Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) at low densities have no destructive effect on winter pasture in alpine meadows

• DOI: 10.1071/rj19042
• Publication Date: 2020-04-14T06:08:22Z
• Authors: W. R. Wei; J. D. He; Q. Y. Zheng
• Keywords: Pika; Population density

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is a common small mammal species present in the alpine meadow ecosystem on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), and regarded as pest meadows when population density exceeds certain threshold. However, whether pikas with low have detrimental effect winter pasture unknown. Vegetation soil were sampled eight individual patchy home ranges control areas, we found vegetation properties showed different trends ranges. activity significantly increased below-ground biomass, pH total potassium, but had no significant plant richness or diversity, moisture, NH4-N, NO3-N, phosphorus, available phosphorus organic content. reduced some (e.g. cover, height, aboveground graminoids, bulk potassium). These results imply that may improve nutrients destructive at density.