Relationships between plant diversity, soil property and productivity in an alpine meadow

doi:10.11686/cyxb2014509

Abstract

Abstract: The relationships among primary productivity, soil factors and plant diversity in alpine meadows were investigated by analyzing plant community diversity, productivity and soil nutrients of three grassland types in the Three Rivers District, Kobresia pygmaea+Kobresia humilis, Kobresia pygmaea+forbs and Kobresia pygmaeaPolygonum macrophyllum meadow. The biomass, community diversity and soil physical and chemical properties of the different alpine meadows types differed significantly (P<0.05). The Kobresia pygmaea+P. macrophyllum meadow had the highest productivity, number of species and soil nutrient content. Correlation analysis showed that forage biomass and soil physical-chemical properties (P<0.05) and soil organic matter (P<0.01) were significantly positively correlated. The number of plant species present was also correlated with soil nutrients (P<0.01), while uniformity and diversity of community structure were positively correlated (P<0.01) with soil potassium content. The competitive advantage of dominant species was associated with tolerance of low fertility(P<0.05), particularly phosphorus. Aboveground biomass and forage biomass and available phosphorus were significantly positively correlated (P<0.01). Nitrogen was associated with species richness and productivity.

SHI Hong-Xiao, HOU Xiang-Yang, SHI Shang-Li, WU Xin-Hong, LI-Peng, YANG Ting-Ting. Relationships between plant diversity, soil property and productivity in an alpine meadow[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2015, 24(10): 40-47.

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