Stocking rate affects plant community structure and reproductive strategies of a desirable and an undesirable grass species in an alpine steppe, Qilian Mountains, China
Yarong Guo A , Xiong Z. He B , Fujiang Hou
A C and Jizhou Ren A
A State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China.
B School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4472, New Zealand.
C Corresponding author. Email: cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn
The Rangeland Journal 42(1) 63-69 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ19080
Submitted: 24 October 2019 Accepted: 7 May 2020 Published: 21 May 2020
Abstract
The effects of grazing on species reproduction is a fundamental issue of grassland management. We investigated plant density and dry weight changes at community and species levels, and the reproductive strategies of the dominant desirable Stipa purpurea and the undesirable Achnatherum inebrians grass species in response to stocking rate in an alpine steppe with a 10-year grazing history. Results showed complex patterns of plant community and reproductive strategy. Overall plant density increased with increasing stocking rate and dry weight was significantly higher at light and high stocking rates. Plant density and dry weight of A. inebrians peaked at moderate stocking rates. Higher stocking rate had little impact on S. purpurea density but significantly reduced its dry weight. Both species displayed linearly increasing/decreasing or unimodal/bimodal reproductive effort in response to increased stocking rate. The discrepancies in plant reproductive characteristics between S. purpurea and A. inebrians indicated that: (1) light and moderate grazing may promote an adaption strategy of reproduction by desirable species, which may then contribute to their maintenance in grasslands, and (2) undesirable species presence did not lead to the replacement of desirable species in the grasslands. Therefore, light and moderate stocking rates are recommended to maintain the grasslands and to increase the reproductive outputs of desirable species.
Additional keywords: deer, grazing, plant community structure, poisonous plant, reproductive organ, Stipa purpurea, tiller density.
References
Brys, S., Shefferson, R., and Jacquemyn, H. (2011). Impact of herbivory on flowering behaviour and life history trade-offs in a polycarpic herb: a 10-year experiment. Oecologia 166, 293–303.| Impact of herbivory on flowering behaviour and life history trade-offs in a polycarpic herb: a 10-year experiment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Christie, K. S., Ruess, R. W., Lindberg, M. S., and Mulder, C. P. (2014). Herbivores influence the growth, reproduction, and morphology of a widespread Arctic willow. PLoS One 9, e101716.
| Herbivores influence the growth, reproduction, and morphology of a widespread Arctic willow.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25047582PubMed |
Fujita, N., and Koda, R. (2015). Capitulum and rosette leaf avoidance from grazing by large herbivores in Taraxacum. Ecological Research 30, 517–525.
| Capitulum and rosette leaf avoidance from grazing by large herbivores in Taraxacum.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hodgson, J., and Illius, A. (1996). ‘The Ecology and Management of Grazing Systems.’ (CAB International: Wallingford, Oxford, UK.)
Hou, F., and Ren, J. (2003). Evaluation on trampling of grazed Gansu wapiti (Cervus elaphus kansuensis Pocock) and its effects on soil property in winter grazing land. Acta Ecologica Sinica 23, 486–495.
Huhta, A., Rautio, P., Hellström, K., Saari, M., and Tuomi, J. (2009). Tolerance of a perennial herb, Pimpinella saxifraga, to simulated flower herbivory and grazing: immediate repair of injury or postponed reproduction? Plant Ecology 201, 599–609.
| Tolerance of a perennial herb, Pimpinella saxifraga, to simulated flower herbivory and grazing: immediate repair of injury or postponed reproduction?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunt, L., McIvor, J., Grice, A., and Bray, S. (2014). Principles and guidelines for managing cattle grazing in the grazing lands of northern Australia: stocking rates, pasture resting, prescribed fire, paddock size and water points – a review. The Rangeland Journal 36, 105–119.
| Principles and guidelines for managing cattle grazing in the grazing lands of northern Australia: stocking rates, pasture resting, prescribed fire, paddock size and water points – a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liang, Y., Wang, H., Li, C., Nan, Z., and Li, F. (2017). Effects of feeding drunken horse grass infected with Epichloë gansuensis endophyte on animal performance, clinical symptoms and physiological parameters in sheep. BMC Veterinary Research 13, 223.
| Effects of feeding drunken horse grass infected with Epichloë gansuensis endophyte on animal performance, clinical symptoms and physiological parameters in sheep.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28724414PubMed |
Liu, W. (2019). Individual reproductive strategy of Stipa breviflora under different grazing pressures. Grassland Science , 1–9.
| Individual reproductive strategy of Stipa breviflora under different grazing pressures.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liu, W., Zhao, Y., You, J., Qi, D., Zhou, Y., Chen, J., and Song, Z. (2016). Morphological and genetic variation along a north-to-south transect in Stipa purpurea, a dominant grass on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: implications for response to climate change. PLoS One 11, e0161972.
| Morphological and genetic variation along a north-to-south transect in Stipa purpurea, a dominant grass on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: implications for response to climate change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28036353PubMed |
Wan, H., Bai, Y., Schönbach, P., Gierus, M., and Taube, F. (2011). Effects of grazing management system on plant community structure and functioning in a semiarid steppe: scaling from species to community. Plant and Soil 340, 215–226.
| Effects of grazing management system on plant community structure and functioning in a semiarid steppe: scaling from species to community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wang, Y., and Wesche, K. (2016). Vegetation and soil responses to livestock grazing in Central Asian grasslands: a review of Chinese literature. Biodiversity and Conservation 25, 2401–2420.
| Vegetation and soil responses to livestock grazing in Central Asian grasslands: a review of Chinese literature.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wang, Y., Hou, F., Sun, Y., Wang, Z., and Chang, S. (2018). Grazing management options for restoration of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. Ecosphere 9, e02515.
| Grazing management options for restoration of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wesuls, D., Oldeland, J., and Dray, S. (2012). Disentangling plant trait responses to livestock grazing from spatio-temporal variation: the partial RLQ approach. Journal of Vegetation Science 23, 98–113.
| Disentangling plant trait responses to livestock grazing from spatio-temporal variation: the partial RLQ approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wu, G., Li, W., Li, X., and Shi, Z. (2011). Grazing as a mediator for maintenance of offspring diversity: sexual and clonal recruitment in alpine grassland communities. Flora 206, 241–245.
| Grazing as a mediator for maintenance of offspring diversity: sexual and clonal recruitment in alpine grassland communities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yan, L., Zhou, G., and Zhang, F. (2013). Effects of different grazing intensities on grassland production in China: a meta-analysis. PLoS One 8, e81466.
| Effects of different grazing intensities on grassland production in China: a meta-analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24324694PubMed |
Yao, X., Christensen, M., Bao, G., Zhang, C., Li, X., Li, C., and Nan, Z. (2015). A toxic endophyte-infected grass helps reverse degradation and loss of biodiversity of over-grazed grasslands in northwest China. Scientific Reports 5, 18527.
| A toxic endophyte-infected grass helps reverse degradation and loss of biodiversity of over-grazed grasslands in northwest China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26679518PubMed |
Yao, Z., Zhao, C., Yang, K., Liu, W., Li, Y., You, J., and Xiao, J. (2016). Alpine grassland degradation in the Qilian Mountains, China: a case study in Damaying grassland. Catena 137, 494–500.
| Alpine grassland degradation in the Qilian Mountains, China: a case study in Damaying grassland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yuan, H., and Hou, F. (2015). Grazing intensity and soil depth effects on soil properties in alpine meadow pastures of Qilian Mountain in northwest China. Acta Agriculturæ Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science 65, 222–232.
| Grazing intensity and soil depth effects on soil properties in alpine meadow pastures of Qilian Mountain in northwest China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhang, Y., Chen, X., Cheng, Y., Chang, S., and Hou, F. (2015). Effects of stocking rates on functional group diversity and forage quality in rangeland of Qilian Mountain, China. Journal of Environmental Biology 36, 713–719.
Zhou, Y., Xu, C., Pan, T., Chai, J., Xiao, H., and Yu, X. (2018). Effect of simulated yak and Tibetan sheep trampling and rainfall on nutrient content in Kobresia hunmilis root. Chinese Journal of Grassland 40, 93–101.
