Effect of Degradation Intensity on Grassland Ecosystem Services in the Alpine Region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0058432

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	Effect of Degradation Intensity on Grassland Ecosystem Services in the Alpine Region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China
	Wen, Lu 1; Dong, Shikui 1; Li, Yuanyuan 1; Li, Xiaoyan 1; Shi, Jianjun 2; Wang, Yanlong 2; Liu, Demei 3; Ma, Yushou 2; Dong, SK (reprint author), Beijing Normal Univ, Environm Sch, State Key Lab Water Environm Simulat, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China.
	2013-03-04
发表期刊	PLOS ONE
ISSN	1932-6203
卷号	8 期号:3
文章类型	Article
摘要	The deterioration of alpine grassland has great impact on ecosystem services in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, the effect of grassland degradation on ecosystem services and the consequence of grassland deterioration on economic loss still remains a mystery. So, in this study, we assessed four types of ecosystem services following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment classification, along a degradation gradient. Five sites of alpine grassland at different levels of degradation were investigated in Guoluo Prefecture of Qinghai Province, China. The species composition, aboveground biomass, soil total organic carbon (TOC), and soil total nitrogen (TN) were tested to evaluate major ecological services of the alpine grassland. We estimated the value of primary production, carbon storage, nitrogen recycling, and plant diversity. The results show the ecosystem services of alpine grassland varied along the degradation gradient. The ecosystem services of degraded grassland (moderate, heavy and severe) were all significantly lower than non-degraded grassland. Interestingly, the lightly degraded grassland provided more economic benefit from carbon maintenance and nutrient sequestration compared to non-degraded. Due to the destruction of the alpine grassland, the economic loss associated with decrease of biomass in 2008 was $198/ha. Until 2008, the economic loss caused by carbon emissions and nitrogen loss on severely degraded grassland was up to $8 033/ha and $13 315/ha, respectively. Urgent actions are required to maintain or promote the ecosystem services of alpine grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.; The deterioration of alpine grassland has great impact on ecosystem services in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, the effect of grassland degradation on ecosystem services and the consequence of grassland deterioration on economic loss still remains a mystery. So, in this study, we assessed four types of ecosystem services following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment classification, along a degradation gradient. Five sites of alpine grassland at different levels of degradation were investigated in Guoluo Prefecture of Qinghai Province, China. The species composition, aboveground biomass, soil total organic carbon (TOC), and soil total nitrogen (TN) were tested to evaluate major ecological services of the alpine grassland. We estimated the value of primary production, carbon storage, nitrogen recycling, and plant diversity. The results show the ecosystem services of alpine grassland varied along the degradation gradient. The ecosystem services of degraded grassland (moderate, heavy and severe) were all significantly lower than non-degraded grassland. Interestingly, the lightly degraded grassland provided more economic benefit from carbon maintenance and nutrient sequestration compared to non-degraded. Due to the destruction of the alpine grassland, the economic loss associated with decrease of biomass in 2008 was $198/ha. Until 2008, the economic loss caused by carbon emissions and nitrogen loss on severely degraded grassland was up to $8 033/ha and $13 315/ha, respectively. Urgent actions are required to maintain or promote the ecosystem services of alpine grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
WOS标题词	Science & Technology
DOI	10.1371/journal.pone.0058432
关键词[WOS]	ORGANIC-CARBON ; BIODIVERSITY ; DYNAMICS ; NITROGEN ; BIOMASS ; SOILS ; MANAGEMENT ; DIVERSITY ; STORAGE ; MEADOW
收录类别	SCI
语种	英语
项目资助者	Ministry of Science and Technology, China(2012BAC01B02) ; Ministry of Environmental Protection, China(201209033 ; Engagement Fund for the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation of Beijing Normal University(2009018) ; 50939001)
WOS研究方向	Science & Technology - Other Topics
WOS类目	Multidisciplinary Sciences
WOS记录号	WOS:000315634900086
引用统计	被引频次：121[WOS] [WOS记录] [WOS相关记录]
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	http://210.75.249.4/handle/363003/3955
专题	中国科学院西北高原生物研究所
通讯作者	Dong, SK (reprint author), Beijing Normal Univ, Environm Sch, State Key Lab Water Environm Simulat, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China.
作者单位	1.Beijing Normal Univ, Environm Sch, State Key Lab Water Environm Simulat, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China 2.Qinghai Univ, Qinghai Acad Anim Sci & Vet Med, Xining, Peoples R China 3.Chinese Acad Sci, Northwest Inst Plateau Biol, Xining, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Wen, Lu,Dong, Shikui,Li, Yuanyuan,et al. Effect of Degradation Intensity on Grassland Ecosystem Services in the Alpine Region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China[J]. PLOS ONE,2013,8(3).
APA	Wen, Lu.,Dong, Shikui.,Li, Yuanyuan.,Li, Xiaoyan.,Shi, Jianjun.,...&Dong, SK .(2013).Effect of Degradation Intensity on Grassland Ecosystem Services in the Alpine Region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China.PLOS ONE,8(3).
MLA	Wen, Lu,et al."Effect of Degradation Intensity on Grassland Ecosystem Services in the Alpine Region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China".PLOS ONE 8.3(2013).

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