Responses of alpine vegetation and soils to the disturbance of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) at burrow level on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau of China

Abstract

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is considered a keystone species on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Under a moderate burrow density condition, we investigated plant community and soil properties surrounding pika's burrows in comparison to the control sites (without pika's burrows) in an alpine meadow ecosystem. The results demonstrated that plant biomass, especially aboveground biomass around pika's burrow, was improved. The contents of available soil nutrients around the pika's burrow were improved as well. The highest aboveground biomass and highest contents of NH4-N, available phosphorus and available potassium was detected at the back of the burrow. The compositions of plant community were not changed significantly around the pika burrow, excluding at the front of the burrow. Our findings revealed that the activities of plateau pika can improve the production of alpine meadow and increase the soil fertility at individual burrow level when the burrow density was not out of control.