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Wang Y, Wang Z, Kang Y, Zhang Z, Bao D, Sun X, Su J. Assessing the win-win situation of forage production and soil organic carbon through a short-term active restoration strategy in alpine grasslands. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1290808. [PMID: 38273956 PMCID: PMC10808524 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1290808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Grassland degradation has seriously affected the ecological environment and human livelihood. To abate these, implementing effective management strategies to restore and improve the service functions and productivity of degraded grasslands is crucial. Methods To evaluate the influences of restoration measures combined with different grazing intensities on short-term (1 year) grassland restoration, the changes in soil physicochemical properties, as well as plant traits under restoration measures of different grazing intensities, reseeding, and fertilization, were analyzed. Results Soil organic carbon (SOC) increased to varying degrees, whereas available nutrients decreased under all combined restoration measures. Reseeding, alone and in combination with fertilization, substantially increased SOC, improved grassland vegetation status, and enhanced grassland productivity. The aboveground biomass of Gramineae and the total aboveground biomass increased under the combined restoration measures of transferring livestock out of the pasture 45 days in advance, reseeding, and fertilization (T4). Redundancy analysis revealed a strong correlation between grassland vegetation characteristics, SOC, and available potassium. Considering soil and vegetation factors, the short-term results suggested that the combination measures in T4had the most marked positive impact on grassland restoration. Discussion These findings offer valuable theoretical insights for the ecological restoration of degraded grasslands in alpine regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhicheng Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yukun Kang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Duanhong Bao
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaomei Sun
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Junhu Su
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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Li Y, Zhan Y. Short-term restoration effects of ecological projects detected using the turning point method in the Three River Headwater Region, China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1239417. [PMID: 37900732 PMCID: PMC10602752 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1239417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
The Three River Headwater Region (TRHR) is an important river source area providing important ecological functions. Decades ago, climate change and human activities severely degraded the ecosystem in the TRHR. To restore vegetation, a series of ecological projects have been implemented since 1989. Using net primary productivity (NPP) data from 1988 to 2012, a sequential Mann-Kendall trend test (SQ-MK) method was applied to identify the turning point of vegetation NPP. This approach was able to represent the critical response time of the vegetation to important disturbances. A 3-year time window was set after the implementation of one ecological project to detect and analyze its short-term effects. The ecological projects included the Yangtze River Basin Shelterbelt System Construction Project (YRCP), the TRHR Nature Reserve Construction Project (TNR), the Returning Grazing Land to Grassland Project (RGLGP), and the first phase of the Ecological Conservation and Restoration Project of the TRHR (ECRP). Our results showed that the vegetation in the TRHR responded positively to restoration: 89% of pixels showed an increasing trend and 54% of pixels underwent an abrupt change. The accelerated growth type accounted for the highest proportion among all types of detected turning points. In the ECRP's window, the positive turns rose rapidly, from 41% in 2005 to 86% in 2008, and it showed the most balanced restoration effects across grasslands. The alpine meadow and montane meadow restoration was largely influenced by the ECRP and the RGLGP (both >40%). The alpine steppe restoration was mainly attributed to the ECRP (68%). On the county scale, the positive turns in Yushu at the source of the Yangtze River mainly benefited from the RGLGP (56%), while the positive turns in Maduo at the source of the Yellow River benefited from the ECRP (77%). Nangqian, Tanggula and Zaduo County were still in need of intervention for restoration (< 3%). The results of the study can enhance our understanding of the spatio-temporal distribution of the short-term ecological benefits of different ecological projects, thus provide a scientific and timely reference for future planning and adjustment of the conservation and restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhe Li
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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