荒漠草原广泛分布于内蒙古高原中部、阴山山脉以北地区，是中国北疆的绿色生态屏障，亦是重要的畜牧业生产基地。由于其旱生生境及地域过渡性，显示出该生态系统的独特性和脆弱性，对人为干扰响应敏感。放牧利用的荒漠草原70%以上已发生退化，且退化程度和退化速度还在增加。为探寻草地在保护中利用，在利用中恢复的可持续利用途径及其植被稳定性维持机制，本项目以内蒙古高原短花针茅荒漠草原为研究对象，采用放牧强度季节调控作为试验处理，结合物种多样性、种间关系、生态位、空间格局等数量生态研究方法，对草地植物种群、功能群、群落和潜在植物种群（种子库）的时空变化对应特点和相互联系进行系统研究，确定放牧强度季节调控下植被稳定性维持的因子标识及阈值，阐释荒漠草原植被抗干扰能力和干扰后恢复能力的生态学过程及稳定性维持机制，确定最佳放牧利用调控方式，为草地生态环境保护和草地的合理利用以及草地畜牧业的可持续发展提供理论依据。

Desert steppe is the green ecological barrier of Northern China and important animal husbandry base, which widely distribute in central Inner Mongolia Plateau and north of Yinshan Mountains. The uniqueness and fragility of ecosystem is sensitive to human disturbance due to the arid habitats and geographical transition. More than 70% desert steppe for grazing degraded, and the degree and rate of degradation is increasing. To explore the sustainable utilization, protection, recovery, and vegetation maintaining stability mechanism of grassland, the project takes Stipa breviflora desert steppe of Mongolian Plateau as example, using seasonal regulation of grazing intensity as experimental treatment. The quantitative ecological methods combined with species diversity, inter-species relationships, niche and spatial pattern to systematically discuss the corresponding characteristics of temporal and spatial variation, linkages of grassland populations, functional populations, and communities and potential plant populations (seed banks). The aims are to determine stability maintainable factors and threshold under seasonal regulation of grazing intensity, interpret ecological processes and stability maintaining mechanism of vegetation anti-interference ability and recovery capability after interference in desert steppe, determine the optimal way for grazing, and provide a theoretical basis for protecting grassland ecological environment, rational use, and sustainable development of grassland animal husbandry.