Dendroclimatic methods were used to investigate the fundamental relationships between the temperature variables and the growth of climatically relic Picea meyeri Rehd. et Wils. on sandy land of Inner Mongolian gra...Dendroclimatic methods were used to investigate the fundamental relationships between the temperature variables and the growth of climatically relic Picea meyeri Rehd. et Wils. on sandy land of Inner Mongolian grasslands in the Xilin River Basin. The annual mean temperature and accumulated temperature (above 5 ℃, 10 ℃) respectively showed no significant correlation with the spruce growth relative to summer mean temperature, which displayed strong coherence with tree growth ( P <0.01). The mean temperature in May showed significantly negative correlation with spruce growth ( P <0.05). Furthermore, it was revealed that the negative influence of May temperature was due to monthly mean maximum temperature ( T max ) ( P <0.01) other than monthly mean minimum temperature ( T min ) values ( P <0.1), which indicated that the use of T min and T max separately can allow much more insights on the temperate influence. In addition, extreme maximum temperature in May and June might impose the most detrimental influence on tree growth in semi_arid Inner Mongolian grassland. The analysis of the recorded meteorological data demonstrated that the increases in temperature were synchronous with slight decreases in precipitation in the growing season, which suggested that P. meyeri may reduce growth due to temperature_induced drought. On the other hand, the analysis for decadal periods explored that trees appeared to reduce the sensitivity to the warming, and consequently increased sensitivity to rainfall. This may serve as a baseline for more accurate predictions of the potential impacts of altered climate regimes on tree growth.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to study seasonal dynamics of biomass under different land use patterns. [Methed] Aboveground biomass and underground biomass of plants under 3 different surface cover conditions of Stipa krylo...[Objective] The aim was to study seasonal dynamics of biomass under different land use patterns. [Methed] Aboveground biomass and underground biomass of plants under 3 different surface cover conditions of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland were determined in growing season ( from May to October) of 2008. [ Result ] The aboveground biomass of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland in August all reached the highest value, which of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland was 287.91,117.05 and 193.59 g/m2, respectively. The total biomass of plant roots of the 3 plots in July all reached the highest value, which of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland was 1 683.9, 1 601.9 and 513.9 g/m2, respectively. Leymus chinensis had the biggest biomass ratio of upper plant roots (0 - 15 cm) to lower plant roots (15 -30 cm), Stipa krylovii took second place, and farmland had the smallest one. ~ Conclusion The research provides theoretical basis for the ecological environment protection of ecological fragile area.展开更多
Sandy forest-steppe ecotone in Baiyinaobao Natural Reserve of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China is one of the special landscape types in forest-steppe vegetation zone in China. Vegetation landscape types, land...Sandy forest-steppe ecotone in Baiyinaobao Natural Reserve of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China is one of the special landscape types in forest-steppe vegetation zone in China. Vegetation landscape types, landscape patches, and patch size were measured by the field investigation, forest photograph, and airscape. The structure of landscape patches in sandy forest-steppe ecotone, including composition structure, and size structure, was studied and the dynamics and transformation of landscape patches were analyzed. The data obtained in this study could provide theoretical basis for the research on vegetation landscape in forest-steppe ecotones and other vegetation types.展开更多
Sulphur (S) cycling and implications on S fertilizer requirement in sheep-grazed pastures receiving three levels of S fertilizer at rates of 0, 30 and 60 kg S/hm 2 in 1995 and 1996 were studied using a mass-balance a...Sulphur (S) cycling and implications on S fertilizer requirement in sheep-grazed pastures receiving three levels of S fertilizer at rates of 0, 30 and 60 kg S/hm 2 in 1995 and 1996 were studied using a mass-balance approach which accounted both for S inputs to and outputs from the soil-plant-animal system. Results indicated that S fertilizer increased by 50% of herbage S uptake and 15% or more of S bio-cycling rate in grazing system. The total S recovery of 30 and 60 kg S/hm 2 treatments from 1995 to 1996 was 74.0% and 37.6% respectively. Mineralization of organic S may be an important source of S for pasture when other S sources are low, accounted for 70% of the total S inputs without S fertilizer. The grazing sheep has an important ecological function, the feature of S cycling in grazed pastures was that 90% of herbage S ingested by grazing sheep was returned to soils as excreta. The amount of S released by sheep excreta accounted about 30% of the total released S through S bio-recycling. Loss from soil S leaching beyond the major plant rooting zone was the main S output from grazing system. However, urinary and fecal S losses, including transfer and leaching losses, also affected S budgets of grazing system. It is therefore important to investigate the recycling rate of both urinary and fecal S under field conditions. Based on the mass-balance principle, at least 10 kg S/hm 2 per year may be necessary for sustainable development of grazing system.展开更多
Tourism resources are important foundation for the development of tourism industry.Grassland is not only a kind of important resource but also a great attraction to visitors.Therefore,the integrated development and su...Tourism resources are important foundation for the development of tourism industry.Grassland is not only a kind of important resource but also a great attraction to visitors.Therefore,the integrated development and sustainable utilization of grassland tourism resources are of great significance.This paper,based on the analysis of literatures and the current problems existing in grassland tourism,summarizes the speciality of grassland tourism development,deals nation as example and carries out empirical research.Based on the status quo of grassland tourism resources in Inner Mongolia,this study analyzes the characteristics of grassland tourism resources,the necessity and feasibility of integrated development,then proposes the following suggestions: idea for development,mode of development,regional cooperation,tourism products development,especially the three modes of development based on the resources conditions - the mode of relying on market,the mode of combination aggregation and the mode of relying on quality.展开更多
The semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China have been degraded by long-term grazing. A series of ecological restoration strategies have been implemented to improve grassland service. However, little is known abo...The semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China have been degraded by long-term grazing. A series of ecological restoration strategies have been implemented to improve grassland service. However, little is known about the effect of these ecological restoration practices on soil carbon and nitrogen storage. In this study, characteristics of vegetation and soil properties under continued grazing and exclusion of livestock for six years due to a nationwide conservation program—′Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG)′ were examined in semi-arid Hulun Buir grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. The results show that removal of grazing for six years resulted in a significant recovery in vegetation with higher above and below-ground biomass, but a lower soil bulk density and pH value. After six years of grazing exclusion, soil organic C and total N storage increased by 13.9% and 17.1%, respectively, which could be partly explained by decreased loss and increased input of C and N to soil. The effects of grazing exclusion on soil C and N concentration and storage primarily occurred in the upper soil depths. The results indicate that removal of grazing pressure within the RGLG program was an effective restoration approach to control grassland degradation in this region. However, more comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the RGLG program and to improve the management strategies for grassland restoration in this area.展开更多
Climate change adaptation is an important part of addressing climate warming. Inner Mongolia grassland is a sensitive and vulnerable area of climate and an important region for adaptation to climate change. New climat...Climate change adaptation is an important part of addressing climate warming. Inner Mongolia grassland is a sensitive and vulnerable area of climate and an important region for adaptation to climate change. New climate change adaptation approaches with nomadic culture characteristics should be exploded in the context of climate warming. In this paper, the different utilization pattern of grassland in different regions, the different modes of production and management and historical culture were analyzed first in Nenjiang-West Liaohe plain and Ke'erqin region, Inner Mongolia Plateau and Ordos Plateau. Then, nomadic culture on the grassland was discussed from the productivity to biodiversity, from local livestock variety to resource-used system. Finally, new approaches of climate change adaptation with inheriting the essence of nomadic culture were proposed, including protecting biodiversity and using resources reasonably, performing a practice of grazing suspension-rotational grazing system,fencing degenerated grassland to facilitate its growth, founding new farming and husbandry system on the grassland, and establishing an incentive mechanism favorable to grassland and ethical cultural protection.展开更多
Field observation was conducted at typical rangeland in Mongolia to examine the frontal area index. Frontal area index is the characteristics of surface roughness elements affecting sand transport. The frontal area wa...Field observation was conducted at typical rangeland in Mongolia to examine the frontal area index. Frontal area index is the characteristics of surface roughness elements affecting sand transport. The frontal area was strongly correlated with the effective shelter length on sand transport in both short grasses and shrubs. The frontal area index was 0.031 and the relationship between the roughness length and frontal area index in this site agreed with past studies.展开更多
Field research in this paper was carried out in Baiyinxil State-owned Rangeland (SOR), which is 55 kms southeast of Xilingol City in Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR). The area established t...Field research in this paper was carried out in Baiyinxil State-owned Rangeland (SOR), which is 55 kms southeast of Xilingol City in Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR). The area established the first grassland nature reserve in China as well as the first SOR in IMAR. By reviewing its 60 years of development, the paper analyzes local herders' ecological ideology (the cycle made of human-grassland-livestock and none of which could be neglected) and the modern nation-state's policy implementation in ecological resettlement, institutional changes, and livestock cross-breeding. The purpose of the research is to discuss three pairs of socio-ecological relationships in Inner Mongolia grassland: between population flow and regional development, traditional ideology and grassland management ideology, as well as the competition between local knowledge and modern science and technology. The author argues that grassland management is a cyclical process and the deterioration of grassland ecology in IMAR is simply a reflection of the imbalance of three key elements (human-institution-cattle) in maintaining grassland ecology.展开更多
Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human distur...Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human disturbance(e.g., grazing, mowing and fencing) triggered significant variation of biomass partitioning and carbon reallocation. Besides, there existed some differences of species diversity and soil fertility. To address these hypotheses of grassland with diverse utilization patterns in Hulun Buir City, Inner Mongolia, China, we sampled in situ about aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) to evaluate their biomass allocation. Species diversity and soil properties were also investigated. Subsequently, we discussed the relationship of species diversity with environmental conditions, using data collected from 23 sites during the ecological project period of Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG) program. The results were as follows: 1) both AGB and BGB were lower on grazing regime than those on fencing and mowing, but the ratio of root-to-shoot(R/S) was higher on grazing regime than the other two utilization patterns; 2) neither of evenness and Simpson Index was different significantly among all grassland utilization patterns in desert, typical, and meadow grassland at 0.05. In meadow grassland, species richness of fencing pattern was significantly higher than that of grazing pattern(p < 0.05); 3) both of soil organic carbon content and soil available phosphorous content were increased significantly on fencing pattern than grazing pattern(p < 0.05) in desert grassland, and mowing patterns increased the soil nutrients(soil organic carbon, soil total phosphorous, soil available phosphorous, and soil total nitrogen) significantly compared with grazing patterns(p < 0.05) in typical grassland. However, there were no significant differences among utilization patterns in meadow grassland. In conclusion, both of AGB and BGB were increased significantly by fencing. Moreover, species diversity and soil nutrients can be promoted via mowing and fencing. This study suggested that implementation of Ecological Project played a positive role in sustainable grassland utilization of Hulun Buir City and a strong positive influence on the entire temperate grassland.展开更多
In the past few decades, the increase in grazing intensity has led to soil degradation and desertification in Inner Mongolia grassland, China, due to population growth and shift in the socio-economic system. Two sites...In the past few decades, the increase in grazing intensity has led to soil degradation and desertification in Inner Mongolia grassland, China, due to population growth and shift in the socio-economic system. Two sites with different grazing intensities, continuous grazing site (CG) with 1.2 sheep ha-1 year-1 and heavy grazing site (HG) with 2.0 sheep ha-1 year-1, were investigated at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station (43° 37′ 50″ N, 116° 42′ 18″ E) situated in the northern China to i) characterize the temporal distribution of soil water content along soil profile; and ii) quantify the water fluxes as affected by grazing intensity. Soil water content was monitored by time domain refiectometry (TDR) probes. Soil water retention curves were determined by pressure membrane extractor, furthermore processed by RETC (RETention Curve) software. Soil matric potential, plant available water and water flux were calculated using these data. Both sites showed an identical seasonal soil water dynamics within four defined hydraulic periods: i) wetting transition coincided with a dramatic water increase due to snow and frozen soil thawing from March to April; 2) wet summer, rainfall in accordance with plant growth from May to September; 3) drying transition, a decrease of soil water from October to November due to rainfall limit; and 4) dry winter, freezing from December to next February. Heavy grazing largely reduced soil water content by 43%-48% and plant available water by 46%-61% as compared to the CG site. During growing season net water flux was nearly similar between HG (242 mm) and CG (223 mm) sites between 5 and 20 cm depths. However, between 20 and 40 cm depths, the upward flux was more pronounced at HG site than at CG site, indicating that water was depleted by root uptake at HG site but stored at CG site. In semi-arid grassland ecosystem, grazing intensity can affect soil water regime and flux, particularly in the growing season.展开更多
Based on the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model(TEM 5.0), together with the data of climate(temperature, precipitation and solar radiation) and environment(grassland vegetation types, soil texture, altitude, longitude and la...Based on the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model(TEM 5.0), together with the data of climate(temperature, precipitation and solar radiation) and environment(grassland vegetation types, soil texture, altitude, longitude and latitude, and atmospheric CO2 concentration data), the spatiotemporal variations of carbon storage and density, and their controlling factors were discussed in this paper. The results indicated that:(1) the total carbon storage of China's grasslands with a total area of 394.93×104 km2 was 59.47 Pg C. Among them, there were 3.15 Pg C in vegetation and 56.32 Pg C in soil carbon. China's grasslands covering 7.0–11.3% of the total world's grassland area had 1.3–11.3% of the vegetation carbon and 9.7–22.5% of the soil carbon in the world grasslands. The total carbon storage increased from 59.13 to 60.16 Pg C during 1961–2013 with an increasing rate of 19.4 Tg C yr^(-1).(2) The grasslands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau contributed most to the total carbon storage during 1961–2013, accounting for 63.2% of the total grassland carbon storage, followed by Xinjiang grasslands(15.8%) and Inner Mongolia grasslands(11.1%).(3) The vegetation carbon storage showed an increasing trend, with the average annual growth rate of 9.62 Tg C yr^(-1) during 1961–2013, and temperature was the main determinant factor, explaining approximately 85% of its variation. The vegetation carbon storage showed an increasing trend in most grassland regions, however, a decreasing trend in the central grassland in the southern China, the western and central parts of the Inner Mongolian grasslands as well as some parts on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The soil carbon storage showed a significantly increasing trend with a rate of 7.96 Tg C yr^(-1), which resulted from the interaction of more precipitation and low temperature in the 1980 s and 1990 s. Among them, precipitation was the main determinant factor of increasing soil carbon increases of China's grasslands.展开更多
Knowledge of the leaf anatomy of grassland plants is crucial for understanding how these plants adapt to the environment. Tibetan alpine grasslands and Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands are two major grassland type...Knowledge of the leaf anatomy of grassland plants is crucial for understanding how these plants adapt to the environment. Tibetan alpine grasslands and Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands are two major grassland types in northern China. Tibetan alpine grasslands occur in high-altitude regions where the low temperatures limit plant growth. Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands are found in arid regions where moisture is the limiting factor. Few comparative studies concerning the leaf anatomy of grassland plants of the Tibetan Plateau and Inner Mongolian Plateau have been conducted. We examined leaf characteristics at 71 sites and among 65 species, across the alpine grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau and the temperate grasslands of the Inner Mongolian Plateau. We compared the leaf structures of plants with different life forms and taxonomies, and their adaptation to arid or cold environments. We explored relationships among leaf features and the effects of climatic factors (i.e., growing season temperature and precipitation) on leaf characteristics. Our results showed that (i) there were significant differences in leaf anatomy between Tibetan alpine and Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands. Except for mesophyll cell density, the values obtained for thickness of leaf tissue, surface area and volume of mesophyll cells were larger on the Tibetan Plateau than on the Inner Mongolian Plateau. (ii) Within the same family or genus, leaf anatomy showed significant differences between two regions, and trends were consistent with those of whole species. (iii) Leaf anatomy of woody and herbaceous plants also showed significant differences between the regions. Except for mesophyll cell density, the values obtained for the thickness of leaf tissue, and the surface area and volume of mesophyll cells were larger in herbaceous than in woody plants. (iv) Leaf anatomical traits changed accordingly. Total leaf thickness, thicknesses of lower and upper epidermal cells, and surface area and volume of mesophyll cells were positively correlated, while mesophyll cell density was negatively associated with those traits. (v) Growing season temperature had stronger effects on leaf anatomy than growing season precipitation. Although the communities in Tibetan and Inner Mongolian grasslands were similar in appearance, leaf anatomy differed; this was probably due to the combined effects of evolutionary adaptation of plants to environment and environmental stress induced by climatic factors.展开更多
Understanding the spatial variability of soil carbon (C) storage and its relationship with climate and soil texture is critical for developing regional C models and for predicting the potential impact of climate cha...Understanding the spatial variability of soil carbon (C) storage and its relationship with climate and soil texture is critical for developing regional C models and for predicting the potential impact of climate change on soil C storage. On the basis of soil data from a transect across the Inner Mongolian grasslands, we determined the quantitative relationships of C and nitrogen (N) in bulk soil and particle-size fractions (sand, silt, and clay) with climate and soil texture to evaluate the major factors controlling soil C and N storage and to predict the effect of climate changes on soil C and N storage. The contents of C and N in the bulk soil and the different fractions in the 0 20 and 20 40 cm soil layers were positively correlated with the mean annum precipitation (MAP) and negatively correlated with the mean annual temperature (MAT). The responses of C storage in the soil and particle-size fractions to MAP and MAT were more sensitive in the 0-20 cm than in the 2(~40 cm soil layer. Although MAP and MAT were both important factors influencing soil C storage, the models that include only MAP could well explain the variation in soil C storage in the Inner Mongolian grasslands. Because of the high correlation between MAP and MAT in the region, the models including MAT did not significantly enhance the model precision. Moreover, the contribution of the fine fraction (silt and clay) to the variation in soil C storage was rather small because of the very low fine fraction content in the Inner Mongolian grasslands.展开更多
The mechanisms underlying the response of soil respiration(Rs) to nitrogen(N) addition remain to be explored in semiarid ecosystems. This study was conducted to determine the effect of N addition on soil microbial com...The mechanisms underlying the response of soil respiration(Rs) to nitrogen(N) addition remain to be explored in semiarid ecosystems. This study was conducted to determine the effect of N addition on soil microbial composition, Rs and the temperature sensitivity of Rs(Q10). The N addition experiment was carried out in a semiarid grassland in China, with N fertilizer application rates of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 gN m-2yr-1. Microbial phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs), Rs and Q10 were measured, and their relationships with soil properties were determined for three growing seasons. The results showed that N addition significantly increased the content of soil dissolved organic carbon(DOC) and inorganic nitrogen(IN), and decreased soil p H. With respect to soil microbes, N addition reduced soil PLFAs, reduced the fungi to bacteria ratio(F:B) and increased the gram-positive bacteria to gram-negative bacteria ratio(G+:G–). Rs under the N2, N4, N8, N16 and N32 treatments decreased by 2.58%, 14.86%, 22.62%, 23.97% and 19.87%, respectively, compared to the N0(control) treatment. The results of structural equation models showed that N addition reduced Rs by lowering soil PLFAs and altering the microbial composition. However, N addition had no significant effect on either Q10, soil total organic carbon(TOC) or total nitrogen(TN), indicating that N addition alleviated soil carbon loss and was unlikely to change the potential for a bigger loss under global warming.展开更多
Few studies are conducted to quantify the effects of enhanced N deposition on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and methane (CH4) uptake in the meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. A two-year field experiment w...Few studies are conducted to quantify the effects of enhanced N deposition on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and methane (CH4) uptake in the meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) deposition rates (0, 10, and 20 kg N ha-1 year-1 as (NH4)2SO4) on soil N2O and CH4 fluxes. The seasonal and diurnal variations of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes were determined using the static chamber-gas chromatography method during the two growing seasons of 2008 and 2009. Soil temperature, moisture and mineral N (NH4+-N and NO3-N) concentration were simultaneously measured. Results showed that low level of (NH4)2SO4 (10 kg N ha-1 year-1) did not significantly affect soil CH4 and N20 fluxes and other variables. High level of (NH4)2SO4 (20 kg N ha-1 year-1) significantly increased soil NO3-N concentration by 24.1% to 35.6%, decreased soil CH4 uptake by an average of 20.1%, and significantly promoted soil N2O emission by an average of 98.2%. Soil N2O emission responded more strongly to the added N compared to CH4 uptake. However, soil CH4 fluxes were mainly driven by soil moisture, followed by soil NO3--N concentration. Soil N2O fluxes were mainly driven by soil temperature, followed by soil moisture. Soil inorganic N availability was a key integrator of soil CH4 uptake and N2O emission. These results suggest that the changes of availability of inorganic N induced by the increased N deposition in soil may affect the CH4 and N2O fluxes in the cold semi-arid meadow steppe over the short term.展开更多
文摘Dendroclimatic methods were used to investigate the fundamental relationships between the temperature variables and the growth of climatically relic Picea meyeri Rehd. et Wils. on sandy land of Inner Mongolian grasslands in the Xilin River Basin. The annual mean temperature and accumulated temperature (above 5 ℃, 10 ℃) respectively showed no significant correlation with the spruce growth relative to summer mean temperature, which displayed strong coherence with tree growth ( P <0.01). The mean temperature in May showed significantly negative correlation with spruce growth ( P <0.05). Furthermore, it was revealed that the negative influence of May temperature was due to monthly mean maximum temperature ( T max ) ( P <0.01) other than monthly mean minimum temperature ( T min ) values ( P <0.1), which indicated that the use of T min and T max separately can allow much more insights on the temperate influence. In addition, extreme maximum temperature in May and June might impose the most detrimental influence on tree growth in semi_arid Inner Mongolian grassland. The analysis of the recorded meteorological data demonstrated that the increases in temperature were synchronous with slight decreases in precipitation in the growing season, which suggested that P. meyeri may reduce growth due to temperature_induced drought. On the other hand, the analysis for decadal periods explored that trees appeared to reduce the sensitivity to the warming, and consequently increased sensitivity to rainfall. This may serve as a baseline for more accurate predictions of the potential impacts of altered climate regimes on tree growth.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation ( 30590384,30900197)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to study seasonal dynamics of biomass under different land use patterns. [Methed] Aboveground biomass and underground biomass of plants under 3 different surface cover conditions of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland were determined in growing season ( from May to October) of 2008. [ Result ] The aboveground biomass of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland in August all reached the highest value, which of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland was 287.91,117.05 and 193.59 g/m2, respectively. The total biomass of plant roots of the 3 plots in July all reached the highest value, which of Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis and farmland was 1 683.9, 1 601.9 and 513.9 g/m2, respectively. Leymus chinensis had the biggest biomass ratio of upper plant roots (0 - 15 cm) to lower plant roots (15 -30 cm), Stipa krylovii took second place, and farmland had the smallest one. ~ Conclusion The research provides theoretical basis for the ecological environment protection of ecological fragile area.
基金The paper is supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (grant numbers: 39900019, and 30070129).
文摘Sandy forest-steppe ecotone in Baiyinaobao Natural Reserve of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China is one of the special landscape types in forest-steppe vegetation zone in China. Vegetation landscape types, landscape patches, and patch size were measured by the field investigation, forest photograph, and airscape. The structure of landscape patches in sandy forest-steppe ecotone, including composition structure, and size structure, was studied and the dynamics and transformation of landscape patches were analyzed. The data obtained in this study could provide theoretical basis for the research on vegetation landscape in forest-steppe ecotones and other vegetation types.
文摘Sulphur (S) cycling and implications on S fertilizer requirement in sheep-grazed pastures receiving three levels of S fertilizer at rates of 0, 30 and 60 kg S/hm 2 in 1995 and 1996 were studied using a mass-balance approach which accounted both for S inputs to and outputs from the soil-plant-animal system. Results indicated that S fertilizer increased by 50% of herbage S uptake and 15% or more of S bio-cycling rate in grazing system. The total S recovery of 30 and 60 kg S/hm 2 treatments from 1995 to 1996 was 74.0% and 37.6% respectively. Mineralization of organic S may be an important source of S for pasture when other S sources are low, accounted for 70% of the total S inputs without S fertilizer. The grazing sheep has an important ecological function, the feature of S cycling in grazed pastures was that 90% of herbage S ingested by grazing sheep was returned to soils as excreta. The amount of S released by sheep excreta accounted about 30% of the total released S through S bio-recycling. Loss from soil S leaching beyond the major plant rooting zone was the main S output from grazing system. However, urinary and fecal S losses, including transfer and leaching losses, also affected S budgets of grazing system. It is therefore important to investigate the recycling rate of both urinary and fecal S under field conditions. Based on the mass-balance principle, at least 10 kg S/hm 2 per year may be necessary for sustainable development of grazing system.
基金This work is supported by Chinese National Programs for Science and Technology Development (GrantNo.2005BA807B10); National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40571059).
文摘Tourism resources are important foundation for the development of tourism industry.Grassland is not only a kind of important resource but also a great attraction to visitors.Therefore,the integrated development and sustainable utilization of grassland tourism resources are of great significance.This paper,based on the analysis of literatures and the current problems existing in grassland tourism,summarizes the speciality of grassland tourism development,deals nation as example and carries out empirical research.Based on the status quo of grassland tourism resources in Inner Mongolia,this study analyzes the characteristics of grassland tourism resources,the necessity and feasibility of integrated development,then proposes the following suggestions: idea for development,mode of development,regional cooperation,tourism products development,especially the three modes of development based on the resources conditions - the mode of relying on market,the mode of combination aggregation and the mode of relying on quality.
基金Under the auspices of Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05060103)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41105117)State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology(No.LFSE2013-06)
文摘The semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China have been degraded by long-term grazing. A series of ecological restoration strategies have been implemented to improve grassland service. However, little is known about the effect of these ecological restoration practices on soil carbon and nitrogen storage. In this study, characteristics of vegetation and soil properties under continued grazing and exclusion of livestock for six years due to a nationwide conservation program—′Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG)′ were examined in semi-arid Hulun Buir grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. The results show that removal of grazing for six years resulted in a significant recovery in vegetation with higher above and below-ground biomass, but a lower soil bulk density and pH value. After six years of grazing exclusion, soil organic C and total N storage increased by 13.9% and 17.1%, respectively, which could be partly explained by decreased loss and increased input of C and N to soil. The effects of grazing exclusion on soil C and N concentration and storage primarily occurred in the upper soil depths. The results indicate that removal of grazing pressure within the RGLG program was an effective restoration approach to control grassland degradation in this region. However, more comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the RGLG program and to improve the management strategies for grassland restoration in this area.
基金supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program:[Grant Number 2013BAC09B04]
文摘Climate change adaptation is an important part of addressing climate warming. Inner Mongolia grassland is a sensitive and vulnerable area of climate and an important region for adaptation to climate change. New climate change adaptation approaches with nomadic culture characteristics should be exploded in the context of climate warming. In this paper, the different utilization pattern of grassland in different regions, the different modes of production and management and historical culture were analyzed first in Nenjiang-West Liaohe plain and Ke'erqin region, Inner Mongolia Plateau and Ordos Plateau. Then, nomadic culture on the grassland was discussed from the productivity to biodiversity, from local livestock variety to resource-used system. Finally, new approaches of climate change adaptation with inheriting the essence of nomadic culture were proposed, including protecting biodiversity and using resources reasonably, performing a practice of grazing suspension-rotational grazing system,fencing degenerated grassland to facilitate its growth, founding new farming and husbandry system on the grassland, and establishing an incentive mechanism favorable to grassland and ethical cultural protection.
文摘Field observation was conducted at typical rangeland in Mongolia to examine the frontal area index. Frontal area index is the characteristics of surface roughness elements affecting sand transport. The frontal area was strongly correlated with the effective shelter length on sand transport in both short grasses and shrubs. The frontal area index was 0.031 and the relationship between the roughness length and frontal area index in this site agreed with past studies.
文摘Field research in this paper was carried out in Baiyinxil State-owned Rangeland (SOR), which is 55 kms southeast of Xilingol City in Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR). The area established the first grassland nature reserve in China as well as the first SOR in IMAR. By reviewing its 60 years of development, the paper analyzes local herders' ecological ideology (the cycle made of human-grassland-livestock and none of which could be neglected) and the modern nation-state's policy implementation in ecological resettlement, institutional changes, and livestock cross-breeding. The purpose of the research is to discuss three pairs of socio-ecological relationships in Inner Mongolia grassland: between population flow and regional development, traditional ideology and grassland management ideology, as well as the competition between local knowledge and modern science and technology. The author argues that grassland management is a cyclical process and the deterioration of grassland ecology in IMAR is simply a reflection of the imbalance of three key elements (human-institution-cattle) in maintaining grassland ecology.
基金Under the auspices of Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05060100)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41105117)
文摘Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human disturbance(e.g., grazing, mowing and fencing) triggered significant variation of biomass partitioning and carbon reallocation. Besides, there existed some differences of species diversity and soil fertility. To address these hypotheses of grassland with diverse utilization patterns in Hulun Buir City, Inner Mongolia, China, we sampled in situ about aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) to evaluate their biomass allocation. Species diversity and soil properties were also investigated. Subsequently, we discussed the relationship of species diversity with environmental conditions, using data collected from 23 sites during the ecological project period of Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG) program. The results were as follows: 1) both AGB and BGB were lower on grazing regime than those on fencing and mowing, but the ratio of root-to-shoot(R/S) was higher on grazing regime than the other two utilization patterns; 2) neither of evenness and Simpson Index was different significantly among all grassland utilization patterns in desert, typical, and meadow grassland at 0.05. In meadow grassland, species richness of fencing pattern was significantly higher than that of grazing pattern(p < 0.05); 3) both of soil organic carbon content and soil available phosphorous content were increased significantly on fencing pattern than grazing pattern(p < 0.05) in desert grassland, and mowing patterns increased the soil nutrients(soil organic carbon, soil total phosphorous, soil available phosphorous, and soil total nitrogen) significantly compared with grazing patterns(p < 0.05) in typical grassland. However, there were no significant differences among utilization patterns in meadow grassland. In conclusion, both of AGB and BGB were increased significantly by fencing. Moreover, species diversity and soil nutrients can be promoted via mowing and fencing. This study suggested that implementation of Ecological Project played a positive role in sustainable grassland utilization of Hulun Buir City and a strong positive influence on the entire temperate grassland.
基金Supported by the German Research Foundation(DFG)(No.Forschergruppe 536)the Hundred Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘In the past few decades, the increase in grazing intensity has led to soil degradation and desertification in Inner Mongolia grassland, China, due to population growth and shift in the socio-economic system. Two sites with different grazing intensities, continuous grazing site (CG) with 1.2 sheep ha-1 year-1 and heavy grazing site (HG) with 2.0 sheep ha-1 year-1, were investigated at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station (43° 37′ 50″ N, 116° 42′ 18″ E) situated in the northern China to i) characterize the temporal distribution of soil water content along soil profile; and ii) quantify the water fluxes as affected by grazing intensity. Soil water content was monitored by time domain refiectometry (TDR) probes. Soil water retention curves were determined by pressure membrane extractor, furthermore processed by RETC (RETention Curve) software. Soil matric potential, plant available water and water flux were calculated using these data. Both sites showed an identical seasonal soil water dynamics within four defined hydraulic periods: i) wetting transition coincided with a dramatic water increase due to snow and frozen soil thawing from March to April; 2) wet summer, rainfall in accordance with plant growth from May to September; 3) drying transition, a decrease of soil water from October to November due to rainfall limit; and 4) dry winter, freezing from December to next February. Heavy grazing largely reduced soil water content by 43%-48% and plant available water by 46%-61% as compared to the CG site. During growing season net water flux was nearly similar between HG (242 mm) and CG (223 mm) sites between 5 and 20 cm depths. However, between 20 and 40 cm depths, the upward flux was more pronounced at HG site than at CG site, indicating that water was depleted by root uptake at HG site but stored at CG site. In semi-arid grassland ecosystem, grazing intensity can affect soil water regime and flux, particularly in the growing season.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program–Climate Change:Carbon Budget and Related Issues of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA-05050408)
文摘Based on the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model(TEM 5.0), together with the data of climate(temperature, precipitation and solar radiation) and environment(grassland vegetation types, soil texture, altitude, longitude and latitude, and atmospheric CO2 concentration data), the spatiotemporal variations of carbon storage and density, and their controlling factors were discussed in this paper. The results indicated that:(1) the total carbon storage of China's grasslands with a total area of 394.93×104 km2 was 59.47 Pg C. Among them, there were 3.15 Pg C in vegetation and 56.32 Pg C in soil carbon. China's grasslands covering 7.0–11.3% of the total world's grassland area had 1.3–11.3% of the vegetation carbon and 9.7–22.5% of the soil carbon in the world grasslands. The total carbon storage increased from 59.13 to 60.16 Pg C during 1961–2013 with an increasing rate of 19.4 Tg C yr^(-1).(2) The grasslands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau contributed most to the total carbon storage during 1961–2013, accounting for 63.2% of the total grassland carbon storage, followed by Xinjiang grasslands(15.8%) and Inner Mongolia grasslands(11.1%).(3) The vegetation carbon storage showed an increasing trend, with the average annual growth rate of 9.62 Tg C yr^(-1) during 1961–2013, and temperature was the main determinant factor, explaining approximately 85% of its variation. The vegetation carbon storage showed an increasing trend in most grassland regions, however, a decreasing trend in the central grassland in the southern China, the western and central parts of the Inner Mongolian grasslands as well as some parts on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The soil carbon storage showed a significantly increasing trend with a rate of 7.96 Tg C yr^(-1), which resulted from the interaction of more precipitation and low temperature in the 1980 s and 1990 s. Among them, precipitation was the main determinant factor of increasing soil carbon increases of China's grasslands.
基金supported by the Funds for Creative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31021001)the Funds of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for Key Topics in Innovation Engineering (Grant No. KSCX2-YW-Z-0806)
文摘Knowledge of the leaf anatomy of grassland plants is crucial for understanding how these plants adapt to the environment. Tibetan alpine grasslands and Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands are two major grassland types in northern China. Tibetan alpine grasslands occur in high-altitude regions where the low temperatures limit plant growth. Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands are found in arid regions where moisture is the limiting factor. Few comparative studies concerning the leaf anatomy of grassland plants of the Tibetan Plateau and Inner Mongolian Plateau have been conducted. We examined leaf characteristics at 71 sites and among 65 species, across the alpine grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau and the temperate grasslands of the Inner Mongolian Plateau. We compared the leaf structures of plants with different life forms and taxonomies, and their adaptation to arid or cold environments. We explored relationships among leaf features and the effects of climatic factors (i.e., growing season temperature and precipitation) on leaf characteristics. Our results showed that (i) there were significant differences in leaf anatomy between Tibetan alpine and Inner Mongolian temperate grasslands. Except for mesophyll cell density, the values obtained for thickness of leaf tissue, surface area and volume of mesophyll cells were larger on the Tibetan Plateau than on the Inner Mongolian Plateau. (ii) Within the same family or genus, leaf anatomy showed significant differences between two regions, and trends were consistent with those of whole species. (iii) Leaf anatomy of woody and herbaceous plants also showed significant differences between the regions. Except for mesophyll cell density, the values obtained for the thickness of leaf tissue, and the surface area and volume of mesophyll cells were larger in herbaceous than in woody plants. (iv) Leaf anatomical traits changed accordingly. Total leaf thickness, thicknesses of lower and upper epidermal cells, and surface area and volume of mesophyll cells were positively correlated, while mesophyll cell density was negatively associated with those traits. (v) Growing season temperature had stronger effects on leaf anatomy than growing season precipitation. Although the communities in Tibetan and Inner Mongolian grasslands were similar in appearance, leaf anatomy differed; this was probably due to the combined effects of evolutionary adaptation of plants to environment and environmental stress induced by climatic factors.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31270519,31070431 and 41373080)the State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology,China(No.LFSE2013-03)
文摘Understanding the spatial variability of soil carbon (C) storage and its relationship with climate and soil texture is critical for developing regional C models and for predicting the potential impact of climate change on soil C storage. On the basis of soil data from a transect across the Inner Mongolian grasslands, we determined the quantitative relationships of C and nitrogen (N) in bulk soil and particle-size fractions (sand, silt, and clay) with climate and soil texture to evaluate the major factors controlling soil C and N storage and to predict the effect of climate changes on soil C and N storage. The contents of C and N in the bulk soil and the different fractions in the 0 20 and 20 40 cm soil layers were positively correlated with the mean annum precipitation (MAP) and negatively correlated with the mean annual temperature (MAT). The responses of C storage in the soil and particle-size fractions to MAP and MAT were more sensitive in the 0-20 cm than in the 2(~40 cm soil layer. Although MAP and MAT were both important factors influencing soil C storage, the models that include only MAP could well explain the variation in soil C storage in the Inner Mongolian grasslands. Because of the high correlation between MAP and MAT in the region, the models including MAT did not significantly enhance the model precision. Moreover, the contribution of the fine fraction (silt and clay) to the variation in soil C storage was rather small because of the very low fine fraction content in the Inner Mongolian grasslands.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(31770519)The National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFC0503805).
文摘The mechanisms underlying the response of soil respiration(Rs) to nitrogen(N) addition remain to be explored in semiarid ecosystems. This study was conducted to determine the effect of N addition on soil microbial composition, Rs and the temperature sensitivity of Rs(Q10). The N addition experiment was carried out in a semiarid grassland in China, with N fertilizer application rates of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 gN m-2yr-1. Microbial phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs), Rs and Q10 were measured, and their relationships with soil properties were determined for three growing seasons. The results showed that N addition significantly increased the content of soil dissolved organic carbon(DOC) and inorganic nitrogen(IN), and decreased soil p H. With respect to soil microbes, N addition reduced soil PLFAs, reduced the fungi to bacteria ratio(F:B) and increased the gram-positive bacteria to gram-negative bacteria ratio(G+:G–). Rs under the N2, N4, N8, N16 and N32 treatments decreased by 2.58%, 14.86%, 22.62%, 23.97% and 19.87%, respectively, compared to the N0(control) treatment. The results of structural equation models showed that N addition reduced Rs by lowering soil PLFAs and altering the microbial composition. However, N addition had no significant effect on either Q10, soil total organic carbon(TOC) or total nitrogen(TN), indicating that N addition alleviated soil carbon loss and was unlikely to change the potential for a bigger loss under global warming.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31300375)the National Non-Profit Institute Research Grant of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (No. BSRF201505)the Key Project of the National Scientific and Technical Support Program, China (No. 2013BAC03B03)
文摘Few studies are conducted to quantify the effects of enhanced N deposition on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and methane (CH4) uptake in the meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) deposition rates (0, 10, and 20 kg N ha-1 year-1 as (NH4)2SO4) on soil N2O and CH4 fluxes. The seasonal and diurnal variations of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes were determined using the static chamber-gas chromatography method during the two growing seasons of 2008 and 2009. Soil temperature, moisture and mineral N (NH4+-N and NO3-N) concentration were simultaneously measured. Results showed that low level of (NH4)2SO4 (10 kg N ha-1 year-1) did not significantly affect soil CH4 and N20 fluxes and other variables. High level of (NH4)2SO4 (20 kg N ha-1 year-1) significantly increased soil NO3-N concentration by 24.1% to 35.6%, decreased soil CH4 uptake by an average of 20.1%, and significantly promoted soil N2O emission by an average of 98.2%. Soil N2O emission responded more strongly to the added N compared to CH4 uptake. However, soil CH4 fluxes were mainly driven by soil moisture, followed by soil NO3--N concentration. Soil N2O fluxes were mainly driven by soil temperature, followed by soil moisture. Soil inorganic N availability was a key integrator of soil CH4 uptake and N2O emission. These results suggest that the changes of availability of inorganic N induced by the increased N deposition in soil may affect the CH4 and N2O fluxes in the cold semi-arid meadow steppe over the short term.