Abstract:

In the present study, we attempted to achieve the quick recovery of the degraded vegetation in alpine meadow through the method of rest-grazing in the greenup period. During the period of May to July in 2015, we conducted the field control experiment of rest-grazing in the greenup period on the spring pasture at the Moeller Town, Qilian County, Qinghai Province. To assess the effect of rest-grazing in the greenup period on the degraded vegetation, we investigated the characteristics of vegetation, such as the height, coverage, and above-ground biomass of primary species, and the holes of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) in three rest-grazing plots and the three corresponding grazing plots. The results revealed that the height, coverage, and above-ground biomass of pasture in the rest-grazing plots improved by 165%, 4% and 77% comparing with the grazing plots, respectively. In addition, the growth of poisonous weeds (Oxytropis ochrocephala) was inhibited significantly with the biomass decreasing up to 50%. Simultaneously, the holes of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) significantly decreased by 72%. Therefore, we proposed that the rapid restoration of degraded grassland vegetation could be happened by rest-grazing in the critical greenup period of alpine meadow. Rest-grazing in the greenup period was an effective measure for the rational utilization of alpine meadow.

Key words: Alpine meadow, Rest-grazing in greenup period, Spring grazing prohibition, Grazing regime

摘要：

该项研究试图通过返青期休牧达到快速恢复退化高寒草甸植被的目的，于2015年5-7月在青海省祁连县默勒镇春季草场上进行返青期休牧试验。通过调查3个休牧样地和3个放牧样地，研究草地主要植被的株高、盖度和地上生物量等植被状况和高原鼠兔有效洞口的数量，从而评估返青期休牧对退化草地植被的影响。结果表明：返青期休牧时，草地的牧草高度、群落盖度和地上总生物量相对于放牧草地分别提高了165%，4%和77%，毒草生长明显受到了抑制，且其生物量下降了50%，高原鼠兔有效洞口数下降了72%。因此，我们认为在高寒草地过牧的关键时期实施返青期休牧可快速恢复退化草地植被，为高寒草地的合理利用提供了有效措施。

关键词: 高寒草甸, 返青期休牧, 春季休牧, 放牧制度