Description
Grasslands occupy nearly 400 million hectares in China, accounting for about 40.7% of the total land area, provide multiple ecological and economic benefits. However, due to over-grazing and over-cultivation, more than 90% grasslands in China are threatened by degradation that has caused significant negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, such as biodiversity losses, decreased productivity, increased soil erosion etc. Thus, restoration of degraded grassland is urgent for sustainable grassland management in China. No-till reseeding has been found to be an effective way for grassland vegetation regeneration with improved productivity and increased plant diversity via reseeding suitable species with minimum disturbance for the soil. Here, we present a conceptual framework integrating plant-soil feedback theory and subclimax management model. We show that field experiments with reseeding legumes into the degraded grasslands can restore forage production and plant diversity in degraded grassland. We also applied the no-till reseeding technology in degraded grasslands in China, such as Shanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and found that reseeding leguminous and gramineous forages are effective in improving productivity and nutritional quality of degraded grassland in China. Overall, no-till reseeding is an effective way in restoring degraded grassland and could play an important role for sustainable grassland management in China.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Theory and Application of No-Till Reseeding Technology in Degraded Grasslands in China
Grasslands occupy nearly 400 million hectares in China, accounting for about 40.7% of the total land area, provide multiple ecological and economic benefits. However, due to over-grazing and over-cultivation, more than 90% grasslands in China are threatened by degradation that has caused significant negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, such as biodiversity losses, decreased productivity, increased soil erosion etc. Thus, restoration of degraded grassland is urgent for sustainable grassland management in China. No-till reseeding has been found to be an effective way for grassland vegetation regeneration with improved productivity and increased plant diversity via reseeding suitable species with minimum disturbance for the soil. Here, we present a conceptual framework integrating plant-soil feedback theory and subclimax management model. We show that field experiments with reseeding legumes into the degraded grasslands can restore forage production and plant diversity in degraded grassland. We also applied the no-till reseeding technology in degraded grasslands in China, such as Shanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and found that reseeding leguminous and gramineous forages are effective in improving productivity and nutritional quality of degraded grassland in China. Overall, no-till reseeding is an effective way in restoring degraded grassland and could play an important role for sustainable grassland management in China.
