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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
LANZHOU, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese scientists have uncovered a key scientific mechanism explaining how moderate grazing improves the productivity of alpine meadows, according to Lanzhou University in northwest China.
This study offers a new approach to explaining how moderate grazing can improve the productivity of plant communities and provides an important scientific basis for the sustainable management of alpine meadows, the university added.
The study was conducted by scientists from Lanzhou University, Nanjing University (East China), and the Northwest Plateau Biology Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The results were published in the journal Oikos.
"Throughout the long history of grazing, it's been well-known that moderate grazing contributes to grassland resilience, biodiversity, and productivity. However, understanding the scientific mechanisms behind it has been insufficient," said He Jinsheng, a professor at Lanzhou University and the lead author of the study.
To explore this key scientific question in grassland management, the research team set up a large-scale grazing experiment at the National Field Science Observatory and Research Station of Alpine Grassland Ecosystem in Haibei Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, northwest China.
Researchers have found that expanding the functional trait space of meadow plant communities is one of the key mechanisms by which moderate grazing promotes alpine meadow productivity.
The functional trait space is a general multidimensional structure where each dimension represents a different functional trait, such as plant height, leaf size, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content.
He Jinsheng explained, "This can be understood as a 'coordinate system' in which plants are arranged according to their traits. The number of species that make up this community represents the potential of this community to utilize resources."
Scientists conducted a yak grazing experiment on an alpine meadow using four methods: no grazing, light grazing, moderate grazing, and intensive grazing. The team measured 13 functional traits in 22 common plant species.
The study found that grazing increased biomass production by 16.7–28 percent, with light and moderate grazing significantly expanding the functional trait space.
This expansion showed a strong positive correlation with biomass production, mainly driven by increased variation in leaf traits that are associated with increased photosynthetic efficiency.
He Jinsheng noted that this study confirmed for the first time in alpine meadows that the expansion of functional trait space is the main mechanism for enhancing meadow productivity through moderate grazing.
"This discovery not only offers a new approach to explaining that moderate grazing can enhance community productivity, but also provides a key scientific basis for the sustainable management of alpine meadows," He Jinsheng explained. -0-
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