| Influence of enclosure and grazing intensity on alpine meadow vegetation and soil characteristics in the Eastern Qilian Mountains |
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| DOI：10.16302/j.cnki.1000-7601.2015.01.041 |
| Key Words: grazing intensity enclosure meadow vegetation soil physical and chemical properties |
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| Abstract: |
| In order to explore the influence of enclosure and different grazing intensities on alpine meadow vegetation and soil characteristics, plant species, aboveground biomass and underground biomass of forage, soil physical and chemical properties were measured in the Eastern Qilian Mountains. The results showed that the yield of alpine meadow grassland fenced for seven years was 425.8 g·m-2, and significantly higher than that of summer moderate grazing (159.3 g·m-2) and summer overgrazing (91.0 g·m-2), but it was not significant compared with the light grazing both in summer and winter. The number of species after seven years fencing (26.3·16m-2) was lower than that in other grazing patterns, but it was significantly higher than the grassland overgrazed in summer (23.0·16m-2). Light grazing or/and overgrazing reduced the number of species, while the moderate grazing in summer increased the species diversity (33.5·16m-2). Dry matter of underground biomass in 0 to 10 cm topsoil fenced for seven years was significantly higher than that of other grazing plot of alpine meadow grassland. Dry matter content of underground biomass in 0 to 10 cm soil depth increased with the increase in grazing intensity, but the reverse trend was observed in 30 to 40 cm soil depth. The soil bulk density fenced for seven years was lower than that of other grazing intensities, whereas that of overgrazing in summer was significantly higher than that fenced for seven years and other grazing intensities. Among the treatments, alkali-hydrolytic nitrogen of 0 to 10 cm soil depth was the lowest for seven years fencing. Reasonable grazing can maintains the function of ecological system of alpine meadow and increases species diversity and balances soil nutrients. |
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