Effect of abnormal precipitation on the diversity of plant functional groups on the desert steppe under different stocking rates

doi:10.11686/cyxb2023033

Abstract

Abstract:

Plant functional groups play an important role in grassland ecosystem functions. There are various classification standards for functional groups， but the use of functional groups as a plant classification method still lacks theoretical support. In the present study， the Stipa breviflora desert steppe in Inner Mongolia was studied to detect differences in community-weighted mean traits， species richness， and functional group diversity under different stocking rates， with an overall aim to explain the dynamic changes in plant functional groups. It was found that increased precipitation significantly increased the values of some community-weighted mean traits （plant height， width of the clump crown， density， individual biomass， leaf area， and specific leaf area） and significantly decreased the values of others （leaf biomass and individual leaf mass）（P<0.05）. The values of the community-weighted mean traits of plant height， width of clump crown， and stem biomass decreased significantly with increasing stocking rate， and heavy grazing resulted in a significant reduction in the community-weighted mean trait of density （P<0.05）. Based on plant functional traits， 57 plants were divided into four plant functional groups. The diversity and species richness of plant functional groups were significantly higher in wet years than in dry years. The diversity and species richness of plant functional groups decreased significantly with increasing stocking rates （P<0.05）. Overall， our results show that plants can be assigned to different functional groups according to their functional traits， and that increasing precipitation and decreasing the stocking rate can significantly increase the diversity and species richness of community functional groups. The responses of community-level plant functional traits on the desert steppe to increased precipitation and decreased stocking rate were consistent. However， the responses of individual plants with particular functional traits to different precipitation and stocking rates were not consistent. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for further research on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services on the desert steppe.

Key words: community weighted mean trait, abnormal precipitations, desert steppe, stocking rate, functional group diversity

Jiang-wen LI, Jing-hong PEI, Guo-dong HAN, Bang-yin HE, Cai LI. Effect of abnormal precipitation on the diversity of plant functional groups on the desert steppe under different stocking rates[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2023, 32(11): 212-222.

Figures/Tables 6

References 38

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性状属性 Attributes	植物功能性状 Plant functional traits	量化方式 Quantitative method
定性指标 Qualitative indicator	芽位Aboveground perennial buds （PB）	1=地上芽植物Chamaephytes；2=地面芽植物Hemicryptophytes；3=地下芽植物Geocryptophytes；4=一、二年生植物Therophytes and biennial plant
	生活型Growth form （GF）	1=多年生杂类草Perennial forbs；2=多年生禾草Perennial grasses；3=灌木与半灌木Shrub and sub-shrub；4=一、二年生草本Annual or biennial herbaceous
	传粉方式Pollination mode （PM）	1=虫媒Entomophily；2=风媒Anemophilous；3=虫媒与风媒Entomophily and anemophilous
	开花期Onset of flowering （OFL）	以最早开花时间（月份）为准。Based on the plant’s earliest flowering time （months）.
	根系类型Root type （RT）	1=直根系Taproot system；2=须根系Fibrous root system
	光合途径Photosynthetic mode （C₃/C₄）	1=C₃植物C₃plant；2=C₄植物C₄ plant
	种子传播距离Dispersal mode （DM）	1=短距离传播Short distance propagation；2=长距离传播Long distance propagation
	繁殖方式Means of reproduction （RM）	1=无性繁殖Asexual reproduction；2=有性繁殖Sexual propagation；3=有性与无性繁殖Sexual propagation and asexual reproduction
	叶片附属物Leaf appendage （AP）	1=有附属物Appendages；2=无附属物No appendages
	木质化结构Lignified structure （LS）	1=有木质化结构Lignification；2=无木质化结构No lignification
定量指标 Quantitative indicator	高度Plant height （H， cm）	直接测量，具体测定方法主要参照文献［20］。Direct measurement， the specific measurement method is mainly referred to the references ［20］.
	冠（丛）幅Width of clump crown （WCC， cm）
	密度Density （D， plant·m^-2）
	单株生物量Individual biomass （BM， g·plant^-1）
	茎生物量Stem biomass （SBM， g·plant^-1）
	叶生物量Leaf biomass （LBM， g·plant^-1）
	叶面积Leaf area （LA， cm²）
	比叶面积Specific leaf area （SLA， cm²·g^-1）
	单片质量Individual leaf mass （LWE， g）

性状属性 Attributes	植物功能性状 Plant functional traits	量化方式 Quantitative method
定性指标 Qualitative indicator	芽位Aboveground perennial buds （PB）	1=地上芽植物Chamaephytes；2=地面芽植物Hemicryptophytes；3=地下芽植物Geocryptophytes；4=一、二年生植物Therophytes and biennial plant
	生活型Growth form （GF）	1=多年生杂类草Perennial forbs；2=多年生禾草Perennial grasses；3=灌木与半灌木Shrub and sub-shrub；4=一、二年生草本Annual or biennial herbaceous
	传粉方式Pollination mode （PM）	1=虫媒Entomophily；2=风媒Anemophilous；3=虫媒与风媒Entomophily and anemophilous
	开花期Onset of flowering （OFL）	以最早开花时间（月份）为准。Based on the plant’s earliest flowering time （months）.
	根系类型Root type （RT）	1=直根系Taproot system；2=须根系Fibrous root system
	光合途径Photosynthetic mode （C₃/C₄）	1=C₃植物C₃plant；2=C₄植物C₄ plant
	种子传播距离Dispersal mode （DM）	1=短距离传播Short distance propagation；2=长距离传播Long distance propagation
	繁殖方式Means of reproduction （RM）	1=无性繁殖Asexual reproduction；2=有性繁殖Sexual propagation；3=有性与无性繁殖Sexual propagation and asexual reproduction
	叶片附属物Leaf appendage （AP）	1=有附属物Appendages；2=无附属物No appendages
	木质化结构Lignified structure （LS）	1=有木质化结构Lignification；2=无木质化结构No lignification
定量指标 Quantitative indicator	高度Plant height （H， cm）	直接测量，具体测定方法主要参照文献［20］。Direct measurement， the specific measurement method is mainly referred to the references ［20］.
	冠（丛）幅Width of clump crown （WCC， cm）
	密度Density （D， plant·m^-2）
	单株生物量Individual biomass （BM， g·plant^-1）
	茎生物量Stem biomass （SBM， g·plant^-1）
	叶生物量Leaf biomass （LBM， g·plant^-1）
	叶面积Leaf area （LA， cm²）
	比叶面积Specific leaf area （SLA， cm²·g^-1）
	单片质量Individual leaf mass （LWE， g）

功能群 Functional group	命名 Name	部分代表植物 Representative species	误分植物 Unseemly classified species	功能性状特性 Trait characteristic
功能群1 Functional group 1	灌木-半灌木 Shrub-semi-shrub	木地肤K. prostrata；冷蒿A. frigida；狭叶锦鸡儿C. stenophylla；小叶锦鸡儿C. microphylla	独行菜L. apetalum	木质化程度高，以地上芽植物为主，比叶面积高。The degree of lignification is high， mainly chamaephytes， and specific leaf area is higher.
功能群2 Functional group 2	高大-多年生禾本科植物Tall-perennial grasses	短花针茅S. breviflora；无芒隐子草C. songorica；糙隐子草C. squarrosa；苔草C. tristachya；羊草L. chinensis；冰草A. cristatum；克氏针茅S. krylovii		以单子叶（禾本科杂草）植物为主，高度较高，种子传播和繁殖能力较强，叶片C∶N较高。It is mainly monocots （grasses）， with higher height， strong seed dispersal and reproductive ability， and high leaf C∶N.
功能群3 Functional group 3	一、二年生C₄类植物 Therophytes and biennial plant， C₄ plants	猪毛蒿A. scoparia；栉叶蒿N. pectinata；虫实C. hyssopifolium；刺藜Chenopodium aristatum；地锦Parthenocisus tricuspidata；狗尾草S. viridis；鹤虱L. myosotis；灰绿藜C. glaucum；尖头叶藜C. acuminatum；小藜C. serotinum；野亚麻L. stelleroides；猪毛菜S. collina；反枝苋A. retroflexus；陕西点地梅A. engleri	驼绒藜C. latens	以一、二年生植物为主，多数是C₄植物，高度较低，种子和比叶面积小。It is mainly therophytes and biennial plant， mostly C₄ plants， with low height， small seeds and specific leaf area.
功能群4 Functional group 4	大叶-多年生双子叶植物Macrophylla-perennial dicots	阿尔泰狗娃花H. altaicus；银灰旋花C. ammannii；瓣蕊唐松草T. petaloideum；兔唇花L. ilicifolium；星毛委陵菜P. acaulis；荒漠丝石竹D. chinensis；萹蓄P. aviculare；短翼岩黄耆H. brachypterum；糙苏P. umbrosa；蒙古韭A. mongolicum；大苞鸢尾I. bungei；细叶葱A. tenuissimum；细叶鸢尾I. tenuifolin；野韭A. ramosum；鸦葱S. austriaca；麦瓶草S. conoidea；草芸香H. dauricum	铁杆蒿T. vulgare	以多年生双子叶植物为主，叶片大，叶片附属物较多。It is mainly perennial dicots， with large leaves and more leaf appendages.

功能群 Functional group	命名 Name	部分代表植物 Representative species	误分植物 Unseemly classified species	功能性状特性 Trait characteristic
功能群1 Functional group 1	灌木-半灌木 Shrub-semi-shrub	木地肤K. prostrata；冷蒿A. frigida；狭叶锦鸡儿C. stenophylla；小叶锦鸡儿C. microphylla	独行菜L. apetalum	木质化程度高，以地上芽植物为主，比叶面积高。The degree of lignification is high， mainly chamaephytes， and specific leaf area is higher.
功能群2 Functional group 2	高大-多年生禾本科植物Tall-perennial grasses	短花针茅S. breviflora；无芒隐子草C. songorica；糙隐子草C. squarrosa；苔草C. tristachya；羊草L. chinensis；冰草A. cristatum；克氏针茅S. krylovii		以单子叶（禾本科杂草）植物为主，高度较高，种子传播和繁殖能力较强，叶片C∶N较高。It is mainly monocots （grasses）， with higher height， strong seed dispersal and reproductive ability， and high leaf C∶N.
功能群3 Functional group 3	一、二年生C₄类植物 Therophytes and biennial plant， C₄ plants	猪毛蒿A. scoparia；栉叶蒿N. pectinata；虫实C. hyssopifolium；刺藜Chenopodium aristatum；地锦Parthenocisus tricuspidata；狗尾草S. viridis；鹤虱L. myosotis；灰绿藜C. glaucum；尖头叶藜C. acuminatum；小藜C. serotinum；野亚麻L. stelleroides；猪毛菜S. collina；反枝苋A. retroflexus；陕西点地梅A. engleri	驼绒藜C. latens	以一、二年生植物为主，多数是C₄植物，高度较低，种子和比叶面积小。It is mainly therophytes and biennial plant， mostly C₄ plants， with low height， small seeds and specific leaf area.
功能群4 Functional group 4	大叶-多年生双子叶植物Macrophylla-perennial dicots	阿尔泰狗娃花H. altaicus；银灰旋花C. ammannii；瓣蕊唐松草T. petaloideum；兔唇花L. ilicifolium；星毛委陵菜P. acaulis；荒漠丝石竹D. chinensis；萹蓄P. aviculare；短翼岩黄耆H. brachypterum；糙苏P. umbrosa；蒙古韭A. mongolicum；大苞鸢尾I. bungei；细叶葱A. tenuissimum；细叶鸢尾I. tenuifolin；野韭A. ramosum；鸦葱S. austriaca；麦瓶草S. conoidea；草芸香H. dauricum	铁杆蒿T. vulgare	以多年生双子叶植物为主，叶片大，叶片附属物较多。It is mainly perennial dicots， with large leaves and more leaf appendages.

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