Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Exploring the diversity and formation mechanism of under-ground bud banks is essential for understanding the renewal of plant populations and community succession. However, there are few studies on the response of bud bank size and composition to different degradation gradients in alpine meadows. In...

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Main Authors: Jun Yang, Min Zhang, Xiang-tao Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1013331/full
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author Jun Yang
Jun Yang
Jun Yang
Min Zhang
Xiang-tao Wang
Xiang-tao Wang
Xiang-tao Wang
author_facet Jun Yang
Jun Yang
Jun Yang
Min Zhang
Xiang-tao Wang
Xiang-tao Wang
Xiang-tao Wang
author_sort Jun Yang
collection DOAJ
description Exploring the diversity and formation mechanism of under-ground bud banks is essential for understanding the renewal of plant populations and community succession. However, there are few studies on the response of bud bank size and composition to different degradation gradients in alpine meadows. In view of this, we investigated the size and composition of bud bank under four degradation gradients (non-degraded:ND, lightly degraded:LD, moderately degraded:MD, and heavily degraded:HD) caused by overgrazing in a typical alpine meadow in Tibet, China, using a unit area excavation sampling method, and analyzed the correlation between above-ground plant community composition and bud bank density. Our results showed that: (i) in the ND alpine meadow, rhizome buds were dominant, in the LD, tiller buds were dominant, and in the MD, root-sprouting buds were dominant; (ii) total bud bank and cyperaceae bud density decreased with increasing degradation gradient, the density of leguminosae was insignificant in each degradation gradient, and the density of gramineae and forb were dominant in LD and MD meadows, respectively; (iii) total bud bank density was significantly and positively correlated with total above-ground biomass in the LD gradient, tiller bud density was significantly positively correlated with the species diversity index of above-ground vegetation under the ND gradient, rhizome bud density was significantly and positively correlated with total above-ground biomass in the LD gradient, and root-sprouting density was significantly negatively correlated with total above-ground biomass in ND meadows, but was significantly positively correlated with the species diversity index of the LD gradient. Therefore, our research shows that rhizome buds are more important in ND meadow habitats, tiller buds are more important in LD meadow habitats, and root-sprouting buds are more important in MD meadows. The response of bud banks to degradation gradient varies with different types of bud banks and different functional groups of plants, and the survival strategy of bud banks is of great value for community restoration and regeneration, which should be paid more attention to in subsequent alpine meadow research.
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spelling doaj.art-c1a94e6083a44146bca3f673412d794b2022-12-22T02:43:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2022-11-011310.3389/fpls.2022.10133311013331Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, ChinaJun Yang0Jun Yang1Jun Yang2Min Zhang3Xiang-tao Wang4Xiang-tao Wang5Xiang-tao Wang6Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Nyingchi, ChinaCollege of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Nyingchi, ChinaQiangtang Alpine Grassland Ecosystem Research Station (jointly built with Lanzhou University), Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Nyingchi, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Centre of Ecological Grassland Animal Husbandry in Tibet Plateau, Nyingchi, ChinaExploring the diversity and formation mechanism of under-ground bud banks is essential for understanding the renewal of plant populations and community succession. However, there are few studies on the response of bud bank size and composition to different degradation gradients in alpine meadows. In view of this, we investigated the size and composition of bud bank under four degradation gradients (non-degraded:ND, lightly degraded:LD, moderately degraded:MD, and heavily degraded:HD) caused by overgrazing in a typical alpine meadow in Tibet, China, using a unit area excavation sampling method, and analyzed the correlation between above-ground plant community composition and bud bank density. Our results showed that: (i) in the ND alpine meadow, rhizome buds were dominant, in the LD, tiller buds were dominant, and in the MD, root-sprouting buds were dominant; (ii) total bud bank and cyperaceae bud density decreased with increasing degradation gradient, the density of leguminosae was insignificant in each degradation gradient, and the density of gramineae and forb were dominant in LD and MD meadows, respectively; (iii) total bud bank density was significantly and positively correlated with total above-ground biomass in the LD gradient, tiller bud density was significantly positively correlated with the species diversity index of above-ground vegetation under the ND gradient, rhizome bud density was significantly and positively correlated with total above-ground biomass in the LD gradient, and root-sprouting density was significantly negatively correlated with total above-ground biomass in ND meadows, but was significantly positively correlated with the species diversity index of the LD gradient. Therefore, our research shows that rhizome buds are more important in ND meadow habitats, tiller buds are more important in LD meadow habitats, and root-sprouting buds are more important in MD meadows. The response of bud banks to degradation gradient varies with different types of bud banks and different functional groups of plants, and the survival strategy of bud banks is of great value for community restoration and regeneration, which should be paid more attention to in subsequent alpine meadow research.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1013331/fullbud bankvegetation restorationdegradationvegetative reproductionalpine meadow
spellingShingle Jun Yang
Jun Yang
Jun Yang
Min Zhang
Xiang-tao Wang
Xiang-tao Wang
Xiang-tao Wang
Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
Frontiers in Plant Science
bud bank
vegetation restoration
degradation
vegetative reproduction
alpine meadow
title Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
title_full Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
title_fullStr Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
title_full_unstemmed Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
title_short Response of under-ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
title_sort response of under ground bud bank to degradation in an alpine meadows on the qinghai tibet plateau china
topic bud bank
vegetation restoration
degradation
vegetative reproduction
alpine meadow
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1013331/full
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