The effects of defoliation on plant community, root biomass and nutrient allocation and soil chemical properties on semi-arid steppes in northern China

Guo, Y-J; Han, Liliang; Li, Guangdi; Han, J-G; Gl, Wang; Zy, Li; Wilson, Bree

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2011.11.003

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…In addition, LHG promotes an asymmetrical response in different plant functional traits leading to variation in individual plant size (Li et al., ). More generally, stems have been suggested to be more sensitive than leaves to LHG conditions (Cruz et al., ; Guo et al., ). However, it remains largely unknown how changes in L. chinensis stem elongation are induced by LHG.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heavy grazing effects on stem elongation and internode allometry: Insights from a natural pasture grass

Liu

Zhang

TianYu

et al. 2019

Grass and Forage Science

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Limited plant stem elongation is hypothesized to be the primary cause of decreased plant growth in response to long‐term heavy grazing (LHG). However, it remains largely unknown how LHG‐induced changes in stem elongation are mediated by internode traits. Accordingly, we experimentally investigated the effects of LHG (defined as twice the stocking rate recommended by the local government) on plant stem elongation and internode allometry in Leymus chinensis in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Plant size and internode traits, including internode length (IL), internode diameter (ID), and internode number (IN), from plant individuals were measured according to their phytomer position from base to apex. The results revealed that IN and their distributions were changed in response to LHG. Although LHG negatively affected IL and ID of each L. chinensis internode from base to apex and eventually stem length, the plasticity index of IL and ID increased initially and then decreased from the lowermost to the uppermost internode in response to LHG. These contrasting responses of internode traits were result of allometry between internode traits determined by both LHG and internode position. Ultimately, IL and IN were identified to be key traits influencing stem length reduction under LHG conditions and explaining 52.51% and 47.49% of variation in stem length, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that the limitation of L. chinensis stem elongation induced by LHG is mediated by the plasticity and allometry of internode traits. This result emphasizes the sensitivity of individual plants to LHG and is potentially valuable for optimal grassland management.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More generally, stems have been suggested to be more sensitive than leaves to LHG conditions (Cruz et al, 2010;Guo et al, 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Heavy grazing effects on stem elongation and internode allometry: Insights from a natural pasture grass

Liu

Zhang

TianYu

et al. 2019

Grass and Forage Science

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“…Compared with native grassland ecosystems, the specific leaf area (SLA) will increase in response to long-term grazing [ 20 ], which is related to improving the ability of the plant to perform photosynthesis [ 21 ]. Moreover, the sensitivity of a plant organ in its aboveground portion is greater than in its belowground portion [ 22 ]. Root traits have a lag (or stabilizing) effect compared with the soil microenvironment [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways of Leymus chinensis Individual Aboveground Biomass Decline in Natural Semiarid Grassland Induced by Overgrazing: A Study at the Plant Functional Trait Scale

Liu

Wang

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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Natural grassland productivity, which is based on an individual plant’s aboveground biomass (AB) and its interaction with herbivores, can obviously affect terrestrial ecosystem services and the grassland’s agricultural production. As plant traits have been linked to both AB and ecosystem success, they may provide a useful approach to understand the changes in individual plants and grassland productivity in response to grazing on a generic level. Unfortunately, the current lack of studies on how plant traits affect AB affected by herbivores leaves a major gap in our understanding of the mechanism of grassland productivity decline. This study, therefore, aims to analyze the paths of overgrazing-induced decline in the individual AB of Leymus chinensis (the dominant species of meadow-steppe grassland in northern China) on a plant functional trait scale. Using a paired-sampling approach, we compared the differences in the functional traits of L. chinensis in long-term grazing-excluded and experimental grazing grassland plots over a continuous period of approximately 20 years (located in meadow steppe lands in Hailar, Inner Mongolia, China). We found a highly significant decline in the individual height and biomass (leaf, stem, and the whole plant) of L. chinensis as a result of overgrazing. Biomass allocation and leaf mass per unit area were significantly affected by the variation in individual size. Grazing clearly enhanced the sensitivity of the leaf-to-stem biomass ratio in response to variation in individual size. Moreover, using a method of standardized major axis estimation, we found that the biomass in the leaves, stems, and the plant as a whole had highly significant allometric scaling with various functional traits. Also, the slopes of the allometric equations of these relationships were significantly altered by grazing. Therefore, a clear implication of this is that grazing promotes an asymmetrical response of different plant functional traits to variation in individual plant size, which influences biomass indirectly. Furthermore, we detected paths of individual AB decline in L. chinensis induced by grazing by fitting to a structural equation model. These results indicate that grazing causes AB decline primarily through a ‘bottom-up’ effect on plant height and stem traits. However, leaf traits, via the process of allometric scaling, affect plant AB indirectly.

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“…For example, L. chinensis, which grows in the meadow steppe of China, shows an increase in leaf-area in response to long-term high grazing pressure (Zheng et al, 2010), which improves the plant's relative photosynthesis capabilities (Badger, 2013). Furthermore, plant organs that grow in aboveground are typically more sensitive to defoliation than those that are below ground (Guo et al, 2012). Root traits have a slower response or are stable in response to changes in the soil microenvironment (Milchunas and Vandever, 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

Long-term effects of mowing on plasticity and allometry of Leymus chinensis in a temperate semi-arid grassland, China

Hou

Ren

et al. 2016

J. Arid Land

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Mowing is an important land management practice for natural semi-arid regions. A growing body of empirical evidence shows that different mowing regimes affect the functioning of grassland ecosystems. However, the responses of plant functional traits to long-term mowing and their allometric scaling under long-term mowing are poorly understood. For a better understanding of the effects of mowing on grassland ecosystems, we analyzed the allometric traits of leaves and stems of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel., a dominant grass species in eastern Eurasian temperate grassland, at different mowing intensities (no clipping, clipping once every two years, once a year and twice a year). Experiments were conducted on plots established over a decade ago in a typical steppe of Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Results showed that most of the functional traits of L. chinensis decreased with the increased mowing intensity. The responses of leaves and stems to long-term mowing were asymmetric, in which leaf traits were more stable than stem traits. Also significant allometric relationships were found among most of the plant functional traits under the four mowing treatments. Sensitive traits of L. chinensis (e.g. leaf length and stem length) were primary indicators associated with aboveground biomass decline under high mowing intensity. In conclusion, the allometric growth of different functional traits of L. chinensis varies with different long-term mowing practices, which is likely to be a strategy used by the plant to adapt to the mowing disturbances.

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The effects of defoliation on plant community, root biomass and nutrient allocation and soil chemical properties on semi-arid steppes in northern China

Cited by 16 publications

References 43 publications

Heavy grazing effects on stem elongation and internode allometry: Insights from a natural pasture grass

Heavy grazing effects on stem elongation and internode allometry: Insights from a natural pasture grass

Pathways of Leymus chinensis Individual Aboveground Biomass Decline in Natural Semiarid Grassland Induced by Overgrazing: A Study at the Plant Functional Trait Scale

Long-term effects of mowing on plasticity and allometry of Leymus chinensis in a temperate semi-arid grassland, China

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