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Liu Z, Ma H, Wang G, Shen Y, Ma J, Li W, Zhou Y, Lu Q. Grazing period management affects the accumulation of plant functional groups, and soil nutrient pools and regulates stoichiometry in the desert steppe of Northwest China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 368:122213. [PMID: 39154389 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
To understand how nutrient cycling and sequestration are influenced by different grazing periods, the C:N:P stoichiometry features of the plant-soil interface in the desert steppe were measured and evaluated. The 5-year seasonal grazing experiment employed four grazing period treatments: traditional time of grazing (TG), early termination of grazing (EG), delayed start of grazing (DG), and delayed start and early termination of grazing (DEG). Additionally, fenced off desert steppe served as the control. The grazing periods each had a differing impact on the C:N:P stoichiometry in both plant functional group and soil depth comparisons. Compared to the EG, DG, and DEG treatments, the TG treatment had a more significant impact on the C, N, and P pools of grass, as well as the C:P and N:P ratios of forbs, but had a reduced effect on the C:P and N:P ratios of legumes. In contrast to plants, the DG treatment exhibited greater advantages in increasing C pools within the 0-40 cm soil layer. Furthermore, in the 10-20 cm soil layer, the C:P and N:P ratios under the EG treatment were significantly higher, ranging from 8.88% to 53.41% and 72.34%-121.79%, respectively, compared to the other treatments (TG, DG, and DGE). The primary drivers of the C, N, and P pools during different grazing periods were above-ground biomass (AGB) and litter biomass (LB). Both lowering the plant C:P and N:P ratios and considerably raising the plant P pool during different grazing periods greatly weakened the P limitation of the desert steppe environment. It is predicted that delayed start grazing might be a management strategy for long-term ecosystem sustainability, as it regulates above-ground nutrient allocation and has a positive effect on soil C and N pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Liu
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Hongbin Ma
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Breeding Base for State Key Laboratory of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration of Northwest China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China.
| | - Guohui Wang
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Breeding Base for State Key Laboratory of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration of Northwest China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Yan Shen
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Breeding Base for State Key Laboratory of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration of Northwest China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Jingli Ma
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Wen Li
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Yao Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Qi Lu
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center of Ningxia Province, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
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Ju X, Wang B, Wu L, Zhang X, Wu Q, Han G. Grazing decreases net ecosystem carbon exchange by decreasing shrub and semi-shrub biomass in a desert steppe. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11528. [PMID: 38932943 PMCID: PMC11199334 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Livestock grazing can strongly determine how grasslands function and their role in the carbon cycle. However, how ecosystem carbon exchange responds to grazing and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We measured ecosystem carbon fluxes to explore the changes in carbon exchange and their driving mechanisms under different grazing intensities (CK, control; HG, heavy grazing; LG, light grazing; MG, moderate grazing) based on a 16-year long-term grazing experimental platform in a desert steppe. We found that grazing intensity influenced aboveground biomass during the peak growing season, primarily by decreasing shrubs and semi-shrubs and perennial forbs. Furthermore, grazing decreased net ecosystem carbon exchange by decreasing aboveground biomass, especially the functional group of shrubs and semi-shrubs. At the same time, we found that belowground biomass and soil ammonium nitrogen were the driving factors of soil respiration in grazed systems. Our study indicates that shrubs and semi-shrubs are important factors in regulating ecosystem carbon exchange under grazing disturbance in the desert steppe, whereas belowground biomass and soil available nitrogen are important factors regulating soil respiration under grazing disturbance in the desert steppe; this results provide deeper insights for understanding how grazing moderates the relationships between soil nutrients, plant biomass, and ecosystem CO2 exchange, which provide a theoretical basis for further grazing management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Ju
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and EnvironmentInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotInner MongoliaChina
| | - Bingying Wang
- Forest and Grassland Protection and Development CenterBairin Right BannerInner MongoliaChina
| | - Lianhai Wu
- Net Zero and Resilient FarmingRothamsted ResearchDevonUK
| | - Xiaojia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and EnvironmentInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotInner MongoliaChina
| | - Qian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and EnvironmentInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotInner MongoliaChina
| | - Guodong Han
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization, College of Grassland, Resources and EnvironmentInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotInner MongoliaChina
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Wu S, Wang R, Zhu H, Wang Y, Du Y, Zhu S, Zhao N. Changes in root chemical diversity along an elevation gradient of Changbai Mountain, China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:897838. [PMID: 36420024 PMCID: PMC9676470 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.897838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Root chemical traits play a critical role in plant resource use strategies and ecosystem nutrient cycling; however, the chemical diversity of multiple elements of fine root and community chemical assembly belowground are poorly understood. Here, we measured 13 elements (C, N, K, Ca, Mg, S, P, Al, Fe, Na, Mn, Zn, and Cu) in the fine roots of 204 plant species along elevational transect from 540 to 2357 m of Changbai Mountain, China to explore the variation, diversity, and community assembly of root chemical traits. At the species level, the concentrations of macronutrients (N, K, Ca, Mg, S, and P) decreased, whereas the trace metals (Fe, Mn, and Zn) increased with elevation. Root chemical traits at the community level systematically shifted along elevational gradients showing a pattern similar to that at the species level, which were mainly influenced by climate and soil rather than species diversity. In general, the interactions of climate and soil were the main drivers of root chemical assembly for woody layers, whereas soil factors played significant role for root chemical assembly for herb layer. The chemical assembly of rock-derived element P was mainly driven by soil factors. Meanwhile, root chemical diversities were mainly regulated by species diversity, the interactions of climate and soil, and soil factors in the tree, shrub, and herb layers, respectively. A better understanding of plant root chemical diversity and community chemical assembly will help to reveal the role of chemical traits in ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ruili Wang
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Haihua Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Sihao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ning Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Liu J, Lu S, Liu C, Hou D. Nutrient reallocation between stem and leaf drives grazed grassland degradation in inner Mongolia, China. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:505. [PMID: 36307761 PMCID: PMC9617404 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03875-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Decline in height and aboveground biomass of the plant community are critical indicators of grassland ecosystem degradation. Nutrient reallocation induced by grazing occurs among different organs, which balances the trade-off between growth and defense. However, it is not yet clear how nutrient reallocation strategies affect plant community structure and functions in grazed grasslands. A grazing experiment was conducted in a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, China. We investigated plant community characteristics and measured plant functional traits of dominant species (Leymus chinensis and Cleistogenes squarrosa) at individual and population levels. Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) concentrations of stem and leaf in the two species were also determined. RESULTS N, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations in leaves and stems of L. chinensis and C. squarrosa significantly increased with grazing intensity, and microelements (Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) were more sensitive to grazing. The nutrient slopes of macro- and microelements in leaves were significantly higher than those in stems under grazing, indicating that nutrient resources were preferentially allocated to leaves and enhanced the compensatory growth of leaves in the grazed grassland. With increasing grazing intensity, the aboveground biomass of stems and leaves in the two species significantly decreased, but leaf to stem ratio increased at the individual level, indicating that plants preferentially allocated biomass to leaves under grazing. The increase in leaf to stem ratio due to nutrient reallocation between the two organs significantly reduced height and aboveground biomass at population and community levels, driving grassland ecosystem degradation. CONCLUSION Our study revealed the driving forces of community structure and function degradation in grazed grasslands from the perspective of nutrient resource allocation, and provided insights into plant adaptation strategies to grazing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, 010021, Hohhot, China
| | - Shuaizhi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environment Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100093, Beijing, China
| | - Changcheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environment Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100093, Beijing, China
| | - Dongjie Hou
- College of Grassland, Resource and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 010019, Hohhot, China.
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Xiao C, Xu C, Zhang J, Jiang W, Zhang X, Yang C, Xu J, Zhang Y, Zhou T. Soil Microbial Communities Affect the Growth and Secondary Metabolite Accumulation in Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb. f. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:916418. [PMID: 35733964 PMCID: PMC9207479 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.916418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb.f. is a perennial herb belonging to the Orchidaceae family. Its tubers are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat gastric ulcers, inflammation, silicosis tuberculosis, and pneumogastric hemorrhage. It has been reported that different soil types can affect the growth of B. striata and the accumulation of secondary metabolites in its tubers, but the biological mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In this study, we compared agronomic traits and the accumulation of secondary metabolites (extractum, polysaccharide, total phenol, militarine) in B. striata grown in sandy loam or sandy clay soil. In addition, we compared physicochemical properties and microbial communities between the two soil types. In pot experiments, we tested how irradiating soil or transplanting microbiota from clay or loam into soil affected B. striata growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites. The results showed that sandy loam and sandy clay soils differed significantly in their physicochemical properties as well as in the structure and composition of their microbial communities. Sandy loam soil had higher pH, SOM, SOC, T-Ca, T-N, T-Mg, T-Mn, T-Zn, A-Ca, A-Mn, and A-Cu than sandy clay soil, but significantly lower T-P, T-K, T-Fe, and A-P content. Sandy loam soil showed 7.32% less bacterial diversity based on the Shannon index, 19.59% less based on the Ace index, and 24.55% less based on the Chao index. The first two components of the PCoA explained 74.43% of the variation in the bacterial community (PC1 = 64.92%, PC2 = 9.51%). Similarly, the first two components of the PCoA explained 58.48% of the variation in the fungal community (PC1 = 43.67%, PC2 = 14.81%). The microbiome associated with sandy clay soil can promote the accumulation of militarine in B. striata tubers, but it inhibits the growth of B. striata. The accumulation of secondary metabolites such as militarine in B. striata was significantly higher in sandy clay than in sandy loam soil. Conversely, B. striata grew better in sandy loam soil. The microbiome associated with sandy loam soil can promote the growth of B. striata, but it reduces the accumulation of militarine in B. striata tubers. Pot experiment results further confirmed that the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as militarine was higher in soil transplanted with loam microbiota than in soil transplanted with clay microbiota. These results may help guide efforts to improve B. striata yield and its accumulation of specific secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghong Xiao
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Chunyun Xu
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Jinqiang Zhang
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Weike Jiang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Xinqing Zhang
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Changgui Yang
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Jiao Xu
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Yongping Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- Resource Institute for Chinese and Ethnic Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Zhou,
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Using Trophy Hunting to Save Wildlife Foraging Resources: A Case Study from Moyowosi-Kigosi Game Reserves, Tanzania. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Globally, the role of trophy hunting in wildlife conservation has been a topic of much debate. While various studies have focused on the financial contribution of trophy hunting towards wildlife conservation, little is known about whether hunting activities can protect wildlife forage resources. We examined the effect of illegal livestock grazing on wildlife habitat in operational and non-operational wildlife hunting blocks in Moyowosi-Kigosi Game Reserves (MKGR), Tanzania. We assessed whether the physical presence of hunting activities lowered illegal grazing and, thus, led to higher vegetation quality. We compared 324 samples of above-ground biomass (AGB) and grass cover between control (0.0007 cattle ha−1), moderately (0.02 cattle ha−1), and intensively (0.05 to 0.1 cattle ha−1) grazed hunting blocks. Likewise, we assessed soil infiltration, soil penetration, soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (N-P-K) across grazing intensity. Illegal grazing decreased AGB by 55%, grass cover by 36%, soil penetration by 46%, and infiltration rate by 63% compared to the control blocks. Illegal grazing further lowered SOC by 28% (F2,33 = 8, p < 0.002) but increased soil N by 50% (F2,33 = 32.2, p < 0.001) and soil K by 56% (H (2) = 23.9, p < 0.001), while soil P remained stable. We further examined if Hunting Company (HC) complements anti-poaching efforts in the Game Reserves (GR). We found that HC contributes an average of 347 worker-days−1 for patrol efforts, which is 49% more than the patrol efforts conducted by the GR. However, patrol success is higher for GR than HC (F1,21 = 116, p < 0.001), due to constant surveillance by HC, illegal herders avoided invading their hunting blocks. We conclude that illegal grazing severely reduced vegetation and soil quality in MKGR. We further claim that trophy hunting contributes directly to wildlife habitat preservation by deploying constant surveillance and preventing illegal grazing. We propose maintaining trophy hunting as an essential ecological tool in wildlife conservation.
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