10.5061/DRYAD.06186Q2
Liang, Maowei
Inner Mongolia University
Michigan State University
Chen, Jiquan
Michigan State University
Gornish, Elise S.
University of Arizona
Li, Zhiyong
Inner Mongolia University
Bai, Xue
University of Maine
Liang, Cunzhu
Inner Mongolia University
Data from: Grazing effect on grasslands escalated by abnormal
precipitations in Inner Mongolia
Dryad
dataset
2019
Community structure
Annuals and biennials
Perennial forbs
Perennial bunchgrasses
Plant functional groups
Perennial rhizome grass
Holocene
National Science Foundation
https://ror.org/021nxhr62
1313761
2019-07-16T00:00:00Z
2019-07-16T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4331
25426 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1. Grazing effects on arid and semi-arid grasslands can be constrained by
aridity. Plant functional groups (PFGs) are the most basic component of
community structure (CS) and biodiversity & ecosystem function
(BEF). They have been suggested as identity-dependent in quantifying the
responses to grazing intensity and drought severity. Here we examine how
the relationships among PFGs, CS, BEF, and grazing intensity are driven by
climatic drought. 2. We conducted a manipulative experiment with three
grazing intensities in 2012 (non-drought year) and 2013 (drought year). We
classified 62 herbaceous plants into four functional groups based on their
life forms. We used the relative species abundance of PFGs to quantify the
effects of grazing and drought, and to explore the mechanisms for the
pathway correlations using structural equation models (SEM) among PFGs,
CS, and BEF directly or indirectly. 3. Grazers consistently favored
perennial forbs (e.g., palatable or nutritious plants), decreasing the
plants’ relative abundance by 23% – 38%. Drought decreased the relative
abundance of ephemeral plants by 42 ± 13%; and increased perennial forbs
by 20 ± 7% and graminoids by 80 ± 31%. SEM confirmed that annuals and
biennials had negative correlations with the other three PFGs, with
perennial bunchgrasses facilitated by perennial rhizome grass. Moreover,
the contributions of grazing to community structure (i.e., canopy height)
were 1.6 – 6.1 times than those from drought, whereas drought effect on
community species richness was 3.6 times of the grazing treatment. Lastly,
the interactive effects of grazing and drought on BEF were greater than
either alone; particularly, drought escalated grazing damage on primary
production. 4. Synthesis. The responses of PFGs, CS, and BEF to grazing
and drought were identity-dependent, suggesting that grazing and drought
regulation of plant functional groups might be a way to shape ecosystem
structure and function in grasslands.
The relative abundance of PFGsResults of Tukey's test of the relative
abundance (Mean ± SD) of PFGs in different experimental treatments.Figure
1.csvCommunity structureResults of Tukey's test of plant species
richness, stand density, and canopy height in different experimental
treatments (Mean ± SD).Figure 2.csvBiodiversity and ecosystem
functionResults of Tukey's test of plant species diversity,
functional diversity, and aboveground biomass in different experimental
treatments (Mean ± SD).Figure 3.csvStructural equation modelingStructural
equation modeling of grazing and drought to predict community structure
and biodiversity & ecosystem function by regulating the plant
functional groups.Figure 4.csvTwo-way ANOVATwo-way ANOVA on the effects of
grazing, drought and their interactive effects on relative abundance of
plant functional groups (i.e., perennial bunchgrasses, perennial rhizome
grass, perennial forbs, annuals and biennials), community structures
(i.e., species richness, stand density, canopy height), and biodiversity
and ecosystem functions (i.e., species diversity, functional diversity,
and aboveground biomass).Table 1.csv
Xilinhot (44°08′ N 116°20′ E) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China