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.     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope Sciences in Cold andArid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions, Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, river, lake, sea ice, pemaaffost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.; and think much of cold regions engineering and technology. Researches in arid regions emphasize particularly on the arid-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of arid regions to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of desert, oasis, loess, and aeolian landforms, etc.; and support integrated studies on mountain-desert-oasis system in arid watershed with water resources as masterstroke, so as to provide reliable technological support for water safety, ecology safety and food safety in arid regions.     

A study on scheme of soil and water conservation regionalization in China

Regionalization of soil and water conservation is a base for the planning of soil and water conservation in China. It can provide scientific basis for constructing healthy eco-environment and regional management and development. It makes a brief review of related regionalization of study and makes clear the concept of regionalization of soil and water conservation. In this paper, based on synthetical analysis of the characteristics of eco-environments of China, the principles, indices and nomenclature of the regionalization of soil and water conservation are proposed. Through the construction of the regionalization of soil and water conservation collaboration platform and data reporting system, combined with existing soil and water conservation research, this paper uses the top-down and bottom-up and the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to build soil and water conservation regionalization preliminary scheme, with 8 regions, 41 sub-regions and 117 sections divided in China.     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope
Sciences in Cold andArid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, river, lake, sea ice, permafrost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.; and think much of cold regions engineering and technology. Researches in arid regions emphasize particularly on the arid-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of arid regions to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of desert, oasis, loess, and aeolian landforms, etc.; and support integrated studies on mountain-desert-oasis system in arid watershed with water resources as masterstroke, so as to provide reliable technological support for water safety, ecology safety and food safety in arid regions.     

Advance in Research of Ecology and Landscape Reconstruction of the River Floodplain In China

The research of ecology and landscape reestablishment of river floodplain is considered favorable to its conservation and development.The similarity and difference among river floodplain,wetland,riverside and shore have been reviewed,as well as the progress in the research of floodplain ecology reestablishment in quantitative evaluation,vegetation restoration,the influence on animal habitat and the application of eco-engineering;and of the landscape reestablishment in resource development and utilization,landscape feature and changes,landscape function,structure and control.The potentially important fields are expected to be the change of landscape pattern in different scales,the reasonable protection and utilization in the floodplain tourism,the simulating and monitoring of landscape dynamics,the planning and designing methods of floodplain landscape and the management of floodplain ecosystems.     

Guidelines to Authors

正1.Aims and scope Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions(SCAR)is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions.Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical,chemical and biological processes and their interactions,and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies;focus on the objects of glacier,snow,river,lake,sea ice,permafrost and seasonal frozen ground,and periglacial geomorphology,etc.;and think much of cold regions     

SCIENCES IN COLD AND ARID REGIONS

Aims and Scope Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, an international Engiish-language journal, is devoted to publishing the latest research achievements on the process and the pattern of Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions 1) emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of Cryosphere to Global change and Human activities as well as its effect to environment and the acclimatizable     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope
Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-charactefized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, fiver, lake, sea ice, permafrost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.; and think much of cold regions engineering and technology. Researches in arid regions emphasize particularly on the arid-region-characterized physical,     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, river, lake, sea ice, permafrost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.;     

中国水土保持研究回顾

The preservation and sustainable development of soil and water resources is one of the basic principles for the development of China. Throughout the course of history, all the social improvement and economic development are deeply concerned with soil loss and ecological environmental protection. It is now a common sense that soil and water conservation is the safety insurance for national ecology and its development. For the past long period of time, soil and water loss has been recognized as “the No. 1 killer“ to the ecological environment. The nation is on the stage of the critical conditions for its development. China has massive mountain and upland area with complicated geological conditions and accelerated human destruction and serious soil and water loss.Based on rich historical documents, renovating experience and detailed analysis of the data collected in field experiments and field surveys for soil and water conservation, this paper aims to review the general characteristics of soil and water loss, to explore the relationship between soil and water conservation and sustainable economic development, and to provide relevant strategies for soil and water conservation in China.