Climate changes during the past 31 years and their contribution to the changes in the productivity of rangeland vegetation in the Inner Mongolian typical steppe
Xinhong Wu A , Peng Li A , Chao Jiang A , Pengtao Liu B , Jing He A and Xiangyang Hou A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot 010010, P.R. China.
B Remote Sensing Centre of the Meteorological Bureau in Inner Mongolia, Hohhot 010010, P.R. China.
C Corresponding author. Email: Houxy16@126.com
The Rangeland Journal 36(6) 519-526 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ14054
Submitted: 14 May 2013 Accepted: 4 November 2014 Published: 5 December 2014
Journal Compilation © Australian Rangeland Society 2014
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to explore the impact of climate change and human activities on the annual production of aboveground biomass of vegetation during the past 31 years at a county scale in the typical steppe region of Inner Mongolia. The changes in three banners in the region (Abag Banner, Xilinhaote City, and Xiwuzhumuqin Banner) were analysed. The changes in the annual potential grassland production (net primary productivity) and in the annual production of vegetation, as the sum of aboveground biomass and consumption by livestock, were estimated for each year. A comparison of the changing rates in net primary productivity and aboveground biomass of vegetation over the 31 years was used to distinguish the effects of climate change on grassland production from human activities. The results showed that the climate had become warmer and drier during the past 31 years and thus net primary productivity and annual production of vegetation decreased significantly. Climate change was a major factor for these decreases, while human activities were a minor factor in the decrease of grassland production in Xuwuzhumuqi Banner. The importance of human activities in reducing this decrease in grassland production during the last 31 years is in accordance with the changes in grassland-use policy that has encouraged destocking for grassland restoration in recent years.
Additional keywords: livestock consumption, net primary productivity, remote sensing, total grassland production.
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