Journal of Environmental Biology

Effects of stocking rates on functional group diversity and

forage quality in rangeland of Qilian Mountain, China

Yan Zhang, Xianjiang Chen, Yunxiang Cheng, Shenghua Chang and Fujiang Hou*

State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology,

Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China

*Corresponding Author?s Email : cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn

 Publication Data

Paper received:

01 June 2014

Revised received:

30 September 2014

Re-revised received:

01 January 2015

Accepted:

07 February 2015

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating a balance between environment and livestock grazing, through identifying appropriate stocking rate in rangeland with highest biodiversity and forage quality. The experiment was carried out to determine the effects of six stocking rates on Shannon Weiner index of functional group diversity and nutritive value and relationship between them in the edge of the Tibetan plateau of China. The results showed that abundance of functional group diversity indices were significantly influenced by stocking rates (p<0.05) and the highest appeared in 2.5 and 2.6 animal month unit (AMU) ha^-1. There were significant differences in forage content of nitrogen (N), water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) under stocking rates (p<0.05). There were higher N and WSC content but lower NDF and ADF content under 2.5 and 2.6 AMU ha^-1 than other stocking rates. Positive relationship was found between all functional group diversity indices and N and WSC content of community but negative relationship between all functional group diversity indices and NDF and ADF content of community. All the results represented that moderate control of stocking rates was an effective management measure to protect functional diversity, improve forage quality and sustain rangeland health.    

 Key words

Functional group diversity, Grassland, Nutritive value, Stocking rate 

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