Description
Climate and human activities, such as drought event and livestock grazing, generally coupled to influence the structure and function of grassland ecosystems. However, most of previous studies focused on the isolated effects of grazing or drought on grassland ecosystems, with little attention paid to the combined effects of them. Further, we know little about how plants respond to grazing and drought at the population level. We conducted a grazing regime (enclosure, stop grazing, and heavy grazing) and drought manipulation experiment in a typical steppe to explore how grassland plants response to ongoing drought and grazing regimes at the population level. We selected a dominant species, Artemisia capillaris, in this typical steppe as the research object and conducted a three-year observation of population traits (plant height, crown diameter, density of growth point and density of reproductive branch) of the Artemisia capillaries. Both grazing and drought reduced biomass of the Artemisia capillaris, but the effect of grazing regime was greater than that of drought. Different grazing regimes had a strong effect on the growth traits of Artemisia capillaris population in the early stages, while drought had a strong effect on them in the later stages. Reproduction of Artemisia capillaris were more responsive to grazing regime. Our results suggest that grazing and drought could alter reproductive and growth strategies of Artemisia capillaris.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
How do Artemisia capillaris Population Respond to Grazing Management and Rain Reduction?
Climate and human activities, such as drought event and livestock grazing, generally coupled to influence the structure and function of grassland ecosystems. However, most of previous studies focused on the isolated effects of grazing or drought on grassland ecosystems, with little attention paid to the combined effects of them. Further, we know little about how plants respond to grazing and drought at the population level. We conducted a grazing regime (enclosure, stop grazing, and heavy grazing) and drought manipulation experiment in a typical steppe to explore how grassland plants response to ongoing drought and grazing regimes at the population level. We selected a dominant species, Artemisia capillaris, in this typical steppe as the research object and conducted a three-year observation of population traits (plant height, crown diameter, density of growth point and density of reproductive branch) of the Artemisia capillaries. Both grazing and drought reduced biomass of the Artemisia capillaris, but the effect of grazing regime was greater than that of drought. Different grazing regimes had a strong effect on the growth traits of Artemisia capillaris population in the early stages, while drought had a strong effect on them in the later stages. Reproduction of Artemisia capillaris were more responsive to grazing regime. Our results suggest that grazing and drought could alter reproductive and growth strategies of Artemisia capillaris.
