青草地

某些画之所以有名，是因为它们经得起时间的考验，连续为几代人观赏着，且每一世代都可能出现一些欣赏者。

Effects of Temperature and Nitrogen Input on Nitrogen Mineralization in Alpine Soils on Tibetan Plateau

[Objective] The study aimed to investigate the effects of temperature and nitrogen input on nitrogen mineralization in alpine soils on the Tibetan Plateau.[Method]An incubation experiment in the laboratory was conducted using three alpine soils.These soils were collected from the top 10 cm depth in three grassland types：alpine meadow in Haibei,alpine steppe in Naqu and alpine wetland in Dangxiong.[Result] Temperature significantly affected nitrogen mineralization in alpine soils of three grassland types.The mineralization rate in alpine steppe soil rose with the rise of temperature,while the mineralization rate in the alpine meadow soil and alpine wetland soil decreased with the rise of temperature.Nitrogen input had no significant effect on nitrogen mineralization in the alpine meadow soil,but significantly increased nitrogen mineralization in the alpine steppe soil and the alpine wetland soil.Grassland types significantly affected nitrogen mineralization in alpine grasslands.[Conclusion] The effects of temperature and nitrogen input on nitrogen mineralization in alpine soils on the Tibetan Plateau were significant.And those different effects depended on different types of grassland.

Carrying Capacity of Grassland and Sustainable Development of Animal Husbandry in Qinghai Lake Area

Based on the estimation of carrying capacity of grassland and status analysis of animal husbandry in Qinghai Lake area, the paper explores the strategic measure of sustainable development of animal husbandry in Qinghai Lake area under the actual conditions.

Study on Evapotranspiration Regularity of 3 Forages in Eastern Qinghai Province

The transpiration rate and transpiration quantity＇of whole plants and foliages of Bromus innerrnis, Medicago sativa and Agropyron cristatum are measured by using improved quick and continuous weighting after being cut off method （QCWC）. The results show that transpiration rate of branches and foliages of Agropyron cristatum is highest in 3 forages, Medicago sativa is second and Bromus innermis is lowest. From July to September, the average transpiration quantity of whole plants and foliages of 3 forages is highest in August, September is second and July is lowest.

Accurate Quantification of Grassland Cover Density in an Alpine Meadow Soil Based on Remote Sensing and GPS

The principles of remotely estimating grassland cover density in an alpine meadow soil from space lie in the synchronous collection of in situ samples with the satellite pass and statistically linking these cover densities to their image properties according to their geographic coordinates. The principles and procedures for quantifying grassland cover density from satellite image data were presented with an example from Qinghai Lake, China demonstrating how quantification could be made more accurate through the integrated use of remote sensing and global positioning systems (GPS). An empirical model was applied to an entire satellite image to convert pixel values into ground cover density. Satellite data based on 68 field samples was used to produce a map of ten cover densities. After calibration a strong linear regression relationship (r2 = 0.745) between pixel values on the satellite image and in situ measured grassland cover density was established with an 89% accuracy level. However, to minimize positional uncertainty of field samples, integrated use of hyperspatial satellite data and GPS could be utilized. This integration could reduce disparity in ground and space sampling intervals, and improve future quantification accuracy even more.

Grassland Degradation and Its Control in Region AroundQinghai Lake

A quite severe degradation was found in all seven types of grasslands in the study area involving 12counties of the northwestern Qinghai Province. The slightly, moderately and severely degraded grasslandsoccupied 49.7%, 32.0% and 18.3% of the area respectively. The major factors resulting in the degradationwere overgrazing, the damages from mice and grasshopper and blown sands, and improper use of grasslands.The measures to deal with these problems should be: 1) to make livestock development in accordancewith grassland carrying capacity for animals; 2) to build more artificial grasslands with a stable and highergraas yield; 3) to put more widely the rotation grazing system into practice; 4) to clear up the poisonousgrass species; and 5) to adopt more effective measures to deal with the damages to grasslands by mice andgrasshoppers.

Effects of Grassland Degradation and Re-vegetation on Carbon and Nitrogen Storage in the Soils of the Headwater Area Nature Reserve on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,China

Both overgrazing and climate change contribute to grassland degradation in the alpine regions of China and negatively affect soil carbon and nitrogen pools. We quantified changes in soil organic carbon （SOC） and total nitrogen （TN） in black soil beach （BSB）. We measured SOC and TN in severely degraded and non-degraded grasslands to calculate differences in carbon and nitrogen storage, and field survey results were extrapolated to the entire headwaters area of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau （36.3xlos krn~） to determine SOC and TN losses from these grasslands. We also evaluated changes in SOC and TN in severely degraded grasslands that were artificially re-vegetated five, seven and nine years ago. Totally 92.43 Tg C and 7.08 Tg N were lost from the BSB in the headwater area, which was approximately 50% of the original C and N soil pools. Re-vegetation of the degraded grasslands in the headwater area would result in a gain of 32.71 Tg C in the soil after five years, a loss of 5.5a Tg C after seven years and an increase of 44.15 Tg C after nine years. The TN increased by 53.09% and 59.98% after five and nine years, respectively, while it decreased by 4.92% after seven years of re-vegetation. The results indicate that C and N stocks followed a ＂V＂ shaped pattern with re- vegetation time. Understanding plant-soil interactions during succession of artificially planting grassland ecosystems is essential for developing scientifically sound management strategies for the effectively re-vegetated BSB.

Research on the Soil Carbon Storage of Alpine Grassland under Different Land Uses in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In this article, we mainly analysis the soil carbon storage of the alpine grassland under different land uses in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The samples of this investigation include six experimental fields which are fenced mowing grassland, artificial grassland, winter and spring grazing meadowland, summer and autumn mild grazing land, summer and autumn moderate grazing pasture and summer and autumn severe grazing land and seven soil layers included 0 cm-5 cm, 5 cm-10 cm, 10 cm-20 cm, 20 cm-30 cm, 30 cm-50 cm, 50 cm-70 cm and 70 cm-100 cm. The results show that the soil carbon storage in different soil layers will gradually reduce and the difference was remarkable （P 〈 0.05）. What is more, the soil carbon storage of alpine grassland under different land uses has following sequence： winter and spring grazing grassland 〉 summer and autumn mild grazing land 〉 artificial grassland 〉 summer and autumn moderate grazing meadowland 〉 summer and autumn severe grazing pasture 〉 fenced mowing meadow, and the significant difference between them is remarkable （P 〈 0.05）.

Cultivated Grassland Development on the Tibetan Plateau:Current Status,Challenges,Suggestions

The Tibetan Plateau is vital for animal husbandry in China,and relies heavily on its natural grasslands.However,grassland degradation,increasing livestock numbers,and uneven grazing practices are exacerbating the grass-livestock imbalance.Cultivated grasslands are a key strategy to address this issue.In this review,we evaluate the current status,challenges,and suggestions for developing and managing Tibetan Plateau cultivated grasslands.While discernible advancements have been made in the cultivated grasslands in this region,persistent challenges exist.These challenges stem from issues like low awareness and enthusiasm among farmers and herders,uneven cultivated grassland distribution,and limited scientific and technological contributions.Based on these challenges,we propose strengthening the promotion of artificial forage,implementing a rationalized grassland layout,and improving the scientific and technological contributions to forage species selection,sowing,management,and storage.In summary,cultivated grasslands in the Tibetan Plateau offer promising prospects but still face significant challenges.Overcoming these obstacles will require innovative approaches to unlock the full potential of cultivated grasslands in this unique ecological niche.

Impact of Drought Stress on Net CO_2 Exchange above an Alpine Grassland Ecosystem in the Central Tibetan Plateau

Drought may impact the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 （NEE） between grassland ecosystems and the atmosphere during growth seasons. Here, carbon dioxide exchange and controlling factors in alpine grassland under drought stress in the hinterland of Tibetan Plateau （Damxung, Tibet, China） were investigated. Data were obtained using the covariance eddy technique in 2009. Severe drought stress appeared in the early growing season （May to early July） and September. Drought conditions during the early growing season limited grass production and the green leaf area index （GLAD increased slowly, with an obvious decline in June. When encountering severe water stress, diurnal patterns of NEE in the growth season altered with a peak carbon release around 16：00 h or a second carbon uptake period before sunset. NEE variations in daytime related most closely with O other than PAR when daily averaged @〈0.1 m3 m 3. Seasonal patterns of gross primary production （GPP） and NEE were also influenced by drought： the maximum and minimum of daily-integrated NEE were 0.9 g C m-2 d-1 on 3 July 2009, and -1.3 g C m-2 d-1 on 12 August 2009 with a GPP peak （-2.3 g C m-2 d-1） on the same day, respectively. Monthly NEE from May to July remained as carbon release and increased gradually; peak values of monthly NEE and GPP both appeared in August, but that of ecosystem respiration （R^co） was reached in July. Annual NEE, GPP and Reco of the alpine grassland ecosystem were 52.4, -158.1 and 210.5 g C m-2, respectively. Therefore, the grassland was a moderate source of COs to the atmosphere in this dry year. Interannual variation in NEE was likely related to different water conditions in the growing season. The three greatest contributors to seasonal variation in NEE, GPP and R^co respectively were GLAI〉Ta〉O, GLAI〉O〉PPT, and Ta〉GLAI〉PAR. Seasonality of GLAI explained 60.7% and 76.1% of seasonal variation in NEE and GPP, respectively. GPP or NEE was more sensitive than Reco to variation in GLAI, and ecosystem water conditions.

Relationships between altitudinal gradient and plant carbon isotope composition of grassland communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Foliar and root carbon isotope composition(δ13C) of grassland communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China,was obtained by the biomass weighting method and direct measurement.We investigated the characteristics and altitudinal patterns of foliar and root δ13C and determined which environmental factors influenced foliar δ13 C most.Foliar δ13 C of alpine steppe was significantly higher than that of alpine meadow and temperate steppe.For alpine meadow,root δ13C was significantly higher than of foliar δ13C.Foliar δ13C increased with altitude at an average rate of 0.60‰ km 1 for the whole grassland ecosystem.This rate was lower than that at species level.However,there were no significant relationships between root δ13C and altitude.Atmospheric pressure was a more important factor than temperature and precipitation in its influence on the altitudinal pattern of foliar δ13C at the community level.

Climatic and Edaphic Controls on Soil pH in Alpine Grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau,China:A Quantitative Analysis

Soil acidity is an important parameter that can regulate ecosystem structure and function.However,a quantitative understanding of the relationships between soil pH and environmental factors remains unavailable.In this study,relationships of soil pH with both climatic and edaphic factors in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau,China were quantified using data obtained from a regional soil survey during 2001-2004.Our results showed that soil pH decreased along the gradient of both mean annual temperature and precipitation.Likewise,soil pH exhibited consistent negative correlations with soil moisture and silt content.However,soil organic and inorganic carbon contents played opposite roles in shaping patterns of soil pH:the accumulation of soil organic matter led to higher soil acidity,while the existence of soil inorganic matter was favorable for maintaining higher soil alkalinity.The variation partitioning analysis indicated that the combination of climatic and edaphic variables explained 74.3%of the variation in soil acidity.These results suggest that soil pH could be predicted from routinely-measured variables,allowing a robust pedotransfer function to be developed.The pedotransfer function may facilitate land surface models to generate more reliable predictions on ecosystem structure and function around the world.

Distribution of fatty acids in the alpine grassland soils of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

As an important biomarker, fatty acids(FAs) have been extensively used to trace the origin of organic matter in sediments and soils. However, studies of the distribution and abundance of FAs in alpine grassland soils are still rare, especially on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP), the highest plateau in the world, which contributes sediments to many large rivers in Asia. This study investigates the composition, distribution and source of FAs with increasing soil depths from 17 typical alpine grassland sites in the QTP. The most abundant FAs included the ubiquitous C16 FA and even-numbered long-chain FAs(C20–C30), indicating mixed inputs from microbial and higher plant sources. Source apportionment showed that higher plants were the dominant contributor of FAs(approximately 40%) in QTP soils. The abundance of FAs decreased with soil depth, with the highest value(1.08±0.09 mg/g C) at a 0–10 cm depth and the lowest value(0.46±0.12 mg/g C) at a 50–70 cm depth, due to much lower plant inputs into the deeper horizons. The total concentration of FAs was negatively correlated to the mean annual temperature(MAT; P<0.05) and soil p H(P<0.01), suggesting that the preservation of FAs was favored in low-MAT and low-p H soils on the QTP. The abundance of fresh C source FAs increased significantly with the mean annual precipitation(MAP; P<0.05), indicating that high MAP facilitates the accumulation of fresh FAs in QTP soils. Other environmental parameters, such as the soil mineral content(aluminum and iron oxide), microbial community composition as well as litter quality and quantity, may also exert a strong control on the preservation of FAs in QTP soils and warrant further research to better understand the mechanisms responsible for the preservation of FAs in QTP soils.

Small-scale switch in cover-perimeter relationships of patches indicates shift of dominant species during grassland degradation

Aims Grasslands are globally threatened by climate changes and unsustainable land-use,which often cause transitions among alternative stable states,and even catastrophic transition to desertification.Spatial vegetation patch configurations have been shown to signify such transitions at large spatial scale.Here,we demonstrate how small-scale patch configurations can also indicate state transitions.Methods The whole spatial series of degradation successions were chosen in alpine grasslands characterized as seven typical communities.Patch numbers,and perimeter and cover of each patch were recorded using adjacent quadrats along transects in each type of the communities.Species abundance within each patch was measured.Important Findings Across seven grazing-induced degradation stages in the world’s largest expanse of grassland,from dense ungrazed turf to bare black-soil crust,patch numbers and perimeters first increased as patch cover decreased.Numbers and perimeters then decreased rapidly beyond an intersection point at 68%of initial continuous vegetation cover.Around this point,the vegetation fluctuated back and forth between the sedge-dominated grassland breaking-up phase and the forb-dominated phase,suggesting impending shift of grassland state.This study thus demonstrates how ground-based small-scale vegetation surveys can provide a quantitative,easy-to-use signals for vegetation degradation,with promise for detecting the catastrophic transition to desertification.

Reasonable management of perennial planting grassland contributes to positive succession of soil microbial community in Sanjiangyuan of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,China

Grassland reconstruction is a major approach to alleviate the‘black beach’in Sanjiangyuan of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.It is vital to understand how to manage the planting grassland after reconstruction.And which artificial grassland management pattern is more likely to restore the degraded grassland of‘black beach?’To provide the scientific basis for the restoration of‘black beach’,we investigated the changes in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial community structure of planting grassland under different management patterns,and explored the effect of the management patterns on community succession of planting grassland.In this study,vegetation characteristics and soil physicochemical properties were measured by field investigation and laboratory analyses,respectively.Soil microbial community composition was determined by high-throughput sequencing techniques.The results showed that there were significant differences in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial community structure of the planting grassland under different management patterns.Actinobacteria and Basidiomycota were mainly controlled by vegetation plant species diversity,aboveground biomass(AGB)and soil organic carbon(SOC).Shannon-Wiener index,AGB and SOC peaked and the relative abundance of amplicon sequence variants annotated by Actinobacteria and Basidiomycota were significantly enriched under the management pattern of the planting once treatment.Additionally,the soil had the highest bacterial diversity and the lowest fungal diversity under the planting once treatment,becoming a‘bacterial’soil.These vegetation characteristics and soil environment were more conducive to overall positive community succession,indicating that the planting once treatment is the most reasonable management pattern for restoring the‘black beach’.

Mechanism of plant-soil feedback in a degraded alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau

Although biotic and abiotic factors have been confirmed to be critical factors that affect community dynamics,their interactive effects have yet to be fully considered in grassland degradation.Herein,we tested how soil nutrients and microbes regulated plant-soil feedback(PSF)in a degraded alpine grassland.Our results indicated that soil total carbon(STC;from 17.66 to 12.55 g/kg)and total nitrogen(STN;from 3.16 to 2.74 g/kg)exhibited significant(P<0.05)decrease from non-degraded(ND)to severely degraded(SD).Despite higher nutrients in ND soil generating significantly(P<0.05)positive PSF(0.52)on monocots growth when the soil was sterilized,a high proportion of pathogens(36%)in ND non-sterilized soil resulted in a strong negative PSF on monocots.In contrast,the higher phenotypic plasticity of dicots coupled with a higher abundance of mutualists and saprophytes(70%)strongly promoted their survival and growth in SD with infertile soil.Our findings identified a novel mechanism that there was a functional group shift from monocots with higher vulnerability to soil pathogens in the ND fertile soil to dicots with higher dependence on nutritional mutualists in the degraded infertile soil.The emerging irreversible eco-evolutionary in PSF after degradation might cause a predicament for the restoration of degraded grassland.