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Coordinated and published by the Grassroots Institute, the Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources (GJNR) is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in natural resources throughout the world. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists, social scientists, policy analysts, managers and practitioners (on all academic and professional levels) all over the world to promote, discuss and share various new issues and developments in different arenas of natural resources.
Moses Fayiah*1, ShiKui Dong2, Roberto Xavier Supe Tulcan3, Sanjay Singh4, Muthu Rajkumar5, Sallay Saccoh6, Rebecca Bockarie7
1Department of Forestry, School of Natural Resources Management, Njala University, Sierra Leone.
Email: mfayiah@njala.edu.sl | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8339-4249
2College of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
Email: dongshikui@bjfu.edu.cn | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6984-9999
3State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Email: xavysup.1@outlook.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1333-7847
4Biodiversity and Climate Change Division, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, India.
Email: sanjaysingh83@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4668-7808
5Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Email: rajinecol@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1104-989X
6Institute of Food Sciences, School of Agricultural, Njala University, Sierra Leone.
Email: sallysaccoh@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2549-8090
7Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute, Kenema Station, Sierra Leone.
Email: bockarierebecca@yahoo.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5413-1258
*Corresponding Author
Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 4(4): 95-114. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.040408
Received: 15 October 2021
Reviewed: 27 October 2021
Provisionally Accepted: 31 October 2021
Revised: 10 November 2021
Finally Accepted: 20 November 2021
Published: 31 December 2021
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The constant biotic and abiotic interventions on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau (QTP) are seriously degrading the grasslands and, at the same time, restricting the active ecosystem function and grassland vegetation distribution on the plateau. This research analyses the dynamics of grassland vegetation composition across three land uses and counties. The degree of grassland degradation was divided into four land-use types based, i.e., healthy grassland (HG), restored grassland (RG), moderately degraded (MD) grassland, and severely degraded (SD) grassland. About 32 plant species were recorded in Tiebujia county, 28 in Maqin county, and 18 in Maduo county. Results showed Poa crymophila, Polygonum sibiricum, Leontopodium nanum and Oxytropis falcatabunge as the most abundant grassland species in all land-uses and counties. The richness of species ranged from 8 to 12 species per land-use, suggesting low richness and diversity in restored and degraded grassland. A positive non-significantly mean change (p<0.05) was detected for richness and evenness indices while a negative mean change (p<0.05) was detected for Simpson and Shannon indices in the alpine meadow and steppe in both Maqin and Maduo county. The results imply that degradation affects grassland vegetation, health, and distribution across the QTP. Plant total cover for the healthy grassland covered far more areas than other land-uses. Urgent mitigation measures to halt grassland degradation and decline in plant vegetation composition on the plateau should be adopted.
Grassland; Land-use; Species; Vegetation; Qinghai-Tibet-Plateau
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KhaFayiah, M., Dong, S.K., Tulcan, R.X.S., Singh, S., Rajkumar, M., Saccoh, S. and Bockarie, R. (2021). Dynamics of Grassland Vegetation Composition across different Land-use Types on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau: Implications to Combat Grassland Degradation. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 4(4): 95-114. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.040408
Fayiah, M., Dong, S.K., Tulcan, R.X.S., Singh, S., Rajkumar, M., Saccoh, S., & Bockarie, R. (2021). Dynamics of Grassland Vegetation Composition across different Land-use Types on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau: Implications to Combat Grassland Degradation. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 4(4), 95-114. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.040408
Fayiah M., Dong S.K., Tulcan R.X.S., Singh S., Rajkumar, M., Saccoh S., Bockarie R. Dynamics of Grassland Vegetation Composition across different Land-use Types on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau: Implications to Combat Grassland Degradation. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 2021, 4 (4), 95-114. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.040408
Fayiah, Moses, Dong, ShiKui, Tulcan, Roberto Xavier Supe, Singh, Sanjay, Rajkumar, Muthu, Saccoh, Sallay, Bockarie, Rebecca. 2021. “Dynamics of Grassland Vegetation Composition across different Land-use Types on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau: Implications to Combat Grassland Degradation”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 4 no. 4: 95-114. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.040408
Fayiah, Moses, ShiKui Dong, Roberto Xavier Supe Tulcan, Sanjay Singh, Muthu Rajkumar, Sallay Saccoh and Rebecca Bockarie. 2021. “Dynamics of Grassland Vegetation Composition across different Land-use Types on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau: Implications to Combat Grassland Degradation”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 4 (4): 95-114. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.040408
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