Abstract Alpine steppe is one of the most important grassland ecosystems on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), which has been greatly degraded in past decades. However, few studies have paid attention to the ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) of restored degraded alpine steppes. Four treatments of alpine steppes (degraded alpine steppes, cultivated alpine steppes, fenced alpine steppes and intact alpine steppes) were investigated to explore the effect of treatment, biotic (above- and belowground community composition) and abiotic factors (pH and soil moisture) on restoring nine ecosystem functions (above- and belowground plant biomass, plant nitrogen content, soil organic carbon, soil nitrogen, soil phosphorus, soil microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen and microbial biomass phosphorus) and EMF of alpine steppe ecosystem in Madoi County of Qinghai Province, China. Our results showed that both grassland cultivation and fencing significantly promoted EMF of the degraded alpine steppes. Aboveground plant community composition was more significantly correlated with EMF of the alpine steppes than belowground soil community composition in the process of ecological restoration. Combining abiotic factors with biotic factors could improve the ability to explain EMF than biotic factors alone. Overall, aboveground community composition and soil moisture played determining roles in restoring EMF of alpine steppes.

中文翻译：

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青藏高原高寒草原地上群落组成和土壤水分在恢复生态系统多功能性中起决定性作用

摘要 高寒草原是青藏高原最重要的草原生态系统之一，在过去的几十年里已经严重退化。然而，很少有研究关注恢复退化的高山草原的生态系统多功能性（EMF）。对高山草原（退化的高山草原、人工栽培的高山草原、围栏的高山草原和完整的高山草原）进行了四种处理，以探讨处理、生物（地上和地下群落组成）和非生物因素（pH 值和土壤水分）对高山草原的影响恢复九种生态系统功能（地上和地下植物生物量、植物氮含量、土壤有机碳、土壤氮、土壤磷、土壤微生物生物量碳、青海省马多县高寒草原生态系统微生物生物量氮和微生物生物量磷）和 EMF。我们的结果表明，草地种植和围栏都显着促进了退化的高山草原的 EMF。在生态恢复过程中，与地下土壤群落组成相比，高寒草原地上植物群落组成与EMF的相关性更显着。与单独的生物因素相比，将非生物因素与生物因素相结合可以提高解释 EMF 的能力。总体而言，地上群落组成和土壤水分在恢复高山草原的 EMF 方面发挥了决定性作用。在生态恢复过程中，与地下土壤群落组成相比，高寒草原地上植物群落组成与EMF的相关性更显着。与单独的生物因素相比，将非生物因素与生物因素相结合可以提高解释 EMF 的能力。总体而言，地上群落组成和土壤水分在恢复高山草原的 EMF 方面发挥了决定性作用。在生态恢复过程中，与地下土壤群落组成相比，高寒草原地上植物群落组成与EMF的相关性更显着。与单独的生物因素相比，将非生物因素与生物因素相结合可以提高解释 EMF 的能力。总体而言，地上群落组成和土壤水分在恢复高山草原的 EMF 方面发挥了决定性作用。