Amid accelerating global land degradation,establishing high-efficiency ecological restoration principles and frameworks is crucial.Here,we explore the application of threshold effects in the ecological restoration pro...Amid accelerating global land degradation,establishing high-efficiency ecological restoration principles and frameworks is crucial.Here,we explore the application of threshold effects in the ecological restoration process based on field experiments and globally available experimental data from 173 sites.Combining data integration analysis and meta-analysis,we collectively verified the universality of threshold effects in grasslands.The global grasslands’average nitrogen application threshold is 3.78 g·m^(-2)·yr^(−1),while the threshold value of degraded grassland(3.65 g·m^(-2)·yr^(−1))is lower than that of nondegraded grassland(5.90 g·m^(-2)·yr^(−1)).The low nitrogen-driven thresholds are affected by degradation status,climate(precipitation and temperature),and other site conditions,but not fertilization forms.Independent experiments further demonstrated that an increase in soil moisture content can lead to the disappearance of nitrogen threshold effects,revealing that ecological threshold effects are influenced by ecosystem stress factors.Following the significant increase in plant biomass triggered by the nitrogen threshold,the ecosystem undergoes systemic improvement.Soil organic carbon,urease activity,soil microbial diversity,and other soil properties are significantly enhanced.Soil nitrogen cycle-related microbial communities and soil physicochemical attributes are significantly activated.The results indicate that a threshold response pattern may develop before nitrogen saturation is reached,and low nitrogen input can boost productivity and improve the plant-soil-microbe system.Our findings reveal a nonprogressive path of restoration in degraded ecosystems,and thus,restoration based on threshold effects can offer an efficient and safe solution to combat ecological degradation.展开更多
Livestock farming is a critical pillar of Tajikistan’s national economy and livelihood security.However,significant economic challenges in the country have led to the degradation of grassland ecosystems.This degradat...Livestock farming is a critical pillar of Tajikistan’s national economy and livelihood security.However,significant economic challenges in the country have led to the degradation of grassland ecosystems.This degradation has not only reduced the productivity of grassland ecosystems but also severely impacted their ecological functions.A particularly concerning consequence is the threat to biodiversity,as the survival and persistence of endemic,rare,and endangered plant species are at serious risk,thereby diminishing the value of species’genetic resources.Based on the data from multiple sources such as literature reviews,field observations,and national statistics,this study employed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to investigate the current status,causes of degradation,and restoration measures for grassland ecosystems in Tajikistan.The results revealed that Tajikistan’s grassland ecosystems support exceptionally high plant species diversity,comprising over 4500 vascular plant species,including nearly 1500 endemic and sub-endemic taxa that constitute a unique genetic reservoir.These ecosystems are experiencing severe degradation,characterized by significantly reduced vegetation cover and declining species richness.Palatable forage species are increasingly being displaced by unpalatable,thorny,and poisonous species.The primary drivers of degradation include excessive grazing pressure,which disrupts plant reproductive cycles and regeneration capacity,habitat fragmentation due to urbanization and infrastructure development,and uncontrolled exploitation of medicinal and edible plants.Climate change,particularly rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns,further exacerbates these anthropogenic pressures.Ecological restoration experiments suggested that both ecosystem productivity and plant species diversity are significantly enhanced by systematic reseeding trials using altitude-adapted native species.These findings underscore the necessity of establishing scientifically grounded approaches for ecological restoration.展开更多
In mid-June,the vast,rolling meadow steppe grasslands of Bayanwenduer Sumu in Ar Horqin Banner,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,once again stretched into the horizon like green waves with herds of cattle and sheep sca...In mid-June,the vast,rolling meadow steppe grasslands of Bayanwenduer Sumu in Ar Horqin Banner,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,once again stretched into the horizon like green waves with herds of cattle and sheep scattered across them like pearls in a green ocean.This flock was driven by herders on horseback,motorcycles,and agricultural vehicles,leading the animals to summer pastures in one of the most important migrations of the year.展开更多
Quantifying grassland changes and their drivers is essential to ensure the stability of grassland resources in China.We established a research framework with two primary objectives:to evaluate grassland degradation an...Quantifying grassland changes and their drivers is essential to ensure the stability of grassland resources in China.We established a research framework with two primary objectives:to evaluate grassland degradation and restoration over the past 30 years,and to quantify the contributions of climate change and anthropogenic activities to these changes across different grassland cover types.The results revealed that despite a net loss of 6.87×10^(4)km^(2)in China's total grassland area from 1990 to 2020,the proportion of high-coverage grassland increased by 2.45%,demonstrating an improvement in productivity per unit area.Conversion of grassland to cropland was the dominant land change type,with 80.83%occurring in the western part of the Northwest Ecological Region.Although the total degraded grassland area reached 3.33×10^(5)km^(2)during 1990-2020,this degradation was overwhelmingly dominated by the mild level(94.98%),with severe degradation accounting for only 5.02%.A comparison of the periods 2000-2010 and 1990-2000 revealed that grassland restoration became enhanced in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Region but degradation intensified in the southwestern part.Moreover,mobile grazing emerged as the primary anthropogenic driver of grassland changes.These new findings provide an important scientific basis for adaptable grassland resource protection and grassland-livestock balanced management.展开更多
Grassland ecosystems are experiencing severe deterioration due to ongoing climate fluctuation and human disturbance.Although numerous research centers on the patterns,processes,and functioning of degraded grassland,th...Grassland ecosystems are experiencing severe deterioration due to ongoing climate fluctuation and human disturbance.Although numerous research centers on the patterns,processes,and functioning of degraded grassland,there is still a lack of standards for defining and assessing degraded grassland,which restricts the cognition of the degraded grassland mechanisms and restoration practices.Therefore,we review current grassland degradation research for the sake of the common definitions and assessment methods worldwide.Grassland degradation definitions are divided into three stages,including biotic/abiotic factors,ecosystem functions,and ecosystem services/sustainability,and further combine the concept of“nature’s contributions to people”with the definition of grassland degradation.Moreover,grassland degradation assessment methods and indicators are diverse across scales.Additionally,we systematically explore the climate change and social system factors that affect grassland degradation,and reveal that grassland management policies play an essential role in grassland degradation and restoration.Overall,this review advances our understanding of grassland degradation and calls for a unified and effective global definition and assessment criteria,which will contribute to the sustainable management of the grassland ecosystem.展开更多
The semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China have been degraded by long-term grazing. A series of ecological restoration strategies have been implemented to improve grassland service. However, little is known abo...The semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China have been degraded by long-term grazing. A series of ecological restoration strategies have been implemented to improve grassland service. However, little is known about the effect of these ecological restoration practices on soil carbon and nitrogen storage. In this study, characteristics of vegetation and soil properties under continued grazing and exclusion of livestock for six years due to a nationwide conservation program—′Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG)′ were examined in semi-arid Hulun Buir grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. The results show that removal of grazing for six years resulted in a significant recovery in vegetation with higher above and below-ground biomass, but a lower soil bulk density and pH value. After six years of grazing exclusion, soil organic C and total N storage increased by 13.9% and 17.1%, respectively, which could be partly explained by decreased loss and increased input of C and N to soil. The effects of grazing exclusion on soil C and N concentration and storage primarily occurred in the upper soil depths. The results indicate that removal of grazing pressure within the RGLG program was an effective restoration approach to control grassland degradation in this region. However, more comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the RGLG program and to improve the management strategies for grassland restoration in this area.展开更多
Nitrogen(N)enrichment has resulted in widespread alteration of grassland ecosystem processes and functions mainly through disturbance in soil enzyme activities.However,we lack a comprehensive understanding of how N de...Nitrogen(N)enrichment has resulted in widespread alteration of grassland ecosystem processes and functions mainly through disturbance in soil enzyme activities.However,we lack a comprehensive understanding of how N deposition affects specific key soil enzymes that mediate plant-soil feedback of grassland.Here,with a meta-analysis on 1446 cases from field observations in China,we show that N deposition differently affects soil enzymes associated with soil biochemical processes.Specifically,N-promoted C,N,and P-acquiring hydrolase activities significantly increased by 8.73%,7.67%,and 8.69%,respectively,related to an increase in microbial-specific enzyme secretion.The increased relative N availability and soil acidification were two potential mechanisms accounting for the changes in soil enzyme activities with N enrichment.The mixed N addition in combination of NH_(4)NO_(3) and urea showed greater stimulation effect on soil enzyme activities.However,the high rate and long-term N addition tended to weaken the positive responses of soil C-,Nand P-acquiring hydrolase activities to N enrichment.Spatially increased mean annual precipitation and temperature primarily promoted the positive effects of N enrichment on N-and P-acquiring hydrolase activities,and the stimulation of C-and N-acquiring hydrolase activities by N enrichment was intensified with the increase in soil depth.Finally,multimodal inference showed that grassland type was the most important regulator of responses of microbial C,N,and P-acquiring hydrolase activities to N enrichment.This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive insight into understanding the key role of N enrichment in shaping soil enzyme activities of grassland ecosystems.展开更多
The Leymus chinensis grassland is one of themost widely distributed associations in the warmtemperate grassland and due to overgrazing in recent years,it has experienced varying degrees of degradation.Vegetative regen...The Leymus chinensis grassland is one of themost widely distributed associations in the warmtemperate grassland and due to overgrazing in recent years,it has experienced varying degrees of degradation.Vegetative regeneration via bud banks serves as the primaryway of vegetation reproduction in the L.chinensis grassland ecosystem.However,the role of the bud bank in the vegetation regeneration of grazing grassland remains unclear.Based on the relationship between the under-ground bud bank and above-ground vegetation of L.chinensis grassland under different grazing stages,this study aimed to explore whether the grazing grassland could self-recover through the existing bud bank.The findings revealed that the bud density initially increased and then decreased with increasing grazing intensity,indicating that appropriate grazing promoted vegetation renewal.Moreover,grazing significantly influenced the composition of the bud bank:during the early grazing stage,the rhizome buds accounted for the main part,and tiller buds dominated during the mid-stage grazing;while during the late-stage grazing,root-sprouting buds prevailed.The meristem restriction index for light,moderate,and heavy grazing grasslands was close to one;conversely,overgrazing and extreme overgrazing grasslands exhibited the highermeristemrestriction index(2.00,3.19),suggesting that plant regeneration was constrained by bud banks under light-grazing conditions where regenerate rates failed to meet above-ground modular’s recovery requirements following overgrazing and extreme overgrazing events.Consequently,moderate grazing grasslands could achieve natural community recovery by continuously adjusting their vegetative regeneration strategies.Understanding the role of bud banks in vegetative regeneration in grazing grassland will not only supply theoretical support for the ecological succession process of degraded grassland but also provide practical experience for the sustainable management of the L.chinensis grassland ecosystem.展开更多
Accurate quantification of carbon and water fluxes dynamics in arid and semi-arid ecosystems is a critical scientific challenge for regional carbon neutrality assessments and sustainable water resource management.In t...Accurate quantification of carbon and water fluxes dynamics in arid and semi-arid ecosystems is a critical scientific challenge for regional carbon neutrality assessments and sustainable water resource management.In this study,we developed a multi-flux global sensitivity discriminant index(D_(sen))by integrating the Biome-BGCMuSo model with eddy covariance flux observations.This index was combined with a Bayesian optimization algorithm to conduct parameter optimization.The results demonstrated that:(1)Sensitivity analysis identified 13 highly sensitive parameters affecting carbon and water fluxes.Among these,the canopy light extinction coefficient(k)and the fraction of leaf N in Rubisco(FLNR)exhibited significantly higher sensitivity to carbon fluxes(GPP,NEE,Reco;D_(sen)>10%)compared to water flux(ET).This highlights the strong dependence of carbon cycle simulations on vegetation physiological parameters.(2)The Bayesian optimization framework efficiently converged 30 parameter spaces within 50 iterations,markedly improving carbon fluxes simulation accuracy.The Kling-Gupta efficiency(KGE)values for Gross Primary Production(GPP),Net Ecosystem Exchange(NEE),and Total Respiration(Reco)increased by 44.94%,69.23%and 123%,respectively.The optimization prioritized highly sensitive parameters,underscoring the necessity of parameter sensitivity stratification.(3)The optimized model effectively reproduced carbon sink characteristics in mountain meadows during the growing season(cumulative NEE=-375 g C/m^(2)).It revealed synergistic carbon-water fluxes interactions governed by coupled photosynthesis-stomatal pathways and identified substrate supply limitations on heterotrophic respiration.This study proposes a novel multi-flux sensitivity index and an efficient optimization framework,elucidating the coupling mechanisms between vegetation physiological regulation(k,FLNR)and environmental stressors(VPD,SWD)in carbonwater cycles.The methodology offers a practical approach for arid ecosystem model optimization and provides theoretical insights for grassland management through canopy structure regulation and water-use efficiency enhancement.展开更多
Understanding plant diversity within geographical ranges and identifying key species that drive community variation can provide crucial insights for the management of grasslands.However,the contribution of both local ...Understanding plant diversity within geographical ranges and identifying key species that drive community variation can provide crucial insights for the management of grasslands.However,the contribution of both local sites and plant species to beta diversity in grassland ecosystems has yet to be accurately assessed.This study applied the ecological uniqueness approach to examine both local contributions to beta diversity(LCBD)and species contributions to beta diversity(SCBD)across six major geographical ranges in alpine grasslands.We found that LCBD was driven by species turnover,with climate,plant communities,and their interactions influencing LCBD across spatial scales.LCBD values were high in areas with low evapotranspiration,high rainfall variability,and low species and functional richness.Precipitation seasonality predicted large-scale LCBD dynamics,while plant community abundance explained local LCBD variation.In addition,we found that SCBD were confined to species with moderate occupancy,although these species contributed less to plant biological traits.Our findings are crucial for understanding how ecological characteristics influence plant beta diversity in grasslands and how it responds to environmental and community factors.In addition,these findings have successfully identified key sites and priority plants for conservation,indicating that using standardized quadrats can support the assessment of the ecological uniqueness in grassland ecosystems.We hope these insights will inform the development of conservation strategies,thereby supporting regional plant diversity and resisting vegetation homogenization.展开更多
The response of plant functional diversity to external disturbances not only effectively predicts changes in the ecosystem but it also reflects how plant communities use external environmental resources.However,resear...The response of plant functional diversity to external disturbances not only effectively predicts changes in the ecosystem but it also reflects how plant communities use external environmental resources.However,research on how different herbivore assemblages affect plant functional diversity is limited.Therefore,this study systematically explored the effects of three typical herbivore assemblages(yak grazing,Tibetan sheep grazing,and mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep)on species richness,plant functional diversity,and soil physicochemical properties in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China.This study further investigated the primary mechanisms driving the changes in plant functional diversity.The results indicate four key aspects of this system:(1)Grazing significantly enhanced plant functional diversity,particularly when the mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep was applied at a ratio of 1:2.This ratio showed the most substantial improvement in the functional dispersion index and Rao's quadratic entropy index.(2)Compared to enclosed treatments,grazing increased species richness andβ-diversity,contributing to higher plant functional diversity.(3)Grazing treatments affected various plant traits,such as reducing plant community height and leaf thickness while increasing specific leaf area.However,the impact on plant functional diversity was most pronounced under the mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep at a ratio of 1:2.(4)Speciesα-diversity was positively correlated with plant functional diversity.Changes in plant functional diversity were primarily regulated by variations in soil physicochemical properties.Specifically,increases in soil available nitrogen significantly promoted changes in plant functional diversity,while increases in soil available potassium and bulk density had a significant inhibitory effect on these changes.Long-term grazing significantly reduced the height of plant communities in alpine meadows,while a balanced mixture of yak and Tibetan sheep grazing,especially at a ratio of 1:2,enhanced plant functional diversity the most.This suggests that,under these conditions,the use of external environmental resources by the plant community is optimized.展开更多
Grasslands are among the largest terrestrial ecosystems,offering critical ecological,economic,and cultural services worldwide(Bardgett et al.2021;Wang et al.2022).However,they face unprecedented challenges due to clim...Grasslands are among the largest terrestrial ecosystems,offering critical ecological,economic,and cultural services worldwide(Bardgett et al.2021;Wang et al.2022).However,they face unprecedented challenges due to climate change,overgrazing,and land-use change,which threaten their biodiversity,carbon sequestration potential,and the human livelihoods they support(Zhou et al.2023;Straffelini et al.2024).Despite the implementation of various management strategies,gaps remain in understanding the intricate dynamics of grassland ecosystems,their key drivers,and the most effective adaptive management practices(Li et al.2022).展开更多
Grassland degradation presents overwhelming challenges to biodiversity,ecosystem services,and the socioeconomic sustainability of dependent communities.However,a comprehensive synthesis of global knowledge on the fron...Grassland degradation presents overwhelming challenges to biodiversity,ecosystem services,and the socioeconomic sustainability of dependent communities.However,a comprehensive synthesis of global knowledge on the frontiers and key areas of grassland degradation research has not been achieved due to the limitations of traditional scientometrics methods.The present synthesis of information employed BERTopic,an advanced natural language processing tool,to analyze the extensive ecological literature on grassland degradation.We compiled a dataset of 4,504 publications from the Web of Science core collection database and used it to evaluate the geographic distribution and temporal evolution of different grassland types and available knowledge on the subject.Our analysis identified key topics in the global grassland degradation research domain,including the effects of grassland degradation on ecosystem functions,grassland ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation,erosion processes and hydrological models in grasslands,and others.The BERTopic analysis significantly outperforms traditional methods in identifying complex and evolving topics in large datasets of literature.Compared to traditional scientometrics analysis,BERTopic provides a more comprehensive perspective on the research areas,revealing not only popular topics but also emerging research areas that traditional methods may overlook,although scientometrics offers more specificity and detail.Therefore,we argue for the simultaneous use of both approaches to achieve more systematic and comprehensive assessments of specific research areas.This study represents an emerging application of BERTopic algorithms in ecological research,particularly in the critical research focused on global grassland degradation.It also highlights the need for integrating advanced computational methods in ecological research in this era of data explosion.Tools like the BERTopic algorithm are essential for enhancing our understanding of complex environmental problems,and it marks an important stride towards more sophisticated,data-driven analysis in ecology.展开更多
Petroleum extraction and its organic pollutants have numerous negative consequences on the composition and ecological function of grasslands,such as vegetation degradation,reduction in species diversity,and salinizati...Petroleum extraction and its organic pollutants have numerous negative consequences on the composition and ecological function of grasslands,such as vegetation degradation,reduction in species diversity,and salinization.Thus,finding a comprehensive method for polluted soil and restoring grasslands faces many challenges,and the mecha-nism to influence soil environments and microbial commu-nity composition remains unclear.In this study,container experiments explored the potential of sulfonic acid group(–SO3H groups)modified biochar combined with isolated bac-terium(named Y-1,Acinetobacter-spp.)on physicochemical properties and microbial communities of polluted soil.The results show that modified biochar and Y-1 combined addi-tion had the highest petroleum degradation rate(39.4%),and soil nutrients such as dissolved organic carbon(DOC),cat-ion exchange capacity(CEC),available nitrogen,invertase and urease activities in CK were decreased by 35.4,12.1,30,43.2 and 32.5%compared to treatments.The contents of available phosphorus in CM treatment were increased 2.4 times compared to CK.The-SO3H groups efficiently improve salinity by accumulating Ca2+and Mg2+and inhib-iting the aggregation of Na+.The correlation heatmap indi-cated that soil organic carbon,total nitrogen and CEC mark-edly interact with microbial communities.High-throughput sequencing indicated that the biomarkers enriched by the present integrated treatment are crucial for stimulating nitro-gen and phosphorus cycles.The results indicate that-SO3H groups modified biochar,and Y-1 has great potential to serve as a novel bioremediation technology to remediate soil from petroleum pollutants and alkalization and achieve better res-toration of degradation grasslands.展开更多
Agricultural land development is a pivotal strategy for addressing the global food security crisis.Barren grassland,especially those in mountainous regions,constitutes critical areas where cultivation can substantiall...Agricultural land development is a pivotal strategy for addressing the global food security crisis.Barren grassland,especially those in mountainous regions,constitutes critical areas where cultivation can substantially enhance land resources.This study highlights the necessity for a precise correlation between land development initiatives and constraints in order to optimize efficiency and enhance the effectiveness of such projects,with the core being the seamless integration of land development engineering and techniques to eliminate agricultural constraints.This study employs a systems engineering approach to classify improvement factors into mobile and fixed categories,elucidating the integration methods of constraint factors.Adhering to the Wooden Barrel Principle,these constraints were rigorously analyzed based on soil quality,land topography,water availability,and agricultural infrastructure.An innovative method of engineering type combination is proposed,which effectively explains the correlation between natural factors combination,project type combination,and target factors combination.It provides a convenient way for the selection of barren grassland development projects and lays a foundation for land planning,development project establishment,program selection,engineering design,and budget preparation.Taking Tang County of China as an example,it is divided into 19 factor improvement areas,a quick reference table of engineering types is established,and 14 main types of engineering combinations are obtained,which lays a foundation for the application of theoretical framework in practice.展开更多
Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES)has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool for mitigating grassland degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision.However,critical factors,such as herders'willing...Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES)has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool for mitigating grassland degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision.However,critical factors,such as herders'willingness to accept(WTA)preferences and compensation expectations,are often overlooked,leading to insufficient effectiveness of PES initiatives.This study focused on grassland ecological compensation policy(GECP),quantifying herders'WTA compensation for grassland grazing bans.Through face-to-face surveys and employing the contingent valuation method,we estimated households'WTA for participating in a grassland conservation program to bolster ecosystem service provision.Our findings indicated that herders required an average compensation of 237 CNY mu^(-1)yr^(-1)to engage in the grazing ban program.Notably,herders'environmental awareness positively influenced their willingness to participate,whereas larger family sizes were negatively correlated with WTA.Additionally,herders in better health,with higher livestock incomes or categorized as semi-herders,tended to accept lower compensation levels.These insights are crucial for improving the effectiveness of GECP and provide valuable reference points for similar analyses in economically disadvantaged and ecologically fragile regions.展开更多
On the vast Hulun Buir steppe in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see.Known as one of the world’s four great grasslands and celebrated as the“kingdom of flora ...On the vast Hulun Buir steppe in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see.Known as one of the world’s four great grasslands and celebrated as the“kingdom of flora and fauna in north China,”the region has long been a cradle of traditional nomadic culture and a vital base for animal husbandry.展开更多
The response of N_(2)O emissions to nitrogen(N)addition is usually positive,but its response to phosphorus(P)addition varies,and the underlying mechanisms for the changes in N_(2)O emissions remain unclear.We conducte...The response of N_(2)O emissions to nitrogen(N)addition is usually positive,but its response to phosphorus(P)addition varies,and the underlying mechanisms for the changes in N_(2)O emissions remain unclear.We conducted field studies to examine the response of N_(2)O emissions to N and P addition over two years in three typical alpine grasslands,alpine meadow(AM),alpine steppe(AS),and alpine cultivated grassland(CG)on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP).Our results showed consistent increases in N_(2)O emissions under N addition alone or with P addition,and insignificant change in N_(2)O emissions under P addition alone in all three grasslands.N addition increased N_(2)O emissions directly in AM,by lowering soil pH in AS,and by lowering abundance of denitrification genes in CG.N and P co-addition increased N_(2)O emissions in AM and AS but only showed an interactive effect in AM.P addition enhanced the increase in N_(2)O emissions caused by N addition mainly by promoting plant growth in AM.Overall,our results illustrate that short-term P addition cannot alleviate the stimulation of N_(2)O emissions by N deposition in alpine grassland ecosystems,and may even further stimulate N_(2)O emissions.展开更多
Grazing management significantly influences greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and the global warming potential(GWP)in grasslands.Yet,a limited understanding of the impact of grazing and grazing exclusion on GHG emis-sions ...Grazing management significantly influences greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and the global warming potential(GWP)in grasslands.Yet,a limited understanding of the impact of grazing and grazing exclusion on GHG emis-sions and GWP in grasslands hinders progress towards grassland ecosystem sustainability and GHG mitigation.We conducted a global meta-analysis of 75 published studies to investigate the effects of grazing and grazing exclusion on methane(CH_(4)),carbon dioxide(CO_(2)),nitrous oxide(N_(2 )O),and GWP.Our results revealed that grazing and grazing exclusion significantly increased the CO_(2) and CH4 emissions,respectively.The responses of GHG emissions and GWP to grazing were regulated by grazing intensity and elevation.We also found that light grazing significantly decreased GWP but heavy grazing increased GWP.Reducing grazing intensity was a simple and effective method through stocking rate adjustment,which promised a large GHG mitigation poten-tial.Our results demonstrated that GHG emissions increased with elevation under grassland grazing,implying that irrational grazing in high-elevation grasslands promoted GHG emissions.In comparison with grazing,only long-term grazing exclusion reduced the GWP,and CH4 emissions enhanced with grazing exclusion duration.However,long-term grazing exclusion may shift economic demand and grazing burden to other areas.Overall,we suggested that regulating the grazing intensity,rather than grazing exclusion,was an effective way to re-duce GHG emissions.Our study contributed to the enhancement of sustainable grazing management practices for GHG balance and GWP in global grasslands,and offered a global picture for understanding the changes in GHG emissions and GWP under different grazing management regimes.展开更多
The source region of the Yellow River, accounting for over 38% of its total runoff, is a critical catchment area,primarily characterized by alpine grasslands. In 2005, the Maqu land surface processes observational sit...The source region of the Yellow River, accounting for over 38% of its total runoff, is a critical catchment area,primarily characterized by alpine grasslands. In 2005, the Maqu land surface processes observational site was established to monitor climate, land surface dynamics, and hydrological variability in this region. Over a 10-year period(2010–19), an extensive observational dataset was compiled, now available to the scientific community. This dataset includes comprehensive details on site characteristics, instrumentation, and data processing methods, covering meteorological and radiative fluxes, energy exchanges, soil moisture dynamics, and heat transfer properties. The dataset is particularly valuable for researchers studying land surface processes, land–atmosphere interactions, and climate modeling, and may also benefit ecological, hydrological, and water resource studies. The report ends with a discussion on perspectives and challenges of continued observational monitoring in this region, focusing on issues such as cryosphere influences, complex topography,and ecological changes like the encroachment of weeds and scrubland.展开更多
基金supported by the Major Special Projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.52374170 and 42377465)the Third Comprehensive Scientific Exploration in Xinjiang(Grant No.2022xjkk1005)+1 种基金the Special Technology Innovation Fund of Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality in Jiangsu Province(Grant No.BK20231515)the Shaanxi Shenmu Natural Field Observation and Research Station of Erosion and Environment,which provided the site and data on experimental conditions for field trials.
文摘Amid accelerating global land degradation,establishing high-efficiency ecological restoration principles and frameworks is crucial.Here,we explore the application of threshold effects in the ecological restoration process based on field experiments and globally available experimental data from 173 sites.Combining data integration analysis and meta-analysis,we collectively verified the universality of threshold effects in grasslands.The global grasslands’average nitrogen application threshold is 3.78 g·m^(-2)·yr^(−1),while the threshold value of degraded grassland(3.65 g·m^(-2)·yr^(−1))is lower than that of nondegraded grassland(5.90 g·m^(-2)·yr^(−1)).The low nitrogen-driven thresholds are affected by degradation status,climate(precipitation and temperature),and other site conditions,but not fertilization forms.Independent experiments further demonstrated that an increase in soil moisture content can lead to the disappearance of nitrogen threshold effects,revealing that ecological threshold effects are influenced by ecosystem stress factors.Following the significant increase in plant biomass triggered by the nitrogen threshold,the ecosystem undergoes systemic improvement.Soil organic carbon,urease activity,soil microbial diversity,and other soil properties are significantly enhanced.Soil nitrogen cycle-related microbial communities and soil physicochemical attributes are significantly activated.The results indicate that a threshold response pattern may develop before nitrogen saturation is reached,and low nitrogen input can boost productivity and improve the plant-soil-microbe system.Our findings reveal a nonprogressive path of restoration in degraded ecosystems,and thus,restoration based on threshold effects can offer an efficient and safe solution to combat ecological degradation.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2025YFE0103800,2023YFE0102600,2024YFE0214200).
文摘Livestock farming is a critical pillar of Tajikistan’s national economy and livelihood security.However,significant economic challenges in the country have led to the degradation of grassland ecosystems.This degradation has not only reduced the productivity of grassland ecosystems but also severely impacted their ecological functions.A particularly concerning consequence is the threat to biodiversity,as the survival and persistence of endemic,rare,and endangered plant species are at serious risk,thereby diminishing the value of species’genetic resources.Based on the data from multiple sources such as literature reviews,field observations,and national statistics,this study employed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to investigate the current status,causes of degradation,and restoration measures for grassland ecosystems in Tajikistan.The results revealed that Tajikistan’s grassland ecosystems support exceptionally high plant species diversity,comprising over 4500 vascular plant species,including nearly 1500 endemic and sub-endemic taxa that constitute a unique genetic reservoir.These ecosystems are experiencing severe degradation,characterized by significantly reduced vegetation cover and declining species richness.Palatable forage species are increasingly being displaced by unpalatable,thorny,and poisonous species.The primary drivers of degradation include excessive grazing pressure,which disrupts plant reproductive cycles and regeneration capacity,habitat fragmentation due to urbanization and infrastructure development,and uncontrolled exploitation of medicinal and edible plants.Climate change,particularly rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns,further exacerbates these anthropogenic pressures.Ecological restoration experiments suggested that both ecosystem productivity and plant species diversity are significantly enhanced by systematic reseeding trials using altitude-adapted native species.These findings underscore the necessity of establishing scientifically grounded approaches for ecological restoration.
文摘In mid-June,the vast,rolling meadow steppe grasslands of Bayanwenduer Sumu in Ar Horqin Banner,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,once again stretched into the horizon like green waves with herds of cattle and sheep scattered across them like pearls in a green ocean.This flock was driven by herders on horseback,motorcycles,and agricultural vehicles,leading the animals to summer pastures in one of the most important migrations of the year.
基金The Postgraduate Research Innovation Project of Department of Education of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,No.KC2024029BThe Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.XDA23100201The Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program,No.2019QZKK0608。
文摘Quantifying grassland changes and their drivers is essential to ensure the stability of grassland resources in China.We established a research framework with two primary objectives:to evaluate grassland degradation and restoration over the past 30 years,and to quantify the contributions of climate change and anthropogenic activities to these changes across different grassland cover types.The results revealed that despite a net loss of 6.87×10^(4)km^(2)in China's total grassland area from 1990 to 2020,the proportion of high-coverage grassland increased by 2.45%,demonstrating an improvement in productivity per unit area.Conversion of grassland to cropland was the dominant land change type,with 80.83%occurring in the western part of the Northwest Ecological Region.Although the total degraded grassland area reached 3.33×10^(5)km^(2)during 1990-2020,this degradation was overwhelmingly dominated by the mild level(94.98%),with severe degradation accounting for only 5.02%.A comparison of the periods 2000-2010 and 1990-2000 revealed that grassland restoration became enhanced in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Region but degradation intensified in the southwestern part.Moreover,mobile grazing emerged as the primary anthropogenic driver of grassland changes.These new findings provide an important scientific basis for adaptable grassland resource protection and grassland-livestock balanced management.
基金supported by the Talent introduction program of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research.
文摘Grassland ecosystems are experiencing severe deterioration due to ongoing climate fluctuation and human disturbance.Although numerous research centers on the patterns,processes,and functioning of degraded grassland,there is still a lack of standards for defining and assessing degraded grassland,which restricts the cognition of the degraded grassland mechanisms and restoration practices.Therefore,we review current grassland degradation research for the sake of the common definitions and assessment methods worldwide.Grassland degradation definitions are divided into three stages,including biotic/abiotic factors,ecosystem functions,and ecosystem services/sustainability,and further combine the concept of“nature’s contributions to people”with the definition of grassland degradation.Moreover,grassland degradation assessment methods and indicators are diverse across scales.Additionally,we systematically explore the climate change and social system factors that affect grassland degradation,and reveal that grassland management policies play an essential role in grassland degradation and restoration.Overall,this review advances our understanding of grassland degradation and calls for a unified and effective global definition and assessment criteria,which will contribute to the sustainable management of the grassland ecosystem.
基金Under the auspices of Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05060103)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41105117)State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology(No.LFSE2013-06)
文摘The semi-arid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China have been degraded by long-term grazing. A series of ecological restoration strategies have been implemented to improve grassland service. However, little is known about the effect of these ecological restoration practices on soil carbon and nitrogen storage. In this study, characteristics of vegetation and soil properties under continued grazing and exclusion of livestock for six years due to a nationwide conservation program—′Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands(RGLG)′ were examined in semi-arid Hulun Buir grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. The results show that removal of grazing for six years resulted in a significant recovery in vegetation with higher above and below-ground biomass, but a lower soil bulk density and pH value. After six years of grazing exclusion, soil organic C and total N storage increased by 13.9% and 17.1%, respectively, which could be partly explained by decreased loss and increased input of C and N to soil. The effects of grazing exclusion on soil C and N concentration and storage primarily occurred in the upper soil depths. The results indicate that removal of grazing pressure within the RGLG program was an effective restoration approach to control grassland degradation in this region. However, more comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the RGLG program and to improve the management strategies for grassland restoration in this area.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA28110300)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U23A2004)+3 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province,China(No.YDZJ202201ZYTS522)Science and Technology Cooperation Program between Jilin Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.2023SYHZ0053)Innovation Team Program of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology,Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.2023CXTD02)the European Commission under Marie Sk?odowska-Curie(No.101034371)。
文摘Nitrogen(N)enrichment has resulted in widespread alteration of grassland ecosystem processes and functions mainly through disturbance in soil enzyme activities.However,we lack a comprehensive understanding of how N deposition affects specific key soil enzymes that mediate plant-soil feedback of grassland.Here,with a meta-analysis on 1446 cases from field observations in China,we show that N deposition differently affects soil enzymes associated with soil biochemical processes.Specifically,N-promoted C,N,and P-acquiring hydrolase activities significantly increased by 8.73%,7.67%,and 8.69%,respectively,related to an increase in microbial-specific enzyme secretion.The increased relative N availability and soil acidification were two potential mechanisms accounting for the changes in soil enzyme activities with N enrichment.The mixed N addition in combination of NH_(4)NO_(3) and urea showed greater stimulation effect on soil enzyme activities.However,the high rate and long-term N addition tended to weaken the positive responses of soil C-,Nand P-acquiring hydrolase activities to N enrichment.Spatially increased mean annual precipitation and temperature primarily promoted the positive effects of N enrichment on N-and P-acquiring hydrolase activities,and the stimulation of C-and N-acquiring hydrolase activities by N enrichment was intensified with the increase in soil depth.Finally,multimodal inference showed that grassland type was the most important regulator of responses of microbial C,N,and P-acquiring hydrolase activities to N enrichment.This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive insight into understanding the key role of N enrichment in shaping soil enzyme activities of grassland ecosystems.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42377458 and 41907411).
文摘The Leymus chinensis grassland is one of themost widely distributed associations in the warmtemperate grassland and due to overgrazing in recent years,it has experienced varying degrees of degradation.Vegetative regeneration via bud banks serves as the primaryway of vegetation reproduction in the L.chinensis grassland ecosystem.However,the role of the bud bank in the vegetation regeneration of grazing grassland remains unclear.Based on the relationship between the under-ground bud bank and above-ground vegetation of L.chinensis grassland under different grazing stages,this study aimed to explore whether the grazing grassland could self-recover through the existing bud bank.The findings revealed that the bud density initially increased and then decreased with increasing grazing intensity,indicating that appropriate grazing promoted vegetation renewal.Moreover,grazing significantly influenced the composition of the bud bank:during the early grazing stage,the rhizome buds accounted for the main part,and tiller buds dominated during the mid-stage grazing;while during the late-stage grazing,root-sprouting buds prevailed.The meristem restriction index for light,moderate,and heavy grazing grasslands was close to one;conversely,overgrazing and extreme overgrazing grasslands exhibited the highermeristemrestriction index(2.00,3.19),suggesting that plant regeneration was constrained by bud banks under light-grazing conditions where regenerate rates failed to meet above-ground modular’s recovery requirements following overgrazing and extreme overgrazing events.Consequently,moderate grazing grasslands could achieve natural community recovery by continuously adjusting their vegetative regeneration strategies.Understanding the role of bud banks in vegetative regeneration in grazing grassland will not only supply theoretical support for the ecological succession process of degraded grassland but also provide practical experience for the sustainable management of the L.chinensis grassland ecosystem.
基金jointly funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42161024)the Central Financial Forestry and Grassland Science and Technology Extension Demonstration Project(2025)(Grant No.Xin[2025]TG 09)。
文摘Accurate quantification of carbon and water fluxes dynamics in arid and semi-arid ecosystems is a critical scientific challenge for regional carbon neutrality assessments and sustainable water resource management.In this study,we developed a multi-flux global sensitivity discriminant index(D_(sen))by integrating the Biome-BGCMuSo model with eddy covariance flux observations.This index was combined with a Bayesian optimization algorithm to conduct parameter optimization.The results demonstrated that:(1)Sensitivity analysis identified 13 highly sensitive parameters affecting carbon and water fluxes.Among these,the canopy light extinction coefficient(k)and the fraction of leaf N in Rubisco(FLNR)exhibited significantly higher sensitivity to carbon fluxes(GPP,NEE,Reco;D_(sen)>10%)compared to water flux(ET).This highlights the strong dependence of carbon cycle simulations on vegetation physiological parameters.(2)The Bayesian optimization framework efficiently converged 30 parameter spaces within 50 iterations,markedly improving carbon fluxes simulation accuracy.The Kling-Gupta efficiency(KGE)values for Gross Primary Production(GPP),Net Ecosystem Exchange(NEE),and Total Respiration(Reco)increased by 44.94%,69.23%and 123%,respectively.The optimization prioritized highly sensitive parameters,underscoring the necessity of parameter sensitivity stratification.(3)The optimized model effectively reproduced carbon sink characteristics in mountain meadows during the growing season(cumulative NEE=-375 g C/m^(2)).It revealed synergistic carbon-water fluxes interactions governed by coupled photosynthesis-stomatal pathways and identified substrate supply limitations on heterotrophic respiration.This study proposes a novel multi-flux sensitivity index and an efficient optimization framework,elucidating the coupling mechanisms between vegetation physiological regulation(k,FLNR)and environmental stressors(VPD,SWD)in carbonwater cycles.The methodology offers a practical approach for arid ecosystem model optimization and provides theoretical insights for grassland management through canopy structure regulation and water-use efficiency enhancement.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF1304302)the Qaidam basin and Qilian Mountains germplasm resources collection project(Grant No.SJCZFY2022-1-6)。
文摘Understanding plant diversity within geographical ranges and identifying key species that drive community variation can provide crucial insights for the management of grasslands.However,the contribution of both local sites and plant species to beta diversity in grassland ecosystems has yet to be accurately assessed.This study applied the ecological uniqueness approach to examine both local contributions to beta diversity(LCBD)and species contributions to beta diversity(SCBD)across six major geographical ranges in alpine grasslands.We found that LCBD was driven by species turnover,with climate,plant communities,and their interactions influencing LCBD across spatial scales.LCBD values were high in areas with low evapotranspiration,high rainfall variability,and low species and functional richness.Precipitation seasonality predicted large-scale LCBD dynamics,while plant community abundance explained local LCBD variation.In addition,we found that SCBD were confined to species with moderate occupancy,although these species contributed less to plant biological traits.Our findings are crucial for understanding how ecological characteristics influence plant beta diversity in grasslands and how it responds to environmental and community factors.In addition,these findings have successfully identified key sites and priority plants for conservation,indicating that using standardized quadrats can support the assessment of the ecological uniqueness in grassland ecosystems.We hope these insights will inform the development of conservation strategies,thereby supporting regional plant diversity and resisting vegetation homogenization.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U20A2007 and 32160343)the Open Project of Key Laboratory of the Alpine Grassland Ecology in the Three Rivers Region(Qinghai University),Ministry of Education of China(2023-SJY-KF-02)the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences。
文摘The response of plant functional diversity to external disturbances not only effectively predicts changes in the ecosystem but it also reflects how plant communities use external environmental resources.However,research on how different herbivore assemblages affect plant functional diversity is limited.Therefore,this study systematically explored the effects of three typical herbivore assemblages(yak grazing,Tibetan sheep grazing,and mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep)on species richness,plant functional diversity,and soil physicochemical properties in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China.This study further investigated the primary mechanisms driving the changes in plant functional diversity.The results indicate four key aspects of this system:(1)Grazing significantly enhanced plant functional diversity,particularly when the mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep was applied at a ratio of 1:2.This ratio showed the most substantial improvement in the functional dispersion index and Rao's quadratic entropy index.(2)Compared to enclosed treatments,grazing increased species richness andβ-diversity,contributing to higher plant functional diversity.(3)Grazing treatments affected various plant traits,such as reducing plant community height and leaf thickness while increasing specific leaf area.However,the impact on plant functional diversity was most pronounced under the mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep at a ratio of 1:2.(4)Speciesα-diversity was positively correlated with plant functional diversity.Changes in plant functional diversity were primarily regulated by variations in soil physicochemical properties.Specifically,increases in soil available nitrogen significantly promoted changes in plant functional diversity,while increases in soil available potassium and bulk density had a significant inhibitory effect on these changes.Long-term grazing significantly reduced the height of plant communities in alpine meadows,while a balanced mixture of yak and Tibetan sheep grazing,especially at a ratio of 1:2,enhanced plant functional diversity the most.This suggests that,under these conditions,the use of external environmental resources by the plant community is optimized.
文摘Grasslands are among the largest terrestrial ecosystems,offering critical ecological,economic,and cultural services worldwide(Bardgett et al.2021;Wang et al.2022).However,they face unprecedented challenges due to climate change,overgrazing,and land-use change,which threaten their biodiversity,carbon sequestration potential,and the human livelihoods they support(Zhou et al.2023;Straffelini et al.2024).Despite the implementation of various management strategies,gaps remain in understanding the intricate dynamics of grassland ecosystems,their key drivers,and the most effective adaptive management practices(Li et al.2022).
基金financially supported by the First-Class Curriculum Program at the School of Economics and Management,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesthe National Natural Science Foundation of China(42041005)the National Social Science Foundation of China(23BTQ054)。
文摘Grassland degradation presents overwhelming challenges to biodiversity,ecosystem services,and the socioeconomic sustainability of dependent communities.However,a comprehensive synthesis of global knowledge on the frontiers and key areas of grassland degradation research has not been achieved due to the limitations of traditional scientometrics methods.The present synthesis of information employed BERTopic,an advanced natural language processing tool,to analyze the extensive ecological literature on grassland degradation.We compiled a dataset of 4,504 publications from the Web of Science core collection database and used it to evaluate the geographic distribution and temporal evolution of different grassland types and available knowledge on the subject.Our analysis identified key topics in the global grassland degradation research domain,including the effects of grassland degradation on ecosystem functions,grassland ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation,erosion processes and hydrological models in grasslands,and others.The BERTopic analysis significantly outperforms traditional methods in identifying complex and evolving topics in large datasets of literature.Compared to traditional scientometrics analysis,BERTopic provides a more comprehensive perspective on the research areas,revealing not only popular topics but also emerging research areas that traditional methods may overlook,although scientometrics offers more specificity and detail.Therefore,we argue for the simultaneous use of both approaches to achieve more systematic and comprehensive assessments of specific research areas.This study represents an emerging application of BERTopic algorithms in ecological research,particularly in the critical research focused on global grassland degradation.It also highlights the need for integrating advanced computational methods in ecological research in this era of data explosion.Tools like the BERTopic algorithm are essential for enhancing our understanding of complex environmental problems,and it marks an important stride towards more sophisticated,data-driven analysis in ecology.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province(LH2023E009)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2572021BA01)the Ecological and Environmental Protection project of Heilongjiang Province(HST2022ST004).
文摘Petroleum extraction and its organic pollutants have numerous negative consequences on the composition and ecological function of grasslands,such as vegetation degradation,reduction in species diversity,and salinization.Thus,finding a comprehensive method for polluted soil and restoring grasslands faces many challenges,and the mecha-nism to influence soil environments and microbial commu-nity composition remains unclear.In this study,container experiments explored the potential of sulfonic acid group(–SO3H groups)modified biochar combined with isolated bac-terium(named Y-1,Acinetobacter-spp.)on physicochemical properties and microbial communities of polluted soil.The results show that modified biochar and Y-1 combined addi-tion had the highest petroleum degradation rate(39.4%),and soil nutrients such as dissolved organic carbon(DOC),cat-ion exchange capacity(CEC),available nitrogen,invertase and urease activities in CK were decreased by 35.4,12.1,30,43.2 and 32.5%compared to treatments.The contents of available phosphorus in CM treatment were increased 2.4 times compared to CK.The-SO3H groups efficiently improve salinity by accumulating Ca2+and Mg2+and inhib-iting the aggregation of Na+.The correlation heatmap indi-cated that soil organic carbon,total nitrogen and CEC mark-edly interact with microbial communities.High-throughput sequencing indicated that the biomarkers enriched by the present integrated treatment are crucial for stimulating nitro-gen and phosphorus cycles.The results indicate that-SO3H groups modified biochar,and Y-1 has great potential to serve as a novel bioremediation technology to remediate soil from petroleum pollutants and alkalization and achieve better res-toration of degradation grasslands.
基金funded by Science and Technology Project of Hebei Education Department[QN2023085].
文摘Agricultural land development is a pivotal strategy for addressing the global food security crisis.Barren grassland,especially those in mountainous regions,constitutes critical areas where cultivation can substantially enhance land resources.This study highlights the necessity for a precise correlation between land development initiatives and constraints in order to optimize efficiency and enhance the effectiveness of such projects,with the core being the seamless integration of land development engineering and techniques to eliminate agricultural constraints.This study employs a systems engineering approach to classify improvement factors into mobile and fixed categories,elucidating the integration methods of constraint factors.Adhering to the Wooden Barrel Principle,these constraints were rigorously analyzed based on soil quality,land topography,water availability,and agricultural infrastructure.An innovative method of engineering type combination is proposed,which effectively explains the correlation between natural factors combination,project type combination,and target factors combination.It provides a convenient way for the selection of barren grassland development projects and lays a foundation for land planning,development project establishment,program selection,engineering design,and budget preparation.Taking Tang County of China as an example,it is divided into 19 factor improvement areas,a quick reference table of engineering types is established,and 14 main types of engineering combinations are obtained,which lays a foundation for the application of theoretical framework in practice.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71934003,72322008,and72348003).
文摘Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES)has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool for mitigating grassland degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision.However,critical factors,such as herders'willingness to accept(WTA)preferences and compensation expectations,are often overlooked,leading to insufficient effectiveness of PES initiatives.This study focused on grassland ecological compensation policy(GECP),quantifying herders'WTA compensation for grassland grazing bans.Through face-to-face surveys and employing the contingent valuation method,we estimated households'WTA for participating in a grassland conservation program to bolster ecosystem service provision.Our findings indicated that herders required an average compensation of 237 CNY mu^(-1)yr^(-1)to engage in the grazing ban program.Notably,herders'environmental awareness positively influenced their willingness to participate,whereas larger family sizes were negatively correlated with WTA.Additionally,herders in better health,with higher livestock incomes or categorized as semi-herders,tended to accept lower compensation levels.These insights are crucial for improving the effectiveness of GECP and provide valuable reference points for similar analyses in economically disadvantaged and ecologically fragile regions.
文摘On the vast Hulun Buir steppe in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see.Known as one of the world’s four great grasslands and celebrated as the“kingdom of flora and fauna in north China,”the region has long been a cradle of traditional nomadic culture and a vital base for animal husbandry.
基金funded by the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFE0112400 and 2023YFF1304303)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32361143870 and 32101315)。
文摘The response of N_(2)O emissions to nitrogen(N)addition is usually positive,but its response to phosphorus(P)addition varies,and the underlying mechanisms for the changes in N_(2)O emissions remain unclear.We conducted field studies to examine the response of N_(2)O emissions to N and P addition over two years in three typical alpine grasslands,alpine meadow(AM),alpine steppe(AS),and alpine cultivated grassland(CG)on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP).Our results showed consistent increases in N_(2)O emissions under N addition alone or with P addition,and insignificant change in N_(2)O emissions under P addition alone in all three grasslands.N addition increased N_(2)O emissions directly in AM,by lowering soil pH in AS,and by lowering abundance of denitrification genes in CG.N and P co-addition increased N_(2)O emissions in AM and AS but only showed an interactive effect in AM.P addition enhanced the increase in N_(2)O emissions caused by N addition mainly by promoting plant growth in AM.Overall,our results illustrate that short-term P addition cannot alleviate the stimulation of N_(2)O emissions by N deposition in alpine grassland ecosystems,and may even further stimulate N_(2)O emissions.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.72394401).
文摘Grazing management significantly influences greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and the global warming potential(GWP)in grasslands.Yet,a limited understanding of the impact of grazing and grazing exclusion on GHG emis-sions and GWP in grasslands hinders progress towards grassland ecosystem sustainability and GHG mitigation.We conducted a global meta-analysis of 75 published studies to investigate the effects of grazing and grazing exclusion on methane(CH_(4)),carbon dioxide(CO_(2)),nitrous oxide(N_(2 )O),and GWP.Our results revealed that grazing and grazing exclusion significantly increased the CO_(2) and CH4 emissions,respectively.The responses of GHG emissions and GWP to grazing were regulated by grazing intensity and elevation.We also found that light grazing significantly decreased GWP but heavy grazing increased GWP.Reducing grazing intensity was a simple and effective method through stocking rate adjustment,which promised a large GHG mitigation poten-tial.Our results demonstrated that GHG emissions increased with elevation under grassland grazing,implying that irrational grazing in high-elevation grasslands promoted GHG emissions.In comparison with grazing,only long-term grazing exclusion reduced the GWP,and CH4 emissions enhanced with grazing exclusion duration.However,long-term grazing exclusion may shift economic demand and grazing burden to other areas.Overall,we suggested that regulating the grazing intensity,rather than grazing exclusion,was an effective way to re-duce GHG emissions.Our study contributed to the enhancement of sustainable grazing management practices for GHG balance and GWP in global grasslands,and offered a global picture for understanding the changes in GHG emissions and GWP under different grazing management regimes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Distinguished Young Scholars (Grant No.42325502)the 2nd Scientific Expedition to the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (Grant No.2019QZKK0102)+3 种基金the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.xbzg-zdsys-202215)the Science and Technology Research Plan of Gansu Province (Grant Nos.23JRRA654 and 20JR10RA070)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.QCH2019004)iLEAPS (integrated Land Ecosystem–Atmosphere Processes Study)。
文摘The source region of the Yellow River, accounting for over 38% of its total runoff, is a critical catchment area,primarily characterized by alpine grasslands. In 2005, the Maqu land surface processes observational site was established to monitor climate, land surface dynamics, and hydrological variability in this region. Over a 10-year period(2010–19), an extensive observational dataset was compiled, now available to the scientific community. This dataset includes comprehensive details on site characteristics, instrumentation, and data processing methods, covering meteorological and radiative fluxes, energy exchanges, soil moisture dynamics, and heat transfer properties. The dataset is particularly valuable for researchers studying land surface processes, land–atmosphere interactions, and climate modeling, and may also benefit ecological, hydrological, and water resource studies. The report ends with a discussion on perspectives and challenges of continued observational monitoring in this region, focusing on issues such as cryosphere influences, complex topography,and ecological changes like the encroachment of weeds and scrubland.
