[Relationships between aboveground biomass and environmental factors along an altitude gradient of alpine grassland]

In order to analyze the relationships between aboveground biomass and environmental factors along an altitude gradient of Bayanbulak alpine grassland on the southern slope of Tianshan Mountain, nine plots were selected, with each at 100 m interval of altitude. The results showed that Stipa purpurea and Festuca ovina communities distributed at the altitude from 2460 to 2760 m, and the aboveground biomass were 52.2-75.9 g x m(-2). Kobresia capillifolia + S. purpurea communities distributed at altitude 2860 m, and the aboveground biomass was 53.2 g x m(-2). K. capillifolia, Aichemilla tianschanica and Carex stenocarpa distributed at the altitude from 2860 to 3260 m, and the aboveground biomass was 62.1-107.4 g x m(-2). The mean relative humidity in July and August had greater effects on the aboveground biomass. Altitude had a negative correlation with the aboveground biomass of gramineous functional group, but a positive correlation with that of sedge functional group. The mean air temperature in July and August was the key factor affecting the aboveground biomass of gramineous and sedge functional groups, and the stepwise regression equations were Y = 13.467X - 97.284 and Y = 171.699 - 15.331X, respectively (X represented mean air temperature, and Y represented aboveground biomass). Altitude was negatively correlated with mean air temperature and soil pH value (P < 0.01), and positively correlated with mean relative humidity (P < 0.01) and soil available nitrogen and water content (P < 0.05).