Skip to main content

Compensatory Growth Pattern of Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis)

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis): An Environmentally Friendly Native Grass for Animals

Abstract

Plant compensatory growth is mainly observed in their morphological changes, such as plant height, leaf area, recovery rate, and biomass. In natural ecosystems, the compensatory growth performance of plants in tolerating disasters or surviving disasters is reflected in yield and fitness. Sheepgrass is an important perennial forage grass of the Poaceae family, and it is widely distributed on Eastern Eurasian steppe. The optimum time to mow for the first time is when the vegetative branches of sheepgrass have just entered the jointing stage and the reproductive shoots have entered the booting stage from the jointing stage in sheepgrass grassland. Of the two ecotypes of sheepgrass, gray-green type is relatively more tolerant to mowing. Moreover, the severe mowing has great impact on sheepgrass at same mowing stage. Thus, severe mowing is not suitable for sheepgrass, while less severe mowing has relative little impact. The response of sheepgrass to mowing is very particular, and this character is of great value for sheepgrass application.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alan KK (1993) Gas exchange dynamics in C3 and C4 grasses consequences of differences in stomatal conductance. Ecology 74:113–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alward RD, Joern A (1993) Plasticity and over compensation in grass responses to herbivory. Oecologia 95:358–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bai KY, Zhao ML, Wei ZJ et al (1996) The effect of castration on the storage of carbon hydrates in concentrated grassland in the desert steppe. Acta Pratacul Sin 4(2):127–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker JP, Olff H (1995) Nutrient dynamics during restoration of fen meadows by haymaking without fertilizer application. In: Wheeler BD, Shaw SC, Fojt WJ, Robertson RA (eds) Restoration of temperate wetlands. Wiley, Chichester, pp 14–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Bao YJ, Li ZH, Zhong YK et al (2004) Effects of different frequency castration on energy fixation and distribution of Leymus chinensis steppe community in Inner Mongolia. Acta Pratacul Sin 13(5):46–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Bao YJ, Li ZH, Zhong YK et al (2005) Effects of mowing frequency on the energy standing crops of major populations in a Leymus chinensis steppe of Inner Mongolia. Chin Bull Bot 22(2):153–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Brathen KA, Odasz-Albrigtsen AM (2000) Tolerance of the arctic graminoid Luzula arcuata ssp. confusa to simulated grazing in two nitrogen environments. Can J Bot 78:1108–1113

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies A (1988) The regrowth of grass swards. In: Jones MB, Lazenby A (eds) The grass crop. Chapman and Hall Ltd, London, pp 85–117

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Doescher PS, Svkjcar TJ, Jaindl RG (1997) Gas exchange of Idaho fescue in response to defoliation and grazing history. J Range Manag 50:285–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du ZC, Yang ZG (1989) Effects of mowing on photosynthetic characteristics of Leymus chinensis. J Plant Ecol Geogr Bot 13(4):318–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellison L (1960) The influence of grazing on plant succession. Bot Rev 26:1–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farguhar GD, Sharkey TD (1982) Stomatal conductance and photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 33:317–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenner M, Palmer L (1998) Grassland management to promote diversity: creation of a patchy sward by mowing and fertilizer regimes. Field Stud 9:313–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Graaf AJV, Stahl J, Bakker JP (2005) Compensatory growth of Festuca rubra after grazing: can migratory herbivores increase their own harvest during staging? Funct Ecol 19:961–969

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han GD, Li B, Wei ZJ et al (1999) Study on cattle compensation for box compensator in prairie grass grazing system. Acta Agrestia Sin 7(1):1–7

    Google Scholar 

  • He F, Li XL, Bai JR et al (2005) Effects of environmental factors and cutting methods on the growth rate of two cold season pastures in winter. Chin J Grassl 27(5):38–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Hik DS, Jeffries RL (1990) Increases in the net above ground primary productivity of a salt-marsh forage grass. Ecology 78:180–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilbert DW, Swift DM, Dehing JK et al (1981) Relative growth rates and the grazing optimization hypothesis. Oecologia 51:14–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holechek JI (1994) Livestock grazing impacts on public lands: a viewpoint. Wildl Manag 58(1):28–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Hun CJ, Han JG, Hong BZ (2000) Effects of cutting stage and stubble height on grass yield and quality of new wheatgrass. Acta Agrestia Sin 8(4):319–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Li YH (1988) Differentiation and convergence of Leymus chinensis grassland and Stipa grandis steppe under the influence of grazing in Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia. Acta Phytoecologica Geobotanica Sin 3(12):189–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu GS, Li XF et al (2011) Study on germplasm resources of Leymus chinensis. Science Press, Beijing, p 35

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma HL, Wan T, Sun QG (1983) Observation on heading characteristics and panicle differentiation process of Leymus chinensis. Inn Mong Grassl 1:17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Niels PR, Anten MM-R et al (2003) Defoliation and growth in an understory palm: quantifying the contributions of compensatory responses. Ecology 84(11):2905–2918

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noy-Meir I, Gutman M, Kaplan Y (1989) Responses of Mediterranean grassland plants to grazing and protection. J Ecol 77:290–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polley HW, Johnson HB, Mayeux HS (1994) Increasing CO2 comparative responses of the C4 grass Schizachyrium and grass land invader Prosopis. Ecology 75:976–988

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rong YP, Han JG, Wang P et al (2000) Effects of cutting intensity on grass yield and carbohydrate and nitrogen compounds in new wheatgrass. Chin J Grassl 2:28–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Tainton NM (1981) Veld and pasture management in South Africa. Interprint (Pty) Ltd, Durban, pp 263–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Trlica MJ (1993) Rittenhouse I.R.Grazing and plant performance. Ecol Appl 3(1):21–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trumble JT (1993) Plant compensation for arthropod herbivory. Annu Rev Entomol 38:93–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Staalduinen MA, Anten NPR (2005) Differences in the compensatory growth of two co-occurring grass species in relation to water availability. Oecologia 146:190–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Miao JX, Chang SB et al (2003) Effects of mowing on population growth and yield and interspecific competition characteristics of mixed sowing grassland. Pratacultural Sci 20(9):20–23

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang GL, Li XL, He F et al (2007) The effect of mowing intensity on the quantitative characteristics of vegetation in Leymus chinensis grassland. Chin J Grassl J 29(3):10–16

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xia JX, Fan FC, Wang P (1994) Research progress on the effects of mowing on the regeneration and productivity of grass pasture. Chin J Grassl 2(1):45–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang YF, Zheng HY, Li JD (1998) Comparative study on age structure of tiller plants of Leymus chinensis population under different ecological conditions. Ecol J l8:302–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan BZ, Wang J, Zhao SL (1998) Mechanism of plant compensation. Acta Ecol Sin 17(5):45–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhong YK, Bao QH (1999) Effects of different cutting intensity on natural cutting grassland. Chin J Grassl 5:15–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou C, Yang YF (2003) Water responses of two populations of Leymus chinensis in Songnen plain to saline alkali stress. Acta Pratacul Sin 12(1):65–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu YC (2004) Grass ecology. Forestry Science and Technology Press, Ji lin, pp 156–157

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qingfen Zhang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Science Press and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Zhang, Q., Liu, G., Chen, Z. (2019). Compensatory Growth Pattern of Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis). In: Liu, G., Li, X., Zhang, Q. (eds) Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis): An Environmentally Friendly Native Grass for Animals. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8633-6_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics