Spatial heterogeneity of vegetation under different grazing intensities in a Stipa breviflora desert steppe

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2014.00114

Abstract

Abstract: Aims Our objectives were to determine whether exponential function law is suitable to fit different levels of plant spatial heterogeneity in Stipa breviflora desert steppe, and to elucidate the patterns of species and community spatial heterogeneity under different grazing intensities, for better understanding the influence of grazing on plant community diversity, productivity and stability.Methods An experiment with randomized complete block design was conducted at the study site with four treatments and three replications for each treatment. The treatments consisted of light grazing, moderate grazing, heavy grazing and no grazing, respectively. Samples were taken from 50 cm × 50 cm quadrates (L quadrate) at every 0.5 m along three 50 m line transects, and totally 100 quadrates were measured. Each L quadrate was equally separated into four 25 cm × 25 cm smaller quadrates (S quadrate). All species appeared in the S quadrates were recorded at the peak growth period. The exponential function law was used to fit the data in different grazing treatments. Important findings Results showed that the species studied had good concordance with exponential function law under different grazing intensities. With increases in grazing intensity, based on the species occurrence frequency, plant community gradually shifted from a mixture of Stipa breviflora, Cleistogenes songorica, Artemisia frigida, Salsola collina to mixed Stipa breviflora and Cleistogenes songorica. The spatial heterogeneity was species-specific in different grazing treatments. With increasing grazing intensity, the plant species with increased spatial heterogeneity gradually reduced from Cleistogenes songorica, Arternisia frigida, Stipa breviflora, Convolvulus ammannii, Salsola collina, Allium mongolicum, Leymus chinesis, Chenopodium aristatum, and Haplophyllum dauricum to only Cleistogenes songorica and Stipa breviflora. The number of species with greater spatial heterogeneity than community spatial heterogeneity deceased from the control to the heavy grazing treatment.

Key words: desert steppe, grazing intensity, power function law, spatial heterogeneity

HUANG Chen,ZHANG Yu,WANG Jing,LI Yuan-Heng,WU Shi-Liu,TA Na,ZHAO Meng-Li,HAN Guo-Dong,LANG Bada-Lahu,ZHAO Yan-Fang. Spatial heterogeneity of vegetation under different grazing intensities in a Stipa breviflora desert steppe[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2014, 38(11): 1184-1193.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2014.00114

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2014/V38/I11/1184

Figures/Tables 5

Fig. 1 Diagrammatic illustration of the experimental design and block arrangement. CK, control; HG, heavy grazing; LG, light grazing; MG, moderate grazing.

Fig. 2 Fitting of exponential function law to species distribution under different grazing intensities. CK, Control. HG, Heavy grazing. LG, Light grazing. MG, Moderate grazing. n, number of S quadrates appeared in an L quadrate (n = 4); pi, species occurrence frequency within the community in S quadrates; v, variance of the species occurrence number within the community in an L quadrate.

Fig. 3 Relationship between frequency of species occurrence (pi) and spatial heterogeneity index (δi) under different grazing intensities. δc, spatial heterogeneity index of community. CK, Control. HG, Heavy grazing. LG, Light grazing. MG, Moderate grazing. Ac, Agropyron cristatum; Af, Artemisia frigida; Am, Allium mongolicum; As, Artemisia sacrorum; At, Allium tenuissimum; Cam, Convolvulus ammannii; Car, Chenopodium aristatum; Cl, Ceratoides latens; Cm, Caragana microphylla; Cso, Cleistogenes songorica; Cst, Caragana stenophylla; Hal, Heteropappus altaicus; Hd, Haplophyllum dauricum; Kp, Kochia prostrata; Lc, Leymus chinensis; Li, Lagochilus ilicifolius; Np, Neopallasia pectinata; Pb, Potentilla bifurca; Pu, Phlomis umbrosa; Sb, Stipa breviflora; Sc, Salsola collina.

Fig. 4 Relationship between frequency of species occurrence (pi) and regression residual (εi). CK, Control. HG, Heavy grazing. LG, Light grazing. MG, Moderate grazing. Ac, Agropyron cristatum; Af, Artemisia frigida; Am, Allium mongolicum; As, Artemisia sacrorum; At, Allium tenuissimum; Cam, Convolvulus ammannii; Car, Chenopodium aristatum; Cl, Ceratoides latens; Cm, Caragana microphylla; Cso, Cleistogenes songorica; Cst, Caragana stenophylla; Hal, Heteropappus altaicus; Hd, Haplophyllum dauricum; Kp, Kochia prostrata; Lc, Leymus chinensis; Li, Lagochilus ilicifolius; Np, Neopallasia pectinata; Pb, Potentilla bifurca; Pu, Phlomis umbrosa; Sb, Stipa breviflora; Sc, Salsola collina.

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