Article
Plant Sciences
Zhenchao Zhang, Yiran Zhao, Hao Lin, Yanpeng Li, Jinmin Fu, Yingxin Wang, Juan Sun, Yanhua Zhao
Summary: This meta-analysis investigated the effects of grazing intensity on plant characteristics and soil properties in alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau based on 52 peer-reviewed literatures. The results demonstrated that moderate grazing can increase plant richness and diversity, while heavy grazing can lead to grassland degradation. Therefore, moderate grazing is a sustainable agricultural practice on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laia Jarque-Bascunana, Miguel Ibanez, Jordi Bartolome, Elena Albanell, Johan Espunyes, Arturo Galvez-Ceron, Miriam Villamuelas, Diana Gasso, Xavier Fernandez-Aguilar, Andreu Colom-Cadena, Emmanuel Serrano, Juan Antonio Calleja, Josep Maria Lopez-Martin, Jennifer Adams Krumins
Summary: Alpine grasslands are crucial for carbon sequestration and food supply, but they face threats from agricultural abandonment and overgrazing. This study examines the effects of grazing on grassland vegetation in the Eastern Pyrenees, Spain, and finds that grazing improves biomass production and protein content, while having negligible effects on woody vegetation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Licong Dai, Ruiyu Fu, Xiaowei Guo, Xun Ke, Yangong Du, Fawei Zhang, Guangmin Cao
Summary: The study shows that different levels of degraded alpine grasslands on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau respond differently to grazing management, with total aboveground biomass and species richness showing varying trends with increasing levels of degradation.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Agronomy
Xuemin Gong, Yijia Wang, Tianyu Zhan, Chenxu Wang, Changjia Li, Yanxu Liu
Summary: Grassland ecosystems in China are vast and grazing has significant impacts on these ecosystems. In this review, the effects of grazing on grassland plants and soil were summarized from existing meta-analysis studies. The results showed consistent conclusions, such as reduced aboveground biomass, increased soil pH, decreased C:N:P ratio, and reduced topsoil microorganisms. However, conclusions regarding light and moderate grazing varied across studies. The belowground biomass generally increased, but there were some cases of slight decrease, and overall biomass showed mixed results. Vegetation coverage increased during moderate grazing, soil moisture content was highest for light grazing, and microbial diversity increased at light to moderate levels of grazing. The conclusions of the studies varied due to different datasets, sample quantities, grassland types, and scales. Changes in other indicators, especially root-shoot ratio and soil carbon, had large ranges. Further meta-analyses should clarify grassland type classifications and compare conclusions at different scales. Standardized network analyses in field experiments are recommended to improve the accuracy of meta-analysis and overcome temporal and spatial limitations of existing data.
Article
Plant Sciences
Wanrong Wei, Qiaoyan Zhen, Jia Deng, Hanlin Yue, Mingsen Qin, Maria K. K. Oosthuizen
Summary: Protecting plant diversity is crucial as the ecological function of grassland far exceeds its productivity, and grazing during the grassland greenup period may facilitate the maintenance of plant diversity in winter pastures. However, it can lead to lower vegetation height, coverage, aboveground biomass, and Graminoid biomass compared to grazing terminated before the greenup period.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Wenlong Li, Chenli Liu, Wenying Wang, Huakun Zhou, Yating Xue, Jing Xu, Pengfei Xue, Hepiao Yan
Summary: Grazing in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau can have complex effects on ecosystem variables, with overall positive impacts on species richness and ecological indices, but negative impacts on aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, soil organic carbon, soil total nitrogen, and soil moisture. The effects of different grazing management approaches vary, with moderate grazing, long-term grazing, and winter grazing being beneficial for plant diversity.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zi-Qiang Yuan, Xiao-Jin Jiang
Summary: Through redundancy analysis of Tibetan alpine meadows, this study identified key factors and interactions driving soil SOC and N contents, emphasizing the importance of considering the covariation of vegetation and soil when evaluating SOC and N dynamics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mi Wentao, Tang Shiming, Qi Le, Ren Weibo, Ellen L. Fry, Jonathan R. De Long, Reuben C. P. Margerison, Chi Yuan, Liu Xiaomin
Summary: Grazing has a global impact on grasslands, but the understanding of how grazing affects plant reproductive traits in different climates and grazing durations is limited. A meta-analysis of 114 grazing studies worldwide revealed that grazing increased the number of tillers in plants, reduced the number of reproductive branches in grasses, and had no effect on reproductive branches in forbs. Grazing also increased the number of vegetative branches and reduced the proportion of reproductive branches in all plants. These findings suggest that grazing inhibits sexual reproduction and promotes asexual reproduction, with grasses being more affected than forbs. The study highlights the importance of considering grazing intensity, precipitation, and grazing duration in sustainable grazing management strategies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shimei Yang, Tao Zhang, Tengbing He, Xiaoye Gao, Yan He, Tianyu Long
Summary: Grazing management practices have significant impacts on plant biomass and the stocks of organic carbon, total nitrogen, and phosphorus in karst alpine grasslands. Grazing exclusion and rotational grazing have positive effects on plant biomass, while continuous grazing and mowing and grazing have negative effects. Grazing exclusion has a positive effect on soil organic carbon, while continuous grazing, mowing and grazing, and rotational grazing have negative effects. Grazing promotes total nitrogen content and decreases total phosphorus content.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jules Chiffard, Ilham Bentaleb, Nigel Gilles Yoccoz, Francois Fourel, Elodie Blanquet, Aurelien Besnard
Summary: Large mammalian herbivores (LMH) have had a profound influence on landscapes and wildlife in alpine and mountain grasslands in France. The grazing intensity of LMH affects the diet of insectivorous birds, shifting their food source from herbivorous arthropods to other groups such as predators and detritivores. This study highlights the trophic link between LMH and insectivorous birds in open landscapes, providing insights for landscape management and bird conservation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Qing Qu, Lei Deng, Zhouping Shangguan, Jian Sun, Jinsheng He, Kaibo Wang, Zhengchao Zhou, Jiwei Li, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Grazing exclusion is a widely implemented strategy for restoring degraded grassland ecosystems and increasing carbon stocks. This study analyzed data from 199 experiments to understand the temporal responses and factors influencing plant and soil carbon stocks following grazing exclusion in different grassland ecosystems. The results showed that plant biomass carbon stocks and soil organic carbon stocks decreased exponentially or rationally with years since enclosure. Grazing exclusion had positive effects on aboveground biomass carbon, but the effects on belowground biomass and soil carbon were influenced by climate, initial carbon levels, and grazing exclusion duration. The response of carbon stocks to grazing exclusion stabilized after approximately 40 years, with soil carbon sequestration showing a lagged pattern compared to plant biomass carbon. The study highlighted the effectiveness of grazing exclusion in regions with low carbon content and non-water limited conditions. However, it might not be an effective measure to increase soil organic carbon stocks in water-limited areas like desert grasslands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Juan Zhou, Yangzhou Xiang, Xiongjie Sheng, Jianping Wu
Summary: Grazing has significant impacts on soil nematodes, reducing the abundance of bacterial-feeding and omnivorous-predatory nematodes. However, grazing does not affect nematode diversity or ecological indices. The effects of grazing on soil nematodes vary depending on grassland type, grazing intensity and duration, and livestock type.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Lingfei Yu, Wenjuan Sun, Yao Huang
Summary: Grazing exclusion has positive effects on plant and topsoil carbon accumulation, but its effects may change due to altered soil water conditions under climate change.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Xiaomin Huang, Jingtao Shi, Wenyuan Sun, Chengming Sun, Xinping Shen
Summary: Land use change significantly affects soil bacteria and their functions in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the soil bacterial community under different land use types in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Our results revealed that certain bacterial phyla were consistently abundant regardless of land use change. Furthermore, soil physical and chemical properties, particularly soil moisture and bulk density, played important roles in shaping the bacterial community composition.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Pei Zhang, Shuangdan Chen, Yi Ai, Yonghong Wang, Dehui Xi, Liming Tian, Tserang Donko Mipam
Summary: Livestock grazing has a significant impact on the belowground community in grasslands. Moderate grazing can maintain the diversity and functionality of soil nematodes, optimize soil nutrient cycling, and the response of the nematode community has a hump-shaped pattern to grazing intensity.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Shalik Ram Sigdel, Eryuan Liang, Maan Bahadur Rokaya, Samresh Rai, Nita Dyola, Jian Sun, Lin Zhang, Haifeng Zhu, Nakul Chettri, Ram Prasad Chaudhary, J. Julio Camarero, Josep Penuelas
Summary: This study investigated the functional traits of Koenigia mollis in different elevational zones of the central Himalayas and found that elevation influenced the plant's functional traits. The plant's height, leaf morphology, and chemical properties were closely related to elevation, climate, and ecosystem productivity. The results provide insights into how plants modify their functional traits in response to changing environments.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fangfang Wang, Shiliang Liu, Hua Liu, Yixuan Liu, Lu Yu, Qingbo Wang, Yuhong Dong, Jian Sun, Lam-Son Phan Tran, Weiqiang Li
Summary: Nitrogen losses from crop-livestock production on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have increased significantly between 2000 and 2018, with hotspots of N losses expanding from the east and south to the north and west of the plateau. Ammonia and manure were identified as the main sources of atmospheric and water N losses respectively, while the use of chemical fertilizer and agricultural output value were found to be the main driving forces. Uneven distribution of crop production and livestock further contributed to the aggravation of N losses.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kindiye Ebabu, Gebeyehu Taye, Atsushi Tsunekawa, Nigussie Haregeweyn, Enyew Adgo, Mitsuru Tsubo, Ayele Almaw Fenta, Derege Tsegaye Meshesha, Dagnenet Sultan, Dagnachew Aklog, Teshager Admasu, Bas Van Wesemael, Jean Poesen
Summary: This study examined the runoff and soil loss responses under different land management practices in three climatic regions of the Ethiopian highlands. The results showed significant variations in runoff and soil loss amounts, highlighting the importance of carefully designing and evaluating soil and water conservation measures specific to land use and climatic conditions.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianxiang Zhang, Yafeng Wang, Jian Sun, Junhe Chen, Jingtian Zhang, Dong Wang, Huangyu Huo, Eryuan Liang
Summary: This study quantified the changes in net primary production (NPP) and other key ecosystem services (water yield, soil conservation, and crop production) in the Yanhe basin of the Loess Plateau using RS/GIS techniques and ecosystem modeling. The results showed that NPP doubled from 1990 to 2020 and there were increasing trade-offs between NPP and other ecosystem services at the sub-basin scale. The combined action of check dams and the Grain-for-Green program promoted NPP and balanced the trade-offs, while terracing indirectly decreased NPP.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Junhe Chen, Yafeng Wang, Jian Sun, Jianxiang Zhang, Jingtian Zhang, Yingxin Wang, Tiancai Zhou, Huangyu Huo, Eryuan Liang
Summary: There is a need to link grazing exclusion policy with fence layout management and assess the benefits. By constructing an intensity index and quantifying ecosystem service benefits, this study provides a new perspective on evaluating fence layout and optimizing it.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lihua Tian, Wen Yang, Awei Ji-Shi, Yunhe Ma, Wenxue Zhao, Youjun Chen, Qingping Zhou, Guangpeng Qu, Jingxue Zhao, Gao-Lin Wu
Summary: Desertification in alpine grasslands is worsened by climate change and human activity, posing a threat to the ecosystem. Artificial reseeding can improve plant diversity, productivity, soil fertility, and carbon/nitrogen storage. However, the restored meadows still have lower levels of biodiversity, productivity, and fertility compared to native meadows. The ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) index of restored meadows increased but did not recover to native meadow levels, with aboveground EMF improving more than belowground EMF. Plant diversity and productivity are positively correlated with EMF and individual ecosystem functions.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Nigussie Haregeweyn, Atsushi Tsunekawa, Mitsuru Tsubo, Ayele Almaw Fenta, Kindiye Ebabu, Matthias Vanmaercke, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Mulatu Liyew Berihun, Eddy J. Langendoen, Zerihun Nigussie, Tadesual Asamin Setargie, Benedict Nzioki Maurice, Taye Minichil, Asres Elias, Jian Sun, Jean Poesen
Summary: Sustainable land management (SLM) is essential for reducing land degradation and desertification, but there is a lack of comprehensive reviews on its spatial distribution, prospects, and challenges. We analyzed data from a global SLM database, academic research papers, and found that dissemination and research on SLM were better in dry subhumid countries with medium scores on the Human Development Index (HDI), while humid countries with low HDI values had lower dissemination and research. Cropland and water erosion were the main focus areas, while other land use types and SLM purposes received less attention. The limited evidence-based SLM dissemination in countries with high soil erosion rates and low HDI scores can be addressed through integrating existing scientific research and SLM databases using the proposed Research Evidence for SLM framework. However, detailed country-specific studies are needed to develop appropriate evidence-based SLM dissemination strategies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Gao-Lin Wu, Hui Fang, Zeng Cui, Jingxue Zhao
Summary: Climate change, specifically the warming climate and melting glaciers, has led to gravel encroachment which poses a threat to hillside grassland ecosystems. A field experiment revealed that gravel encroachment rapidly altered the species composition and ranking of alpine meadow plant communities, resulting in a significant decrease in community stability.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jianwei Su, Dianhui Pan, Yan Dong, Yangyuan Zhang, Yulong Tang, Jian Sun, Linjuan Zhang, Ziqi Tian, Liang Chen
Summary: By carbonizing and modulating the electronic structures of Fe sites, Fe2C nanoclusters with optimal CO binding strength were synthesized, leading to excellent performance in electrocatalytic CO2RR.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fangfang Wang, Shiliang Liu, Yixuan Liu, Lu Yu, Qingbo Wang, Hua Liu, Yuhong Dong, Jian Sun
Summary: This study constructed a city-scale food nitrogen footprint (FNF) framework for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and quantitatively analyzed the FNF during food production and consumption from 1998 to 2018. The results showed that the per capita FNF of the QTP increased from 24.92 kg N cap(-1) in 1998 to 27.70 kg N cap(-1) in 2018, and the total FNF increased by 35.11% during the same time period. The main contributing sources to the FNF were N losses from crop production and animal production, and the main drivers behind the FNF increase were economic development and urbanization.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Yulei Ma, Yifan Liu, Manuel Lopez-Vicente, Gao-Lin Wu
Summary: This study examined the effects of shifts in vegetation composition on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) in alpine grasslands. The results showed that the shift from normal alpine meadows to shrub meadows or severely degraded meadows altered the soil and meadow properties, leading to reduced Ks and field moisture capacity. The dominant factors affecting Ks varied depending on the type of shift, including meadow cover, root mass density, clay content, and total porosity. This study contributes to understanding the ecohydrological processes in alpine meadow ecosystems in response to climate change and overgrazing.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Yu Liu, Di Wang, Zeng Cui, Shixiong Li, Runjie Li, Jesus Rodrigo-Comino, Manuel Lopez-Vicente, Gao-Lin Wu
Summary: Meadow patches are evidence of degradation caused by the fragmentation and disappearance of mattic epipedons. This study investigates how the loss of mattic epipedons affects soil erosion processes in alpine regions through simulated rainfall experiments. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining runoff and reducing sediment through the presence of mattic epipedons.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Mengqi Zhang, Jieji Duo, Jian Sun, Nigussie Haregeweyn
Summary: Ecological engineering plays a crucial role in mitigating land use and management stresses, but its link to carbon sinks remains unclear. To address this issue, it is urgent to determine the spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of carbon sinks and illustrate ecological response and feedback mechanisms. These efforts provide a theoretical basis for guiding ecological projects and contribute to global carbon neutrality.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunlong Bai, Hongmei Xu, Rong Feng, Yunxuan Gu, Meixuan Liu, Jian Sun, Linli Qu, Steven Sai Hang Ho, Zhenxing Shen, Junji Cao
Summary: The heavy use of solid fuels in rural households of northern China emits significant indoor air pollution and poses severe inhalation health risks. In this study, the environmental and health benefits of clean energy substitution were evaluated by monitoring exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives, as well as pulmonary function and biological parameters. By substituting traditional fuels with clean coal, indoor and personal exposure to PAHs significantly decreased, leading to reduced health risks. The findings provide scientific support for the adoption of clean energy and highlight the importance of solid fuel substitutions in improving air quality and public health.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaoxia Li, Eryuan Liang, J. Julio Camarero, Sergio Rossi, Jingtian Zhang, Haifeng Zhu, Yongshuo H. Fu, Jian Sun, Tao Wang, Shilong Piao, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Under warmer springs, growth reactivation in trees is advanced while delayed in shrubs at the alpine treeline. This phenological mismatch creates a competitive advantage for trees and offers a new explanation for the dynamics of alpine treeline under climate change. A combination of long-term monitoring and meta-analysis revealed that shrubs are more sensitive to chilling accumulation, leading to delayed response in warmer winters and a shorter growing season. The findings suggest that the warming-induced phenological mismatch may contribute to the increasing shifts in alpine treeline.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
