Reasonable grazing may balance the conflict between grassland utilization and soil conservation in the semi-arid hilly areas, China

IF 2.7 3区 环境科学与生态学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Hui Sun, Yunge Zhao, Liqian Gao, Mingxiang Xu
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Soil erosion caused by unsustainable grazing is a major driver of grassland ecosystem degradation in many semi-arid hilly areas in China. Thus, grazing exclusion is considered as an effective method for solving this issue in such areas. However, some ecological and economic problems, such as slow grassland rejuvenation and limited economic conditions, have become obstacles for the sustainable utilization of grassland ecosystem. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the conflict between grassland use and soil conservation may be balanced by a reasonable grazing intensity. In this study, a two-year grazing fence experiment with five grazing intensity gradients was conducted in a typical grassland of the Loess Plateau in China to evaluate the responses of vegetation characteristics and soil and water losses to grazing intensity. The five grazing intensity gradients were 2.2, 3.0, 4.2, 6.7, and 16.7 goats/hm2, which were represented by G1–G5, respectively, and no grazing was used as control. The results showed that a reasonable grazing intensity was conducive to the sustainable utilization of grassland resources. Vegetation biomass under G1–G4 grazing intensity significantly increased by 51.9%, 42.1%, 36.9%, and 36.7%, respectively, compared with control. In addition, vegetation coverage increased by 19.6% under G1 grazing intensity. Species diversity showed a single peak trend with increasing grazing intensity. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index under G1–G4 grazing intensities significantly increased by 22.8%, 22.5%, 13.3%, and 8.3%, respectively, compared with control. Furthermore, grazing increased the risk of soil erosion. Compared with control, runoff yields under G1–G5 grazing intensities increased by 1.4, 2.6, 2.8, 4.3, and 3.9 times, respectively, and sediment yields under G1–G5 grazing intensities were 3.0, 13.0, 20.8, 34.3, and 37.7 times greater, respectively, than those under control. This result was mainly attributed to a visible decrease in litter biomass after grazing, which decreased by 50.5%, 72.6%, 79.0%, 80.0%, and 76.9%, respectively, under G1–G5 grazing intensities. By weighing the grassland productivity and soil conservation function, we found that both two aims were achieved at a low grazing intensity of less than 3.5 goats/hm2. Therefore, it is recommended that grassland should be moderately utilized with grazing intensity below 3.5 goats/hm2 in semi-arid hilly areas to achieve the dual goals of ecological and economic benefits. The results provide a scientific basis for grassland utilization and health management in semi-arid hilly areas from the perspective of determining reasonable grazing intensity to maintain both grassland production and soil conservation functions.

合理放牧可平衡中国半干旱丘陵地区草地利用与水土保持之间的矛盾
不可持续的放牧造成的水土流失是中国许多半干旱丘陵地区草原生态系统退化的主要原因。因此,在这些地区,禁牧被认为是解决这一问题的有效方法。然而,草原恢复缓慢、经济条件有限等生态和经济问题已成为草原生态系统可持续利用的障碍。因此,我们假设,可以通过合理的放牧强度来平衡草原利用与水土保持之间的矛盾。本研究在中国黄土高原的典型草地上进行了为期两年的围栏放牧试验,划分了五个放牧强度梯度,以评价植被特征和水土流失对放牧强度的响应。5个放牧强度梯度分别为2.2、3.0、4.2、6.7和16.7只羊/hm2,以G1-G5为代表,不放牧为对照。结果表明,合理的放牧强度有利于草原资源的可持续利用。与对照相比,G1-G4放牧强度下的植被生物量分别显著增加了51.9%、42.1%、36.9%和36.7%。此外,G1放牧强度下植被覆盖度增加了19.6%。物种多样性随着放牧强度的增加呈单一峰值趋势。与对照组相比,G1-G4放牧强度下的香农-维纳多样性指数分别显著增加了22.8%、22.5%、13.3%和8.3%。此外,放牧增加了土壤侵蚀的风险。与对照组相比,G1-G5 放牧强度下的径流量分别增加了 1.4、2.6、2.8、4.3 和 3.9 倍,G1-G5 放牧强度下的泥沙量分别是对照组的 3.0、13.0、20.8、34.3 和 37.7 倍。这一结果主要归因于放牧后枯落物生物量的明显减少,在 G1-G5 放牧强度下,枯落物生物量分别减少了 50.5%、72.6%、79.0%、80.0% 和 76.9%。通过权衡草原生产力和水土保持功能,我们发现在放牧强度小于 3.5 只羊/hm2 的情况下,这两个目标都能实现。因此,建议在半干旱丘陵地区适度利用草地,放牧强度应低于 3.5 只羊/hm2,以实现生态效益和经济效益的双重目标。该研究结果从确定合理放牧强度的角度,为半干旱丘陵地区草地利用与健康管理提供了科学依据,以维持草地生产和水土保持的双重功能。
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来源期刊
Journal of Arid Land
Journal of Arid Land ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-
CiteScore
4.70
自引率
6.70%
发文量
768
审稿时长
3.2 months
期刊介绍: The Journal of Arid Land is an international peer-reviewed journal co-sponsored by Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Science Press. It aims to meet the needs of researchers, students and practitioners in sustainable development and eco-environmental management, focusing on the arid and semi-arid lands in Central Asia and the world at large. The Journal covers such topics as the dynamics of natural resources (including water, soil and land, organism and climate), the security and sustainable development of natural resources, and the environment and the ecology in arid and semi-arid lands, especially in Central Asia. Coverage also includes interactions between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere, and the relationship between these natural processes and human activities. Also discussed are patterns of geography, ecology and environment; ecological improvement and environmental protection; and regional responses and feedback mechanisms to global change. The Journal of Arid Land also presents reviews, brief communications, trends and book reviews of work on these topics.
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