Grassland recovery by protection from grazing in a semi‐arid sandy region of northern China

作者：Ji Yi Zhang, Ying Wang, Xia Zhao, Gang Xie, Ting Zhang · 发表于：New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research · 年份：2005 · DOI：10.1080/00288233.2005.9513657 · 被引用次数：33 · 研究领域：Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology、Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Rangeland and Wildlife Management

Abstract Vegetation destruction resulting from overgrazing and conversion of rangelands to agricultural use is one of the biggest causes of land desertification and biodiversity loss. The community cover, biomass, species composition, species richness, and species diversity of each of six sites protected from grazing for times ranging from 3 to 45 years were investigated in a semi‐arid sandy region called Horqin Sandy Land, northern China. Community cover was maximal in the site with 45 years’ protection from grazing, and biomass was maximal in the site with 18 years’ protection due to the vigorous growth of Artemisia halodendron . Species richness and diversity tended to increase as protected time increased. The results showed that up to 45 years’ protection from grazing produced positive and encouraging changes in the site. As the number of years of protection increased, the development of community structure and restoration of community function increased. The study provided an example of grassland recovery under natural conditions in this semi‐arid sandy region, and suggested that protection from grazing may be an effective, financially economical and natural way to restore vegetation. It is suggested that this could be of great significance for land use and management practices.