Table 1. Selected characteristics of the experimental plots.
| Grassland types | Location | MAT † (°C) | MAP (mm) | Altitude(m) | Dominant species | Coverage (%) | Biomass (g m–2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine meadow | 31°52′15″N93°30′52″E | 3.1 | 572.9 | 4535 | Kobresia humilis Leontopodium nanum | 89 ± 7a ‡ | 147.01 ± 12.46a |
| Alpine steppe | 31°55′15″N 85°50’35″E | –1.9 | 150.0 | 4907 | Carex moorcroftii Leontopodium alpinum | 20 ± 2b | 51.23 ± 3.43b |
| Alpine desert | 32°29′49″N 80°08′6″E | 0.1 | 73.4 | 4294 | Ajania fruticulosa Stipa glareosa | 8 ± 2c | 14.36 ± 1.89c |
† MAT, mean annual temperature; MAP, mean annual precipitation
‡ The same small letters in different grassland type indicated no significant difference at P = 0.05 level.