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Can perennial dominant grass Miscanthus sinensis be nurse plant in recovery of degraded hilly land landscape in South China?

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Abstract

Perennial C4 grasses, especially Miscanthus sinensis, are widely distributed in the degraded lands in South China. We transplanted native and exotic tree seedlings under the canopy of M. sinensis to assess the interaction (competition or facilitation) between dominant grass M. sinensis and tree seedlings. The results of growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, and ultrastructure showed that negative effects may be stronger in perennial dominant grass M. sinensis. Although M. sinensis buffered the air temperature, improved soil structure, and increased soil phosphorus content, these beneficial effects were outweighed by the detrimental effect, especially overshading. To ensure the establishment of target native species in M. sinensis communities in degraded lands of South China, restoration strategies should include removing aboveground vegetation, planting target species seedlings in openings to reduce the effects of canopy shading, and/or selecting competition-tolerant target species. Also, seedlings of exotic species used in restoration engineering cannot be directly planted under the canopy of M. sinensis.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 40871249, 31000212), Special Foundation for Young Scientists of Guangdong Academy of Sciences (2009-46), and Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We thank our colleagues at the Heshan National Field Research Station of Forest Ecosystem; we especially thank Shenglei Fu, Weijun Shen, Ping Zhao, and Zhian Li for helpful suggestions, and Yongbiao Lin and Xingquan Rao for field assistance. We also thank Dr Bruce Jaffee and Qinfeng Guo for polishing the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China

    Long Yang, Hai Ren, Nan Liu & Jun Wang

  2. Centre of Resource and Environment, Guangzhou Institute of Geography, Guangzhou, 510070, China

    Long Yang

  3. Department of Ecology, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China

    Hai Ren

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  1. Long Yang
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Correspondence to Hai Ren.

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Yang, L., Ren, H., Liu, N. et al. Can perennial dominant grass Miscanthus sinensis be nurse plant in recovery of degraded hilly land landscape in South China?. Landscape Ecol Eng 9, 213–225 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-012-0199-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-012-0199-y

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