Effects of dune stabilization on vegetation characteristics and soil properties at multiple scales in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Ecological patterns and processes in dune ecosystems have been a research focus in recent years, however information on how dune stabilization influences vegetation and soil at different spatial scales...     

浑善达克沙地土地沙漠化过程中土壤粒度与养分变化研究

浑善达克沙地土壤空间异质性大,流动沙丘粒度组成和非沙漠化土地养分含量都存在极显著差异。随着土地沙漠化的发展,土壤表层通常形成粗化层,土壤中的重要养分有机碳（SOC）和全氮（TN）的含量显著下降,且SOC含量比TN含量存在更大的空间差异和随沙漠化土地发展更快的下降速率,致使土壤表层C/N值存在明显下降趋势。沙漠化土地表层土壤中SOC含量和TN含量与土壤粘粒含量和粗粉沙含量之间存在很好的相关性,尤其与土壤粘粒含量的相关性非常高;而且与TN含量的相关性高于与SOC含量的相关性。各种原因引起的土壤风蚀是造成沙漠化发展中土壤过程的主要动力因素,严重影响着土壤的稳定与土壤细物质和养分的迁移。     

科尔沁沙地植被恢复过程中群落组成及多样性演变特征

流动沙丘、固定沙丘和沙质草地均是科尔沁沙地土地沙化的产物,植被恢复重建则是该区域流沙治理的主要措施,理解植被恢复过程中群落组成及植物多样性演变特征有利于沙地植被恢复和生态重建.本研究基于连续15年对科尔沁沙地流动沙丘、固定沙丘和沙质草地长期植物群落结构调查数据,分析了 3种沙地类型植物群落年际变化特征及不同生活型植物年...     

科尔沁沙地沙漠化过程中土壤有机碳含量变化特征及影响因素北大核心CSCD

科尔沁沙地是中国半干旱地区沙漠化发展的典型地区和沙漠化防治的重点区域。本研究以科尔沁沙地为研究区域,以沙漠化逆转不同阶段的沙地为研究对象,通过野外调查和室内分析,采用空间代替时间的方法,在区域尺度上探讨了土壤有机碳对沙漠化过程的响应规律,并结合气候、植被和地形因子阐释了该区域土壤有机碳空间变异的主导因素。结果表明:(1)土壤有机碳含量随沙漠化程度的加剧表现出疏林草地(未沙漠化)>固定沙地(轻度沙漠化)>半固定沙地(中度沙漠化)>半流动沙地(重度沙漠化)>流动沙地(极重度沙漠化)。(2)固定沙地、半固定沙地、半流动沙地和流动沙地土壤有机碳密度分别比疏林草地降低了29.1%、49.3%、62.9%和84.1%。(3)随着沙漠化的发展,土壤质地发生粗化现象,即中、细砂粒含量明显增加,而土壤细颗粒(极细砂和黏粉粒)含量明显下降。(4)科尔沁沙地沙漠化过程中,土壤黏粉粒的损失是土壤粗化、有机碳含量下降的主要原因,而pH的变化受沙漠化影响较小。(5)气候因子是导致SOC含量受经纬度影响的主要因素,而地形因子的影响次之。     

Community succession along a chronosequence of vegetation restoration on sand dunes in Horqin Sandy Land

Species diversity influences plant community structure and function. This paper examines the patterns and dynamics of species diversity along a chronosequence of vegetation recovery on sand dunes in a semi-arid region to assess the probability of vegetation recovery via succession, and provides some implications for revegetation practices in this region. Species richness and diversity indices gradually increased with succession, except for a decline in the community of 18 years, which is attributed to the strong dominance of Artemisia halodendron. In each stage of the restoration process, there was a dominant species with particular life history traits which contribute to the dominance of this species. Species replacement and habitat changes were the main drivers of succession, while plant species and community succession drove the process of vegetation recovery. Results showed that restoration via succession holds promise for vegetation recovery and desertification control within protected, fenced enclosures.     

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization in soils along a desertification gradient in the semiarid Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

This experiment was conducted in three sites along a desertification gradient in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China. Soils una-mended and amended with five types of plant residue in a wide range of C:N ratios from 9.9 to 82.2 were incubated for 70 days, during which C and N mineralization were measured. Along the desertification gradient from fixed sand dune to semifixed, and mobile sand dune: cumulative CO2-C produced from the unamended soils was 231.6, 193.3 and 61.9 μg/g, respectively, while net inorganic N was 22.9, 17.6 and 0.9 mg/kg. Soils amended with residues produced more CO2-C than the unamended soils across all sites. During the first 10 days, C mineralization rate of residue-amended soils decreased with the increase of C:N ratio at each site. However, the mineralization rates were poorly correlated with the C:N ratio in subsequent stage of incubation. Soils of mobile sand dune amended with higher C:N ratio (more than 32) residues produced less CO2-C than that of fixed and semifixed sand dune. NO3--N was the predominant form of inorganic N during the mineralization process in sandy soils. Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) can be regarded as a predictor of the speed of N mineralization in sandy soil. The more C. microphylla residue with the lowest C:N ratio (9.9) added in soils, the more net inorganic N released. Our results suggest that C. microphylla residue when added to soil would potentially provide short-term plant available N and improve the soil quality in sandy land. The desertification process postponed the release of inorganic N from plant residues.     

Vertical distribution of Artemisia halodendron root system in relation to soil properties in Horqin Sandy Land, NE China

Root distribution plays an important role in both vegetation establishment and restoration of degraded land through influencing soil property and vegetation growth. Root distribution at 0~60 cm depth of A. halodendron was investigated in Horqin Sandy Land. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (SN) concentration as well as carbon and nitrogen in root biomass and necromass were measured. Root length density (RLD) was estimated. Total root biomass, necromass and the RLD at 0~60 cm depth was 172 g/m², 245 g/m², and 368 m/m², respectively. Both biomass and necromass of A. halodendron roots decreased with soil depth, live roots were mainly at 0~20 cm (76% of biomass and 63% of root length), while 73% of the necromass was within 0~30 cm depth. N concentration of roots (biomass and necromass) was about 1.0% and 1.5%, respectively. There were significant differences in SOC concentration between soil layers, but insignificant for SN. Soil C/N ratio decreased with depth (P<0.05). C and N storage for belowground system at 0~60 cm decreased markedly with depth; 41.4% of C and 31.7% of N were allocated to the 0~10 cm layer. Root bio- and necromass together contained similar amount of C to that of the soil itself in the top layer. N stock was dominated by soil nitrogen at all depths, but more so in deeper layers. It is clear that differentiating between soil layers will aid in interpreting A. halodendron efficiency in soil restoration in sandy land.     

Vertical distribution of soil moisture and surface sandy soil wind erosion for different types of sand dune on the southeastern margin of the Mu Us Sandy Land, China

Soil moisture is a critical state affecting a variety of land surface and subsurface processes. We report investigation results of the factors controlling vertical variation of soil moisture and sand transport rate of three types of dunes on the southeastern margin of the Mu Us Sandy Land. Samples were taken from holes drilled to a depth of 4 m at different topographic sites on the dunes, and were analyzed for soil moisture, grain-size distribution and surface sediment discharge. The results show that: (1) The average soil moisture varies in different types of dunes, with the following sequences ordered from highest to lowest: in the shrubs-covered dunes and the trees-covered dunes the sequence is from inter-dunes lowland to windward slope to leeward slope. The average moisture in the bare-migratory sand dunes is sequenced from inter-dunes lowland to leeward slope to windward slope. (2) Vegetation form and surface coverage affect the range of soil moisture of different types of dunes in the same topographic position. The coefficient of variation of soil moisture for shrubs-covered dunes is higher than that of other types of dune. (3) The effect of shrubs on dune soil moisture is explained in terms of the greater ability of shrubs to trap fine-grained atmospheric dust and hold moisture. (4) The estimated sand transport rates over sand dunes with sparse shrubs are less than those over bare-migratory dunes or sand dunes with sparse trees, indicating that shrubs are more effective in inhibiting wind erosion in the sandy land area.     

土地覆盖类型对科尔沁沙地南缘土壤有机碳储量的影响

研究了科尔沁沙地南缘土地覆盖由流动沙地向人工林地、农田及固定沙地等转变后,0~60 cm土层有机碳储量的变化。结果表明：农田土壤有机碳含量增加最明显,为流动沙地的3.97倍且相同层间差异均显著;樟子松（Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica）林地、新疆杨（Populus alba var. pyramidalis）林地、小叶锦鸡儿（Caragana microphylla）群落土壤有机碳含量较流动沙地分别增加79.78%、138.20%、73.07%,差异主要在0~20 cm土层;围封草地和中度放牧草地分别增加116.85%和133.71%,差异主要在0~40 cm土层;固定沙地比流动沙地增加49.44%,差异主要在0~20 cm土层。土地覆盖类型转变后,由于受到土壤容重的影响,土壤有机碳密度在0~20 cm土层变化较明显。8种土地覆盖类型可分为4组：CL1（农田）、CL2（新疆杨林地、围封草地、中度放牧草地）、CL3（樟子松林地、小叶锦鸡儿群落、固定沙地）和CL4（流动沙地）。另外,土壤有机碳含量和密度在土壤剖面上的分布也随着土地覆盖类型的变化而不同。     

科尔沁沙地植被的统计学特征与土地沙漠化

科尔沁沙地植被的统计学特征及其与沙漠化的关系的分析结果表明: 科尔沁沙地不同的植被特征其频率曲线有很大差异。其中, 高度、盖度、地上生物量和均匀度均为比较陡峭的单峰曲线, 密度为C型曲线, 种的丰富度和饱和度为双峰曲线, 多样性为抛物线型曲线。其发生频率, 固定半固定沙地742%的样地植被高度≤18cm、909%的盖度≥40%、591%的密度>300株·m^-2、80.4%的生物量小于210和大于60g·m^-2、81.8%的丰富度指数≥10个种、83.3%的多样性>1.5, 56.1%的均匀度≤0.2000, 而流动半流动沙地68.8%的植被高度≥18cm、68.8%的盖度≤30%、81.3%的密度<100株·m^-2、75.1%的生物量≤90g·m^-2, 100%的丰富度≤7个种、75%的多样性<1.5000, 75%的均匀度指数>0.2000。植被主要特征的变异系数0.37~1.12, 并且随着沙漠化的发展植被趋于简单、稀疏、生物量急剧下降, 变异性增强。由于科尔沁沙地的主体是固定半固定沙地(80%), 其植被的主要特征、频率曲线的主体部分和峰值都是由固定半固定沙地植被决定的。     

Effects of land-use changes on organic carbon in bulk soil and associated physical fractions in China's Horqin Sandy Grassland

The Horqin Sandy Grassland is one of the most seriously desertified areas in China's agro-pastoral ecotone due to its fragile ecology, combined with improper and unsustainable land management. We inves...     

科尔沁沙质草地不同恢复年限草本层群落结构及其与土壤理化性质的关系

草本植物在沙地植被恢复过程中具有重要作用,研究自然恢复沙质草地草本层植物群落组成变化规律及其与土壤因子之间的关系,对植被与土壤恢复具有重要的意义.本研究对科尔沁严重退化沙地封育12、17年和20年的自然恢复沙质草地植物组成和土壤理化性质进行研究,同时分析了植物组成与土壤因子的相关关系.结果表明:随着恢复年限的增加,土壤...     

科尔沁沙地的土地利用与沙漠化

根据1985年和2000年的土地利用数据和从相同时期的TM影象上提取的土地沙漠化数据, 运用ARC/INFO软件和Access统计软件, 分析科尔沁沙地近20a来土地利用和沙漠化土地的构成及变化特点、土地利用与土地沙漠化之间的关系得出: 草地和耕地是土地利用的主要类型, 未利用地面积较大, 其他利用类型面积较小; 15a来, 耕地和林地增加幅度最大, 草地减少幅度最大, 土地利用转移的主要方向是草地变为耕地和林地。科尔沁沙地沙漠化土地比例大, 占一半左右, 以中度类型为主; 变化趋势是沙漠化面积增加, 程度减轻。在持续强度利用条件下, 面积广大的草地和耕地发生退化, 由潜在沙漠化土地发展为轻度和中度为主的沙漠化土地; 而土地利用方式变化所形成的沙漠化土地面积较小, 在新增沙漠化土地中的比例亦很小。所以, 草地、耕地等土地利用强度的增大是沙漠化土地面积扩大的最主要原因, 而土地利用方式的改变则能加快土地沙漠化的进程。     

Comparison of soil physico-chemical properties under different land-use and cover types in northeastern China's Horqin Sandy Land

The Horqin Sandy Land of northeastern China was originally a grassland with plenty of water and lush vegetation dominated by palatable grass species along with sparsely scattered woody species. However, it has experienced severe desertification in recent decades due to its fragile ecology together with inappropriate human activities. Currently, the landscape of the Horqin Sandy Land is dominated by irrigated croplands and sand dunes with different degrees of vegetation cover, as the region has become the most important part of the semiarid agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. In this study, we compared soil physical and chemical properties under different land-use and cover types (irrigated cropland, rainfed cropland, sandy grassland, fixed dunes, and mobile dunes). We found that soil particle size distribution; organic C, total N, and total mineral element, microelement, and available microelement and nutrient contents; pH; CEC; and bulk density differed significantly among the land-use and cover types. In general, soil quality was highest in the cropland, intermediate in the sandy grassland, and lowest in the dunes. The most important soil quality attribute, soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, decreased in the following order: irrigated cropland (5,699 g/m²) > sandy grassland (3,390 g/m²) > rainfed cropland (2,411 g/m²) > fixed dunes (821 g/m²) > mobile dunes (463 g/m²). SOC was significantly positively correlated with a large proportion of the other soil physico-chemical parameters. Our results suggest that the key issue in restoration of the degraded soils will be to increase SOC storage, which would also create a high potential for sequestering soil C in desertified areas of the Horqin Sandy Land.     

Seasonal changes in the relationship between species richness and community biomass in grassland under grazing and exclosure, Horqin Sandy Land, northern China

How species diversity–productivity relationships respond to temporal dynamics and land use is still not clear in semi-arid grassland ecosystems. We analyzed seasonal changes of the relationships between vegetation cover, plant density, species richness, and aboveground biomass in grasslands under grazing and exclosure in the Horqin Sandy Land of northern China. Our results showed that in grazed and fenced grassland, vegetation cover, richness, and biomass were lower in April than in August, whereas plant density showed a reverse trend. Vegetation cover during the growing season and biomass in June and August were higher in fenced grassland than in grazed grassland, whereas plant density in April and June was lower in fenced grassland than in grazed grassland. A negative relationship between species richness and biomass was found in August in fenced grassland, and in grazed grassland the relationship between plant density and biomass changed from positive in April to negative in August. The relationship between the density of the dominant plant species and the total biomass also varied with seasonal changes and land use (grazing and exclosure). These results suggest that long-term grazing, seasonal changes, and their interaction significantly influence vegetation cover, plant density, and biomass in grasslands. Plant species competition in fenced grassland results in seasonal changes of the relationship between species richness and biomass. Long-term grazing also affects seasonal changes of the density and biomass of dominant plant species, which further affects the seasonal relationship between plant density and biomass in grasslands. Our study demonstrates the importance of temporal dynamics and land use in understanding the relationship between species richness and ecosystem function.     

科尔沁沙地退化植被恢复过程中碳氮化学计量特征的变化

为研究沙地退化植被恢复过程中碳氮化学计量特征的变化,分别于2011年、2013年和2015年8月中旬对流动、半固定、固定沙丘和草地进行植被调查,并测定植被—土壤系统的碳氮化学计量特征。结果表明：（1） 随着沙地退化植被的恢复,地上植物、凋落物和根系的C、N含量及C/N比波动变化,土壤（0～10 cm）C和N含量及C/N比显著增加（P <0.05）。（2）沙地4种生境上的地上植物、凋落物、根系、土壤的C、N含量及C/N比年际间变化显著（P <0.05）。（3） 沙地退化植被恢复过程中地上植物、凋落物、土壤的C/N比与物种丰富度呈正线性关系（P <0.01）。沙地退化植被恢复过程中优势植物演替导致植被—土壤系统中C、N化学计量特征的变化,植被恢复过程中植物的氮素利用效率也在逐渐增强,而封育时间的增加能够促进沙地土壤中N的积累。     

科尔沁沙地草地植被对围封和放牧的响应

研究了科尔沁沙地疏林草地、针茅草原和草甸植被盖度、地上和地下生物量、物种多样性对围封和放牧的响应。结果表明：（1）围封与放牧草地的优势植物不同,围封草地植物群落优势植物为多年生禾本科植物,放牧草地中一年生植物和小半灌木优势明显。（2）围封和放牧草地的植物盖度、凋落物量、地上生物量和物种丰富度存在明显差异（P<0.05）;围封显著提高了植被盖度和地上生物量,由疏林草地、针茅草原到草甸,植物盖度和地上生物量逐渐增加,而3种草地植被凋落物量大小顺序为针茅草原> 疏林草地> 草甸;放牧条件下植物盖度、凋落物量和物种丰富度差异不显著（P>0.05）。（3）3种草地之间的地下生物量无显著差异（P>0.05）,但围封与放牧之间、不同土壤层次之间地下生物量存在明显差异（P<0.05）;围封显著提高草地的地下生物量（P<0.05）;草地地下生物量随着土壤深度表现出下降趋势（P<0.05）。长期放牧增加了草地一年生植物和小半灌木植物的优势,消除了不同草地之间植被盖度和物种丰富度的差异;而围封能提高草地多年生禾本科植物的优势、增加其物种丰富度,对于草地质量和植物多样性的恢复和保育具有积极作用。     

毛乌素沙地沙障环境下的沙丘迎风坡植被及土壤养分变化

沙障在固定流沙、促进植被恢复和改良土壤等生态建设方面起着重要作用。对毛乌素沙地设置沙柳（Salix psammophila）沙障6、8、10、11、12年的沙丘迎风坡（裸露沙丘地作为对照）开展了植被调查和土壤养分测试分析。结果显示：设障8年后的沙丘迎风坡0—30 cm深度内的土壤有机质、全氮含量显著（P<0.05）高于流动沙丘,且设障10—11年沙丘迎风坡植被盖度、0—80 cm深度内土壤有机质和全氮含量达到最大,但全磷和全钾含量无明显的变化,所有样地间和3个深度层间的全磷、全钾含量均无显著性差异;植被总盖度、0—80 cm深度内土壤有机质含量及全氮含量相互之间存在极显著线性正相关关系（P<0.01）,而且土壤pH值随有机质含量增加而线性降低。沙柳沙障固沙地的植被盖度、土壤有机质和全氮相互之间存在趋同性,且布设10年的沙障土壤改良和植被恢复成效达到最大,之后表现出下降趋势。据此建议活体沙柳沙障在维持其固沙功效的前提下以10年为限需进行平茬处理。     

Afforestation effects on soil microbial abundance, microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity in dunes of Horqin Sandy Land, northeastern China

In order to investigate the effects of afforestation on soil microbial abundance, microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity in sandy dunes, 20-year-old Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv. (PSM) and Populus simonii Carrière (PSC) mature forests were selected in Horqin Sandy Land, and mobile dunes was set as a control (CK). Results show that PSM and PSC plantations can improve soil physicochemical properties and significantly increase microbiological activity in mobile dunes. Soil microbial abundance, microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity show an order of PSPSMCK. Total soil microbial abundance in PSM and PSC was respectively 50.16 and 72.48 times more than that in CK, and the differences were significant among PSM, PSC and CK. Soil microbial biomass carbon in PSM and PSC was respectively 23.67 and 33.34 times more than that in CK, and the difference was insignificant between PSM and PSC. Soil enzyme activity, including dehydrogenase (DEH), peroxidase (PER), protease (PRO), urease (URE) and cellobiohydrolase (CEL) in PSM and PSC were respectively 19.00 and 27.54, 4.78 and 9.89, 4.05 and 8.67, 29.93 and 37.46, and 9.66 and 13.42 times of that in CK. P. sylvestris and P. simonii can effectively improve soil physicochemical and microbiological properties in sandy dunes and fix mobile dunes in Horqin Sandy Land. The C mic :C ratio is an applicable indicator to estimate soil stability and soil water availability, and based on an overall consideration of plantation stability and sustainability, P. sylvestris is better than P. simonii in fixing mobile dunes in sandy land.     

科尔沁沙地不同尺度上沙丘景观格局动态变化分析

研究了科尔沁沙地过去30 a不同尺度上沙丘景观格局及其动态变化。结果表明,大尺度研究区（892.74 km2）从1975—1995年流动沙丘面积、斑块数、景观面积百分比和最大斑块指数逐渐增加;1995—2005年流动和半流动沙丘面积减小,半固定沙丘和固定沙丘面积增加。中尺度（110.42 km2）和小尺度（14.14 km2和14.10 km2）研究区从1975—1985年流动沙丘面积、斑块数增加,1985年后流沙面积减小。通过沙漠化过程指数计算表明,大尺度上沙漠化经历了发展（1975—1995年）—逆转（1995—2005年）的过程,中尺度和小尺度上,沙漠化经历了发展（1975—1985年）—逆转（1985—2005年）的过程。科尔沁沙地不同尺度上景观结构变化具有差异性,显示出景观空间格局变化存在尺度效应;景观格局变化主要受流动沙丘斑块变化的影响,而这一变化的主要原因是人类生产活动引起的。