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Effects of Different Grazing Systems on Aboveground Biomass and Plant Species Dominance in Typical Chinese and Mongolian Steppes

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  • Yintai Na

    (Resources and Environment Economy College, Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, No.185, North Two Ring Road, Hohhot 010070, China
    Planning and Geographic Information System Laboratory, Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, No.185, North Two Ring Road, Hohhot 010070, China)

  • Jinxia Li

    (Department of Resources and Environment, Baotou Teachers’ College, Baotou 014030, China)

  • Buho Hoshino

    (Department of Environmental Symbiotic College of Agriculture, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582, Bunkyodai-Midorimachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan)

  • Saixialt Bao

    (College of Geographical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Normal University, No. 81, Zhao Wuda Road, Hohhot 010022, China)

  • Fuying Qin

    (College of Geographical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Normal University, No. 81, Zhao Wuda Road, Hohhot 010022, China)

  • Purevtseren Myagmartseren

    (Department of Geography, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia, University street 1, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia)

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of different grazing systems on plant communities, and examined the causes of Mongolian grassland desertification. The typical steppes near the Chinese-Mongolian border were studied using quadrat sampling and remote sensing methods. Aboveground biomass in the steppe areas differed significantly among the three grazing systems ( p < 0.05): Biomass in the grazing-prohibited areas (455.9 g) was greater than that in the rotational-grazing areas (268.4 g) and the continuous grazing areas (122.2 g). Aboveground biomass was well correlated with the Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI; y = 5600x 2 + 260x + 110; R 2 = 0.67; p < 0.05). The relative mean deviation between the aboveground biomass was calculated using this regression and the measured biomass was 29.1%. The Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) values for nomadic-grazing areas were greater than those for continuous-grazing areas in 1989, 2005, 2011, and 2016, and were significantly greater in 2011 and 2016. The SAVI values for the continuous-grazing areas were slightly, but not significantly greater, than those for the nomadic-grazing areas in 1993. Plant species that dominated in moderately degraded areas were most dominant in nomadic-grazing areas, followed by continuous-grazing areas and grazing-prohibited areas. Plant species that dominated in lightly and heavily degraded areas were most dominant in continuous-grazing areas, followed by nomadic-grazing areas and grazing-prohibited areas. Generally, continuous grazing caused more serious grassland degradation than did nomadic grazing, and nomadic-grazing areas tolerated more intense grazing than did continuous-grazing areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Yintai Na & Jinxia Li & Buho Hoshino & Saixialt Bao & Fuying Qin & Purevtseren Myagmartseren, 2018. "Effects of Different Grazing Systems on Aboveground Biomass and Plant Species Dominance in Typical Chinese and Mongolian Steppes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4753-:d:190225
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhang, MunkhDalai A. & Borjigin, Elles & Zhang, Huiping, 2007. "Mongolian nomadic culture and ecological culture: On the ecological reconstruction in the agro-pastoral mosaic zone in Northern China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 19-26, April.
    2. Yintai Na & Saixiyalt Bao & Kanji Hashimoto & Christopher McCarthy & Buho Hoshino, 2018. "The Effects of Grazing Systems on Plant Communities in Steppe Lands—A Case Study from Mongolia’s Pastoralists and Inner Mongolian Settlement Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen Wang & Huamin Liu & Jinghui Zhang & Zhiyong Li & Lixin Wang & Zheng Wang & Yantao Wu & Yang Wang & Cunzhu Liang, 2020. "Effect of Grazing Types on Community-Weighted Mean Functional Traits and Ecosystem Functions on Inner Mongolian Steppe, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Chunjiang An & Mengfan Cai & Christophe Guy, 2020. "Rural Sustainable Environmental Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-5, August.

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