Different levels of rainfall and trampling change the reproductive strategy of Kobresia humilis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Zhen Peng A , Hong Xiao A , Xiang He A , Changlin Xu A , Taotao Pan A and Xiaojun Yu A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education; Sino-U.S. Centre for Grassland Ecosystem Sustainability, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730070, China.
B Corresponding author. Email: yuxj@gsau.edu.cn
The Rangeland Journal 42(2) 143-152 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ19076
Submitted: 21 September 2019 Accepted: 12 July 2020 Published: 29 July 2020
Abstract
The sedge Kobresia humilis (C.A. Mey. ex Trautv.) Serg. is the dominant plant in the alpine meadows of China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has experienced substantial grassland degradation due to reduced rainfall and overgrazing. In this study we sought to determine the reproductive strategy of K. humilis under three levels of rainfall and seven levels of trampling by Tibetan sheep and yaks with a two year simulation trial on the Plateau. With a reduction in rainfall and an increase in trampling intensity, there was a decrease in sexual reproduction indices, plant height and single leaf number. The highest rainfall promoted sexual reproduction, whereas average rainfall was conducive to vegetative reproduction, and the lowest rainfall inhibited reproduction. The reproductive strategy of K. humilis could be judged according to the average rainfall from July to August. Notably, after two years of low rainfall and a heavy trampling treatment, K. humilis produced more seeds with smaller size. The rainfall presented a two-way regulation function in the trampling effect on K. humilis reproductive characteristics.
Additional keywords: alpine meadow, sexual reproduction, simulation trail, vegetative reproduction.
References
Bebawi, F. F., Campbell, S. D., and Mayer, R. J. (2014). Effects of light conditions and plant density on growth and reproductive biology of Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold. The Rangeland Journal 36, 459–467.| Effects of light conditions and plant density on growth and reproductive biology of Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chai, J. L., Xu, C. L., Yang, H. L., Zhang, J. W., Xiao, H., Pan, T. T., Wang, Y., and Yu, X. J. (2017). Effect of simulated trampling and rainfall on soil physical properties and microorganism abundance in alpine meadow. Acta Prataculturae Sinica 26, 30–42.
Chai, J. L., Yu, X. J., Xu, C. L., Xiao, H., Zhang, J. W., Yang, H. L., and Pan, T. T. (2019). Effects of yak and Tibetan sheep trampling on soil properties in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Applied Soil Ecology 144, 147–154.
| Effects of yak and Tibetan sheep trampling on soil properties in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chivers, I. H., and Aldous, D. E. (2005). Reproductive and vegetative responses of different accessions of Microlaena stipoides (Labill.) R.Br. to nitrogen applications and supplementary irrigation in southern Australia. The Rangeland Journal 27, 151–157.
| Reproductive and vegetative responses of different accessions of Microlaena stipoides (Labill.) R.Br. to nitrogen applications and supplementary irrigation in southern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Deng, Z. F., Xie, X. L., and Zhou, X. M. (2001). Study on breeding strategies of Kobresia humilis in alpine meadow. Journal of Ecology 20, 68–70.
Fabbro, T., and Körner, C. (2004). Altitudinal differences in flower traits and reproductive allocation. Flora 199, 70–81.
| Altitudinal differences in flower traits and reproductive allocation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fant, J. B., Price, A. L., and Larkin, D. J. (2016). The influence of habitat disturbance on genetic structure and reproductive strategies within stands of native and non-native Phragmites australis (common reed). Diversity & Distributions 22, 1301–1313.
| The influence of habitat disturbance on genetic structure and reproductive strategies within stands of native and non-native Phragmites australis (common reed).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gui, D., Zeng, F., Liu, Z., and Zhang, B. (2013). Characteristics of the clonal propagation of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (Fabaceae) under different groundwater depths in Xinjiang, China. The Rangeland Journal 35, 355–362.
| Characteristics of the clonal propagation of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (Fabaceae) under different groundwater depths in Xinjiang, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Guo, N., Wang, A. D., Degenb, A., Deng, B., Shang, Z. H., Ding, L. M., and Long, R. J. (2018). Grazing exclusion increases soil CO2 emission during the growing season in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau. Atmospheric Environment 174, 92–98.
| Grazing exclusion increases soil CO2 emission during the growing season in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kistner, E., Kellner, O., Andresen, J., Todey, D., and Morton, L. W. (2018). The vulnerability of specialty crops to short-term climatic variability and adaptation strategies in the midwestern USA. Climatic Change 146, 145–158.
| The vulnerability of specialty crops to short-term climatic variability and adaptation strategies in the midwestern USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Li, W., Dong, S. K., Zhu, L., Wen, W., Li, X. Y., and Wang, X. X. (2013). Adaptation strategies of reproduction of plant community in response to grassland degradation and artificial restoration. Acta Ecologica Sinica 33, 4683–4691.
| Adaptation strategies of reproduction of plant community in response to grassland degradation and artificial restoration.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lin, D. Y. (2002). ‘Soil Science.’ (China Forestry Press: Beijing, China.) [In Chinese]
Lin, H. L., and Ren, J. Z. (2008). Simulation study on typical steppe of Huan County tramping. Journal of Grassland 16, 97–99.
Liu, Z. G., and Li, Z. Q. (2006). Plant biodiversity of Artemisia frigida communities on degraded grasslands under different grazing intensities after a thirteen-year enclosure. Acta Ecologica Sinica 26, 475–482.
Liu, F., Wu, W. Y., Wan, T., Wang, Q. F., Cheng, Y., and Li, W. (2013). Temporal variation of resource allocation between sexual and asexual structures in response to nutrient and water stress in a floating-leaved plant. Journal of Plant Ecology 6, 499–505.
| Temporal variation of resource allocation between sexual and asexual structures in response to nutrient and water stress in a floating-leaved plant.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pereira, A. M., and Coimbra, S. (2019). Advances in plant reproduction: from gametes to seeds. Journal of Experimental Botany 70, 2933–2936.
| Advances in plant reproduction: from gametes to seeds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31152172PubMed |
Shen, Z. W., Matthew, C., Nan, Z. B., and Wang, Y. R. (2015). Fruit set in Perennial Vetch (Vicia unijuga): reproductive system and insect role in pollination. Journal of Applied Entomology 139, 791–799.
| Fruit set in Perennial Vetch (Vicia unijuga): reproductive system and insect role in pollination.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Silva, J. L. S., Cruz-Neto, O., Peres, C. A., Tabarelli, M., and Lopes, A. V. (2019). Climate change will reduce suitable Caatinga dry forest habitat for endemic plants with disproportionate impacts on specialized reproductive strategies. PLoS One 14, e0217028.
| Climate change will reduce suitable Caatinga dry forest habitat for endemic plants with disproportionate impacts on specialized reproductive strategies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Silvertown, J. (2008). The evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction: evidence from the ecological distribution of asexual reproduction in clonal plants. International Journal of Plant Sciences 169, 157–168.
| The evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction: evidence from the ecological distribution of asexual reproduction in clonal plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sunmonu, N., and Kudo, G. (2015). Warm temperature conditions restrict the sexual reproduction and vegetative growth of the spring ephemeral Gagea lutea (Liliaceae). Plant Ecology 216, 1419–1431.
| Warm temperature conditions restrict the sexual reproduction and vegetative growth of the spring ephemeral Gagea lutea (Liliaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wang, Z., Xu, A., and Zhu, T. (2008). Plasticity in bud demography of a rhizomatous clonal plant Elymus chinensis L. in response to soil water status. Journal of Plant Biology 51, 102–107.
| Plasticity in bud demography of a rhizomatous clonal plant Elymus chinensis L. in response to soil water status.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weltzin, J. F., Loik, M. E., Schwinning, S., Williams, D. G., Fay, P. A., Haddad, B. M., Harte, J., Huxman, T. E., Knapp, A. K., Lin, G. G., Pockman, W. T., Shaw, M. R., Small, E. E., Smith, M. D., Smith, S. D., Tissue, D. T., and Zak, J. C. (2003). Assessing the response of terrestrial ecosystems to potential changes in precipitation. Bioscience 53, 941–952.
| Assessing the response of terrestrial ecosystems to potential changes in precipitation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wu, Q., Ding, J., Yan, H., Zhang, S. R., Fang, T., and Ma, K. P. (2011). Effects of simulated precipitation and nitrogen addition on seedling growth and biomass in five tree species in Gutian Mountain, Zhejiang Province, China. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica 35, 256–267.
| Effects of simulated precipitation and nitrogen addition on seedling growth and biomass in five tree species in Gutian Mountain, Zhejiang Province, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Xiao, H., Peng, Z., Xu, C. L., Zhang, D. G., Chai, J. L., Pan, T. T., and Yu, X. J. (2018). Yak and Tibetan sheep trampling inhibit reproductive and photosynthetic traits of Medicago ruthenica var. inschanica. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 190, 507.
| Yak and Tibetan sheep trampling inhibit reproductive and photosynthetic traits of Medicago ruthenica var. inschanica.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30094727PubMed |
Xu, C. L., Yu, X. J., Xu, Y. H., Zhang, J. W., Yang, H. L., Xiao, H., Chai, J. L., Mou, X. M. and Qu, G. P. (2015). A simulated livestock trampler. Gansu: CN204925104U, 2015–12–30. [In Chinese]
Yang, Y. Y., and Kim, J. G. (2017). The life history strategy of Penthorum chinese: implication for the restoration of early successional species. Flora 233, 109–117.
| The life history strategy of Penthorum chinese: implication for the restoration of early successional species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yang, Y. W., and Li, X. L. (2008). A preliminary study on clonal growth and reproduction of Kobresia humilis. Journal of Qinghai University [Natural Science] 26, 31–34.
Yuan, J. H., Wang, P., and Yang, Y. F. (2019). Effects of simulated herbivory on the vegetative reproduction and compensatory growth of Hordeum brevisubulatum at different ontogenic stages. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, 1663.
| Effects of simulated herbivory on the vegetative reproduction and compensatory growth of Hordeum brevisubulatum at different ontogenic stages.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhang, K., Baskin, J. M., Baskin, C. C., Yang, X., and Huang, Z. (2017). Effect of seed morph and light level on growth and reproduction of the amphicarpic plant Amphicarpaea edgeworthii (Fabaceae). Scientific Reports 7, 39886.
| Effect of seed morph and light level on growth and reproduction of the amphicarpic plant Amphicarpaea edgeworthii (Fabaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28071671PubMed |
