Numerical Simulation of Light/Dark Cycle Frequency of Microalgae Fluid in a Helical Tubular Photobioreactor for Carbon Dioxide Capture

In the present study, three-dimensional numerical simulations are conducted on hydrodynamics and light-intensity distribution of microalgae fluid flow in a helical tubular photobioreactor for CO₂ capture. The effect of incident direction of the light illumination is discussed and the light/dark cycle frequency experienced by the microalgae fluid in the cross-section of the photobioreactor is investigated. The simulation results reveal the steadily nonhorizontal and unsymmetrical Dean roll-cells of the microalgae fluid flow in the cross-section of the helical tube. The external light projecting onto the helical tubular photobioreactor from the center is a better way for microalgae cultivation. The light/dark cycle frequency of the microalgae fluid flow is calculated based on the light-intensity distribution inside the photobioreactor. The light/dark cycle frequency keeps constant for the same stream trace of the microalgae flow while varies with different flow regions. Meanwhile, the light/dark cycle frequency increases with the increase in microalgae fluid velocity. The suitable demarcation between the light and the dark zone depends on the shape and the location of the Dean roll-cells.     

Resource utilization of wasted black pulping liquor for biodiesel production by Scenedesmus obliquus

The possibility of application of black liquor for oil-riched algae cultivation is inspected. The results show that after ligin removal and enzymatic hydrolysis, the hydrolysate of black liquor contained 9.18 g L^?1 of reducing sugar. When the hydrolysate was used for Scenedesmus obliquus (S. obliquus) cultivation, a 1.23 g L^?1, 24.52%, and 23.20 mg L^?1d^?1 was obtained for growth yield, oil content, and the lipid productivity, seperately. The hemicellulose was extracted from black liquor and hydrolyzed. With addition of 3 g L^?1 yeast extract, the growth yield of S. obliquus in hemicellulose hydrolysate increased to 2.7 g L^?1, an increase of 26.8% than that of in glucose medium, oil content was 25.7% and the final lipid productivity reached 53.37 mg L^?1d^?1. The results indicate that black liquor can not be directly used by microalgae, but with approprate treatment, the carbohydrate of it could be recovered and uitilized for the oil production from microalgae.     

Effect of Prescribed Fire on Soil Properties and N Transformation in Two Vegetation Types in South China

Prescribed fire is a common site preparation practice in forest management in southern China. However, the effect of fire on soil properties and N transformations is still poorly understood in this region. In this study, soil properties and N transformations in burned and unburned site of two vegetation types (Eucalyptus plantation and shrubland) were compared in rainy and dry seasons after 2 years’ prescribed fire. Soil pH and soil NH₄-N were all higher in the burned site compared to the unburned control. Furthermore, burned sites had 30–40 % lower of soil total phosphorus than conspecific unburned sites. There was no difference in soil organic matter, total N, soil exchangeable cations, available P or NO₃-N. Nitrogen mineralization rate of 0–5 cm soil in the unburned site ranged from 8.24 to 11.6 mg N kg^?1 soil month^?1 in the rainy season, compared to a lower level of 4.82–5.25 mg N kg^?1 soil month^?1 in the burned sites. In contrast, 0–5 cm layer nitrification rate was overall 2.47 mg N kg^?1 soil month^?1 in the rainy season, and was not significantly affected by burning. The reduced understory vegetation coverage after burning may be responsible for the higher soil NH₄-N in the burned site. This study highlights that a better understanding the effect of prescribed burning on soil nutrients cycling would provide a critical foundation for management decision and be beneficial to afforestation in southern China.     

The convective hot air drying of Lactuca sativa slices

The storage of fresh agricultural products is not easy because of its high moisture. Dehydration is an efficient preservation method. The investigation of drying modeling and transfer characteristics are important for selecting operating conditions and equipment design. The drying behavior of Lactuca sativa slices, with the thickness of 2 mm, was investigated at 60.0–80.0°C and 0.60–1.04 m sec^?1 velocity in a convective hot air drier. The mass transfer during the drying process was described using six thin drying models. The convective heat transfer coefficient α and mass transfer coefficient k_H were finally calculated. The results showed that the drying process could be separated into three stages including accelerating rate, constant rate, and falling rate period, which was influenced by hot air temperature and velocity, and the Modi?ed Page model agreed well with the experimental data. When the operating temperature was increased from 60.0°C to 80.0°C, α was found increased from 88.07 to 107.93 W·m^?2·K^?1, and k_H increased from 46.32 × 10^–3 to 68.04 × 10^–3 kg·m^?2·sec^?1·ΔH^?1. With the increase of air velocity from 0.60 to 1.04 m·sec^?1, α was increased from 78.85 to 101.35 W·m^?2·K^?1, and k_H was enhanced from 51.78 × 10^–3 to 65.85 × 10^–3 kg·m^?2·sec^?1·ΔH^?1.     

An effective approach to improve ethanol productivity by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of rice straw

Fuel ethanol was produced using rice straw with the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) method. The influence of cellulose liquefaction pretreatment and Fe²⁺ quantity on ethanol productivity was investigated in detail. At the same time, the optimized conditions including fermentation temperature, Fe²⁺ amount, yeast inoculation quantity, and the inoculated cellulose enzyme dosage in the SSF process were systematically investigated by analyzing fuel ethanol yield. The result indicated that fuel ethanol yield was 0.319 g per gram rice straw by SSF approach when appropriate amount of Fe²⁺ was added into the reaction system. The optimal technology parameters were: fermenting temperature of 36°C, Fe²⁺ amount of 4 mg · g^?1, inoculating proportion of 20%, cellulose enzyme of 20 IU · g^?1, and Pachysolen tannophilu/saecharomyces cerevisiae of 1:2 ratio. The ethanol yield under the best conditions was larger than that of the control group. We hope that this research can facilitate to achieve large-scale comprehensive utilization for rice straw.     

Performance study on evacuated tubular collector coupled solar still in West Texas climate

Experimental study was performed on a single basin active solar distillation system augmented with a solar collector using evacuated solar tubes. Field tests were conducted over several days under the climatic conditions of West Texas to evaluate the effect evacuated solar tubes have on the daily distillate yield rate. To investigate the feasibility of the solar tubes, active and passive solar stills with and without exterior insulation were examined. The maximum daily production rate for the active distillation system using evacuated solar tubes and the passive distillation system was 3.6 and 1.4 kg/m²day, respectively. The results showed the augmentation of the still with evacuated solar tubes increased its production capacity by a factor of 2.63. It also increased the maximum temperature of the water in the still basin by at least 20 °C. Economic analysis shows that it is feasible to use evacuated tubular collector coupled solar still as an alternative means for reclaiming water in farmlands with a payback period of approximately 6 years.     

Operation strategy of a sequencing batch reactor for simultaneous removal of wastewater organic matter and nutrients

The Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) system employing activated sludge process is an alternative wastewater treatment technology. A cycle of the conventional SBR system generally consists of five periods, with complete aeration during the React period to oxidize the organic matter and nitrify the ammonium-nitrogen of wastewater. Laboratory-scale reactors were used to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating alternative aerobic-anoxic-aerobic stages within the React period for simultaneous removal of organic matter, N and P. Two cycles of SBR process per day were maintained.Under the operation strategy of 0.75-h fill, 8-h react (with continuous aeration), 3.25-h settle, draw and idle periods, the treatment performance became consistent after running the system for two to four cycles (1–2 days). The percentages of both BOD₅ and COD removal were around 94% from Cycle 2 onwards, the BOD₅ content dropped from initial 251 mg L⁻¹ to less than 14 mg L⁻¹ in the final effluent. A steady nitrification (about 97%) was obtained from Cycle 4 onwards, with 1 mg NH₄⁺-N L⁻¹ and 25 mg NO₃⁻-N L⁻¹ present in the final effluent. This suggested that the time required for SBR system to acclimate and reach an equilibrium state was relatively short when compared with the time needed for continuous flow activated sludge system. The findings also show that 4-h aeration during the react period was long enough to achieve more than 90% nitrification. With the incorporation of a 3-h anoxic stage after the initial 4-h aeration of the react period, a satisfactory denitrification process was observed, with nitrate level dropped from 27 to around 8 mg L⁻¹ within 3 h. The second aeration stage did not cause significant change in wastewater nitrogen content. The wastewater phosphate content declined rapidly during the initial 4-h aeration and P-release was not observed during the anoxic stage. A slight reduction of P was found in the second aeration stage suggesting that more P-uptake occurred in this stage. A 12-h cyclic SBR system with the incorporation of 4-h aerobic, 3-h anoxic and final 1-h aerobic stages into the 8-h react period was demonstrated to be able to remove C, N and P simultaneously.     

LAND USE AND STREAMWATER NITRATE-N DYNAMICS IN AN URBAN-RURAL FRINGE WATERSHED1

ABSTRACT: Agricultural and residential activities are key non-point sources of nitrogen pollution in urban-rural fringe areas. A GIS-based watershed approach was used to compare land use indicators (septic system and animal unit densities), to streamwater nitrate-N in the Salmon River near Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The density of septic systems was used as an indicator of residential development while animal unit density was used as an indicator of the intensity of agricultural activity. Nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate-N) concentrations as high as 7.1 mg·L^?1 were found in the mid-portion of the watershed during the summer months, when streamflow is low and groundwater comprises a large proportion of water in the stream. The major aquifer supplying water to the midsection of the watershed is contaminated with nitrate-N. A comparison of the relationships between septic system and animal unit density and nitrate-N in the upstream to downstream direction provided evidence that both residential and agricultural activities contribute to elevated nitrate-N in the Salmon River mainstem. In contrast, only septic system density corresponded to the pattern of streamwater nitrate-N in Coghlan Creek, the main tributary to the Salmon River.     

Decontamination of water polluted by heavy metals with Taro (Colocasia esculenta) cultured in a hydroponic NFT system

The toxicity and bioaccumulation of two heavy metals—lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd)—in a semi-aquatic plant, Colocasia esculenta (L. Schott), from a synthetic heavy metal solution were studied. Young plants of equal size were grown hydroponically in shallow raceways containing Hoagland medium amended with 20, 40, and 60 mg l^?1 of Pb and 2, 4, and 6 mg l^?1 of Cd. The medium containing heavy metals was allowed to flow through the raceways with a change in influent heavy metal solution on every 5th day. The experiment was continued for 20 days. A set of control raceways—one comprised of nutrient medium with heavy metal supplements, devoid of plants, and another with the plants and nutrient medium having no metal supplement—was also simultaneously run. Chlorosis in the leaves was the prominent toxicity symptom observed due to Pb and Cd on the test plants. A significant decrease in the relative growth, biomass productivity, and total chlorophyll content were noticed in the plants with an increase in concentration of metal supplement in the solution and exposure time. Both metals accumulated to higher concentrations in the roots than in shoots, suggesting that the metals were bound to the root cells and their translocation to the leaves was limited. The results of the 20-day-long experiments indicate that from a phytoremediation perspective, C. esculenta is a promising plant species for remediation of wastewater polluted with lower concentrations of Pb and Cd.     

Assessment of biomass and lipid productivity and biodiesel quality of an indigenous microalga Chlorella sorokiniana MIC-G5

Generation of biodiesel from microalgae has been extensively investigated; however, its quality is often not suitable for use as fuel. Our investigation involved the evaluation of biodiesel quality using a native isolate Chlorella sorokiniana MIC-G5, as specified by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), after transesterification of lipids with methanol, in the presence of sodium methoxide. Total quantity of lipids extracted from dry biomass, of approximately 410–450 mg g^?1 was characterized using FTIR and ¹H NMR. After transesterification, the total saturated and unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were 43% and 57%, respectively. The major FAMEs present in the biodiesel were methyl palmitate (C16:0), methyl oleate (C18:1), and methyl linoleate (C18:2), and the ¹H NMR spectra matched with criteria prescribed for high-quality biodiesel. The biodiesel exhibited a density of 0.873 g cm^–3, viscosity of 3.418 mm² s^?1, cetane number (CN) of 57.85, high heating value (HHV) of 40.25, iodine value of 71.823 g I₂ 100 g^?1, degree of unsaturation (DU) of 58%, and a cold filter plugging point (CFPP) of –5.22°C. Critical fuel parameters, including oxidation stability, CN, HHV, iodine value, flash point, cloud point, pour point, density, and viscosity were in accordance with the methyl ester composition and structural configuration. Hence, C. sorokiniana can be a promising feedstock for biodiesel generation.     

Stream Nitrogen Sources Apportionment and Pollution Control Scheme Development in an Agricultural Watershed in Eastern China

A modeling system that couples a land-use-based export coefficient model, a stream nutrient transport equation, and Bayesian statistics was developed for stream nitrogen source apportionment. It divides a watershed into several sub-catchments, and then considers the major land-use categories as stream nitrogen sources in each sub-catchment. The runoff depth and stream water depth are considered as the major factors influencing delivery of nitrogen from land to downstream stream node within each sub-catchment. The nitrogen sources and delivery processes are lumped into several constant parameters that were calibrated using Bayesian statistics from commonly available stream monitoring and land-use datasets. This modeling system was successfully applied to total nitrogen (TN) pollution control scheme development for the ChangLe River watershed containing six sub-catchments and four land-use categories. The temporal (across months and years) and spatial (across sub-catchments and land-use categories) variability of nonpoint source (NPS) TN export to stream channels and delivery to the watershed outlet were assessed. After adjustment for in-stream TN retention, the time periods and watershed areas with disproportionately high-TN contributions to the stream were identified. Aimed at a target stream TN level of 2 mg L^?1, a quantitative TN pollution control scheme was further developed to determine which sub-catchments, which land-use categories in a sub-catchment, which time periods, and how large of NPS TN export reduction were required. This modeling system provides a powerful tool for stream nitrogen source apportionment and pollution control scheme development at the watershed scale and has only limited data requirements.     

Net Carbon Sequestration Potential and Emissions in Home Lawn Turfgrasses of the United States

Soil analyses were conducted on home lawns across diverse ecoregions of the U.S. to determine the soil organic carbon (SOC) sink capacity of turfgrass soils. Establishment of lawns sequestered SOC over time. Due to variations in ecoregions, sequestration rates varied among sites from 0.9 Mg carbon (C) ha^?1 year^?1 to 5.4 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1. Potential SOC sink capacity also varied among sites ranging from 20.8 ± 1.0–96.3 ± 6.0 Mg C ha^?1. Average sequestration rate and sink capacity for all sites sampled were 2.8 ± 0.3 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 and 45.8 ± 3.5 Mg C ha^?1, respectively. Additionally, the hidden carbon costs (HCC) due to lawn mowing (189.7 kg Ce (carbon equivalent) ha^?1 year^?1) and fertilizer use (63.6 kg Ce ha^?1 year^?1) for all sites totaled 254.3 kg Ce ha^?1 year^?1. Considering home lawn SOC sink capacity and HCC, mean home lawn sequestration was completely negated 184 years post establishment. The potential SOC sink capacity of home lawns in the U.S. was estimated at 496.3 Tg C, with HCC of between 2,504.1 Gg Ce year^?1 under low management regimes and 7551.4 Gg Ce year^?1 under high management. This leads to a carbon-positive system for between 66 and 199 years in U.S. home lawns. More efficient and reduction of C-intensive maintenance practices could increase the overall sequestration longevity of home lawns and improve their climate change mitigation potential.     

Environmental Effects of Storage Preservation Practices: Controlled Flushing of Fine Sediment from a Small Hydropower Reservoir

Sediment flushing may be effective in mitigating loss of reservoir storage due to siltation, but flushing must be controlled to limit the impact on the downstream environment. A reliable prediction of the environmental effects of sediment flushing is hindered by the limited scientific information currently available. Consequently, there may be some controversy as regards to management decisions, planning the work, and monitoring strategies. This paper summarizes the main results of a monitoring campaign on the stream below a small alpine hydropower reservoir subjected to annual flushing between 2006 and 2009. The removed sediment was essentially silt, and the suspended solid concentration (SSC) of the discharged water was controlled to alleviate downstream impact. Control was achieved through hydraulic regulation and mechanical digging, alternating daytime sediment evacuation, and nocturnal clear water release. The four operations lasted about two weeks each and had an average SSC of about 4 g L^?1. Maximum values of SSC were generally kept below 10 g L^?1. Downstream impact was quantified through sampling of fish fauna (brown trout) and macroinvertebrate in the final reach of the effluent stream. The benthic community was severely impaired by the flushing operations, but recovered to pre-flushing values in a few months. As expected, the impact on brown trout was heavier on juveniles. While data biasing due to fish removal and re-stocking cannot be ruled out, the fish community seems to have reached a state of equilibrium characterized by a lower density than was measured before the flushing operations.     

HYDROLOGIC EFFECTS OF TWO METHODS OF HARVESTING MATURE SOUTHERN PINE1

ABSTRACT: Hydrologic responses to logging with skidders and responses to logging with a cable yarder are compared. After a 23-year calibration with an undisturbed control catchment, mixed stands of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) and hardwoods were clearfelled on two small catchments in the hilly Coastal Plain of north Mississippi and observed for five years. Runoff increased 370 mm (skidded) and 116 mm (yarded) during the first year with 1876 mm of rainfall, and 234 mm (skidded) and 228 mm (yarded) during the second year when 1388 mm of precipitation equaled the calibration mean. Sediment concentrations for the yarded catchment during the first two years averaged 641 and 1,629 mg L^?1, respectively, and yields were 6,502 and 12,086 kg ha^?1. Compared to calibration means of 74 mg L^?1 and 142 kg ha^?1, these extreme values can be attributed largely to transport of sediment stored in the channel and to erosion of subsurface flow paths, which was exacerbated by high flow volumes. During the first year, the concentration (231 mg L^?1) and yield (2,827 kg ha^?1) for the control catchment also exceeded the calibration means. However, concentrations (134 mg L^?1) and yields (1,806 kg ha^?1) for the skidded catchment were about 40 percent lower than for the control catchment during the first year, and were higher than those for the control only during the second year. Because deep percolation was limited and because rainfall was unusually high, increases in flows and sediment concentrations and yields probably approximate maximum responses to clearcut harvesting in the uplands of the southern Coastal Plain.     

A nanocomposite of CoFe2O4-carbon microspheres for electrochemical energy storage applications

A carbon/CoFe₂O₄ composite was synthesized by precipitation method. The morphology of the composite was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The electrocapacitive behaviors of the composite has been studies by cycle voltammogram and galvanic charge/discharge. The size of the nanoparticles carbon composite of CoFe₂O₄ was uniform and 209 nm. Due to a high percent of carbon, electrochemical measurements showed electrical double layer mechanism. Specifically, the carbon/cobalt ferrite electrode exhibited high specific capacitance of 102.5 F g^?1 at a current density of 0.16 A g^?1, and high rate capability with 30% retention of capacitance even up to 20 A g^?1, and excellent cycling stability with 81.5% retention of the initial capacitance after 6000 charge/discharge cycles, supporting that the carbon cobalt ferrite composite electrode could be a potential candidate for supercapacitor application.     

BIOGEOCIIEMISTRY OF AN OLD-GROWTH FORESTED WATERSHED,OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK,WASHINGTON1

ABSTRACT: The biogeochemistry of a coastal old-growth forested watershed in Olympic National Park, Washington, was examined. Objectives were to determine: (1) concentrations of major cations and anions and dissolved organic C (DOC) in precipitation, throughfall, stemflow, soil solution and the stream; (2) nutrient input/output budgets; and (3) nutrient retention mechanisms in the watershed. Stemilow was more acidic (pH 4.0–4.5) than throughfall (pH 5.1) and precipitation (pH 5.3). Organic acids were important contributors to acidity in throughfall and stemflow and tree species influenced pH. Soil solution pH averaged 6.2 at 40 cm depth. Stream pH was higher (7.6). Sodium (54.0 μeq L-¹) and Cl (57.6 μeq L^?1) were the dominant ions in precipitation, reflecting the close proximity to the ocean. Throughfall and stemflow were generally enriched in cations, especially K. Cation concentrations in soil solutions were generally less than those in stemilow. Ion concentrations increased in the stream. Dominant ions were Ca (759.7 μeq L^?1), Na (174.4 μeq L^?1), HCO₃ (592.0 μeq L^?1), and SO₄ (331.5 μeq L^?1) with seasonal peaks in the fall. Bedrock weathering strongly influenced stream chemistry. Highest average NO₃ concentrations were in the stream (5.2 μeq L^?1) with seasonal peaks in the fall and lowest concentrations in the growing season. Nitrogen losses were similar to inputs; annual inputs were 4.8 kg/ha (not including fixation) and stream losses were 7.1 kg/ha. Despite the age and successional status of the forest, plant uptake is an important N retention mechanism in this watershed.     

Seasonality of Soil Erosion Under Mediterranean Conditions at the Alqueva Dam Watershed

The Alqueva reservoir created the largest artificial lake of Western Europe in 2010. Since then, the region has faced challenges due to land-use changes that may increase the risk of erosion and shorten the lifetime of the reservoir, increasing the need to promote land management sustainability. This paper investigates the aspect of seasonality of soil erosion using a comprehensive methodology that integrates the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) approach, geographic information systems, geostatistics, and remote-sensing. An experimental agro-silvo pastoral area (typical land-use) was used for the RUSLE factors update. The study confirmed the effect of seasonality on soil erosion rates under Mediterranean conditions. The highest rainfall erosivity values occurred during the autumn season (433.6 MJ mm ha^?1 h^?1), when vegetation cover is reduced after the long dry season. As a result, the autumn season showed the highest predicted erosion (9.9 t ha^?1), contributing 65 % of the total annual erosion. The predicted soil erosion for winter was low (1.1 t ha^?1) despite the high rainfall erosivity during that season (196.6 MJ mm ha^?1 h^?1). The predicted annual soil loss was 15.1 t ha^?1, and the sediment amount delivery was 4,314 × 10³ kg. Knowledge of seasonal variation would be essential to outline sustainable land management practices. This model will be integrated with World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies methods to support decision-making in that watershed, and it will involve collaboration with both local people and governmental institutions.     

Surface water and wastewater treatment using a new tannin-based coagulant. Pilot plant trials

A new tannin-based coagulant-flocculant (Tanfloc) was tested for water treatment at a pilot plant level. Four types of water sample were treated: surface water (collected from a river), and municipal, textile industry (simulated by a 100 mg L^?1 aqueous solution of an acid dye), and laundry (simulated by a 50 mg L^?1 aqueous solution of an anionic surfactant) wastewaters. The pilot plant process consisted of coagulation, sedimentation, and filtration. The experiments were carried out with an average coagulant dosage of 92.2 mg L^?1 (except in the case of the surface water for which the dosage was 2 mg L^?1). The efficacy of the water purification was notable in every case: total turbidity removal in the surface water and municipal wastewater, about 95% dye removal in the case of the textile industry wastewater, and about 80% surfactant removal in the laundry wastewater. Filtration improved the removal of suspended solids, both flocs and turbidity, and slightly improved the process as a whole. The efficiency of Tanfloc in these pilot studies was similar to or even better than that obtained in batch trials.     

Developing a passive air-breathing tubular direct methanol fuel cell fed with concentrated methanol

This study develops and investigates a fully passive air-breathing tubular direct methanol fuel cell (t-DMFC) with a steel-tube anode and a steel-mesh cathode. The effects of methanol concentration, cathode catalyst loading, mesh structure, and forced air convection are experimentally explored. Results indicate that the t-DMFC performs better at a relatively higher methanol concentration of 8 M. It is recommended to use a catalyst loading of 4 mg cm^?2. Both the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and performance tests confirm that the 40-mesh setup is preferred at the cathode. The fuel cell yields a poor performance when the cathode works with forced air convection because the air-blowing operation reduces the cell temperature and this effect dominates the cell performance. The dynamic and constant-load behaviors are also inspected.     

Effects of Stocking Rate on the Variability of Peak Standing Crop in a Desert Steppe of Eurasia Grassland

Proper grazing management practices can generate corresponding compensatory effects on plant community production, which may reduce inter-annual variability of productivity in some grassland ecosystems. However, it remains unclear how grazing influences plant community attributes and the variability of standing crop. We examined the effects of sheep grazing at four stocking rate treatments [control, 0 sheep ha^?1 month^?1; light (LG), 0.15 sheep ha^?1 month^?1; moderate (MG), 0.30 sheep ha^?1 month^?1; and heavy (HG), 0.45 sheep ha^?1 month^?1] on standing crop at the community level and partitioned by species and functional groups, in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design over a 9-year period. Standing crop was measured every August from 2004 to 2012. Peak standing crop decreased (P < 0.05) with increasing stocking rate; peak standing crop in the HG treatment decreased 40 % compared to the control. May–July precipitation explained at least 76 % of the variation in peak standing crop. MG and HG treatments resulted in a decrease (P < 0.05) in shrubs, semi-shrubs, and perennials forbs, and an increase (P < 0.05) in perennial bunchgrasses compared to the control. The coefficients of variation at plant functional group and species level in the LG and MG treatments were lower (P < 0.05) than in the control and HG treatments. Peak standing crop variability of the control and HG community were greatest, which suggested that LG and MG have greater ecosystem stability.