Moderate grazing promotes the root biomass in Kobresia meadow on the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

ABSTRACT: Grazing is an important modulator of both plant productivity and biodiversity in grassland community, yet how to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland is still controversy. Here, we explore the effects of different grazing intensities on plant biomass and species composition, both at community level and functional group level, and examines the productivity-species richness relationship under four grazing patterns: no grazing (CK), light grazing (LG), moderate grazing, (MG) and heavy grazing (HG), attempt to determine a suitable grazing intensity in alpine grassland. The results were as follows. The total aboveground biomass (AGB) reduced with increasing grazing intensity, and the response of plant functional groups was different. AGB of both sedges and legumes increase

SUBMITTER: Dai L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6706204 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature