Aims Quantitatively assess the foraging and burrowing effects of plateau pikas ( Ochotona curzoniae , hereafter pikas) on vegetation biomass and soil organic carbon at plot scale. Methods Combining field surveys and aerial photographing, we investigated pikas density, vegetation biomass, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen at quadrat-scale in 82 grassland sites of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We then upscaled these variables to plot-scale and eventually quantified pikas’ foraging and burrowing effects on aboveground biomass and soil organic carbon. Results Pikas have a wide distribution, with densities ranging from 40.29 to 71.40 ha −1 . Under this density level, pikas consume approximate 21% to 40% of the total vegetation biomass, while their burrowing activity causes less than 1% vegetation biomass reduction. However, pikas burrowing transfers 1 to 5 T ha −1 of soil to the ground surface, which contains approximate 20 to 70 kg ha −1 of soil organic carbon and 2 to 5 kg ha −1 of total nitrogen. Conclusions Vegetation biomass is susceptible to the foraging influence of pikas. Pikas burrowing activity has a potential impact on soil organic carbon loss and thus vegetation growth. These results are conducive to improve our understanding of the effects of pikas on regulating alpine grasslands. Unmanned aerial vehicle is a feasible and efficient tool to perform the monitoring extensiveness plots and study the role of pikas.

中文翻译：

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高原鼠兔觅食和挖洞活动对高寒草地植被生物量和土壤有机碳的影响

目的 定量评估高原鼠兔（Ochotona curzoniae，以下简称鼠兔）在地块尺度上对植被生物量和土壤有机碳的觅食和挖洞影响。方法结合野外调查和航拍，在青藏高原82个草地样地调查鼠兔密度、植被生物量、土壤有机碳和总氮等。然后我们将这些变量放大到绘图规模，并最终量化鼠兔对地上生物量和土壤有机碳的觅食和挖洞影响。结果鼠兔分布广泛，密度从40.29 到71.40 ha -1 不等。在此密度水平下，鼠兔消耗大约 21% 至 40% 的植被总生物量，而它们的挖洞活动导致的植被生物量减少不到 1%。然而，鼠兔挖洞将 1 到 5 T ha -1 的土壤转移到地表，其中包含大约 20 到 70 kg ha -1 的土壤有机碳和 2 到 5 kg ha -1 的总氮。结论 植被生物量易受鼠兔觅食影响。鼠兔的挖洞活动对土壤有机碳损失和植被生长有潜在影响。这些结果有利于提高我们对鼠兔对高寒草原调节作用的认识。无人机是执行监测广泛性图和研究鼠兔作用的可行且有效的工具。鼠兔的挖洞活动对土壤有机碳损失和植被生长有潜在影响。这些结果有利于提高我们对鼠兔对高寒草原调节作用的认识。无人机是执行监测广泛性图和研究鼠兔作用的可行且有效的工具。鼠兔的挖洞活动对土壤有机碳损失和植被生长有潜在影响。这些结果有利于提高我们对鼠兔对高寒草原调节作用的认识。无人机是执行监测广泛性图和研究鼠兔作用的可行且有效的工具。