Effects of spring‐resting (spring grazing banning) on grassland productivity and vegetation composition in typical grassland of Inner Mongolia,China

摘要

Traditionally,grasslands in Northern China had been utilized in a way of.whole year around grazing of grasses on offer" in which animals had too heavily relay on the herbage available on the grassland.Heavy grazing pressure and excessive trampling during winter‐spring season caused large areas of grassland degradation.Plant regrowth was checked off by grazing animals at the critical time of spring early growth.This stimulated a vicious cycle for the grassland deterioration,i.e.,grazing pressure was heavy,herbage became less,and as a consequence,grazing pressure became even heavier.A new animal production system with.grazing banning in winter‐spring" was introduced and its effects on grassland were checked.