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Debaba GH, Li K, Wang X, Wang Y, Bai W, Li G. Effect of Nitrogen Application Rate on the Relationships between Multidimensional Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Production in a Temperate Steppe. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:554. [PMID: 39194492 DOI: 10.3390/biology13080554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition, as one of the global change drivers, can alter terrestrial plant diversity and ecosystem function. However, the response of the plant diversity-ecosystem function relationship to N deposition remains unclear. On one hand, in the previous studies, taxonomic diversity (i.e., species richness, SR) was solely considered the common metric of plant diversity, compared to other diversity metrics such as phylogenetic and functional diversity. On the other hand, most previous studies simulating N deposition only included two levels of control versus N enrichment. How various N deposition rates affect multidimensional plant diversity-ecosystem function relationships is poorly understood. Here, a field manipulative experiment with a N addition gradient (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 g N m-2 yr-1) was carried out to examine the effects of N addition rates on the relationships between plant diversity metrics (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity) and ecosystem production in a temperate steppe. Production initially increased and reached the maximum value at the N addition rate of 47 g m-2 yr-1, then decreased along the N-addition gradient in the steppe. SR, functional diversity calculated using plant height (FDis-Height) and leaf chlorophyll content (FDis-Chlorophyll), and phylogenetic diversity (net relatedness index, NRI) were reduced, whereas community-weighted means of plant height (CWMHeight) and leaf chlorophyll content (CWMChlorophyll) were enhanced by N addition. N addition did not affect the relationships of SR, NRI, and FDis-Height with production but significantly affected the strength of the correlation between FDis-Chlorophyll, CWMHeight, and CWMChlorophyll with biomass production across the eight levels of N addition. The findings indicate the robust relationships of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity and production and the varying correlations between functional diversity and production under increased N deposition in the temperate steppe, highlighting the importance of a trait-based approach in studying the plant diversity-ecosystem function under global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gossaye Hailu Debaba
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Kunyu Li
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Wenming Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Guoyong Li
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
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Yu J, Shi P, Zong N, Song M, Miao Y, Huang X, Chen X, Hei H. Responses of Intraspecific and Interspecific Trait Variations to Nitrogen Addition in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1764. [PMID: 38999605 PMCID: PMC11244433 DOI: 10.3390/plants13131764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
A community functional structure may respond to environmental changes such as nitrogen (N) enrichment by altering intraspecific and interspecific trait variations. However, the relative contributions of both components in determining the community response to N enrichment are unclear. In this study, we measured the plant height (H), leaf area (LA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and specific leaf area (SLA) based on a nine-year N addition gradient experiment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. We examined the intraspecific and interspecific variations within and among the communities, the responses of traits in terms of community weighted mean (CWM) and non-weighted mean (CM) to N addition, and the effects of these trait variations on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). Our results show that N addition increased the interspecific variation in H while decreasing that of LA within the community, whereas it had no significant effects on the intraspecific variations in the four traits within the community. In contrast, N addition significantly increased the intraspecific variation in H and decreased that of LA among the communities. Moreover, the contribution of intraspecific variation was greater than that of the interspecific variation in terms of CWM for all traits, while the opposite contribution was observed in terms of CM, suggesting that the dominant species would have greater resilience while subdominant species would become less resistant to N addition. Further, intraspecific variations of LA and LDMC within the community played an important role in explaining community productivity. Our results highlight the importance of both intraspecific and interspecific variations in mediating functional trait responses to N enrichment, and intraspecific variation within the communities has important implications for community functioning that should be considered to better understand and predict the responses of the alpine grasslands to N enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialuo Yu
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Peili Shi
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Ning Zong
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Minghua Song
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yujue Miao
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xiaofang Huang
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xueying Chen
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Huixin Hei
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Zhang C, Lin Y, Xue Q, Mo X, He M, Liu J. Nitrogen supply neutralizes the nanoplastic-plant interaction in a coastal wetland. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118572. [PMID: 38437902 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118572] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The presence of nanoplastics posed a potential threat to coastal saline-alkaline wetlands where nitrogen (N) fertilizer is being implemented as an important ecological restoration measure. Notwithstanding, the effects of N inputs on plant community in polypropylene-nanoplastics (PP-NPs) coexistence environments are largely unknown. To address this, we investigated the effects of PP-NPs addition alone or combined N supply on community aboveground biomass, morphological traits, diversity, composition, niche differentiation, interspecific interactions, and assembly. Our results showed that the PP-NPs addition alone reduced community aboveground biomass and morphological traits. However, the addition of high concentration (0.5%) PP-NPs alone favored community α-diversity and reduced community stability, which could be weakened through combined N supply. Overall, the effect of PP-NPs addition alone on plant community composition was greater than that of combined N supply. We also demonstrated PP-NPs addition alone and combined N supply reduced the niche breadth of the plant community and affected the niche overlap of dominant species. In the assembly of plant communities, stochastic processes played a dominant role. We conclude that N fertilization can amend the terrestrial nanoplastics pollution, thus mitigating the effects of PP-NPs on the plant community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Yingchao Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Biomass Resource Utilization, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Qing Xue
- School of Geographic and Environmental Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Xunqiang Mo
- School of Geographic and Environmental Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Mengxuan He
- School of Geographic and Environmental Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environment, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China.
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Biomass Resource Utilization, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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Guo T, Wei Y, Wei B, Guo M, Zheng S, Zhang Y, Liu N. Defoliation, trampling and nutrient return differentially influence grassland productivity by modulating trait-dependent plant community composition: insights from a simulated grazing experiment. Oecologia 2024; 204:885-898. [PMID: 38643441 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05550-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Ungulate grazing involves multiple components, including defoliation, dung and urine return, and trampling, which supply offsetting or synergistic effects on plant community composition and productivity (ANPP), but these effects have not been fully studied. Plant functional traits may reflect the response of plants to disturbance and their impact on ecosystem functions. Species turnover and intraspecific trait variation (ITV) are important drivers of community trait composition. We conducted a simulated grazing experiment in a steppe grassland in northern China to examine the effects of defoliation, dung and urine return, and trampling on community-weighted mean (CWM), functional diversity (FD) and ANPP, and to disentangle the roles of species turnover and ITV in driving these changes. We found that defoliation had a dominant effect on CWMs and FDs of all four traits through species turnover and ITV, respectively, resulting in a convergence of traits towards as more resource-acquisitive strategy. Dung-urine return resulted in more resource-acquisitive community traits mainly through ITV, whereas there were no significant effects on FDs except for leaf C/N. Trampling increased CWM of leaf dry matter content primarily driven by ITV, and had no significant effect on FDs. Furthermore, our simulated grazing positively affected ANPP, primarily due to nutrient additions from dung and urine, and ITV largely explained the variation in ANPP. These findings highlight the multifaceted effects of grazing components on community structure and ANPP, and the significance of ITV in shaping grassland plant communities and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtian Guo
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuqi Wei
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Bin Wei
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Meiqi Guo
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shuxia Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yingjun Zhang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Nan Liu
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Wei B, Zhang D, Wang G, Liu Y, Li Q, Zheng Z, Yang G, Peng Y, Niu K, Yang Y. Experimental warming altered plant functional traits and their coordination in a permafrost ecosystem. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1802-1816. [PMID: 37434301 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about changes in plant functional traits is valuable for the mechanistic understanding of warming effects on ecosystem functions. However, observations have tended to focus on aboveground plant traits, and there is little information about changes in belowground plant traits or the coordination of above- and belowground traits under climate warming, particularly in permafrost ecosystems. Based on a 7-yr field warming experiment, we measured 26 above- and belowground plant traits of four dominant species, and explored community functional composition and trait networks in response to experimental warming in a permafrost ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau. Experimental warming shifted community-level functional traits toward more acquisitive values, with earlier green-up, greater plant height, larger leaves, higher photosynthetic resource-use efficiency, thinner roots, and greater specific root length and root nutrient concentrations. However, warming had a negligible effect in terms of functional diversity. In addition, warming shifted hub traits which have the highest centrality in the network from specific root area to leaf area. These results demonstrate that above- and belowground traits exhibit consistent adaptive strategies, with more acquisitive traits in warmer environments. Such changes could provide an adaptive advantage for plants in response to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dianye Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Guanqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Qinlu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhihu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guibiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yunfeng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Kechang Niu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuanhe Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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6
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Suonan J, Lu X, Li X, Hautier Y, Wang C. Nitrogen addition strengthens the stabilizing effect of biodiversity on productivity by increasing plant trait diversity and species asynchrony in the artificial grassland communities. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1301461. [PMID: 38053765 PMCID: PMC10694273 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1301461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Background and aims Nitrogen (N) enrichment usually weakens the stabilizing effect of biodiversity on productivity. However, previous studies focused on plant species richness and thus largely ignored the potential contributions of plant functional traits to stability, even though evidence is increasing that functional traits are stronger predictors than species richness of ecosystem functions. Methods We conducted a common garden experiment manipulating plant species richness and N addition levels to quantify effects of N addition on relations between species richness and functional trait identity and diversity underpinning the 'fast-slow' economics spectrum and community stability. Results Nitrogen addition had a minor effect on community stability but increased the positive effects of species richness on community stability. Increasing community stability was found in the species-rich communities dominated by fast species due to substantially increasing temporal mean productivity relative to its standard deviation. Furthermore, enhancement in 'fast-slow' functional diversity in species-rich communities dominated by fast species under N addition increased species asynchrony, resulting in a robust biodiversity-stability relationship under N addition the artificial grassland communities. Conclusion The findings demonstrate mechanistic links between plant species richness, 'fast-slow' functional traits, and community stability under N addition, suggesting that dynamics of biodiversity-stability relations under global changes are the results of species-specific responses of 'fast-slow' traits on the plant economics spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Suonan
- College of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
| | - Xuwei Lu
- College of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
| | - Xiaona Li
- Institute of Grassland, Flowers and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Chao Wang
- Institute of Grassland, Flowers and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
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Li D, Liu Y, Yang X, Zhang X, Shi Z. Shrub encroachment alters plant trait response to nitrogen addition in a semi-arid grassland. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1103371. [PMID: 37008490 PMCID: PMC10064521 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1103371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Encroachment of shrubs over large regions of arid and semi-arid grassland can affect grassland traits and growth under a background of increasing nitrogen (N) deposition. However, the effects of N input rates on species traits and the growth of shrubs on grasslands remain unclear. We examined the effects of six different N addition rates on the traits of Leymus chinensis in an Inner Mongolia grassland encroached by the leguminous shrub, Caragana microphylla. We randomly selected 20 healthy L. chinensis tillers within shrubs and 20 tillers between shrubs in each plot, measuring the plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, leaf N concentration per unit mass (LNCmass), and aboveground biomass. Our results showed that N addition significantly enhanced the LNCmass of L. chinensis. The aboveground biomass, heights, LNCmass, leaf area, and leaf number of plants within the shrubs were higher than those between shrubs. For L. chinensis growing between shrubs, the LNCmass and leaf area increased with N addition rates, leaf number and plant height had binomial linear relationships to N addition rates. However, the number of leaves, leaf areas and heights of plants within shrubs did not vary under various N addition rates. Structural Equation Modelling revealed N addition had an indirect effect on the leaf dry mass through the accumulation of LNCmass. These results indicate that the response of dominant species to N addition could be regulated by shrub encroachment and provide new insights into management of shrub encroached grassland in the context of N deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Institute of Desertification Study, Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Yanshu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation, Land Science and Technology Innovation Center, Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- Institute of Desertification Study, Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Institute of Desertification Study, Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjie Shi
- Institute of Desertification Study, Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
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Liu Y, Zhao X, Liu W, Yang X, Feng B, Zhang C, Yu Y, Cao Q, Sun S, Degen AA, Shang Z, Dong Q. Herbivore assemblages affect soil microbial communities by altering root biomass and available nutrients in an alpine meadow. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1117372. [PMID: 36938013 PMCID: PMC10017739 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1117372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Three different herbivore grazing assemblages, namely, yak grazing (YG), Tibetan sheep grazing (SG) and yak and Tibetan sheep co-grazing (MG), are practiced in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), but the effects of the different herbivore assemblages on soil microbes are relatively unknown. The microbial community plays an important role in the functional stability of alpine grassland ecosystems. Therefore, it is important to understand how the microbial community structure of grassland ecosystems changes under different herbivore grazing assemblages to ensure their sustainable development. To fill this gap, a field study was carried out to investigate the effects of YG, SG, and MG on plant communities, soil physico-chemical properties and microbial communities under moderate grazing intensity in alpine meadows. Grazing increased the β-diversity of the bacteria community and decreased the β-diversity of the fungal community. The herbivore assemblage affected the microbial community diversity, but not the plant community diversity. Total phosphorus, soil bulk density, root biomass, and plant α-diversity were correlated with both the bacterial and fungal community composition, available phosphorus and soil moisture were correlated only with the bacterial community composition, while available potassium and above-ground net primary production (ANPP) were correlated only with the fungal community composition. Soil available nitrogen, soil available phosphorus and soil bulk density were highest in SG, while ANPP was highest in MG. It was concluded that MG can improve ANPP and stabilize the soil microbial community, suggesting that MG is an effective method for sustainable use and conservation of alpine meadows on the QTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhen Liu
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Xinquan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Wenting Liu
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Xiaoxia Yang
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Bin Feng
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Chunping Zhang
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Quan Cao
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Shengnan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - A. Allan Degen
- Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Zhanhuan Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Quanmin Dong
- Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Adaptive Management on Alpine Grassland, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China
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9
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Wang X, Wang R, Gao J. Precipitation and soil nutrients determine the spatial variability of grassland productivity at large scales in China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:996313. [PMID: 36160972 PMCID: PMC9505511 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.996313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Changes in net primary productivity (NPP) to global change have been studied, yet the relative impacts of global change on grassland productivity at large scales remain poorly understood. Using 182 grassland samples established in 17 alpine meadows (AM) and 21 desert steppes (DS) in China, we show that NPP of AM was significantly higher than that of DS. NPP increased significantly with increasing leaf nitrogen content (LN) and leaf phosphorus content (LP) but decreased significantly with increasing leaf dry matter content (LDMC). Among all abiotic factors, soil nutrient factor was the dominant factor affecting the variation of NPP of AM, while the NPP of DS was mainly influenced by the changing of precipitation. All abiotic factors accounted for 62.4% of the spatial variation in the NPP of AM, which was higher than the ability to explain the spatial variation in the NPP of DS (43.5%). Leaf traits together with soil nutrients and climatic factors determined the changes of the grassland productivity, but the relative contributions varied somewhat among different grassland types. We quantified the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on grassland NPP, and provided theoretical guidance for predicting the impacts of global change on the NPP of grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianxian Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, China
| | - Ru Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jie Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, China
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Yang Y, Chen Z, Xu B, Wei J, Zhu X, Yao H, Wen Z. Using Trait-Based Methods to Study the Response of Grassland to Fertilization in the Grassland in Semiarid Areas in the Loess Plateau of China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2045. [PMID: 35956523 PMCID: PMC9370584 DOI: 10.3390/plants11152045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Grassland is the dominant vegetation type in the Loess Plateau, and grassland productivity and processes are limited by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Studies have shown that productivity would change following fertilization in the grassland. The response of productivity to fertilization mainly depends on the dominant species traits. Trait-based methods provide a useful tool for explaining the variations in grassland productivity following fertilization. However, the relative contribution of plant functional traits to grassland productivity under N and P addition in the Loess Plateau is not clear. We measured aboveground biomass (AGB) and leaf N content (LN), leaf P content (LP), leaf N/P ratio (LN/P), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf tissue density (LTD), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and maximum plant height (Hmax) to study how these plant functional traits regulate the relative biomass of different species and grassland productivity following fertilization. Our results showed, that under different nutrient addition levels, the linkages between plant functional traits and the relative biomass of different species were different. Community AGB was positively related to community-weighted mean LN (CWM_LN), CWM_LN/P, CWM_SLA, and CWM_Hmax, but negatively related to CWM_LTD and CWM_LDMC. Dominant species traits largely determined grassland productivity, in line with the mass ratio hypothesis. These findings further highlight the close linkages between community-level functional traits and grassland productivity. Our study contributes to the mechanisms underlying biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships and has significance for guiding semiarid grassland management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Yang
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Zhifei Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Bingcheng Xu
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jiaqi Wei
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xiaoxu Zhu
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Hongbin Yao
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Zhongming Wen
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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