Litter accumulation alters the abiotic environment and drives community successional changes in two fenced grasslands in Inner Mongolia.

ABSTRACT: Fencing is an effective and practical method for restoring degraded grasslands in northern China. However, little is known about the role of excess litter accumulation due to long-term fencing in regulating abiotic environment and driving changes in community structure and function. We conducted a three-year field experiment in two fenced grasslands in Inner Mongolia, and monitored light quantity, soil temperature, and soil moisture continuously, and determined community height, community aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), and the relative dominance of different plant functional groups. Litter accumulation reduced light quantity and soil temperature but increased soil moisture. The regulating effects of litter accumulation on soil temperature and soil moisture fluctuated temporal

SUBMITTER: Hou D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6706195 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature