2.1 Characteristics of plant functional groups in mini-patches
The aboveground primary production of alpine meadows depended more on
their steady stage than on their geographical location or on climate
factors. The aboveground primary production was significantly higher
under zero grazing and light grazing intensity than under a heavy
grazing intensity. The aboveground biomass also differed by grazing
intensity. The aboveground biomass of Gramineae, Cyperaceae, and
Leguminosae
functional
groups significantly decreased as grazing intensity increased, while the
aboveground biomass of forbs, which were dominant or subdominant in most
steady
stages, remained relatively stable across grazing intensities.
Nonetheless, the total productivity of alpine meadows remained stable
across a large range of grazing intensities and a large spatial scale
(Fig. 1).