Effects Of Mound Ages On Plant Functional Trait And Productivity Of The Alpine Meadow

In this study, by using a spatial sequence approach instead of a temporal one, And the relationship among diversity of species, plant functional traits and productivity were investigated a successional stages of mound ages on the alpine meadow in Azi Maqu County, Gansu Province, the area under the jurisdiction of Animal Husbandry Station. The main conclusions drawn from the study are as follows:1. The Species of diversity varied with the mound ages prolonged significantly. Species number increased from5to25, and Shannon index increased from0.56to1.96as the mound ages of grassland change form1year to5years, there was a positive correlations between species number and mound ages. While the P-diversity index and varied among0.46～0.83, and there existed a unimodal relationship between Shannon index and mound ages.2. Plant height, relative growth rate, specific leaf area and leaf dry mass content increased with the mound ages prolonged significantly form1year to5years, there was a positive correlations between species number and mound ages.3.The plant functional traits of underground varied greatly along the mound ages prolonged. Root length density、Specific root length、 Specific root area increased with the mound ages prolonged significantly, and there was a positive correlation between species number and mound ages.4. The net primary productivity increased with the mound ages, there was a positive correlation between them, and there also existed positive correlation between The net primary productivity aboveground and underground Simultaneously. Meanwhile, there was a positive correlation between the diversity of species, species number and productivity of aboveground. And there also existed positive correlation between the plant functional traits and net primary productivity. These results suggested that the significant effect of mound ages on species number, diversity of species, plant functional traits and productivity. As a result of that this research is at the early stage of secondary succession, the diversity of species will increase gradually, and the effect of nutrient utilization of competition among species will be enhanced gradually, what is more, the soil available nutrients is short of saturated state, while the productivity of molehills will be rising as the extension of fixed number of year. Therefore, this research will provide a reference basis for protecting the biodiversity of grassland, improving the productivity of grassland ecosystem and the rational utilization of vegetation resources.