Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows
Small semi-fossorial herbivores can affect plant aboveground biomass (AGB) in grasslands and possibly alter the allocation of AGB and belowground biomass (BGB). In this study, plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) was used to investigate such effects at three alpine meadow sites on the Eastern Tibetan P...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.830856/full |
| _version_ | 1818329715195248640 |
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| author | Qian Wang Xiao Pan Pang Zheng Gang Guo |
| author_facet | Qian Wang Xiao Pan Pang Zheng Gang Guo |
| author_sort | Qian Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Small semi-fossorial herbivores can affect plant aboveground biomass (AGB) in grasslands and possibly alter the allocation of AGB and belowground biomass (BGB). In this study, plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) was used to investigate such effects at three alpine meadow sites on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, where pairs of disturbed vs. undisturbed plots were randomly selected and sampled. We also explored the relationships between soil properties and BGB/AGB across the plots in the presence and absence of plateau pikas, respectively. We found that BGB and BGB/AGB were 11.40 and 8.20% lower in the presence of plateau pikas than in their absence, respectively. We also found that the BGB/AGB was positively related to soil moisture and soil total nitrogen (STN) in the absence of plateau pikas. In contrast, BGB/AGB was positively related to STN, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil carbon/nitrogen (C/N), and soil total phosphorus in the presence of plateau pikas. These factors indicated plateau pika disturbance increased AGB allocation. The relationship between AGB and BGB of alpine meadow plants to soil variables was also different between sites with and without plateau pika disturbance. In conclusion, small semi-fossorial herbivore disturbance is likely to alter grassland carbon stock and should be well controlled for sustainable conservation and management of alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:52:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce4395b871244181bc4b389c2650c33d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:52:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce4395b871244181bc4b389c2650c33d2022-12-21T23:45:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2022-02-011310.3389/fpls.2022.830856830856Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine MeadowsQian WangXiao Pan PangZheng Gang GuoSmall semi-fossorial herbivores can affect plant aboveground biomass (AGB) in grasslands and possibly alter the allocation of AGB and belowground biomass (BGB). In this study, plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) was used to investigate such effects at three alpine meadow sites on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, where pairs of disturbed vs. undisturbed plots were randomly selected and sampled. We also explored the relationships between soil properties and BGB/AGB across the plots in the presence and absence of plateau pikas, respectively. We found that BGB and BGB/AGB were 11.40 and 8.20% lower in the presence of plateau pikas than in their absence, respectively. We also found that the BGB/AGB was positively related to soil moisture and soil total nitrogen (STN) in the absence of plateau pikas. In contrast, BGB/AGB was positively related to STN, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil carbon/nitrogen (C/N), and soil total phosphorus in the presence of plateau pikas. These factors indicated plateau pika disturbance increased AGB allocation. The relationship between AGB and BGB of alpine meadow plants to soil variables was also different between sites with and without plateau pika disturbance. In conclusion, small semi-fossorial herbivore disturbance is likely to alter grassland carbon stock and should be well controlled for sustainable conservation and management of alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.830856/fullalpine meadowbiomass allocationplateau pikasmall semi-fossorial herbivoresoil properties |
| spellingShingle | Qian Wang Xiao Pan Pang Zheng Gang Guo Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows Frontiers in Plant Science alpine meadow biomass allocation plateau pika small semi-fossorial herbivore soil properties |
| title | Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows |
| title_full | Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows |
| title_fullStr | Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows |
| title_short | Small Semi-Fossorial Herbivores Affect the Allocation of Above- and Below-Ground Plant Biomass in Alpine Meadows |
| title_sort | small semi fossorial herbivores affect the allocation of above and below ground plant biomass in alpine meadows |
| topic | alpine meadow biomass allocation plateau pika small semi-fossorial herbivore soil properties |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.830856/full |
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