[Growth and resource allocation pattern of Artemisia frigida under different grazing and clipping intensities]

In order to understand the degradation process and its mechanism of typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, this paper studied the growth and resource allocation pattern of Artimisia frigida under different grazing and clipping intensities(no grazing, light grazing 1.33 sheep.hm-2, moderate grazing 4.00 sheep.hm-2, heavy grazing 6.67 sheep.hm-2, proportional clipping and stubble clipping), which was conducted at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences(43 degrees 26'-44 degrees 08' N, 116 degrees 04'-117 degrees 05' E). The results showed that the regrowth ability of A. frigida under proportional clipping was superior to that under stubble clipping, and light clipping (1/4 proportional clipping or 10 cm stubble clipping) was superior to no clipping. In early growth season, the net regrowth of A. frigida was higher under no clipping than under light clipping, but reversed in late growth season (after mid-August). The biomass allocation pattern of A. frigida was roots > leaves > stems. Grazing or clipping affected biomass allocation significantly, especially for the allocation of leaves and flowers. The biomass allocation of leaves was significantly higher under 3/4 proportional clipping or 4 cm stubble clipping than under other treatments, and reverse trend was true for the biomass allocation of flowers. There were no significant differences in biomass allocation of roots and stems among treatments. Sexual reproductive allocation decreased with increasing grazing or clipping intensities, and reproductive mode of A. frigida changed under heavy grazing. The changes in priority of biomass allocation from sexual reproductive organs to clonal growth to sustain and propagate population were important ecological strategies of the species to heavy grazing.