The effects of protective enclosure on vegetation diversity, and productivity of degraded alpine Kobresia meadow (Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau)

Grassland degradation due to anthropogenic and natural factors and their interactions is one of the worldwide ecological and economic problems because it reduces grassland productivity and diversity and leads to desertification. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of protective enclosure on vegetation composition and diversity and plant biomass of an alpine degraded meadow. The experiment was conducted at center of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau with two degraded (caused by overgrazing) alpine meadows: the lightly and severely degraded ones (LD and SD) and their enclosed areas with iron net (LDE and SDE, respectively). The areas 200 m x 150 m for each of four degraded alpine meadow treatments at average altitude 3,960 m a.s.l. were set for research. The lightly degraded plots were dominated by Scirpus distigmaticus (Kukenth.) Tang et Wang, Elymus nutans Griseb. and Oxytropis ochrocephala Bunge. The dominating plants in severely degraded plots were: Artemisia sieversiana Ehrhart ex Willd, Ajania tenuifolia (Jacq.) Tzvel, Lonicera minuta Batal. The results showed: (1) the vegetation cover of two degraded plots (LD and SD) has increased after taking the enclosure measures and the forbs dominated both plots. (2) Species richness has also increased in two enclosed degraded plots, respectively. There no significant differences in evenness and diversity between LD and LDE, and SD and SDE, respectively. (3) Enclosure may promote aboveground biomass, particularly grass and forb biomass in LD, and forb biomass in SD plots.