Response of the annual biomass production of a typical steppe plant community to precipitation fluctuations
Zhen Wang A D , Qing Zhang B D , Xiaoping Xin C , Yong Ding A E , Xiangyang Hou A E ,
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, 010010, China.
B Department of Ecology and Environment Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
C National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
D These authors contributed equally to the paper.
E Corresponding authors. Email: houxy16@126.com; dingyong228@126.com
The Rangeland Journal 36(6) 527-534 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ14065
Submitted: 13 May 2014 Accepted: 11 October 2014 Published: 11 November 2014
Journal Compilation © Australian Rangeland Society 2014
Abstract
Understanding the relationship between the aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and annual precipitation in arid and semiarid grasslands is crucial for assessing the effects of climate change on grassland ecosystems. The temporal pattern of ANPP, based on long-term data on a semiarid ecosystem in Inner Mongolia, was investigated. The biomass of perennial grasses, perennial forbs and Stipa grandis P. Smirn., showed a positive relationship with annual precipitation. The amount of annual precipitation also changed the annual biomass of 13 other dominant species and consequently the ANPP. The coefficient of variation of the ANPP of the plant community was lower than the coefficient of variation of annual precipitation. Irrespective of the strong inter-annual variation in annual precipitation, the positive relationship found between ANPP and annual precipitation suggests the dependence of ANPP upon hydrological variations in typical steppe. Our findings highlight the importance of dominant perennial species and functional groups in mediating the responses of ANPP to annual precipitation in the typical steppe in northern China.
Additional keywords: ANPP, annuals and biennials, perennial forbs, perennial grass, shrubs and semi-shrubs.
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