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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2023, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (5): 1260-1268.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202405.020

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Climate change affects plant aboveground biomass by regulating the growth periods in alpine grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau, China

YANG Congying1, DING Ying1, MA Fulin2, ZHOU Huakun3,4, WANG Xiaoli5, ZHANG Qiang6, LIU Xiaowei1, MUTALIFU Wubuli1, GUO Liang7,8*   

  1. 1College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China;
    2Haibei Livestock Experiment Weather Station, Haibei 810200, Qinghai, China;
    3Key Laboratory of Restoration Ecology of Cold Areas in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China;
    4Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China;
    5State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture/Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of the Alpine Grassland Ecology in the Three Rivers Region, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China;
    6Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Science, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China;
    7College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China;
    8Institute Soil and Water Conservation, Ministry of Water Resources and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2023-12-04 Accepted:2024-03-06 Online:2024-05-18 Published:2024-11-18

Abstract: Climate change significantly affects plant biomass and phenological occurrence time in alpine grasslands of Tibetan Plateau. The changes in phenological periods are closely related to the length of vegetative and reproductive growth periods, which may further affect aboveground biomass accumulation. In this study, based on fixed-point observations of plant biomass and phenology as well as the corresponding climatic data from 1997 to 2020 in the alpine grasslands of Tibetan Plateau, we used statistical methods such as ordinary linear regression and piecewise structural equation model to explore the characteristics of interannual climate change in the study area, the variation trends of plant biomass and phenological periods, and the correlations between biomass and phenological and climatic factors. The results showed that mean annual temperature and annual precipitation in the study area increased significantly from 1997 to 2020, suggesting a clear “warm-wet” trend. Aboveground biomass and relative biomass of Stipa sareptana var. krylovii (the dominant species) decreased significantly. However, absolute and relative biomass of subdominant species (Kobresia humilis) increased significantly, indicating that the dominance of K. humilis increased. The warm-wet climates enhanced aboveground biomass accumulation of K. humilis by extending the period of reproductive growth. Mean annual temperature and annual precipitation decreased aboveground biomass of S. sareptana by shortening the length of vegetative growth period. In a word, the warmer and wetter climate significantly affected aboveground biomass accumulation by regulating the changes in the phenological period, and the interspecific difference in their response resulted in a larger change in community composition. This study area may show a trend from alpine grassland to alpine meadow, and thus further works are urgently needed.

Key words: alpine grassland, warmer and wetter, aboveground biomass, phenology, Kobresia humilis, Stipa krylovii