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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 30(2)

A grassland classification system and its application in China

J. Z. Ren A D , Z. Z. Hu B , J. Zhao C , D. G. Zhang B , F. J. Hou A , H. L. Lin A and X. D. Mu B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University and Gansu Grassland Ecological Research Institute, Lanzhou 730 020, Gansu, China.

B Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730 070, Gansu, China.

C College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730 070, Gansu, China.

D Corresponding author. Email: renjiz@lzu.edu.cn

The Rangeland Journal 30(2) 199-209 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ08002
Submitted: 11 January 2008  Accepted: 21 April 2008   Published: 3 June 2008

Abstract

China possesses vast grassland resources that include alpine meadow, tundra, steppe and desert. It is, therefore, desirable to establish a grassland classification system that involves the formative factors contributing to this diversity. This paper reports a grassland classification system called the Integrated Orderly Classification System of Grassland (IOCSG), which was formulated through grouping or clustering units with similar properties. The IOCSG involves a hierarchy of three classification levels. At the first level, grasslands are grouped into classes according to an index of moisture and temperature. At the second level, grasslands are differentiated as subclasses by the edaphic conditions. At the third level, grassland types within a subclass are distinguished by vegetation types. Under the IOCSG, seven thermal zones and six humidity zones have been identified and used to differentiate grassland classes. The IOCSG recognises 42 grassland Classes, of which 41 are present in China.

Additional keywords: rangelands, grasslands, adaptation, climate change.


Acknowledgements

We thank Zhi Biao Nan and Cory Matthew for editorial input. We also gratefully acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript.


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