[Effects of mowing height on community structure and stability in Stipa grandis steppe]

We examined the effects of mowing height on community structure and stability in August from 2014 to 2018 in a Stipa grandis steppe of Xilingol, Inner Mongolia, China. Three mowing height treatments (2, 5 and 8 cm) were manipulated, with enclosure as the control. Results showed that 27 species from 23 genera of 15 families were recorded in the community. The community was dominated by S. grandis, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Leymus chinensis and Cleistogenes squarrosa. The cumulative relative importance value of those four species was 76.1%. Of all species, there were 15 perennial forbs, 5 annuals biennials, 3 perennial bunch grasses, 3 shrubs semi-shrubs, and 1 perennial rhizome grasses. S. grandis was in the upper layer of the community, L. chinensis and A. asphodeloides were in the middle layer, C. squarrosa, Chenopodium aristatum and Salsola collina were at the bottom layer. Mowing decreased the relative importance value (RIV) of S. grandis and perennial bunch grasses, but increased that of C. squarrosa, C. aristatum, S. collina and annuals biennials. The RIV of L. chinensis was decreased in the 2 cm treatment but increased in the 5 cm and 8 cm treatments. The RIV of A. asphodeloides was increased in the 5 cm treatment but decreased in both the 2 cm and 8 cm treatments. The RIV of perennial forbs was decreased in the 8 cm treatment but increased in both the 2 cm and 5 cm treatments. Species and functional groups diversity showed significant interannual variation. Generally, species richness and diversity were little affected by mowing, while functional groups diversity was significantly impacted, indicating that compensation between different functional groups would stabilize the community under mowing. Mowing increased community stability. Community stability was higher in the 5 cm and 8 cm treatments, with the variability being larger in the 5 cm than in the 8 cm treatment. Therefore, the 8 cm treatment was beneficial for the stability and sustainable utilization of grassland community.