A study of functional group diversity and productivity of alpine grassland in Qilian Mountain National Park

doi:10.11686/cyxb2024286

Abstract

Abstract:

Species diversity plays a vital role in maintaining ecosystem function of grasslands and the role of the Qilian Mountains as an ecological barrier. However， our understanding about the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem productivity and the mechanisms involved in maintaining that balance remain limited in this region. Using aerial photography by a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle and field sampling at seven typical alpine grassland sites in Qilian Mountain National Park in mid-to-late July 2023， we first analyzed the plant community composition of the seven alpine grassland sites， then evaluated the species richness and above-ground biomass of plant functional groups， and finally quantified the influence and mechanism of action of functional group species diversity on productivity. Results show that： 1） The vegetation height in alpine desert was significantly higher than in other grassland types. However， mountain meadow had the highest vegetation cover， species richness and aboveground biomass， with mean values of 91.73%， 16 species and 179.19 g·m^-2， respectively. The plant density of alpine swamp meadow was the highest， being up to 4111 plants·m^-2. 2） Forbs were found to be the main functional groups in most types of alpine grassland. In mountain meadows， the species richness of forbs was 8， which accounted for about 50% of the total species richness. The sedges contributed more than 90% of the total aboveground biomass in alpine swamp meadow， nevertheless， the sedges gradually decreased and the grasses increased in series represented by alpine meadow， alpine meadow steppe and alpine steppe grasslands. There were only 2-3 functional groups in alpine desert and alpine desert grassland， resulting in few species. Productivity was also low. 3） Species richness of community and functional groups positively correlated with aboveground biomass， indicating that maintaining plant functional group species diversity was conducive to improving ecosystem productivity.

Key words: alpine grassland, functional group, species diversity, biomass

Shun-hua LUO, Xin-yu LIU, Bao-ping MENG, Xuan-li CHEN, Ren-jie HU, Hong-yan YU, Xian-ying WANG, Bo ZHANG, Yu QIN. A study of functional group diversity and productivity of alpine grassland in Qilian Mountain National Park[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2025, 34(6): 14-26.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig.1 The location of study region and the distribution of observation plot

Fig.2 Plant community characteristics of different types of alpine grassland

Fig.3 Plant functional groups richness in different types of alpine grassland

Fig.4 Species richness and aboveground biomass of plant functional groups in alpine grassland

Fig.5 Relationship between species richness and functional group richness of plant communities and aboveground biomass in alpine grassland

Fig.6 Relationship between species richness and aboveground biomass of plant functional groups in alpine grassland

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