Above‐ and Belowground Response along Degradation Gradient in an Alpine Grassland of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. Issue 3 (29th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Gao‐Lin; Ren, Guo‐Hua; Dong, Quan‐Min; Shi, Jian‐Jun; Wang, Yan‐Long
• Is Part Of: Clean. Volume 42:Issue 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 319
• Page End: 323
• Publication Date: 2013-08-29
• Subjects: Water quality -- Periodicals; Water -- Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Sewage -- Periodicals; Water chemistry -- Periodicals; 333.7205
• DOI: 10.1002/clen.201200084
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1863-0650

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="clen201200084-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Grassland degradation is one of the worldwide ecological problems. The objective of this study was to assess the above‐ and belowground response of an alpine grassland along degradation gradient in the headwater areas of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. Results showed that aboveground biomass, cover, and high quality herbage percentage presented a decreasing trend along degradation gradient. But, species number, species diversity, and evenness showed the maximum value in moderate degraded grassland, and the minimum value was appeared in the extreme degraded grassland. Similarity index was the maximum between original vegetation and light degradation grassland. And the similarity index between light degradation and moderate degradation, between original vegetation and moderate degradation were significantly different. Meanwhile, soil hardness, pH value, soil moisture, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium, all showed the decreased trend along the grassland degradation gradient. Grassland degradation led to a decrease of soil physics and chemical properties. Our results predicted that there was also a degradation of soil properties when community structure and composition degraded along the grassland degradation gradient.</p> </sec> </abstract>