Changes of soil labile organic carbon in different land uses in Sanjiang Plain,Heilongjiang Province

In the Sanjiang Plain,Northeast China,the natural wetland is undergoing a rapid conversion into agricultural land,which has resulted in drastic ecological changes in the region. To investigate the effects of different land uses on soil labile organic carbon,soils of Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland,Carex lasiocarpa wetland,dry farmland,paddy field,forest land and abandoned cultivated land were collected for measuring the contents of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC),dissolved organic carbon (DOC),readil...     

Land use effects on soil organic carbon,microbial biomass and microbial activity in Changbai Mountains of Northeast China

Land use changes are known to alter soil organic carbon （SOC） and microbial properties, however, information about how conversion of natural forest to agricultural land use as well as plantations affects SOC and microbial properties in the Changbai Moun- tains of Northeast China is meager. Soil carbon content, microbial biomass carbon （MBC）, basal respiration and soil carbon mineraliza- tion were studied in five selected types of land use： natural old-growth broad-leaved Korean pine mixed forest （NF）; spruce plantation （SP） established following clear-cutting of NF; cropland （CL）; ginseng farmland （GF） previously under NF; and a five-year Mongolian oak young forest （YF） reforested on an abandoned GF, in the Changbai Mountains of Northeast China in 2011. Results showed that SOC content was significantly lower in SP, CL, GF, and YF than in NF. MBC ranged from 304.4 mg/kg in CL to 1350.3 mg/kg in NF, which was significantly higher in the soil of NF than any soil of the other four land use types. The SOC and MBC contents were higher in SP soil than in CL, GF, and YF soils, yielding a significant difference between SP and CL. The value of basal respiration was also higher in NF than in SP, CL, GF, and YF. Simultaneously, higher values of the metabolic quotient were detected in CL, GF, and YF soils, indicat- ing low substrate utilization of the soil microbial community compared with that in NF and SP soil. The values of cumulative mineral- ized carbon and potentially mineralized carbon （Co） in NF were significantly higher than those in CL and GF, while no significant dif- ference was observed between NF and SP. In addition, YF had higher values of Co and C mineralization rate compared with GF. The results indicate that conversion from NF into agricultural land （CL and GF） uses and plantation may lead to a reduction in soil nutrients （SOC and MBC） and substrate utilization efficiency of the microbial community. By contrast, soils below SP were more conducive to the preservation of soil organic matter, which was reflected in the comparison of microbial indicators among CL, GF, and YF land uses. This study can provide data for evaluating soils nutrients under different land use types, and serve as references for the rational land use of natural forest in the study area.     

Soil organic carbon pool along different altitudinal level in the Sygera Mountains,Tibetan Plateau

Labile organic carbon (LOC) is one of the most important indicators of soil organic matter quality and dynamics elevation and plays important function in the Tibetan Plateau climate. However, it is unknown what the sources and causes of LOC contamination are. In this study, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) and LOC were analyzed based on different soil horizons and elevations using turnover time in an experimental site (3700 m to 4300 m area) in Sygera. SOC and LOC in higher-elevation vegetation types were higher than that of in lower-elevation vegetation types. Our results presented that the soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN) were positively correlated with SOC. The content of easily oxidized carbon (EOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and light fraction organic carbon (LFOC) decreased with depth increasing and the content were the lowest in the 60 cm to 100 cm depth. The total SOC, ROC and POC contents decreased with increasing soil horizons. The SOC, TN, MBC and MBN contents increased with increasing altitude in the Sygera Mountains. The MBC and MBN contents were different with the changes of SOC (p<0.05), meanwhile, both LFOC and POC were related to total SOC (p<0.05). The physical and chemical properties of soil, including temperature, humidity, and altitude, were involved in the regulation of SOC, TN, MBC, MBN and LFOC contents in the Sygera Mountains, Tibetan Plateau.     

Do mowing regimes affect plant and soil biological activity in the mountain meadows of Southern Poland?

The soil biological activity of mountain meadows is a significant factor that determines the health and utility of these regions. The climax stage of this area is forest, but to maintain semi-natural grassland, which is characterised by high biodiversity,low-intensity land use(mowing or grazing) is necessarily required. To understand the effect of various mowing regimes on the soil biological activity and plants, the soil microbial activity(microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase activity and number of the cultivable fraction of soil microbial community),annelids community(density and species composition earthworms and enchytraeids) and plant species composition were investigated. The study area was located in the Pieniny National Park in the Carpathian Mountains, in a meadow belonging to the association Dactylis glomerata-Poa trivialis. The investigated variants were divided according to mowing regime:traditional scything – hand mowing(HM), mechanical mowing(MM), or the abandonment of mowing – nonmowing(NM). The microbial activities(expressed by,e.g. microbial biomass carbon and the number of phosphorus bacteria) were affected by the mowing regime. The density of earthworms was higher in the HM and MM than in the NM variants. The largest changes in plant species composition were caused by the abandonment of mowing(NM). The mean number of plant species was positively correlated with soil moisture, earthworm density, and microbial activity(expressed indirectly by dehydrogenases activity). The soil microbial community, such as vegetative bacteria forms and ammonifying bacteria,were positively associated with pH value, and the microbial and total organic carbon content. The results presented here indicate that there is no single form of optimal management for all living organisms.Decisions about mowing regimes, or abandonment of use, should be preceded by multi-aspect studies,including plants and soil biota.     

Effects of seasonal variation on soil microbial community structure and enzyme activity in a Masson pine forest in Southwest China

Soil microbial communities and enzyme activities play key roles in soil ecosystems. Both are sensitive to changes in environmental factors,including seasonal temperature, precipitation variations and soil properties. To understand the interactive mechanisms of seasonal changes that affect soil microbial communities and enzyme activities in a subtropical masson pine(Pinus massoniana) forest, we investigated the soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities to identify the effect of seasonal changes on the soil microbial community for two years in Jinyun Mountain National Nature Reserve, Chongqing, China. The soil microbial community structure was investigated using phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs). The results indicated that a total of 36 different PLFAs were identified, and 16:0 was found in the highest proportions in the four seasons, moreover, the total PLFAs abundance were highest in spring and lowest in winter. Bacteria and actinomycetes were the dominant types in the study area. Seasonal changes also had a significant(P 0.05) influence on the soil enzyme activity. The maximum and minimum values of the invertase and catalase activities were observed in autumn and winter, respectively. However, the maximum and minimum values of the urease and phosphatase acid enzymatic activities were found in spring and winter, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis(CCA) analysis revealed that the seasonal shifts in soil community composition and enzyme activities were relatively more sensitive to soil moisture and temperature, but the microbial community structure and enzyme activity were not correlated with soil pH in the study region. This study highlights how the seasonal variations affect the microbial community and function(enzyme activity)to better understand and predict microbial responses to future climate regimes in subtropical area.     

Effects of experimental warming on soil microbial communities in two contrasting subalpine forest ecosystems,eastern Tibetan Plateau,China

Soil microbial communities are primarily regulated by environmental temperature. Our study investigated the effects of global warming on soil microbial community composition as measured via phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and soil chemical characteristics in relation to soil depth in a dragon spruce plantation and a spruce-fir-dominated natural forestin the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Open-top chambers were utilized to increase the soil and air temperature. Soil samples were collected from the 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm layers after a 4-year warming. Our results showed that the soil microbial community and the contents of TC (Total carbon), TN (Total nitrogen), NO ₃ ^- , and NH ₄ ⁺ responded differently to warming in the two contrasting forests, especially at the 0-10 cm soil depth. Warming increased soil microbial biomass at the 0-20 cm depth of soil in natural forest but reduced it at the 0-10 cm depth ofsoil in the plantation. In contrast, the TC and TN contents were reduced in most soil layers of a natural forest but increased in all of the soil layers of the plantation under warming conditions. This result suggested that the effects of warming on soil microbial community and soil C and N pools would differ according to soil depth and forest types; thus, the two contrasting forests would under go differing changes following the future climate warming in this region.     

Changes in microbial community composition in the leaf litter of successional communities after volcanic eruptions of Mount Usu,northern Japan

Changes in the fungal and bacterial biomass and community structure in litter after the volcanic eruptions of Mount Usu, northern Japan were investigated using a chronosequence approach, which is widely used for analyzing vegetation succession. The vegetation changed from bare ground(10 years after the eruptions) with little plant cover and poor soil to monotonic grassland dominated by Polygonum sachalinense with undeveloped soil(33 years) and then to deciduous broad-leaved forest dominated by Populus maximowiczii with diverse species composition and well-developed soil(100 years). At three chronosequential sites, we evaluated the compositions of phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs), carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) contents and the isotope ratios of C(δ13C) and N(δ15N) in the litter of two dominant species, Polygonum sachalinense and Populus maximowiczii. The C/N ratio, δ13C and δ15N in the litter of these two species were higher in the forest than that in the bare ground and grassland. The PLFAs gradually increased from the bare ground to the forest, showing that microbial biomass increased with the development of the soil and/or vegetation. The fungi-to-bacteria ratio of PLFA was constant at 5.3 ± 1.4 in all three sites, suggesting that fungi were predominant. A canonical correspondence analysis suggested that the PLFA composition was related tothe successional ages and the developing soil properties(P 0.05, ANOSIM). The chronosequential analysis effectively detected the successional changes in both microbial and plant communities.     

Effects of vegetation coverage and seasonal change on soil microbial biomass and community structure in the dry-hot valley region

Soil microorganisms are sensitive indicator of soil health and quality. Understanding the effects of vegetation biomass and seasonal change on soil microorganisms is vital to evaluate the soil quality and implement vegetation restoration. This study analyzed the soil phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in fresh and withered Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) vegetation conditions in different seasons. The results showed that vegetation biomass and seasonal change significantly affected microbial biomass and its community structure. Both fresh and withered Kudzu cover significantly increased soil microbial biomass, and the growth effect of microbes in the soil with fresh Kudzu cover was more obvious than that with withered Kudzu cover. Compared with the dry season, the rainy season significantly increased the microbial biomass and the B/F (the ratio of bacterial to fungal PLFAs) ratio but dramatically reduced the G+/G- (the ratio of gram-positive to gram-negative bacteria PLFAs). Kudzu cover and seasonal change had a significant effect on microbial structure in soil covered by higher vegetation biomass. Furthermore, soil temperature and moisture had different correlations with specific microbial biomass in the two seasons. Our findings highlight the effect of Kudzu vine cover on the soil microenvironment and soil microhabitat, enhancing the soil quality in the Dry-hot Valley of Jinsha River, Southwest China.     

A study of soil-dynamics based on a simulated drought in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Extreme weather events have played an important role in driving the ecosystem dynamics in high altitude areas,but the underlying mechanism remains unclear.To understand if and how the soil processes of an ecosystem react to extreme drought,we manipulated a once-in-a-century meteorological extreme drought in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau,which is also known as the "forerunner of global weather changes".The extremity was determined by statistical extreme weather events with respect to a historical reference period from April to September during 1962-2004,where the local historical precipitation data was calculated and intensified to 100-year recurrent drought event with GumbelⅠdistribution.The indicators we measured included soil microbial biomass C/N/P and soil enzymatic activities of phosphatase(AP) disbounding organic phosphate,cellobiohydrolase(CBH),βglucocidase(BG),N-releasing enzyme N-acetylglucosaminidase(NAG) as well as soil respirations,during and after the treatments.It was found that the manipulated event induced a rapid shift in microbial biomass and activities,indicating a lower resistance of the underground process.However,the microbial and biochemical parameters saw rapid recovery after the event,which meant the soil processes enjoyed high resilience.The high responsiveness and lag-time effects of the soil indicators rendered new horizons for us to evaluate the interaction between the extremes and the ecosystem stability.Our study indicated that the once-in-a-century extreme drought induced very short term response in the soil biotic process,and the soil processes worked to buffer against such events under the observation period.     

Response of artificial grassland carbon stock to management in mountain region of Southern Ningxia,China

Grassland is a major carbon sink in the terrestrial ecosystem. The dynamics of grassland carbon stock profoundly influence the global carbon cycle. In the published literatures so far, however, there are limited studies on the long-term dynamics and influential factors of grassland carbon stock, including soil organic carbon. In this study, spatial-temporal substitution method was applied to explore the characteristics of Medicago sativa L.(alfalfa) grassland biomass carbon and soil organic carbon density(SOCD) in a loess hilly region with different growing years and management patterns. The results demonstrated that alfalfa was the mono-dominant community during the cutting period(viz. 0–10 year). Community succession began after the abandonment of alfalfa grassland and then the important value of alfalfa in the community declined. The artificial alfalfa community abandoned for 30 years was replaced by the S. bungeana community. Accordingly, the biomass carbon density of the clipped alfalfa showed a significant increase over the time during 0–10 year. During 0–30 year, the SOCD from 0–100 cm of the soil layer of all 5 management patterns increased over time with a range between 5.300 ± 0.981 kg/m2 and 12.578 ± 0.863 kg/m2. The sloping croplands had the lowest SOCD at 5.300 ± 0.981 kg/m2 which was quite different from the abandoned grasslands growing for 30 years which exhibited the highest SOCD with 12.578 ± 0.863 kg/m2. The ecosystem carbon density of the grassland clipped for 2 years increased 0.1 kg/m2 compared with the sloping cropland, while that of the grassland clipped for 10 years substantially increased to 10.30 ± 1.26 kg/m2. Moreover, the ecosystem carbon density for abandoned grassland became 12.62 ± 0.50 kg/m2 at 30 years. The carbon density of the grassland undisturbed for 10 years was similar to that of the sloping cropland and the grassland clipped for 2 years. Different management patterns imposed great different effects on the accumulation of biomass carbon on artificial grasslands, whereas the ecosystem carbon density of the grassland showed a slight increase from the clipping to abandonment of grassland in general.     

Variations of bacterial and fungal communities along a primary successional chronosequence in the Hailuogou glacier retreat area (Gongga Mountain,SW China)

New terrestrial habitats have emerged and a primary succession has developed in the retreat area(29°34'N, 102°00'E, 2951–2886 m) after the retreat of the Hailuogou glacier. To investigate soil microbial changes along the primary successional chronosequence, mixed soil samples were collected at six sites at different ages(2 young sites, 2 mid-aged sites, and 2 old sites). The RNA was extracted and amplified. Bacterial 16 S r RNA and fungal 18 S r RNA were analyzed using high-throughput 454 pyrosequencing analysis. Overall, pyrosequencing showed that Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were the main bacterial phyla, and the fungal communities were strongly dominated by the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota in the retreat area. The Shannon diversity index(Hshannon) of bacteria was 6.5 – 7.9, and that of fungi was 2.2 – 4.1 in these sites. For the bacterial communities, diversity and evenness values were highest on the mid-age sites and wererelatively low on the young and old sites. A similar trend was observed for the fungal communities. In contrast, soil properties showed significant linear distributional trends(increase or decrease) with the age of the site. Combining the linear change patterns of soil properties, the highest values of bacterial and fungal evenness and diversity in the mid-aged sites indicated that there was less environmental stress and more niches for microbial communities in the middle successional stage compare with other stages. In addition, our analysis showed that microbial communities were the main drivers that build a soil organic matter pool to expedite pedogenesis for ecosystem succession. This primary succession in the Hailuogou glacier retreat area is developing rapidly compared with that in other glacier retreats.     

Soil and vegetation seasonal changes in the grazing Andean Mountain grasslands

Andean grasslands ecosystems are fragile environments with rigorous climatologic conditions and low and variable food for the grazing. The Apolobamba area is located in the Bolivian Andean Mountains. Its high grasslands provide a natural habitat for wild and domestic camelids such as vicuna（Vicugna vicugna） and alpaca（Lama pacos）. The botanical diversity plays an essential role in maintaining vital ecosystem functions. The objectives of this research were to determine the seasonal changes in soil properties, to study the vegetation changes during the wet and dry seasons and the influence of soil properties and camelid densities on the vegetation in the Apolobamba grasslands. Four zones with different vicuna populations were selected to be studied. The following soil parameters were determined： total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable cations, pH and texture. The vegetation season changes were studied through botanical identification, above-ground biomass, plant cover and species richness. Results showed that some soil properties such as C/N ratio, CEC, silt and clay percentages kept stable against the seasonal changes. Generally, soil nutrients were relatively higher during the dry season in the surface and subsurface. The results did not point out the predominant vegetation growth during the wet season. The seasonal vegetation growth depended on each species. Thegood soil fertility corresponded to the highest plant cover. Soil fertility presented no influence on the above-ground biomass of the collected species. The negative influence of camelid grazing on soil properties could not be assessed. However, overgrazing could affect some plant species. Therefore, protection is needed in order to preserve the biodiversity in the Andean mountain grasslands.     

Degradation stage effects on vegetation and soil properties interactions in alpine steppe

In recent decades,overgrazing and the warming and drying climate have resulted in significant degradation of alpine grasslands in the source region of the Yellow River.However,research into the relationships between vegetation and soil properties has mainly focused on an overall degradation stage,and few studies have investigated which soil properties can impact vegetation change at different stages of degradation.Vegetation and soil properties were observed in the field and measured in the laboratory for different predefined stages of degradation for alpine grassland in Maduo County in the source region of the Yellow River.Results show that:1)the aboveground and belowground biomass,soil organic carbon,total nitrogen,nitrate,and ammonia content did not decrease significantly from the intact to moderate degradation stage,but decreased significantly at severe and very severe stages of degradation;2)dominant plant species shifted from gramineaes and sedges to forbs;3)the species richness and Pielou evenness indices decreased significantly at the very severe degradation stage,the Shannon-Wiener diversity index increased at the slight and moderate degradation,but decreased at the severe and very severe degradation stages;4)soil bulk density was the strongest soil driver for changes in the plant biomass and community diversity at the intact,slight and moderate degradation stages,whereas soil organic carbon and nitrate nitrogen content were the main driving factors for changes in plant biomass and diversity at the severe and very severe degradation stages.Our results suggest that there may be different interactions between soil properties and plants before and after moderate stages of degradation.     

HISTORICAL DESERTIFICATION PROCESS IN HEXI CORRIDOR, CHINA

1IN TR O D U CTIO NH istoricdaelsertificatiisonnotonlythekeyissueon theinteractiobnetweennatureandhuman proces,sbutalsothemost challenginigssueinthecomplex reltaionshipbetweenhuman andland.Previousl,ymostChinesesci-entistisnthisfieldcarrieoduttheiresearch…     

Soil microbial community composition and its driving factors in alpine grasslands along a mountain elevational gradient

Understanding the vertical distribution patterns of soil microbial community and its driving factors in alpine grasslands in the humid regions of the Tibet Plateau might be of great significance for predicting the soil microbial community of this type of vegetation in response to environmental change.Using phospholipid fatty acids(PLFA),we investigated soil microbial community composition along an elevational gradient(3094~4131 m above sea level) on Mount Yajiageng,and we explored the impact of plant functional groups and soil chemistry on the soil microbial community.Except for Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi(AM fungi) biomarker18:2ω6,9 increasing significantly,other biomarkers did not show a consistent trend with the elevational gradient.Microbial biomass quantified by total PLFAs did not show the elevational trend and had mean values ranging from 1.64 to 4.09 μmol per g organic carbon(OC),which had the maximum value at the highest site.Bacterial PLFAs exhibited a similar trend with total PLFAs,and its mean values ranged from0.82 to 1.81 μmol(g OC)~(-1).The bacterial to fungal biomass ratios had the minimum value at the highest site,which might be related to temperature and soil total nitrogen(TN).The ratios of Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria had a significantly negative correlation with soil TN and had the maximum value at the highest site.Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN explained 58% of the total variation in the soil microbial community and could achieve the same interpretation as the whole model.Other factors may influence the soil microbial community through interaction with leguminous plant coverage and soil TN.Soil chemistry and plant functional group composition in substantial amounts explained different parts of the variation within the soil microbial community,and the interaction between them had no impact on the soil microbial community maybe because long-term grazing greatly reduces litter.In sum,although there were obvious differences in soil microbial communities along the elevation gradient,there were no clear elevational trends found in general.Plant functional groups and soil chemistry respectively affect the different aspects of soil microbial community.Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN had important effects in shaping soil microbial community.     

Vegetation traits and soil properties in response to utilization patterns of grassland in Hulun Buir City,Inner Mongolia,China

Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human disturbance （e.g., grazing, mowing and fencing） triggered significant variation of biomass partitioning and carbon reallocation. Besides, there existed some differences of species diversity and soil fertility. To address these hypotheses of grassland with diverse utilization patterns in Hulun Buir City, Inner Mongolia, China, we sampled in situ about aboveground biomass （AGB） and belowground biomass （BGB） to evaluate their biomass allocation. Species diversity and soil properties were also investigated. Subsequently, we discussed the relationship of species diversity with environmental conditions, using data collected from 23 sites during the ecological project period of Returning Grazing Lands to Grasslands （RGLG） program. The results were as follows： 1） both AGB and BGB were lower on grazing regime than those on fencing and mowing, but the ratio of root-to-shoot （R/S） was higher on grazing regime than the other two utilization patterns; 2） neither of evenness and Simpson Index was different significantly among all grassland utilization patterns in desert, typical, and meadow grassland at 0.05. In meadow grassland, species richness of fencing pattern was significantly higher than that of grazing pattern （p 〈 0.05）; 3） both of soil organic carbon content and soil available phosphorous content were increased significantly on fencing pattern than grazing pattern （p 〈 0.05） in desert grassland, and mowing patterns increased the soil nutrients （soil organic carbon, soil total phosphorous, soil available phosphorous, and soil total nitrogen） significantly compared with grazing patterns （p 〈 0.05） in typical grassland. However, there were no significant differences among utilization patterns in meadow grassland. In conclusion, both of AGB and BGB were increased s     

Responses of Dodonaea viscosa growth and soil biological properties to nitrogen and phosphorus additions in Yuanmou dry-hot valley

Nitrogen(N) and phosphorus(P) are limited nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems, and their limitation patterns are being changed by the increase in N deposition. However, little information concerns the plant growth and the soil biological responses to N and P additions among different soils simultaneously, and these responses may contribute to understand plant-soil interaction and predict plant performance under global change. Thus, this study aimed to explore how N and P limitation changes in different soil types, and reveal the relationship between plant and soil biological responses to nutrient additions. We planted Dodonaea viscosa, a globally distributed species in three soil types(Lixisols, Regosols and Luvisols) in Yuanmou dry-hot valley in Southwest China and fertilized them factorially with N and P. The growth and biomass characters of D. viscosa, soil organic matter, available N, P contents and soil carbon(C), N, P-related enzyme activities were quantified. N addition promoted the growth and leaf N concentration of D. viscosa in Lixisols; N limitation in Lixisols was demonstrated by lower soil available N with higher urease activity. P addition promoted the growth and leaf P concentration of D. viscosa in Luvisols; severe P limitation in Luvisols was demonstrated by a higher soil available N: P ratio with higher phosphatase activity. Urease activity was negatively correlated with soil available N in Nlimited Lixisols, and phosphatase activity was negatively correlated with soil available P in P-limited Luvisols. Besides, the aboveground biomass and leaf N concentration of D. viscosa were positively correlated with soil available N in Lixisols, but the aboveground biomass was negatively correlated with soil available P. Our results show similar nutrient limitation patterns between plant and soil microorganism in the condition of enough C, and the nutrient limitations differ across soil types. With the continued N deposition, N limitation of the Lixisols in dry hot valleys is expected to be alleviated, while P limitation of the Luvisols in the mountaintop may be worse in the future, which should be considered when restoring vegetation.     

The Response of Vegetation Biomass to Soil Properties along Degradation Gradients of Alpine Meadow at Zoige Plateau

Alpine grassland of the Tibetan Plateau has undergone severe degradation, even desertification. However, several questions remain to be answered, especially the response mechanisms of vegetation biomass to soil properties. In this study, an experiment on degradation gradients was conducted in an alpine meadow at the Zoige Plateau in 2017. Both vegetation characteristics and soil properties were observed during the peak season of plant growth. The classification and regression tree model(CART) and structural equation modelling(SEM) were applied to screen the main factors that govern the vegetation dynamics and explore the interaction of these screened factors. Both aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) experienced a remarkable decrease along the degradation gradients. All soil properties experienced significant variations along the degradation gradients at the 0.05 significance level. Soil physical and chemical properties explained 54.78% of the variation in vegetation biomass along the degradation gradients. AGB was mainly influenced by soil water content(SWC), soil bulk density(SBD), soil organic carbon(SOC), soil total nitrogen(STN), and pH. Soil available nitrogen(SAN), SOC and p H, had significant influence on BGB. Most soil properties had positive effects on AGB and BGB, while SBD and p H had a slightly negative effect on AGB and BGB. The correlations of SWC with AGB and BGB were relatively less significant than those of other soil properties. Our results highlighted that the soil properties played important roles in regulating vegetation dynamics along the degradation gradients and that SWC is not the main factor limiting plant growth in the humid Zoige region. Our results can provide guidance for the restoration and improvement of degraded alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau.     

Soil microbial population dynamics along a chronosequence of moist evergreen broad-leaved forest succession in southwestern China

Little is known about whether soil microbial population dynamics are correlated with forest succession.To test the hypotheses that(1) soil microbial composition changes over successional stages,and(2) soil microbial diversity is positively correlated with plant species diversity,we determined the soil microbial populations,community composition,and microflora diversity in evergreen broad-leaved forests along a chronosequence of vegetation succession from 5 to 300 years in southwestern China.The soil microbi...     

Physico-chemical properties and enzyme activities of the arable soils in Lhasa, Tibet, China

An understanding of the physical,chemical,and biological properties of a soil provides a basis for soil use and management.This paper reports the major physico-chemical properties and enzyme activities of the soils of Lhasa’s main arable lands and the factors that influence these soil properties.Composite and core samples were taken from the three main arable soil types(alluvial soil,subalpine arable steppe soil,and subalpine arable meadow soil) and were analysed using standard methods.The bulk density and the ventilation porosity ratio of the soils were close to the recommended values for arable lands,and the dominant soil texture was sandy.The soil moisture release rates were arable steppe soil > alluvial soil > arable meadow soil.Soil organic matter content,Cation-Exchange Capacity(CEC),total and available nitrogen content,and catalase activity of the arable meadow soil were higher than those of the alluvial and the arable steppe soils,while soil pH in the arable meadow was lower.Most of the measured properties did not show a significant variance among these three soils.However,the measured indices(apart from the total potassium) indicate that there are notable differences among the three types of soil.The results implied that the utilisation patterns of the arable soil or human activities,such as tillage practices and fertiliser applications,have a substantialeffect on the soil properties in this region.Our results suggest that the cultivation practices in the region have apparently positive impact on the soil organic matter,nutrient contents and bulk density probably due to the sound fertiliser management such as the applications of farmyard manure and chemical fertilisers.However,intense cultivation practices lowered the activity of most soil enzymes.The results demonstrate that the choice of soil management strategy had a significant impact on the soil physicochemical and biological properties in the region studied.