Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology >
Deciphering the nutrient factors limiting vegetation restoration under different degradation stages in typical steppe of Nei Mongol, China
Received date: 2024-03-25
Accepted date: 2024-08-23
Online published: 2024-08-23
Supported by
Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA26020102);Key Projects Under the Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research Operations of Central Government-Level Public Welfare Research Institutes(CAFYBB2020ZB001)
Aims Grasslands provide many kinds of ecological services, including carbon sequestration, sand fixation, and biodiversity maintenance. However, some grasslands are experiencing degradation. To provide scientific theoretical support for grassland restoration, it is necessary to understand the limiting factors for vegetation restoration in degraded grasslands. In this study, we explored nutrient limiting factors for vegetation restoration under different degradation stages in typical steppe of Nei Mongol.
Methods Plant and soil samples were collected during August in 2021-2022, from 13 sampling sites (four plant communities under different degradation stages within each site: non-degradation, light degradation, moderate degradation, and heavy degradation) in typical steppe. We examined the effects of degradations on above-ground biomass, coverage, and density of plant communities. Soil organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents were measured. Multiple statistical analyses, including least squares regression analysis, redundancy analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis, were used to clarify the nutrient limiting factors for vegetation restoration in degraded grasslands.
Important findings Plant community above-ground biomass, coverage, and density, as well as the contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus significantly decreased with the intensification of degradation. Under the whole degradation sequence and adjacent degradation succession stages, soil nitrogen content was the most influential factor on plant community properties, while soil phosphorus content marginally affected the overall degradation sequence. These results indicate that soil nitrogen availability is the most important nutrient factor limiting vegetation restoration. Consequently, nitrogen fertilization should be concerned in the future restoration works.
FANG Kai , WANG Ying-Xin , HUANG Jian-Hui , DUAN Jun-Guang , ZHANG Qi , ZHANG Qian , GAN Hong-Hao , CHU Jian-Min . Deciphering the nutrient factors limiting vegetation restoration under different degradation stages in typical steppe of Nei Mongol, China[J]. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 2025 , 49(1) : 7 -18 . DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2024.0082
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