Abstract:Understanding the effects of mowing and fertilizer on pasture land is critical for effective management. This study, at the Pasture Land Station of Maqu in southern Gansu, examined the effects of 4 fertilizer addition levels and 6 mowing intensities on community structure and plant aboveground biomass. Our result showed that species richness decreased along fertilizing gradients, and the soil fertility treatments significantly affected aboveground biomass, with 30g/m2(NH4) 2HPO4 resulting in the highest levels of aboveground biomass. The mowing treatment did not significantly affect aboveground biomass. The soil fertility and mowing treatments significantly affected community compensation ability. These results indicated that community compensation ability was directly related to the soil fertility levels, so that fertilizer can enhanced community compensation. Different fertilizer levels and mowing treatments had different effects on compensatory responseswith compensation ablity increasing along fertilizing gradients. The least fertile soil and 30g/m2(NH4)2HPO4 with one mowing event had a compensation ability two times greater than other treatment combinations. The 60g/m2(NH4)2HPO4 soil fertility treatment and 120g/m2(NH4)2HPO4 with two mowing events resulted in lower compensation ability.