Study On Elements And Community Structure Of Goat Trails Landscape In Semi-arid Loess Plateau Hills

Goat trails landscape, a unique landscape pattern, was formed by natural conditions and anthropogenic interference in semi-arid Loess Plateau hill slopes. Goat trails landscapes were wildly distributed, obvious in overgrazed Loess Plateau hilly areas. The study area was located in the hilly region of Loess Plateau. There are two different characteristics:desert steppe and typical steppe according to various hypothermal conditions. The methods combined the photographic remote sensing and geographic information systems(GIS).The conclusions as followed:(1) Characteristics of the landscape elements:Goat trail tended to be horizontal that was related to energy consumption; the coverage around intersections was high; the slopes was steeper, fragmentation was higher, path shape was more regular, connectivity was lower, that was related to the tortuous routes was caused by goats feeding.(2) Characteristics of developed goat trails landscape and community structure:Landscape elements were clumped; vegetation clumped along the goat trails whose reason was the structure of goat trail contribute the growth of plant. Caragana, Ajania and Stipa were the dominate species. Stipa was suit to grow below trails and Ajania was suit to grow above trails. The abundance of the community increased gradually from top to bottom.(3) Landscape elements, landscape patterns and community structure characteristics with the trail developing:The complexity of the goat trails increased, vegetation decreased and contagious increased. Vegetation and goat trails tended to be clumped. Goat trails’ characteristic accumulated sources. Ajania and Stipa were relative shift. The diversity of community increased first then declined, the evenness declined.Understanding of the grazing disturbance in arid and semi arid ecosystems in loess hilly grazing area, contribute to the construction of ecological environment and grazing management.