Vegetation and community changes of elm (Ulmus pumila) woodlands in Northeastern China in 1983-2011

IMR OpenIR

	Vegetation and community changes of elm (Ulmus pumila) woodlands in Northeastern China in 1983-2011
其他题名	Vegetation and Community Changes of Elm (Ulmus pumila) Woodlands in Northeastern China in 1983-2011
	Liu Li 1; Wang He 2; Lin Changcun 2; Wang Deli 1
	2013
发表期刊	CHINESE GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE
ISSN	1002-0063
卷号	23 期号:3 页码:321-330
摘要	Elm (Ulmus pumila), widely distributed in the north temperate zone, contributes to a special savanna-like woodland in typical grassland region in the northeastern China. This woodland performs a variety of ecological functions and environmental significance, such as decreasing soil erosion, stabilizing sand dunes, preserving species diversity. However, in the last approximate 30 years, the species composition, productivity and distribution area of elm woodland has decreased severely. A series of studies have been carried out to find out whether the climate changes or human disturbances caused the degradation of elm woodland and how these factors affected elm woodland. In this study, undisturbed, plowing and grazing elm woodland were investigated in 1983 and 2011 by using Point-Centered Quarter method. The relationship between vegetation changes and environmental factors was analyzed by Bray-Curtis ordination. The results show that in 2011, species diversity and understory productivity of undisturbed elm woodland decrease slightly compared to those of undisturbed elm woodland in 1983. However, nearly 60% of the species is lost in the plowing and grazing elm woodland relative to the species undisturbed elm woodland in 1983. Interestingly, plowing stimulates the growth of elm and certain understory species through furrowing soil and accelerating soil nutrient turnover rate. Grazing disturbance not only leads to species loss and productivity decrease, but also induces changes in elm growth (small, short and twisted). The mean age of the elm was 29 +/- 2 yr in undisturbed and plowing elm woodland, while only 15 yr in the grazing elm woodland. The results of Bray-Curtis ordination analysis show that all sample stands clustered to three groups: Group I including the undisturbed sample stands of 83UE (undisturbed elm woodland in 1983) and 11UE (undisturbed elm woodland in 2011); Group II including sample stands of PE (elm woodland disturbed by plowing); Group III including samples stands of GE (elm woodland disturbed by grazing). The results indicate that the long time disturbance of the plowing and grazing have converted elm woodland to different community types. Climate change is not the primary reason causing the degradation of elm woodland, but plowing and grazing disturbance. Both plowing and grazing decrease the vegetation composition and species diversity. Grazing further decreases vegetation productivity and inhibits the growth of elm tree. Therefore, we suggest that reasonable plowing and exclusive grazing would be favorable for future regeneration of degraded elm woodland.
其他摘要	Elm (Ulmus pumila), widely distributed in the north temperate zone, contributes to a special savanna-like woodland in typical grassland region in the northeastern China. This woodland performs a variety of ecological functions and environmental significance, such as decreasing soil erosion, stabilizing sand dunes, preserving species diversity. However, in the last approximate 30 years, the species composition, productivity and distribution area of elm woodland has decreased severely. A series of studies have been carried out to find out whether the climate changes or human disturbances caused the degradation of elm woodland and how these factors affected elm woodland. In this study, undisturbed, plowing and grazing elm woodland were investigated in 1983 and 2011 by using Point-Centered Quarter method. The relationship between vegetation changes and environmental factors was analyzed by Bray-Curtis ordination. The results show that in 2011, species diversity and understory productivity of undisturbed elm woodland decrease slightly compared to those of undisturbed elm woodland in 1983. However, nearly 60% of the species is lost in the plowing and grazing elm woodland relative to the species undisturbed elm woodland in 1983. Interestingly, plowing stimulates the growth of elm and certain understory species through furrowing soil and accelerating soil nutrient turnover rate. Grazing disturbance not only leads to species loss and productivity decrease, but also induces changes in elm growth (small, short and twisted). The mean age of the elm was 29 ± 2 yr in undisturbed and plowing elm woodland, while only 15 yr in the grazing elm woodland. The results of Bray-Curtis ordination analysis show that all sample stands clustered to three groups: Group I including the undisturbed sample stands of 83UE (undisturbed elm woodland in 1983) and 11UE (undisturbed elm woodland in 2011); Group II including sample stands of PE (elm woodland disturbed by plowing); Group III including samples stands of GE (elm woodland disturbed by grazing). The results indicate that the long time disturbance of the plowing and grazing have converted elm woodland to different community types. Climate change is not the primary reason causing the degradation of elm woodland, but plowing and grazing disturbance. Both plowing and grazing decrease the vegetation composition and species diversity. Grazing further decreases vegetation productivity and inhibits the growth of elm tree. Therefore, we suggest that reasonable plowing and exclusive grazing would be favorable for future regeneration of degraded elm woodland.
关键词	FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY FOREST HERBIVORY GROWTH Elm (Ulmus pumila) woodland species diversity plant distribution Bray-Curtis ordination
收录类别	CSCD
语种	英语
资助项目	[European Commission] ; [National Natural Science Foundation of China]
CSCD记录号	CSCD:4842469
引用统计	被引频次：4[CSCD] [CSCD记录]
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	http://ir.imr.ac.cn/handle/321006/150053
专题	中国科学院金属研究所
作者单位	1.中山大学 2.中国科学院金属研究所
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Liu Li,Wang He,Lin Changcun,et al. Vegetation and community changes of elm (Ulmus pumila) woodlands in Northeastern China in 1983-2011[J]. CHINESE GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE,2013,23(3):321-330.
APA	Liu Li,Wang He,Lin Changcun,&Wang Deli.(2013).Vegetation and community changes of elm (Ulmus pumila) woodlands in Northeastern China in 1983-2011.CHINESE GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE,23(3),321-330.
MLA	Liu Li,et al."Vegetation and community changes of elm (Ulmus pumila) woodlands in Northeastern China in 1983-2011".CHINESE GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE 23.3(2013):321-330.