Because of cold weather and extremely harsh environment, there is few exotic species in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Plateau zokor (Myospalax fontanierii), dominant borrowing small mammal, plays a role as .ecosystem engineer. in alpine meadow ecosystem. We measured and compared the dispersion area, branches, height and number of branches of flixweed tansymustard (Descurainia sophia) on the area disturbed by zokor mounds and in the undisturbed alpine meadow. Flixweed tansymustard is cool-season annual or biennial typical farmland weed in China, and is not found in alpine meadow before. The results indicated that zokor mounds significantly increased the dispersion area, number of individuals in each dispersion area, height and number of branches of flixweed tansymustard on the area disturbed by zokor mounds compared to those in undisturbed alpine meadow. These results suggest that ecosystem engineering by native species of rodent could promote the invasions of alien plant species in alpine meadow ecosystem, leading to higher abundances of invaders.
JavaScript jest wyłączony w Twojej przeglądarce internetowej. Włącz go, a następnie odśwież stronę, aby móc w pełni z niej korzystać.