The socio-ecological system of the pre-Sahara zone of Morocco: a conceptual framework to analyse the impact of drought and desertification

“…The use of organic fertilizers (Karmaoui, 2019) is an example. These organic fertilizers include animal manure, compost, and crop residues are important elements that promote soil quality (Frossard et al, 2009) and then support biodiversity (Tong et al, 2019). For desert sand dunes, there are three categories of fixation systems, mechanical, biological, and mechanical-biological, and the respondents ranked seasonal migration as an option that has a moderate impact on desertification.…”

Top Dressing of Fertilizers: A Way Forward for Boosting Productivity and Economic Viability of Grasslands

“…Natural grasslands rich in species composition [24] and fertilizing improves the growth and development of dominated species that higher species composition across all the treatments including the urea applied plots. It was also reported that use of fertilizers increasing plant biomass production and biodiversity in semi-arid grasslands [14]. The average legume proportion was higher in the unfertilized plots than in the fertilized plots and this may indicate nitrogen fertilizer had an indirect suppressing effect on the proportion of legumes by inducing luxuriant growth and hence dominance of the grasses.…”

“…Nitrogen fertilizer application improves above ground biomass of any plant crops [13]. Phosphorus improves the growth of legumes and plant species composition generally and a Poaceae pasture in specific [14]. Nitrogen and phosuphorus fertilizers combined application could improve the aboveground plant biomass [15] and have positive effects on composition diversity of plant species [16].…”