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Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 16234

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Prof. Dr. Xiangyang Hou

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Key Laboratory of Efficient Forage Production Mode, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
Interests: grassland ecology; sustainable management; climate change; adaptive strategy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the largest terrestrial ecosystem, grasslands play indispensable roles in ensuring the production of livestock husbandry, curbing climate change, maintaining biodiversity, conserving water resources, and promoting the Sustainable Development Goals. However, most grassland ecosystems are distributed in arid areas with low precipitation and enhanced human management, making them fragile and vulnerable to climate change. Continuous grassland degradation has become one of the environmental challenges over the past several decades. Therefore, it is of great practical and historical significance to restore and manage grassland ecosystems in adaptive and sustainable ways.

The establishment of artificial grasslands has been an effective strategy to ensure the balance of forage supplies and to make up for the low productivity in natural grasslands, therefore effectively alleviating the grazing pressure of grasslands. Currently, the artificial improvement methods of degraded grasslands include two categories: one is reseeding based on the existing vegetation and enclosing to form semi-artificial grassland, while the other is ploughing and planting grasses to form completely artificial grassland. In a short time, the artificial grassland can reduce soil erosion and improve vegetation coverage and productivity. However, single structures, excessive density, and extensive management are the main problems in most of the artificially established grasslands, which will adversely affect the survival and growth of individual plants, and even the community stability in prospective periods.

This Special Issue focuses on a systematic and holistic investigation of artificial grassland studies with respect to theory, method, and application. It fits well into the enduring research scopes of ecology, botany, and microbiology, and the emerging scopes of grassland science. Contributions by experts in the field in the form of research papers or critical reviews are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Xiangyang Hou
Guest Editor

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Keywords

artificial grassland
plant–soil interaction
vegetation restoration
diversity and productivity
climate change
sustainable management of grassland
close-to-nature/near-natural/nature-based solutions

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contribution of Litter and Root to Soil Nutrients in Different Rocky Desertification Grasslands in a Karst Area

by Yuefeng Wang, Jigao Wang, Yini Wang, Xiaojing Wang, Baocheng Jin, Chao Chen and Xuechun Zhao

Plants 2024, 13(16), 2329; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13162329 - 21 Aug 2024

Viewed by 703

Abstract

Litter and root decomposition is an important source of soil organic matter and nutrients. To ascertain the contribution of litter and root to natural grassland nutrients in rocky desertification areas, from March 2017 to January 2018, the continuous soil column method, collector method, and litter decomposition method were used to study the soil nutrients, litter and root biomass, decomposition, and nutrient release of potential, moderate, and severe rocky desertification grasslands, as well as their responses to rocky desertification. The results showed that the litter and root decomposition rate showed a trend of being first fast and then slow, and the decomposition rate of litter and root was greater than 50% after 300 days. The annual litter decomposition rates of potential, moderate, and severe rocky desertification grasslands were 69.98%, 62.14%, and 49.79%, respectively, and the annual decomposition rates of root were 73.64%, 67.61%, and 64.09%, respectively. With a deepening degree of rocky desertification, the litter and root decomposition rate decreased. The decomposition coefficients, k, of litter in potential, moderate, and severe rocky desertification grasslands were 1.128, 0.896, and 0.668, respectively, and the decomposition coefficients, k, of root were 1.152, 1.018, and 0.987, respectively. The nutrient release processes of litter and root were different, and the release mode ultimately manifests as “release”. In rocky desertification grasslands, the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) released by litter and root decomposition were 18.93–263.03 g·m⁻²·yr⁻¹, 1.79–5.59 g·m⁻²·yr⁻¹, 0.18–0.47 g·m⁻²·yr⁻¹, and 0.66–3.70 g·m⁻²·yr⁻¹, respectively. The contribution of root to soil nutrients was greater than that of litter. The degree of rocky desertification was negatively correlated with the biomass, decomposition rate, and nutrient return amount of litter and root. The results of this study provide direct field evidence and illustrate the contribution of litter and root decomposition in rocky desertification grasslands to soil nutrients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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15 pages, 2927 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nitrogen and Microelements Co-Drive the Decomposition of Typical Grass Litter in the Loess Plateau, China

by Yun Xiang, Haoning Chen, Weiqi Feng, Yongli Wen, Ying Xie, Man Cheng and Hua Li

Plants 2024, 13(6), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060753 - 7 Mar 2024

Viewed by 913

Abstract

In grassland ecosystems, the decomposition of litter serves as a vital conduit for nutrient transfer between plants and soil. The aim of this study was to depict the dynamic process of grass litter decomposition and explore its major driver. Three typical grasses [Stipa bungeana Trin (St. B), Artemisia sacrorun Ledeb (Ar. S), and Thymus mongolicus Ronniger (Th. M)] were selected for long-term litter decomposition. Experiments were conducted using three single litters, namely, St. B, Ar. S, and Th. M, and four different compositions of mixed litter: ML1 (55% St. B and 45% Th. M), ML2 (55% St. B and 45% Ar. S), ML3 (75% St. B and 25% Th. M), and ML4 (75% St. B and 25% Ar. S). The dynamic patterns of mass and microelements (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) within different litter groups were analyzed. Our findings indicated that, after 1035 days of decomposition, the proportion of residual mass for the single litters was as follows: Th. M (60.6%) > St. B (47.3%) > Ar. S (44.3%), and for the mixed groups it was ML1 (48.0%) > ML3 (41.6%) > ML2 (40.9) > ML4 (38.4%). Mixed cultivation of the different litter groups accelerated the decomposition process, indicating that the mixture of litters had a synergistic effect on litter decomposition. The microelements of the litter exhibited an initial short-term increase followed by long-term decay. After 1035 days of decomposition, the microelements released from the litter were, in descending order, Mg > Ca > Fe > Cu > Mn > Zn. Compared to the separately decomposed St. B litter, mixing led to an inhibition of the release of Ca (antagonistic effect), while it promoted the release of Mg, Cu, and Zn (synergistic effect). For the single litter, the stepwise regression analysis showed that Ca was the dominant factor determining early litter decomposition. Mg, Mn, and Cu were the dominant factors regulating later litter decomposition. For the mixed litter groups, Ca, Mn, and Mg were the dominant factors closely related to early decomposition, and TN emerged as a key factor regulating the mass loss of mixtures during later decomposition. In summary, nitrogen and microelements co-drive the decomposition of typical grass litter. Our study underscores that, in the succession process of grassland, the presence of multiple co-existing species led to a faster loss of plant-derived materials (litter mass and internal elements), which was primarily modulated by species identity and uniformity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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16 pages, 15187 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aboveground Biomass Mapping and Analysis of Spatial Drivers in the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau Permafrost Zone: A Case Study of the Beilu River Basin

by Yamin Wu, Jingyi Zhao, Ji Chen, Yaonan Zhang, Bin Yang, Shen Ma, Jianfang Kang, Yanggang Zhao and Zhenggong Miao

Plants 2024, 13(5), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050686 - 29 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1304

Abstract

Aboveground biomass (AGB) serves as a crucial measure of ecosystem productivity and carbon storage in alpine grasslands, playing a pivotal role in understanding the dynamics of the carbon cycle and the impacts of climate change on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau. This study utilized Google Earth Engine to amalgamate Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and applied the Random Forest algorithm to estimate the spatial distribution of AGB in the alpine grasslands of the Beiliu River Basin in the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau permafrost zone during the 2022 growing season. Additionally, the geodetector technique was employed to identify the primary drivers of AGB distribution. The results indicated that the random forest model, which incorporated the normalized vegetation index (NDVI), the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), the soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and the normalized burn ratio index (NBR2), demonstrated robust performance in regards to AGB estimation, achieving an average coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.76 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 70 g/m². The average AGB for alpine meadows was determined to be 285 g/m², while for alpine steppes, it was 204 g/m², both surpassing the regional averages in the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau. The spatial pattern of AGB was primarily driven by grassland type and soil moisture, with q-values of 0.63 and 0.52, and the active layer thickness (ALT) also played a important role in AGB change, with a q-value of 0.38, demonstrating that the influences of ALT should not be neglected in regards to grassland change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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19 pages, 4773 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Carbon-Fixing Bacteria to Patchy Degradation of the Alpine Meadow in the Source Zone of the Yellow River, West China

by Huafang Sun, Xiaoxue Su, Liqun Jin, Chengyi Li, Jiancun Kou, Jing Zhang and Xilai Li

Plants 2024, 13(5), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050579 - 21 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1175

Abstract

This study aims to enlighten our understanding of the distribution of soil carbon-fixing bacteria (cbbL-harboring bacteria) and their community diversity in differently degraded patches at three altitudes. MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the soil carbon-fixing bacteria community diversity of degraded patches and healthy meadow at three altitudes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and structural equation model (SEM) were used to analyze the correlation and influence path between environmental factors and carbon-fixing bacteria. The results showed that degradation reduced the relative abundance of Proteobacteria from 99.67% to 95.57%. Sulfurifustis, Cupriavidus, and Alkalispirillum were the dominant genera at the three altitudes. Hydrogenophaga and Ectothiorhodospira changed significantly with altitude. RDA results confirmed that available phosphorus (AP) was strongly and positively correlated with Proteobacteria. AP and total nitrogen (TN) were strongly and positively correlated with Hydrogenophaga. Grass coverage and sedge aboveground biomass were strongly and positively correlated with Sulfurifustis and Ectothiorhodospira, respectively. Elevation adversely affected the relative abundance of dominant carbon-fixing bacteria and diversity index by reducing the coverage of grass and soil volumetric moisture content (SVMC) indirectly, and also had a direct positive impact on the Chao1 index (path coefficient = 0.800). Therefore, increasing the content of nitrogen, phosphorus and SVMC and vegetation coverage, especially sedge and grass, will be conducive to the recovery of the diversity of soil carbon-fixing bacteria and improve the soil autotrophic microbial carbon sequestration potential in degraded meadows, especially in high-altitude areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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19 pages, 5761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Crop-Livestock Integration Improves Physical Soil, Agronomic and Environmental Aspects in Soybean Cultivation

by Jordaanny Danyelly Pereira Lima, Aline Borges Torino, Luciana Maria da Silva, Lucas Freitas do Nascimento Júnior, Marlete Ferreira de Brito, Kátia Aparecida de Pinho Costa, Bruno Montoani Silva and Eduardo da Costa Severiano

Plants 2023, 12(21), 3746; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213746 - 1 Nov 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1681

Abstract

Soybean is one of the most widely grown crops in the world and technologies are increasingly needed to increase productivity without impacting environmental degradation. In this context, the aim was to evaluate the action of forage plants of the genus Brachiaria sp. in crop–livestock integration on physical soil, agronomic and environmental aspects of soybean cultivation. The experiment was conducted in a subdivided plot design with seven integrated systems corresponding to the previous cultivation of Paiaguas palisadegrass, Xaraes palisadegrass and Ruziziensis grass in monocropping and intercropped with maize, as well as maize in monocropping. In the subplots, two grass management systems were evaluated: free growth and a grazing simulation cut. The bulk density and least limiting water range were assessed using soil samples and, after the pastures were desiccated when the soybean crop was planted, straw decomposition and plantability. A soil physics diagnosis by the bulk density and least limiting water range showed that the Paiaguas palisadegrass and Xaraes palisadegrass improved the soil environment due to biological soil loosening. The remaining mulch biomass did not affect soybean sowing and the adoption of Brachiaria sp. grass in the off-season, in addition to contributing to the provision of environmental services, and did not compromise grain productivity in succession. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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16 pages, 2721 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession

by Yandi She, Xilai Li, Chengyi Li, Pengnian Yang, Zihan Song and Jing Zhang

Plants 2023, 12(20), 3582; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203582 - 15 Oct 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3178

Abstract

Plant diversity plays an important role in maintaining the stability of ecosystem functioning. Based on field surveys and indoor analyses, this study investigated the relationship between species diversity and community stability at different stages of bare patch succession in degraded alpine meadow ecosystems. Results show that: (1) Using the ICV (the Inverse of the Coefficient of Variation) method to analyze changes in plant community stability, community stability was generally ranked as follows: Long-term recovered patches > Healthy alpine meadow > Degraded alpine meadow > Short-term recovered patch > Bare Patches. (2) Using factor analysis to construct an evaluation system, the stability ranking based on species diversity was as follows: Healthy alpine meadow > Long-term recovered patches > Degraded alpine meadow > Short-term recovered patches > Bare Patches. (3) The community stability index was significantly positively correlated with vegetation coverage, height, biomass, species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, species evenness, and Simpson’s diversity index (p < 0.05). Therefore, a positive correlation exists between plant diversity and community stability, such that plant communities with a higher species diversity tend to be more stable. To maintain the plant diversity and community stability of alpine meadow ecosystems, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of grassland plant composition and community structure, as well as their influencing factors, and promote the positive succession process of grasslands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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28 pages, 2988 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mutual Effect of Gypsum and Potassium on Nutrient Productivity in the Alfalfa–Grass Sward—A Case Study

by Waldemar Zielewicz, Witold Grzebisz and Maria Biber

Plants 2023, 12(12), 2250; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122250 - 8 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1866

Abstract

It was assumed that the production of alfalfa in soils naturally poor in available nutrients, such as potassium (K) and calcium (Ca), depends on the use of fertilizers. This hypothesis was validated in an experiment with an alfalfa–grass mixture carried out in 2012, 2013 and 2014 on soil formed from loamy sand that had a low content of available Ca and K. The two-factor experiment consisted of two levels of applied gypsum as a source of Ca (0, 500 kg ha⁻¹) and five levels of PK fertilizers (absolute control, P60K0, P60K30, P60K60 and P60K120). The total yield of the sward was determined by the main seasons of alfalfa–grass sward use. Gypsum application increased the yield by 1.0 t ha⁻¹. The highest yield of 14.9 t ha⁻¹ was obtained on the plot fertilized with P60K120. Based on the nutrient content in the sward, it was shown that the main yield predictor was the content of K in the first cut of sward use. The reliable yield predictors, based on the total accumulation of nutrients in the sward, turned out to be K, Mg and Fe. The nutritional quality of the alfalfa–grass fodder, based on the K/Ca + Mg ratio, depended mainly on the season of the sward use, which was substantially deteriorated by the K fertilizer. Gypsum did not control this process. The productivity of the nutrients taken up by the sward depended on the accumulated K. Its yield-forming effect was significantly limited by manganese deficiency. The use of gypsum positively affected the uptake of micronutrients, consequently increasing their unit productivity, especially of manganese. Optimization of the production of alfalfa–grass mixtures in soils poor in basic nutrients requires micronutrients to be taken into account. Their uptake by plants can be limited by high doses of basic fertilizers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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13 pages, 1202 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Six Consecutive Years of Irrigation and Phosphorus Fertilization on Alfalfa Yield

by Xinle Li, Jingyuan An and Xiangyang Hou

Plants 2023, 12(11), 2227; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112227 - 5 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1676

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago satiua L.) is a major forage legume in semi-arid regions such as North China Plain and is the material foundation for the development of herbivorous animal husbandry. How to improve the yield of alfalfa per unit area from a technical perspective and achieve high-yield cultivation of alfalfa is the focus of research by scientific researchers and producers. To evaluate the effects of irrigation and P fertilization as well as the P residual effect on alfalfa yield, we conducted a six-year (2008–2013) field experiment in loamy sand soil. There were four irrigation levels (W0: 0 mm, W1: 25 mm, W2: 50 mm, W3: 75 mm per time, four times a year) and three P fertilization levels (F0: 0 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹, F1: 52.5 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹, F2: 105 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ per time, twice a year). The highest dry matter yield (DMY) was obtained in the W2F2 treatment, with an annual mean of 13,961.1 kg ha⁻¹. During 2009–2013, the DMY of first and second-cut alfalfa increased significantly with increasing irrigation levels, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in fourth-cut alfalfa. Regression analysis revealed that the optimal amount of water supply (sum of seasonal irrigation and rainfall during the growing season) to obtain maximum DMY was between 725 and 755 mm. Increasing P fertilization contributed to significantly higher DMY in each cut of alfalfa during 2010–2013 but not in the first two growing seasons. The mean annual DMY of W0F2, W1F2, W2F2, and W3F2 treatments was 19.7%, 25.6%, 30.7%, and 24.1% higher than that of W0F0 treatment, respectively. When no P fertilizer was applied in F2 plots in 2013, soil availability and total P concentrations, annual alfalfa DMY, and plant nutrient contents did not differ significantly compared with those in fertilized F2 plots. Results of this study suggest that moderate irrigation with lower annual P fertilization is a more environmentally sound management practice while maintaining alfalfa productivity in the semi-arid study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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Review

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15 pages, 317 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on Plant Responses to Stress Combinations in the Context of Climate Change

by Zeyao Jing, Na Liu, Zongxian Zhang and Xiangyang Hou

Plants 2024, 13(4), 469; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040469 - 6 Feb 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3012

Abstract

In the context of climate change, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are increasing, environmental pollution and global warming are exacerbated by anthropogenic activities, and plants will experience a more complex and variable environment of stress combinations. Research on plant responses to stress combinations is crucial for the development and utilization of climate-adaptive plants. Recently, the concept of stress combinations has been expanded from simple to multifactorial stress combinations (MFSCs). Researchers have realized the complexity and necessity of stress combination research and have extensively employed composite gradient methods, multi-omics techniques, and interdisciplinary approaches to integrate laboratory and field experiments. Researchers have studied the response mechanisms of plant reactive oxygen species (ROS), phytohormones, transcription factors (TFs), and other response mechanisms under stress combinations and reached some generalized conclusions. In this article, we focus on the research progress and methodological dynamics of plant responses to stress combinations and propose key scientific questions that are crucial to address, in the context of plant responses to stress assemblages, conserving biodiversity, and ensuring food security. We can enhance the search for universal pathways, identify targets for stress combinations, explore adaptive genetic responses, and leverage high-technology research. This is in pursuit of cultivating plants with greater tolerance to stress combinations and enabling their adaptation to and mitigation of the impacts of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grassland Ecosystems and Their Management)

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