Abstract
Recent research shows that continuous overgrazing not only causes grassland biodiversity to decline, but also causes light fungal disease. Achnatherum inebrians is susceptible to fungal diseases and increases in prevalence during over grazing due its toxicity to livestock. This study aimed to examine the effects of A. inebrians on biological control organisms and levels of plant diseases in overgrazed grasslands in northwestern China. The results showed that A. inebrians plants were seriously infected by fungal diseases and that this led to a high incidence of the mycoparasitic species Ampelomyces quisqualis and Sphaerellopsis filum. In addition, the fungivore, Aleocharinae, was found only in the soil growing A. inebrians rather than in the overgrazed area without A. inebrians. Overall, in an overgrazed grassland fenced for one year, disease levels in blocks without A. inebrians were significantly higher than those in blocks with A. inebrians. Our findings indicated that the disease susceptible, toxic A. inebrians can help control plant disease levels in overgrazed grasslands.
Highlights
Recent research shows that continuous overgrazing causes grassland biodiversity to decline, and causes light fungal disease
The results showed that A. inebrians plants were seriously infected by fungal diseases and that this led to a high incidence of the mycoparasitic species Ampelomyces quisqualis and Sphaerellopsis filum
In order to fully understand the ecological role of A. inebrians to assist recovery of overgrazed grassland, we investigated the following two questions: 1) can the hyphe and spores generated by fungal diseases present on leaves of A. inebrians support the abundance of mycoparasites and fungivorous arthropods? 2) Can the toxic, diseased A. inebrians influence the level of disease incidence when the grassland is fenced for restoration purposes?
Summary
Recent research shows that continuous overgrazing causes grassland biodiversity to decline, and causes light fungal disease. Our findings indicated that the disease susceptible, toxic A. inebrians can help control plant disease levels in overgrazed grasslands. In contrast to low disease incidence in overgrazed grasslands, A. inebrians has been reported to be seriously infected by several fungal diseases present on leaves and flowering stems, rust (Puccinia stipae-sibiricae), powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis), stem smut(Ustilago hypodytes) and ergot (Claviceps purpurea), which resulted in the formation of numerous hyphe and spores[18]. In order to fully understand the ecological role of A. inebrians to assist recovery of overgrazed grassland, we investigated the following two questions: 1) can the hyphe and spores generated by fungal diseases present on leaves of A. inebrians support the abundance of mycoparasites and fungivorous arthropods? In order to fully understand the ecological role of A. inebrians to assist recovery of overgrazed grassland, we investigated the following two questions: 1) can the hyphe and spores generated by fungal diseases present on leaves of A. inebrians support the abundance of mycoparasites and fungivorous arthropods? 2) Can the toxic, diseased A. inebrians influence the level of disease incidence when the grassland is fenced for restoration purposes?
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