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Suitable exclosure duration for the restoration of degraded alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

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  • Cao, Jianjun
  • Li, Guangdong
  • Adamowski, Jan F.
  • Holden, Nicholas M.
  • Deo, Ravinesh C.
  • Hu, Zeyong
  • Zhu, Guofeng
  • Xu, Xueyun
  • Feng, Qi

Abstract

Exclosures erected to prevent grazing have been widely adopted as a measure for the recovery of degraded grasslands. Many studies have explored the effects of exclosure use on vegetation and soil; these studies, however, were carried out over relatively short-time periods. Given the length of time required for a grassland to fully develop, short-term studies result in a limited understanding of exclosure effectiveness. To address this challenge, this study will use 5-, 13-, 22-, and 39-year exclosure times in an alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, to evaluate the influence of exclosure time on species number, aboveground biomass, including both living and dead biomass (i.e. standing dead biomass and litter), and soil water content. To explore the differences between traditional grazing activity and exclosures, seasonal grazing served as a control measure. The results show that species richness was at its lowest after a 39-year exclosure period while the most dominant species remained invariant for both seasonally-grazed and exclosed plots. The greatest increase in living biomass occurred after a 13-year exclosure time; in contrast, the greatest increase in dead biomass occurred after a 39-year exclosure time. Furthermore, the aboveground biomass did not vary with exclosure time. In terms of soil depths ranging from 0-0.30 m, there was little difference in soil water content between seasonally-grazed and exclosed plots. While the soil water content recorded at the 0-0.15 m layer fluctuated somewhat. At the 0.15−0.30 m layer it presented a consistent decreasing trend as exclosure time increased. A 13-year exclosure period proved to be a suitable duration for alpine grassland recovery since, at this stage, living biomass, species richness and soil water content were greater than that of seasonally-grazed grasslands.

Suggested Citation

  • Cao, Jianjun & Li, Guangdong & Adamowski, Jan F. & Holden, Nicholas M. & Deo, Ravinesh C. & Hu, Zeyong & Zhu, Guofeng & Xu, Xueyun & Feng, Qi, 2019. "Suitable exclosure duration for the restoration of degraded alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 261-267.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:86:y:2019:i:c:p:261-267
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.05.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cao, Jianjun & Tian, Hong & Adamowski, Jan F. & Zhang, Xiaofang & Cao, Zijian, 2018. "Influences of afforestation policies on soil moisture content in China’s arid and semi-arid regions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 449-458.
    2. Zheng, Xinyi & Zhang, Junze & Cao, Shixiong, 2018. "Net value of grassland ecosystem services in mainland China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 94-101.
    3. Liu, Yansui, 2018. "Introduction to land use and rural sustainability in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1-4.
    4. Zhuang, Minghao & Gongbuzeren, & Zhang, Jian & Li, Wenjun, 2019. "Community-based seasonal movement grazing maintains lower greenhouse gas emission intensity on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 155-160.
    5. Stephen Perz & Alexander Shenkin & Grenville Barnes & Liliana Cabrera & Lucas Carvalho & Jorge Castillo, 2012. "Connectivity and Resilience: A Multidimensional Analysis of Infrastructure Impacts in the Southwestern Amazon," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(2), pages 259-285, April.
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    1. Wen Zhao & Yali Yin & Shixiong Li & Jingjing Liu & Yiling Dong & Shifeng Su, 2022. "Soil Microbial Community Varied with Vegetation Types on a Small Regional Scale of the Qilian Mountains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Xiaomeng Lucock & Keith Woodford & Xilai Li, 2022. "Sustainable Land Use and Livelihood Dynamics in Henan County on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau—A Transdisciplinary Systems Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.

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