Yak and Tibetan sheep mixed grazing enhances plant functional diversity in alpine grassland

作者：Yuzhen Liu, Xinquan Zhao, Xiaoxia Yang, Wenting Liu, Bin Feng, Shengnan Sun, Quanmin Dong · 发表于：Journal of Integrative Agriculture · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.jia.2024.09.016 · 被引用次数：22 · 研究领域：Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology、Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Rangeland and Wildlife Management

• Mixed grazing at a 1:2 ratio enhances plant functional diversity. • Grazing at moderate intensity increases species richness and β-diversity. • Soil nitrogen, potassium, and bulk density drive functional diversity. The response of plant functional diversity to external disturbances not only effectively predicts changes in the ecosystem but it also reflects how plant communities use external environmental resources. However, research on how different herbivore assemblages affect plant functional diversity is limited. Therefore, this study systematically explored the effects of three typical herbivore assemblages (yak grazing, Tibetan sheep grazing, and mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep) on species richness, plant functional diversity, and soil physicochemical properties in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. This study further investigated the primary mechanisms driving the changes in plant functional diversity. The results indicate four key aspects of this system: (1) Grazing significantly enhanced plant functional diversity, particularly when the mixed grazing by yaks and Tibetan sheep was applied at a ratio of 1:2. This ratio showed the most substantial improvement in the functional dispersion index and Rao’s quadratic entropy index. (2) Compared to enclosed treatments, grazing increased species richness and β-diversity, contributing to higher plant functional diversity. (3) Grazing treatments affected various plant traits, such as reducing plant ...