Comparison of riparian plant communities under four land management systems in southwestern Wisconsin

Riparian plant community composition is influenced by moisture, erosion, original native plant communities, and current and past land use. This study compared riparian plant communities under four types of management: woody buffer strip, grassy buffer strip, rotational grazing, and continuous grazing. Study sites were located along spring-fed streams in the unglaciated region of southwestern Wisconsin, USA. At each site, plant community surveys were conducted using a point transect method. Among the treatments, woody buffer strips, rotationally grazed and continuously grazed riparian areas had greater plant species richness than grassy buffer strips, and woody buffer strips had the greatest native plant species richness. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) was prevalent in grassy buffer strips (44% of all observations), common in woody buffer strips (15%), and rare in sites that were rotationally or continuously grazed (3 and 5%, respectively). Pasture sites had greater proportions of native grasses and grass relatives and moderate levels of overall native species richness. Considered a water quality best management practice, well-managed rotational grazing may be a reasonable alternative to buffer strips which can contribute to protection and enhancement of native vegetation biodiversity.     

Relationships between diversity of grassland vegetation, field characteristics and land use management practices assessed at the farm level

In order to assess the impact of policies to encourage extensification in less favoured areas and improve our knowledge of extensive livestock systems, we analyzed relationships between the diversity of grassland vegetation and land use management practices and field characteristics. This study, conducted on a mountainous area in the centre of France, was based on 149 fields, mainly of natural grasslands belonging to 7 farmers. Regression analyses were performed to analyze the relations between the grassland vegetation types (five types established from the list of dominant species), management practices (cutting versus grazing and fertilization) and the topographic (altitude and aspect) and topologic (slope, distance and surface area) characteristics of the fields. The land use management rules used by the farmers were studied by specifying the grazing management rules of the herd (dairy cows), as well as those for conserved forage (mainly hay or silage) and were identified from observations mentioned on the “grazing schedules”, as well as from interviews at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the study period. The statistical analysis showed that neither the topographic characteristics of the fields nor the distance from the cowshed or surface area were correlated with the grassland vegetation types. It was the management practices used, largely determined by the field slope, which determined the grassland vegetation type. On the other hand, farmers’ statements showed that the grazing and cutting management rules were mostly determined by the slope of the fields and the distance from the cowshed and, to a lesser extent, by the altitude and aspect. These results showed that the farmers take into consideration environmental differences when choosing fields to allocate for grazing and cutting at different seasons, particularly when they are constrained by these features. Nevertheless, when the constraints were minimal, a wide diversity of grassland vegetation types was also observed. This diversity was a result of attributing different functions to the fields which led to different management practices (defoliation methods and fertilization) and, thus, to different grassland vegetation types. Consequently, for farms where animal feed requirements vary according to the time of the year and the type of animal, we suggest that diversity in the grassland vegetation types is a sound component of these livestock systems.     

Subhumid pasture plant communities entrained by management

Many annual cropping lands are being converted to perennial pasture in humid and subhumid areas of the USA as the economic, social, and environmental benefits of managed grazing become evident. Recent evidence about the positive effects of plant diversity on productivity is driving farmers towards management for more complex species mixes than were promoted historically for grazed pastures, but this emphasis has highlighted a lack of understanding about plant community management in pastures. To better understand this system we examined sources of variability in the plant community of a subhumid grassland that was subjected to combinations of disturbance (graze or burn), and amendment (nitrogen, carbon, or ambient), and native grass seeding treatments over 3 years (2004 to 2006). We estimated species cover five times during the study period and ordinated these data with nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS). The ordination explained 80% of the variation in the plant community data set. Variance in ordination site scores was ascribed to management (disturbance, soil amendment, and native grass seeding time), the environment (year, season within year, and block), or unexplained (residual) realms with a linear mixed-effects model. The overwhelming source of variability in the plant community (62–99%) was attributed to management. Ordination results illustrated that plant groups sorted out along management gradients: burned plots were shifted towards grasses while forbs and clovers were associated with grazed plots. We demonstrate how a community-level approach can be used to evaluate management regimes in agroecosystems. Our results indicate that disturbance and soil amendments can be used to shape plant communities in subhumid grasslands for specific agronomic and conservation goals.     

The role of plant leaf attributes in linking land use to ecosystem function in temperate grassy vegetation

We tested predictions of the relative changes in plant leaf traits in response to land uses in Australian eucalypt grassy ecosystems. Predictions were determined from responses observed in European landscapes in relation to disturbances associated with agricultural land uses. We measured specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) across five land uses: reference sites (closest to pre-European state), native pastures (unfertilized), fertilized pastures, sown pastures (cultivated and fertilized) and enriched grassland (previously fertilized, no longer grazed). Leaves were expected to have higher SLA and lower LMDC at sites with increasing fertility and/or disturbance.The predictions were confirmed, with SLA increasing progressively in land uses associated with (1) grazing; (2) grazing and fertilization; (3) grazing, fertilization and cultivation. Values for LDMC were closely (but inversely) correlated with those of SLA. For both traits, there were relationships with available soil phosphorus but not with soil total nitrogen. The positive correlation of SLA with phosphorus was not evident above 30 mg kg⁻¹, the recommended level of phosphorus for improved pastures.Results confirm patterns of leaf-trait response to disturbance that reflect fundamental constraints to plant survival in habitats with different levels of resources and disturbances. A conservative strategy for low productivity undisturbed habitats is associated with low SLA and high dry matter content in contrast to fertile disturbed habitats which select for high SLA and low dry matter content. The changes in leaf traits across land uses resulted from species substitution rather than variation within species across sites, and most notably the replacement of native by annual exotic species as land use intensifies.Recommended fertilization rates for pasture production convert the ground layer to plants with soft, digestible leaves, that are responsive to fertilizer and desirable for livestock production. However, fertilization also drastically reduces the diversity of native plants and annual plants tend to dominate. The trade-off associated with high production includes increased vulnerability to soil erosion, due to reduced plant cover and low persistence of cover. If alternative ecosystem values such as erosion control, water quality, salinity control and biodiversity persistence are required, incentives may be needed to offset the loss of production that can be gained from fertilizer application.     

Vegetation changes in Conservation Reserve Program lands in interior Alaska

Over 14 million hectares of erosion prone cropland in the United States has been converted into grasslands through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, however, studies of the effects of CRP enrollment on plant communities and subsequent plant succession are largely lacking. In Delta Junction, Alaska plant communities in CRP fields are transitioning from grasslands to shrub dominated plant communities, which are resulting in compliance problems with program regulations that state “fields must be maintained in a condition that permits easy conversion to cropland”. To determine plant succession and how previous land management and soils might influence the transition, we measured plant populations in 20 CRP fields throughout Delta Junction using modified-Whittaker plots. These data were combined with data on current management practices, previous farming history, soils, soil properties, diversity indices, and time since land was cleared and analyzed with nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination to determine factors that influence plant succession. Time in the CRP was the only factor consistently influencing plant succession. As time in the CRP increased, the planted introduced grasses brome grass (Bromus inermis) and red fescue (Festuca rubra) and the native pteridophyte (Equisetum arvense) decreased, whereas a native grass (Calamigrostis canadensis), five native forb, two native shrub, and three native tree species increased. Plant diversity increased at a rate of more than 2 species per 1000 m² per year. Regression analyses of plant species and plant groups using time in the CRP as the dependent variable resulted in the identification of outlier CRP fields with significantly more or less than expected covers of vegetation. All fields with these outliers had reasonable explanations for the differences in cover that were unrelated to the overall rate of plant succession. Current management practices will result in incompliant fields and different management practices that result in woody vegetation control is key to maintaining CRP fields in compliance.     

放牧对内蒙古草原温室气体排放的影响

静态箱-气相色谱法用于测定内蒙古典型草原温室气体排放.禁牧草原及放牧草原吸收CH₄、排放N₂O和CO₂各自有其相对固定的季节变化形式,草原和大气交换温室气体通量的季节变化形式主要受年度气候变化所控制,而土壤、植被类型、降雨量等禁牧因素和放牧强度等人为因素仅影响排放强度.与禁牧草原相比,自由放牧降低了羊草草原对CH4的吸收和对N₂O的排放,但大大增加了CO₂的排放量.随着放牧强度的增加,草原温室气体排放强度呈线性迅速增长.     

Phosphorus and nitrogen in soil, plants, and overland flow from sheep-grazed pastures fertilized with different rates of superphosphate

Eutrophication of waterways through delivery of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from farmland is a problem in many countries. Loss of nutrients from grazed grassland via overland flow is well demonstrated, but the sources of these nutrients and the processes controlling their mobilization into water are not well understood. Much of the nutrient loss in overland flow from grazed pastures may be due to generally increased fertility of the soil–plant system (i.e. background or ‘systematic’ nutrient loss) rather than to immediate loss after fertilizer application [Nash, D., Clemow, L., Hannah, M., Barlow, K., Gangaiya, P., 2005. Modelling phosphorus exports from rain-fed and irrigated pastures in southern Australia. Aust. J. Soil Res. 43, 745–755]. The main aim of this study was to measure the effects of long-term (25 years) superphosphate (Ca(H₂PO₄)₂ + 2CaSO₄) fertilizer application (0–23 kg/(ha year)) on P and N in soil, plants, and potential background P and N movement in overland flow (generated using a rainfall simulator) from sheep-grazed pastures in southern Australia. Measurements were taken in autumn, under dry soil conditions, and in winter, under wet soil conditions, 12 and 15 months after the last fertilizer applications, respectively. Superphosphate application caused a strong increase in plant P, soil total P, Olsen P, and Colwell P; and a weaker increase in plant N, soil total N, and inorganic N (ammonium and nitrate). Soil P and N were concentrated in the surface 25 mm of soil. Soil water-extractable P, calcium chloride-extractable P, and calcium chloride organic P were in general only poorly associated with fertilizer application. The concentration of P and, to a lesser extent, the concentration of N in overland flow increased with increasing fertilizer application and showed strong seasonal differences (0.06–0.77 mg P/L and 0.6–5.5 mg N/L in autumn; 0.04–0.20 mg P/L and 0.4–1.7 mg N/L in winter). The P in overland flow was predominantly dissolved reactive P in autumn and particulate P in winter. The N in overland flow contained significant proportions of dissolved organic N, dissolved inorganic N (ammonium and nitrate), and particulate N. The concentrations of P and N in overland flow usually exceeded State water quality targets (<0.04 mg P/L and <0.90 mg N/L), suggesting that background losses of nutrients from these pasture systems could contribute to the eutrophication of waterways.     

不同土地利用方式下土壤有机质分子组成变化的整合分析

利用生物标志物研究土壤有机质（SOM）分子组成可用于分析有机质的来源及降解,从分子层面揭示土壤有机碳（SOC）的稳定机制.为了进一步明确不同土地利用方式对土壤有机质分子组成的影响,通过对已发表的研究数据进行整合分析,研究了全球尺度上农田、草地和森林这3种土地利用方式下有机质分子组成（游离脂质、角质、木栓质和木质素）的变化.结果表明,不同土地利用方式下有机质分子组成有明显差异,森林土壤游离态脂类（烷烃、烷酸、烷醇和环脂）、角质和木质素酚含量显著高于草地和农田,草地和森林土壤的木栓质含量无显著差异,草地木栓质与角质的比值最高,平均为2.96,农田和森林平均分别为1.68和2.21.农田土壤的丁香基的酸醛比（Ad/Al）_S和香草基的酸醛比（Ad/Al）_V最大,分别为1.25和1.58,显著高于草地（0.46和0.69）和森林（0.78和0.7）.且相关性分析结果表明,农田土壤中,木栓质与年均降雨量（MAP）和黏粒呈显著相关,角质与黏粒呈显著相关,木质素与年均温度（MAT）、MAP、砂粒和容重呈显著相关;草地土壤中,总游离脂质与MAP和容重呈显著相关,木栓质和角质均与MAT和MAP呈显著相关,木质素与MAP、pH、砂粒和容重呈显著相关;森林土壤中,仅木质素与MAP和砂粒呈显著相关.总体而言,3种土地利用方式下,森林土壤中有机碳和各分子组分含量均较高,草地土壤中植物根系对于土壤有机质的贡献更大,农田土壤中,由于人为耕作活动而加速了木质素的降解.未来研究应进一步关注土壤理化性质和气候条件对于有机质分子组成的调控.     

温带典型草地土壤净氮矿化作用研究

应用树脂芯方法,研究了内蒙古锡林河流域不同降水强度3种草地类型土壤净氮矿化作用.结果表明,7～10月份,羊草草原的平均净氮矿化率为0.333 kg·(hm²·d)^-1,贝加尔针茅草原为0.316 kg·(hm²·d)^-1,克氏针茅草原为0.211 kg·(hm²·d)^-1;在相同的培养周期内,分阶段培养和连续培养对土壤的净氮矿化量和净氮矿化速率有显著影响;降雨是影响该区域氮素矿化的主要因素之一,3种草地类型土壤水分变化量与土壤净氮矿化速率呈正相关关系,相关系数分别为0.80、0.61、0.56.     

Overstorey tree density and understorey regrowth effects on plant composition,stand structure and floristic richness in grazed temperate woodlands in eastern Australia

As natural woodlands decline in both extent and quality worldwide, there is an increasing recognition of the biodiversity conservation value of production landscapes. In low-input, low-productivity grazing systems in Australia, the modification of natural woodlands through overstorey tree and woody regrowth removal are vegetation management options used by landholders to increase native grass production for livestock grazing; however, there is little empirical evidence to indicate at what tree densities biodiversity attributes are compromised. We examined the effects of overstorey tree density and understorey regowth on the floristic composition, stand structure and species richness of eucalypt woodlands in a grazing landscape in the Traprock region of southern Queensland, Australia. We sampled 47 sites stratified according to vegetation type (Eucalyptus crebra/Eucalyptus dealbata woodland; Eucalyptus melliodora/Eucalyptus microcarpa grassy woodland), density of mature trees (<6 trees/ha; 6–20 trees/ha; >20 trees/ha), and presence/absence of regrowth. Distinct patterns in composition were detected using indicator species analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling, with low density areas compositionally indistinguishable, although distinct from other land management units. Within vegetation type, medium tree density woodlands were compositionally similar to high density and reference woodlands. Species richness ranged from 18 to 67 species per 500 m² across all sites. No differences in total or native species richness were detected across management units; however, some differences in exotic species richness were detected. Differences in grass cover existed between low and high density management units, yet no difference in grass cover was evident between low and medium density management units. Our results suggest that medium tree densities may provide biodiversity benefits concordant with more natural areas, yet not adversely impact on pasture production. Retaining trees in grazing landscapes provides significant landscape heterogeneity and important refuges for species that may be largely excluded from open grassland habitats. Maintaining a medium density of overstorey trees in grazed paddocks can provide both production and biodiversity benefits.     

人工林与其紧邻农田中野生植物与土壤线虫群落特征对比

我国北方农耕区休耕地种植杨树现象较为普遍,但是人工林对农业生态系统中生物多样性的保护作用却鲜有关注.在山东省宁津县选取3块样地,均为休耕地种植杨树林且紧邻小麦玉米轮作田,对比人工林下、田埂及农田内的草本植物群落特征、土壤线虫群落特征及土壤化学性质,以探究人工林对农业生态系统中生物多样性的作用.结果表明:①植物样方总物种数和样方平均物种数均呈现农田 < 距田埂30 m人工林下 < 距田埂10 m人工林下 < 田埂 < 距田埂20 m人工林下 < 距田埂5 m人工林下的变化规律,其中,距田埂5 m人工林下植物样方总物种数为21种,农田内11种.人工林下草本植物群落多样性指数、丰富度指数均显著高于农田内杂草植物群落相应指数（P < 0.05）.②农田、田埂及距田埂5 m的人工林下的土壤线虫组成存在差异,农田和人工林下土壤线虫优势属为头叶属（Cephalobus）,而田埂中为真头叶属（Eucephalobus）.土壤线虫群落多样性指数、成熟指数、植物寄生线虫成熟指数及线虫通路比在人工林下、田埂和农田之间差异均不显著（P≥0.05）,土壤线虫均为耐环境压力类群.③人工林下与农田土壤中总氮（TN）、总碳（TC）含量差异不显著（P≥0.05）,而田埂和人工林下土壤碳氮比（C/N）显著高于农田内（P < 0.01）,表明林下和田埂土壤中有机物分解矿化速度低于农田内.土壤TN含量、TC含量、C/N和pH均与植物群落具有显著关联,而对土壤线虫群落均无显著影响.研究显示,在我国北方休耕地种植杨树林,对于农业生态系统中草本植物多样性保护具有积极作用,但是难以在几年内有效地改善土壤质量.      

The influence of grassland management on ground beetles (Carabidae, Coleoptera) in Swiss montane meadows

Effects of grassland management type and intensity on carabid species richness, number of individuals and species composition were studied in the Swiss Prealps. Carabids were censused in 2001 and 2002 in 21 mown and 20 grazed meadows by means of pitfall traps.Mean species richness was significantly higher in mown plots than in grazed plots and species composition was significantly different between these two management types. Additionally, different species characteristic for mown and grazed plots were found. These results suggest that mown meadows and grazed meadows represent two habitat types for carabid beetles.Within both habitats, management intensity was quantified by fertilizing intensity, the number of cuts, cattle density and/or grazing intensity. The relationship between management intensity and the number of individuals and species was positive. Higher fertilizing intensity was the most important factor for higher species richness and had a significant influence on species composition in both habitats. Other variables positively related to the number of individuals, were the number of cuts in mown meadows and grazing intensity and altitude in grazed meadows. Additionally to fertilizing intensity, cattle density was positively related to the number of species in grazed meadows. These results illustrate that in the extensive management systems found in the Swiss Alps and Prealps, even intensively managed meadows can sustain high carabid diversity and abundance.     

Chemical and spectral characterization of soil phosphorus under three land uses from an Andic Palehumult in West Cameroon

Phosphorus (P) is one of the main limiting plant nutrients in most tropical soils. Acquiring quantitative information on soil P status is essential for evaluating its sustainable management in agroecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate how land-use shifts from semi-permanent food crop systems (CF) to plantations of tea (Camellia sinensis) (TP) and Eucalyptus grandis (EP) impact on both organic and inorganic P species. Determination of phosphorus status combined a P sequential fractionation procedure and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Sequentially extracted pools included available P by 0.5 M NaHCO₃, Al/Fe-P by 0.1 M NaOH, Ca-P by 0.5 M HCl and residual P by 0.5 M H₂SO₄ after ignition at 550 °C. Soil total P (STP) varied significantly across land uses (P<0.05) with the lowest mean value (1025.6±23.1 mg kg⁻¹) occurring under CF and the highest (1698.0±86.1 mg kg⁻¹) under TP. The largest P-pools were NaOH-P (47–51% of total soil P) and H₂SO₄-P (25–32%). NaHCO₃-P_i under fertilized land uses (CF and TP) was greater than 12 mg kg⁻¹ indicating that these systems were sustainable. Unfertilized EP was P-deficient, probably as the result of organic-matter accretion and subsequent P immobilization in organic forms. ³¹P NMR revealed that 88–89% of P compounds in NaOH extract were organic with monoester-P accounting for 59.1–60.8%. This was followed by diester-P (9.8–12.4%), teochoic acid (8.4–10.1%), orthophosphate (8.8–9.7%), unknown compounds (7.4–8.4%), pyrophosphate (1.1–4.6%) and phosphonate (0–1.3%). EP had higher diester-P and no phosphonate compound whereas CF had substantial amount of pyrophosphate (4.6%) and less orthophosphate and teochoic acid. These results indicate that these last P compounds are easily mineralizable P forms participating actively in plant P nutrition.     

不同退耕还草方式下宁夏南部山区土壤氮素转化速率与微生物变化的耦合关系

为了明确不同退耕还草方式下土壤养分转化的机理及其影响因素,以宁夏南部山区(下称宁南山区)天然草地、人工草地和撂荒地土壤为研究对象,运用PVC顶盖埋管法对3种类型草地土壤中氮素的净转化速率、微生物区系和氮素微生物生理群进行了研究,探讨土壤氮素净转化速率与微生物的关系. 结果表明:①在培养过程中,3种草地类型土壤中细菌、放线菌和真菌数量平均值分别为9.6×105、3.8×104和4.0×101 CFU/g(以干土计),氮素微生物生理群数量表现为氨化细菌(4.5×104 CFU/g)>自生固氮菌(4.3×103 CFU/g)>硝化细菌(6.5×102 CFU/g)>反硝化细菌(3.9×102 CFU/g)>亚硝化细菌(1.7×102 CFU/g),其中,人工草地土壤中微生物数量最高;②细菌、真菌、反硝化细菌与亚硝化细菌数量的峰值均出现在培养第120天,放线菌和自生固氮菌数量的峰值均出现在第240天,硝化细菌数量的峰值出现在第60天,而氨化细菌数量在各类型草地土壤中出现峰值的时间不统一;③各类型草地土壤氮素的净矿化速率、净氨化速率、净硝化速率均在61~120 d内最低,净矿化速率与净硝化速率在181~240 d内最高,净氨化速率在241~360 d内最高,微生物固氮速率的峰值出现在121~180 d,最低值出现在241~360 d. 在该区土壤氮素转化速率与微生物数量紧密相关,土壤温度、土壤水分通过影响微生物数量而成为影响土壤氮素矿化的主要因素;土壤氮素的生物固持过程比有机氮矿化过程更为活跃;种植苜蓿的人工草地比天然草地和撂荒地更有利于微生物的繁殖与土壤氮素的矿化.      

黑河流域草地承载力研究

应用RS和GIS技术,从研究区植被类型、土壤侵蚀、坡度、距水源距离、生物多样性和生态系统保护等方面,确定了黑河流域不适合和适合放牧的区域。在适合放牧的区域,根据草地类型估测产草量。在牧草分配方面,从避免土壤侵蚀和遭遇干旱时保证植被群落弹性和再生的需要以及满足昆虫和土壤无脊椎动物及野生动物需要两个方面考虑了满足生态需要的牧草生物量。在确定放牧强度时,从坡度和距离水源远近两个方面考虑了载畜量的减少比例。在此基础上,计算出满足生态保护需要的草地承载力。研究结果表明,黑河流域适合放牧的区域仅占总面积的17.693%,在适合放牧的区域,天然草地的承载力为0.009～2.055只羊单位/hm²。     

Monitoring the dry deposition of SO2 in the Netherlands: Results for grassland and heather vegetation

An automated system based on the micrometeorological gradient technique has been developed to measure the dry deposition of SO₂ on a routine basis. Measurements were made at two locations in the Netherlands. From these results dry deposition fluxes, dry deposition velocities and surface resistances for a heathland and for an agricultural grassland site were estimated using a selected set of data and a calculation procedure based on micrometeorological considerations. An extensive analysis was made to determine uncertainties in the resulting deposition parameters. From this analysis it has been concluded that the uncertainty in these parameters is almost completely determined by the random errors in measured concentrations. The meteorological surface exchange parameters can be estimated sufficiently accurately (<20% uncertainty). At the grassland site, average surface resistances to deposition of 6(±8) and 13(±12) s m⁻¹ were calculated for wet and dry conditions, respectively. At the heathland site, a similar distinct difference between R_c values for wet and dry conditions was found. These values are 20(±21) and 70(±90) s m⁻¹, respectively. The yearly average dry deposition flux for SO₂ at the grassland site amounts to 585(±330) mol ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, while at the heathland site the yearly average flux was 300(±270) mol ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. The yearly average dry deposition velocity at 4 m height was 1.2(±0.3) cm s⁻¹ at the grassland site and 0.8(±0.4) cm s⁻¹ at the heathland site.     

牧户对气候变化的感知与适应——以内蒙古四子王旗查干补力格苏木为例

通过在内蒙古自治区四子王旗查干补力格苏木的实地调查,并对四子王旗气象数据与调研得到的牧户感知数据进行对比分析,结果表明：牧民对气温变化的感知较对降水变化的感知准确度高,对风沙的感知与实际差距较大。在灾害造成的影响感知方面,牧户对干旱造成的影响感知最为深刻。牧户为适应气候变化已自主采取了多种应对措施,在实地调研中识别出至少22 种自主适应措施,采用较多的适应措施是多储备草料、减少牲畜存栏、建暖棚、借款和不让后代养羊,其中最重要的适应措施是多储备草料。自主适应行为的评估和筛选结果显示：多储备草料、建暖棚、减少牲畜存栏、引进新品种、借贷款、外出打工是牧民认为较好的自主适应措施。与之相配套的政策需求为：贷款支持、青贮窖补贴、暖棚补贴、更精确的天气预报和病虫害预报、牧业保险、新品种的技术培训、新品种的市场对接、职业技能培训、完善的社会保障体系等。这些政策可以增强牧民适应气候变化的能力,同时减缓牧民生计脆弱性。     

基于遥感估产的2006—2015年青海果洛与玉树地区草畜平衡分析

三江源区草地资源丰富,开展草畜平衡研究,可为草原环境保护和区域经济可持续发展提供决策支持。论文以青海省果洛藏族自治州和玉树藏族自治州作为研究区,基于产草量反演和载畜量计算,结合草畜平衡指数和草地载畜压力指数两大指标开展草畜平衡分析。结果表明：2006—2013年两自治州的平均草畜平衡指数自47.1%变化至-13.8%,草畜平衡状况整体在不断改善,2014—2015年超载情况有所加重;相比于果洛藏族自治州的年均草畜平衡指数为38.15%,玉树藏族自治州的年均草畜平衡指数为33.51%,草畜平衡状况较好。建议两地区有关部门加强规划和政策调控,按照“以草定畜”的原则加强草畜平衡精细化管理,并以大数据驱动草畜平衡决策支持信息化建设。     

Comparison of grassland management systems for beef cattle using self-contained farmlets: effects of contrasting nitrogen inputs and management strategies on nitrogen budgets, and herbage and animal production

Past research on nitrogen (N) inputs, losses and surpluses focused on separate components of grassland management, i.e., grazed or cut swards and the impact of fertiliser or slurry applications. In practice, however, grassland is both grazed and cut for conservation, and N fertiliser is supplied from both organic and inorganic sources. A whole systems approach was used to evaluate the effects of combinations of management strategies designed to reduce N losses on N budgets, and herbage and animal production in South West England. Three systems with contrasting N inputs were compared: CN, conventional mineral N application and broadcast slurry; TN, tactical mineral N application with slurry injection and the early housing of cattle; GC, a mixed grass/white clover sward with no mineral N addition and slurry injection. Comparisons were made on two contrasting soil types: a freely-draining sandy loam (Gleysol, Site 1), and a poorly drained clay (Luvisol, Site 2). 1 ha farmlets were grazed to a target sward height by beef cattle for a 5-year (Site 1) or a 4-year (Site 2) period. Herbage surplus to grazing requirements was cut for silage. On average, 185 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied annually to treatment TN compared with 280 kg N ha⁻¹ for CN. An additional 76, 102 and 67 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied in slurry to treatments CN, TN and GC, respectively. Substantial reductions in N surpluses were achieved for both treatments TN and GC compared with treatment CN (N surpluses ha⁻¹: 254, 168 and 119 kg at Site 1, and 247 kg, 190 and 73 kg at Site 2, for CN, TN and GC, respectively). The highest N input for treatment CN was associated with the greatest animal and herbage production. More land was required for grazing on treatment GC and less herbage was cut for silage so that self-sufficiency was not attained for winter fodder on this treatment. The early removal of cattle on treatment TN did not result in a significant increase in the amount of herbage cut for silage. It was concluded that the combinations of mitigation options used were successful in reducing N surpluses compared with the conventional N management system, but animal and herbage production was reduced.     

Plant colonization of ex-arable fields from adjacent species-rich grasslands: The importance of dispersal vs. recruitment ability

Species-rich semi-natural grasslands have declined drastically in Europe over the last century and occur in modern landscapes as small and isolated fragments. Recreation of these species-rich plant communities and increasing connectivity of remaining grasslands are important goals for nature conservation. Ex-arable fields located adjacent to species-rich grasslands have been suggested as targets for such recreation, but we still lack knowledge about the processes determining colonization from grasslands to ex-arable fields. We examined transects from species-rich semi-natural grasslands to ex-arable fields in a nature reserve located in southeast Sweden, and analysed relationships between observed colonization of ex-arable fields and two characteristics of species: dispersal ability and recruitment ability. Colonization of ex-arable fields was not related to dispersal ability, assessed as adhesive potential to animal coat, wind dispersal potential and seed mass (related to seed production), but was positively related to recruitment ability, assessed by sowing experiment. The same relationships appeared when using a performance index from sowing experiments conducted in the UK. We conclude that recruitment ability is a key factor for colonization of ex-arable fields. In our study, around 50% of semi-natural grassland species were able to colonize adjacent ex-arable field margins spontaneously within a time window of less than 50 years. Seed sowing is however needed to increase the speed of the colonization process, because increasing seed density promotes colonization of species with poor recruitment in ex-arable fields. Actions to increase area and connectivity of species-rich grasslands should consider incorporating ex-arable fields.