Variations of Forage Yield and Nutrients with Altitude Gradients and Their Influencing Factors in Alpine Meadow of Sanjiangyuan, China

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the forage yield and quality and extract factors affecting them and provide scientific support for ecological protection of alpine grassland and sustainable development of animal husbandry in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Samples were collected in late August (peak of the growing season) 2014 in two mountain transects (Laji mountain, 36°21′ N, 101°27′ E, 3389-3876 m a.s.l. and Heitu mountain, 34°22′ N, 100°30′ E, 4121-4268 m a.s.l.) of Sanjiangyuan. Forage biomass and nutrients were measured by the national standard method, and influencing factors were extracted by RDA. Results showed that the forage yield decreased significantly with the increasing altitude, no matter in the mountain > 4000 m a.s.l. or < 4000 m a.s.l. Forage yield was more affected by environmental factors in low altitude areas, but less in high-altitude areas. Forage nutrients were mainly affected by altitude and soil organic carbon (SOC) (p < 0.01) on the mountain < 4000 m a.s.l., while on the mountain > 4000 m a.s.l., fiber and lignin were mainly affected by soil pH and SOC and crude protein (CP) by soil pH (p < 0.05) and total phosphorus (TP). Overall, with the increasing altitude, forage CP and fat (CF) increased, while neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber decreased, implying that warming may lead to the decline of forage quality and then affect the safety of animal husbandry. Moreover, forage CP and CF were also affected by soil inorganic nitrogen and TP rather than SOC and soil total nitrogen.

Correlation Analysis of Compounds in Essential Oil of Amomum tsaoko Seed and Fruit Morphological Characteristics, Geographical Conditions, Locality of Growth

“…This is consistent with previous reports of Stevia rebaudiana leaves [20]. However, the correlation between biomass and altitude is controversial [21]. Some studies have shown an inverse relationship.…”

“…Some studies have shown an inverse relationship. For example, the forage yield decreased significantly with the increasing altitude in Alpine Meadow of Sanjiangyuan, China [21]. More parameters, such as nutrient element in soil, are worth investigating [22].…”

Altitudinal variation in phytochemical, physicochemical, and morphological aspects of Justicia adhatoda L. plant growing wildly in Western Himalayas

“…Insignificant changes in calcium content, alkaloid content, saponin content, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium were observed in the study [Table 2] [Figure 2] [87,88]. Crude fiber and crude fat in our study were observed in higher amounts at middle altitude in comparison to the higher and low elevation which was in agreement with the study done on red clover cultivars, where crude fat content was higher in mountain region in comparison to the low land region [1,89] but the outcomes in our study were not statistically significant [Table 1]. In comparison to low altitude, concentration of phenols increased at high altitudes in our study.…”

“…Geographical regions positioned far from one another possess diverse climatic conditions which thereby impact the production of plant's physiology. An extensive series of environmental aspects change with the varying elevation, for example, plants in high-altitude surroundings are exposed to numerous environmental strains, mainly in temperature and radiation extremes [1]. Elevation could be the main predictor of changes in phytochemical defense strategy of plants [2].…”

Main ecological and environmental factors affecting forage yield and quality in alpine summer pastures (NW‐Italy, Gran Paradiso National Park)

“…In the alpine area, the effects of climatic variables on vegetation are emphasized by the harsh environmental conditions due to aspect, elevation, and slope. Aspect determines different light exposition, soil moisture, and nutrient availability, thus representing a direct driver of the botanical composition of pastures (e.g., Yanyan et al, 2017) and an indirect factor affecting biomass productivity and its quality (Dongdong et al, 2020). Increasing elevation determines a decrease in air temperature (0.65°C every 100 m) with consequent effects on vegetation productivity (biomass production is generally lower) and growing season length, which is shorter at higher elevation (Dongdong et al, 2020; Liu et al, 2015).…”