Fencing vs. Grazing: Divergent Effects on Soil Seed Bank Structure and Grassland Recovery Pathways in Northern Tibetan Alpine Grasslands
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Site
2.2. Experimental Design
2.3. Aboveground Vegetation Investigation
2.4. Soil Seed Bank Sampling
2.5. Measurement of Environmental Factors
2.6. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Spatial Patterns of Soil Seed Banks in Two Grassland Types Under Different Management Modes
3.2. Response of the Soil Seed Bank to Hydrothermal Environmental Factors
3.3. Response of the Soil Seed Bank to Soil Factors
3.4. Response of the Soil Seed Bank to Seed Bank Attributes and Vegetation Factors
4. Discussion
4.1. Impact of Fencing and Grazing Management on the Soil Seed Bank of Different Grassland Types
4.2. The Regulatory Role of Hydrothermal Environmental Factors on Soil Seed Banks of Different Grassland Types
4.3. The Regulatory Role of Soil Factors on Soil Seed Banks of Different Grassland Types
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Site | Type | Longitude | Latitude | Altitude | APre | MAT | GSPre | GSMT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | AS | 90.80 | 31.41 | 4650 | 616.63 | −0.30 | 579.06 | 7.35 |
B | AS | 90.31 | 31.39 | 4650 | 605.74 | −0.17 | 574.01 | 7.34 |
C | AS | 88.91 | 31.31 | 4720 | 595.06 | 0.33 | 576.84 | 7.32 |
D | AS | 88.77 | 30.85 | 4700 | 593.92 | 1.37 | 576.01 | 8.05 |
E | AS | 87.29 | 31.80 | 4580 | 503.85 | 1.57 | 495.30 | 9.04 |
F | AS | 86.89 | 31.95 | 4500 | 471.45 | 1.60 | 463.90 | 9.30 |
G | AD | 84.49 | 31.59 | 4600 | 379.15 | 0.30 | 369.16 | 8.64 |
H | AD | 84.19 | 32.25 | 4500 | 303.81 | 0.98 | 297.54 | 9.90 |
I | AD | 82.76 | 32.43 | 4480 | 249.56 | −0.38 | 243.52 | 8.74 |
J | AD | 82.54 | 32.22 | 4470 | 244.49 | −0.34 | 238.54 | 8.76 |
K | AD | 81.54 | 32.02 | 4600 | 185.41 | 0.74 | 180.71 | 9.87 |
L | AD | 79.46 | 33.23 | 4330 | 199.97 | −5.29 | 180.85 | 2.98 |
Observed Variables | Modes | Alpine Desert Steppe | Alpine Steppe | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R2 | p | Slope | Intercept | R2 | p | Slope | Intercept | ||||
APre | Fence | 0.005 | p > 0.05 | 0.63 | 1887.72 | 0.873 | p < 0.001 | *** | 84.56 | −35,832.26 | |
Graze | 0.081 | p > 0.05 | −2.30 | 2081.25 | 0.861 | p < 0.001 | *** | 60.84 | −25,756.75 | ||
MAT | Fence | 0.282 | p < 0.01 | ** | 151.75 | 2153.03 | 0.661 | p < 0.001 | *** | −5067.00 | 15,614.41 |
Graze | 0.148 | p < 0.05 | * | 95.53 | 1545.29 | 0.731 | p < 0.001 | *** | −3861.97 | 11,419.49 | |
GSPre | Fence | 0.012 | p > 0.05 | 1.03 | 1794.09 | 0.848 | p < 0.001 | *** | 99.48 | −42,239.40 | |
Graze | 0.058 | p > 0.05 | −1.93 | 1966.64 | 0.815 | p < 0.001 | *** | 70.65 | −29,862.71 | ||
GSMT | Fence | 0.309 | p < 0.01 | ** | 142.82 | 888.27 | 0.870 | p < 0.001 | *** | −5707.69 | 57,937.27 |
Graze | 0.195 | p < 0.05 | * | 98.62 | 678.12 | 0.870 | p < 0.001 | *** | −4135.05 | 41,940.83 | |
SOM | Fence | 0.014 | p > 0.05 | 155.32 | 1891.87 | 0 | p > 0.05 | 164.63 | 11,592.13 | ||
Graze | 0.051 | p > 0.05 | −348.49 | 1784.74 | 0 | p > 0.05 | −0.08 | 8584.95 | |||
STN | Fence | 0 | p > 0.05 | 210.67 | 2037.21 | 0.015 | p > 0.05 | −25,930.49 | 15,105.43 | ||
Graze | 0.113 | p > 0.05 | −6993.11 | 1899.02 | 0 | p > 0.05 | 1902.19 | 8346.84 | |||
STP | Fence | 0.176 | p < 0.05 | * | 15,210.17 | 1179.56 | 0.286 | p < 0.01 | ** | −458,503.30 | 26,490.93 |
Graze | 0.369 | p < 0.001 | *** | 19,599.59 | 380.92 | 0.368 | p < 0.001 | *** | −392,218.90 | 21,279.62 | |
SAP | Fence | 0.223 | p < 0.01 | ** | 249.24 | 1001.58 | 0.004 | p > 0.05 | −503.49 | 13,100.26 | |
Graze | 0.085 | p > 0.05 | 123.41 | 1071.87 | 0.280 | p < 0.01 | ** | −2947.60 | 15,769.09 | ||
SAK | Fence | 0.098 | p > 0.05 | 6.69 | 1032.69 | 0.607 | p < 0.001 | *** | −52.07 | 20,409.00 | |
Graze | 0.193 | p < 0.05 | * | 11.04 | −95.73 | 0.593 | p < 0.001 | *** | −40.12 | 14,763.02 | |
pH | Fence | 0.040 | p > 0.05 | −456.35 | 6012.49 | 0.800 | p < 0.001 | *** | −8018.45 | 77,646.56 | |
Graze | 0.038 | p > 0.05 | 487.35 | −2764.01 | 0.727 | p < 0.001 | *** | −6272.07 | 59,718.90 | ||
NO3_N | Fence | 0.002 | p > 0.05 | −7.10 | 2082.96 | 0.098 | p > 0.05 | −410.02 | 14,283.61 | ||
Graze | 0.085 | p > 0.05 | −48.77 | 1666.41 | 0.152 | p < 0.05 | * | −308.96 | 10,684.39 | ||
NH4_N | Fence | 0.015 | p > 0.05 | 117.59 | 1866.78 | 0.559 | p < 0.001 | *** | 1931.11 | 2761.24 | |
Graze | 0.124 | p > 0.05 | −248.51 | 1930.78 | 0.508 | p < 0.001 | *** | 1527.63 | 2526.54 | ||
S_seed | Fence | 0.082 | p > 0.05 | 206.53 | 1336.15 | 0.788 | p < 0.001 | *** | 1651.79 | −3851.86 | |
Graze | 0.026 | p > 0.05 | 94.89 | 1181.27 | 0.765 | p < 0.001 | *** | 1291.86 | −2912.77 | ||
H_seed | Fence | 0.045 | p > 0.05 | 434.82 | 1598.76 | 0.701 | p < 0.001 | *** | 13,184.72 | −13,676.36 | |
Graze | 0.004 | p > 0.05 | −100.45 | 1577.67 | 0.429 | p < 0.001 | *** | 8383.63 | −7385.63 | ||
D_seed | Fence | 0.027 | p > 0.05 | 709.59 | 1636.04 | 0.585 | p < 0.001 | *** | 58,364.01 | −35,751.76 | |
Graze | 0.021 | p > 0.05 | −476.21 | 1742.21 | 0.158 | p < 0.05 | * | 26,631.38 | −13,216.23 | ||
E_seed | Fence | 0.017 | p > 0.05 | −652.00 | 2607.14 | 0.042 | p > 0.05 | 21,984.11 | −7363.92 | ||
Graze | 0.144 | p < 0.05 | * | −1565.07 | 2802.83 | 0.234 | p < 0.01 | ** | −28,695.10 | 34,182.31 | |
Cover | Fence | 0.099 | p > 0.05 | 36.71 | 1322.83 | 0.080 | p > 0.05 | 183.51 | 4707.97 | ||
Graze | 0.007 | p > 0.05 | −9.43 | 1624.10 | 0.136 | p < 0.05 | * | 243.42 | 1744.61 | ||
AGB | Fence | 0.026 | p > 0.05 | 15.78 | 1760.15 | 0.291 | p < 0.01 | ** | 204.52 | 6021.44 | |
Graze | 0.029 | p > 0.05 | −18.59 | 1721.46 | 0.050 | p > 0.05 | 52.02 | 7376.79 | |||
S_pl | Fence | 0.039 | p > 0.05 | 75.44 | 1707.59 | 0.642 | p < 0.001 | *** | 1751.91 | −6733.35 | |
Graze | 0.008 | p > 0.05 | −34.44 | 1629.83 | 0.499 | p < 0.001 | *** | 1111.95 | −2942.44 | ||
H_pl | Fence | 0.029 | p > 0.05 | 291.61 | 1786.56 | 0.275 | p < 0.01 | ** | 8683.84 | −2957.55 | |
Graze | 0.008 | p > 0.05 | −178.42 | 1656.72 | 0.260 | p < 0.01 | ** | 4938.36 | −245.76 | ||
D_pl | Fence | 0.015 | p > 0.05 | 391.44 | 1864.83 | 0.182 | p < 0.05 | * | 19,997.50 | −2812.51 | |
Graze | 0.023 | p > 0.05 | −632.04 | 1813.43 | 0.125 | p > 0.05 | 9829.71 | 1117.23 | |||
E_pl | Fence | 0.005 | p > 0.05 | −206.58 | 2182.30 | 0.013 | p > 0.05 | 5470.33 | 7902.14 | ||
Graze | 0.015 | p > 0.05 | −443.85 | 1795.95 | 0.042 | p > 0.05 | 5707.17 | 4193.77 |
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Xie, Y.; Liu, Y.; Li, W.; Zhao, N.; Li, X.; Chen, Y.; Lai, G.; Lou, X.; Wang, X.; Wei, X. Fencing vs. Grazing: Divergent Effects on Soil Seed Bank Structure and Grassland Recovery Pathways in Northern Tibetan Alpine Grasslands. Plants 2025, 14, 900. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060900
Xie Y, Liu Y, Li W, Zhao N, Li X, Chen Y, Lai G, Lou X, Wang X, Wei X. Fencing vs. Grazing: Divergent Effects on Soil Seed Bank Structure and Grassland Recovery Pathways in Northern Tibetan Alpine Grasslands. Plants. 2025; 14(6):900. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060900
Chicago/Turabian StyleXie, Yuyuan, Yongjie Liu, Wencheng Li, Ningning Zhao, Xuehao Li, Yifan Chen, Guozhi Lai, Xin Lou, Xiangtao Wang, and Xuehong Wei. 2025. "Fencing vs. Grazing: Divergent Effects on Soil Seed Bank Structure and Grassland Recovery Pathways in Northern Tibetan Alpine Grasslands" Plants 14, no. 6: 900. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060900
APA StyleXie, Y., Liu, Y., Li, W., Zhao, N., Li, X., Chen, Y., Lai, G., Lou, X., Wang, X., & Wei, X. (2025). Fencing vs. Grazing: Divergent Effects on Soil Seed Bank Structure and Grassland Recovery Pathways in Northern Tibetan Alpine Grasslands. Plants, 14(6), 900. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060900