Ecological characteristics and variations among the strains of switchgrass planting on soil erosion in the hills of the Loess Plateau in China

由于管理不善，黄土高原上的植被，包括森林和草地，在过去的2000年里被完全破坏。自1988年以来，我们进行了杂草物种选择试验，恢复植被在这个高原的丘陵。大约有20，000种物种从国外引进到斜坡上。因此，柳枝稷（柳枝稷）已被选为植被恢复的候选物种。研究了黄土高原丘陵区柳枝稷的生态学特性及其在土壤侵蚀中的株系间变异，结果表明柳枝稷根茎表现出上级耐寒性和耐旱性。根茎中脂肪含量和不饱和脂肪酸含量均高于其它种根茎。这种差异可能有助于柳枝稷优越的耐冷性的上级。柳枝稷根系发达，对土壤具有较强的束缚力，能有效地防止土壤侵蚀。柳枝稷种植地以柳枝稷为主，但乡土树种仍有存活。柳枝稷在生态学和遗传学上具有多个品系。

As a result of poor management, the vegetation on the Loess Plateau, consisting of forests and grassland, has been completely destroyed during the past 2000-year period. Since 1988, we have performed weed species selection tests for the recovery of vegetation in the hills of this plateau. About 20,000 species were introduced from foreign countries on to the slope. As a result, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been chosen as a candidate species for the vegetation recovery. In this study, the ecological characteristics and variations among the strains of switchgrass planting on soil erosion in the hills of the Loess Plateau in China was studied.Switchgrass rhizome showed superior cold and dry tolerance in test plants. The rhizome had higher concentration of lipids and higher proportions of unsaturated fatty acid than did other spesies rhizome. This difference may contribute to the superior cold tolerance of switchgrass. Switchgrass has excellent root system and was effective for the prevention of soil erosion due to tight soil binding force. In switchgrass planting field, switchgrass became dominant, but native species have been survived. Switchgrass had many strains in ecologically and hereditarily.