Journal of Integrative Agriculture ›› 2013, Vol. 12 ›› Issue (12): 2243-2249.DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(13)60652-8

• 论文 • 上一篇    下一篇

Levels of Germinable Seed in Topsoil and Yak Dung on an Alpine Meadow on the North-East Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

 YU Xiao-jun, XU Chang-lin, WANG Fang, SHANG Zhan-huan , LONG Rui-jun   

  1. 1.College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education/Sino-U.S. Center for Grassland Ecosystem Sustainability, Lanzhou 730070, P.R.China
    2.College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, P.R.China
    3.International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, P.R.China
  • 收稿日期:2012-09-17 出版日期:2013-12-01 发布日期:2013-12-17
  • 通讯作者: YU Xiao-jun, Tel/Fax: +86-931-7631227, Mobile: 13519440341, E-mail: yuxj@gsau.edu.cn, xjyulz@126.com
  • 基金资助:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31001029).

Levels of Germinable Seed in Topsoil and Yak Dung on an Alpine Meadow on the North-East Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

 YU Xiao-jun, XU Chang-lin, WANG Fang, SHANG Zhan-huan , LONG Rui-jun   

  1. 1.College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education/Sino-U.S. Center for Grassland Ecosystem Sustainability, Lanzhou 730070, P.R.China
    2.College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, P.R.China
    3.International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, P.R.China
  • Received:2012-09-17 Online:2013-12-01 Published:2013-12-17
  • Contact: YU Xiao-jun, Tel/Fax: +86-931-7631227, Mobile: 13519440341, E-mail: yuxj@gsau.edu.cn, xjyulz@126.com
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31001029).

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摘要： In order to clarify the interactive mechanism between grazing yak and alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, our study assessed seed density (by species) in the topsoil of alpine meadow with different grazing intensities in the Tianzhu area, north-eastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and their rates of occurrence in yak dung. Seed density in the topsoil of the lightly grazed, moderately grazed, heavily grazed and extremely grazed alpine meadows in November, 2010 were 1 551, 1 692, 2 660 and 1 830 grains m-2, while in the same meadows in April, 2011 densities were 1 530, 2 404, 2 530 and 2 692 grains m-2, respectively. In the cold season pasture, mean seed density in yak dung from November to April in the lightly grazed, moderately grazed, heavily grazed and extremely grazed sites were 121, 127, 187, and 120 grains kg-1 of dry yak dung. The proportion of total seed numbers in yak dung to soil seed bank in lightly grazed, moderately grazed, heavily grazed and extremely grazed alpine meadow was 1.40, 2.62, 0.69, and 0.90%. 12 species out of the 47 were not found in topsoil but were found in yak dung, 10 species out of 45 were not found in yak dung but were found in the topsoil. Endozoochorous dispersal by yaks is therefore very important for soil seed bank and plant biodiversity and population dynamics in alpine meadows.

关键词: alpine meadow , seeds , endozoochory , seed density , soil seed bank , yak dung

Abstract: In order to clarify the interactive mechanism between grazing yak and alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, our study assessed seed density (by species) in the topsoil of alpine meadow with different grazing intensities in the Tianzhu area, north-eastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and their rates of occurrence in yak dung. Seed density in the topsoil of the lightly grazed, moderately grazed, heavily grazed and extremely grazed alpine meadows in November, 2010 were 1 551, 1 692, 2 660 and 1 830 grains m-2, while in the same meadows in April, 2011 densities were 1 530, 2 404, 2 530 and 2 692 grains m-2, respectively. In the cold season pasture, mean seed density in yak dung from November to April in the lightly grazed, moderately grazed, heavily grazed and extremely grazed sites were 121, 127, 187, and 120 grains kg-1 of dry yak dung. The proportion of total seed numbers in yak dung to soil seed bank in lightly grazed, moderately grazed, heavily grazed and extremely grazed alpine meadow was 1.40, 2.62, 0.69, and 0.90%. 12 species out of the 47 were not found in topsoil but were found in yak dung, 10 species out of 45 were not found in yak dung but were found in the topsoil. Endozoochorous dispersal by yaks is therefore very important for soil seed bank and plant biodiversity and population dynamics in alpine meadows.

Key words: alpine meadow , seeds , endozoochory , seed density , soil seed bank , yak dung