Effect of sand-fixing vegetation on the hydrological regulation function of sand dunes and its practical significance

Soil water content is a key controlling factor for vegetation restoration in sand dunes. The deep seepage and lateral migration of water in dunes affect the recharge process of deep soil water and groundwater in sand dune ecosystems. To determine the influence of vegetation on the hydrological regulation function of sand dunes, we examined the deep seepage and lateral migration of dune water with different vegetation coverages during the growing season in the Horqin Sandy Land, China. The results showed that the deep seepage and lateral migration of water decreased with the increase in vegetation coverage on the dunes. The accumulated deep seepage water of mobile dunes (vegetation coverage<5%) and dunes with vegetation coverage of 18.03%, 27.12%, and 50.65% accounted for 56.53%, 51.82%, 18.98%, and 0.26%, respectively, of the rainfall in the same period. The accumulated lateral migration of water in these dunes accounted for 12.39%, 6.33%, 2.23%, and 7.61% of the rainfall in the same period. The direction and position of the dune slope affected the soil water deep seepage and lateral migration process. The amounts of deep seepage and lateral migration of water on the windward slope were lower than those on the leeward slope. The amounts of deep seepage and lateral migration of water showed a decreasing trend from the bottom to the middle and to the top of the dune slope. According to the above results, during the construction of sand-control projects in sandy regions, we suggest that a certain area of mobile dunes (>13.75%) should be retained as a water resource reservoir to maintain the water balance of artificial fixed dune ecosystems. These findings provide reliable evidence for the accurate assessment of water resources within the sand dune ecosystem and guide the construction of desertification control projects.     

The impact of the herbicide glyphosate on leaf litter invertebrates within Bitou bush, Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp rotundata, infestations

Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp rotundata (L) T Norl (Bitou bush) is a serious environmental weed along the southeast coast of Australia. The herbicide glyphosate is commonly used to control C monilifera on the New South Wales coastline, but there have been few studies examining the effects of this herbicide on invertebrate communities in the field, especially on sand dunes. Control and impact sites were selected in coastal hind dunes heavily infested with C monilifera, and the impact sites were sprayed with a 1:100 v/v dilution of glyphosate-isopropyl 360 g AE litre(-1) SL (Roundup Biactive). Leaf litter invertebrates were sampled before spraying and after spraying by collecting fixed areas of leaf litter in both the control and impact sites. Samples were sorted for particular invertebrates involved in leaf litter decomposition and some of their predators. This study did not identify any significant direct or indirect effects on leaf litter invertebrate abundance or community composition in the four months following herbicide application. The litter invertebrate assemblages were highly variable on a small spatial scale, with abiotic factors more strongly regulating leaf litter invertebrate numbers than glyphosate application. These results conflict with previous studies, indicating that the detrimental indirect effects herbicide application has on non-target litter invertebrates may depend upon the application rate, the vegetation community and structure and post-spray weather.     

毛乌素沙地东南缘不同类型沙丘土壤水分分布特征

通过对横山县境内毛乌素沙地东南缘的实地考察,根据植被类型和植被覆盖度,将沙丘分为裸露流动沙丘、灌木覆盖沙丘、乔木覆盖沙丘,分别在各类沙丘不同地貌部位实施4 m深度钻孔取样,并进行含水量测试和粒度分析,研究沙地土壤含水量变化。结果表明:对于垂直方向0～4m深度的沙地、灌木和乔木覆盖沙丘平均含水量变化为:丘间洼地>迎风坡>背风坡,而裸露流动沙丘平均含水量变化为:丘间洼地>背风坡>迎风坡;不同类型沙丘在各地貌部位不同层段含水量变化差异明显,变化趋势不统一。沙丘的地貌部位相同,地表的植被类型和覆盖度差异是影响沙地土壤含水量的重要因素,测试结果显示,迎风坡含水量为:灌木覆盖沙丘>乔木覆盖沙丘>裸露流动沙丘;背风坡含水量为:灌木覆盖沙丘>裸露流动沙丘>乔木覆盖沙丘;丘间洼地含水量为:灌木覆盖沙丘>乔木覆盖沙丘>裸露流动沙丘。灌木覆盖沙丘土壤含水量变异系数最大,水分含量在不同层位波动较大,裸露流动沙丘和乔木覆盖沙丘含水量波动差异较小。沙丘上生长的灌木和乔木明显地改变了沙丘含水量的变化特征,灌木比乔木对沙丘含水量及其垂向变化的影响更显著。灌木对地表大气中的粉尘有较强的拦截能力,灌木沙丘平均的粉砂和黏土含量高,灌木的覆盖有利于沙地的土壤化进程和保持沙地水分,在沙地绿化过程中,应充分考虑灌木植物的作用。     

N and P resorption in a pioneer shrub （Artemisia halodendron） inhabiting severely desertified lands of Northern China

Nutrient resorption is an important conservation mechanism for plants to overcome nutrient limitation in the less fertile area of desertified land.In the semi-arid Horqin Sandy Land of Northern China,the shrub Artemisia halodendron usually colonizes into the bare ground of severely desertified land as a pioneer species.It is,therefore,expected that A.halodendron will be less dependent on current nutrient uptake through efficient and proficient resorption of nutrients.In this study,we found that averaged nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)concentrations in senesced leaves significantly varied from 12.3 and 1.2 mg/g in the shifting sand dune to 15.9 and 1.9 mg/g in the fixed sand dune,respectively,suggesting that foliar N and P resorption of A.halodendron were more proficient in the shifting sand dune.In particular,positive relationships between nutrient concentrations in senesced leaves and soil nutrient availability indicate that A.halodendron in infertile habitats is more likely to manage with a low level of nutrients in senesced leaves,giving this species an advantage in infertile soil.Moreover,foliar N-and P-resorption efficiencies and proficiencies showed limited inter-annual variability although annual precipitation varied greatly among 2007–2009.However,N and P resorption of A.halodendron were not more efficient and proficient than those previously reported for other shrubs,indicating that the pioneer shrub in sand dune environments does not rely more heavily than other plants on the process of resorption to conserve nutrients.Incomplete resorption of nutrients in A.halodendron suggests that senesced-leaf fall would return litter with high quality to the soil,and thereby would indirectly improve soil nutrient availability.The restoration of desertified land,therefore,may be accelerated after A.halodendron pioneers into shifting sand dunes.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地复合纵向沙垄间地沙丘空间分形及稳定性

塔克拉玛干沙漠的大地貌格局是高大复合沙垄和宽广垄间地相间分布,而垄间地是研究简单沙丘发育过程的良好试验场地。基于Google Earth影像,以分形理论为基础,对塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地复合纵向沙垄区垄间地上覆沙丘在主导风方向上的分形特征进行了分析,结果表明：① 垄间地沙丘形状指数（面积-周长关系）的标度-频度双对数关系非常显著,分形关系客观存在,并且不受统计时所用标度的影响;② 垄间地各类沙丘的分维值存在差异,其中,饼状沙堆和沙片分维值最大（1.337）,新月形沙丘次之（1.170）,简单线性沙丘最小（1.087）;③ 垄间地沙丘分维值的空间差异较大,在1.187~1.656,其分维数：背风坡脚（1.24）＜垄间地中部（1.40）＜迎风坡脚（1.50）,变异系数为0.106;④ 垄间地沙丘稳定性指数与分维值的空间分布相反,即背风坡脚（0.26）＞垄间地中部（0.16）＞迎风坡脚（0.10）;⑤ 垄间地沙丘分维值空间差异主要与沙丘发育程度有关,其中,风信是动力基础,沙源是物质基础。在流动沙漠,沙丘分形维数可以作为反映其风沙环境特征的定量指标。     

Grain size distribution at four developmental stages of crescent dunes in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert,China

Although scientists have performed many studies on crescent (barchan) dunes in the Taklimakan Desert,few studies reported the changes in grain size at different development stages of crescent dunes.In order to evaluate the changing trends of surface sediment grain size with dune development,we investigated the grain size characteristics at four developmental stages (oval sand pile,shield dune,incipient crescent dune and mature crescent dune) of crescent dunes by measuring the morphology of sand dune and observing the near-surface wind regime.The dunes have developed in a wide inter-dune corridor between high compound longitudinal ridges in China's Taklimakan Desert.The surface sediments at four developmental stages of the crescent dunes were primarily composed of fine sands,followed by very fine and medium sands.Mean grain sizes ranged from 2.8 to 3.1 φ,with a unimodal distribution.The sands were moderately well-sorted,their distribution varied from platykurtic to very platykurtic,and symmetrical or skewed towards the fine particles.From oval sand piles through shield and incipient crescent dunes to mature crescent dunes,incipient grain size gradually increased,particles became finer,sorting became better,kurtosis and skewness increased.Grain sizes on the surface layer became coarser upwards from the toe of the windward slope and then became finer towards the bottom of the leeward slope.We found that the coarsest particles at different positions at the four developmental stages were different.The coarsest particles were distributed at the top of the oval sand piles and shield dunes,versus at the middle of the windward slope of the incipient and mature crescent dunes.Correlations between the mean grain size and other grain size parameters showed that as mean grain size became finer,sorting became better and kurtosis became wider,but skewness changed only slightly.In addition,grain size variation in the surface sediments correlated with the movement speed of the dunes in the study area.In the open ground among tall-complex longitudinal ridges in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert where aeolian environment is characterized by comparatively strong wind and unsaturated sand flow,faster dune movement corresponded to coarser grain size.     

Effects of wind guide plates on wind velocity acceleration and dune leveling: a case study in Ulan Buh Desert,China

The areas used to be covered by shifting sand dunes have been reclaimed rapidly in recent years. However, it is a challenge to reclaim high sand dunes because it is rather costly to level the high dunes to gentle arable lands. In this study, a wind guide plate was used to change the characteristics of natural wind to level the sand dunes. The use of wind energy could significantly increase the efficiency of dune leveling and decrease the cost. Low wind velocity is a typical characteristic in Ulan Buh Desert of China where the average wind speed is much lower than the threshold velocity for sand movement. The experiment of this study was conducted to accelerate the wind velocity by a wind guide plate to level a sand dune. Results show that the threshold velocity for sand movement is 3.32 m/s at 10 cm above the sand surface in Ulan Buh Desert. A wind guide plate set at an angle less than 50° could significantly increase the wind velocity. The wind velocity could be accelerated up to the threshold velocity for sand movement behind a plate when the plate is at the angles of 20°, 25°, 35° and 40°. The most significant acceleration of wind velocity appears at 1.5 and 3.0 m behind the plate with an angle of 25°. An obvious wind velocity acceleration zone exists behind the wind guide plate when the angles are at 25°, 35°, 40° and 45°, with the most obvious zone under the angle of 45°. The results also show that the total amount of sand transferred over the experimental period increased by 6.1% under the effects of wind guide plates compared to the sand moved without wind guide plates. The results of the study will provide theoretical and practical supports for desert management in sand dune areas.     

Sand-fixing characteristics of Carex brunnescens and its application with straw checkerboard technique in restoration of degraded alpine meadows

Carex brunnescens(Pers.), a typical clonal species, is considered to be the only herb found to date that can develop on sand dunes in Maqu alpine region of northwestern China. However, the characteristics that C. brunnescens resists to harsh alpine environment have not been documented. In this study, we conducted a field investigation to determine the morphological, reproductive, and sand-fixing characteristics of C. brunnescens. Concomitantly, we transplanted the belowground rhizomes of C. brunnescens to sand dunes and compared the abilities to restore degraded alpine meadows among sand dunes that had no further treatment(SD+N), sand dunes that had straw checkerboard technique but no transplanted rhizomes of C. brunnescens(SD+SCT), and sand dunes that had both SCT and transplanted rhizomes of C. brunnescens(SD+SCT+P). We found that belowground vertical rhizomes and horizontal rhizomes(including branching rhizomes and main rhizomes) of C. brunnescens were highly developed and that population reproduction was dominated by horizontal rhizomes. C. brunnescens exhibited a significant sand-fixation effect under following conditions: population density was 145–156 ramets/m~2, vegetation cover was 31.2%–39.3%, total length of belowground rhizomes was 11,223 cm/m~2, total length of belowground first-order roots was 9161–10,524 cm/m~2, fresh weight of aboveground part was 198.5–212.6 g/m~2, and fresh weight of belowground part was 578.8–612.4 g/m~2. It should be particularly noted that SD+SCT+P treatment(sand dunes that had both straw checkerboard technique and transplanted rhizomes of C. brunnescens) was the best and SD+N(sand dunes that had no further treatment) was the worst in terms of following biotic indicators: total number of reproductive ramets, total number of belowground rhizomes, and fresh weight of aboveground and belowground parts of C. brunnescens, contents of soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen. It implies that applying SCT in sand dunes and transplanting belowground rhizomes to sand dunes with SCT could improve both soil fertility and growth of C. brunnescens. These results suggest that the SCT-promoted high reproductive abilities of belowground rhizomes of C. brunnescens can successfully facilitate the establishment of ramets and can thus be an effective strategy to restore degraded vegetation in Maqu alpine region of northwestern China.     

Effects of vegetation cover on recruitment of Ulmus pumila L. in Horqin Sandy Land,northeastern China

Understanding the effects of vegetation cover on seedling survival is helpful for promoting vegetation restoration in environmentally fragile zones. This study was conducted in the desertified, moving sand dunes of Horqin Sandy Land, Inner Mongolia, northeastern China. We hyphothesized that(1) seed density(i.e., number/m2) increases as vegetation cover increases, and(2) there will be more surviving seedlings in locations with higher vegetation covers. Total vegetation cover and initial densities of seeds, germinated seeds and surviving seedlings of Ulmus pumilia were evaluated under various vegetation covers in trying to clarify the effects of vegetation cover on the early stages of the plant life history. In agreement with the first hypothesis, initial seed densities were greater(P<0.05) under higher vegetation covers. The relationship between vegetation cover and initial seed density was represented by a quadratic regression, where a threshold occurred with a vegetation cover of 36%(P<0.05). The higher total vegetation covers, however, did not result in increased densities of germinated seeds(P>0.05), which on average represented 16.7% of initial seed densities. Even more, three months after the study initiation, total vegetation covers were similar(P>0.05) at all positions in the dunes, and they determined a similar number(P>0.05) of surviving seedlings at those positions(i.e. the second hypothesis had to be rejected). The mean number of seed- lings that survived at all positions was only 4.5% of germinated seeds. The number of surviving elm seedlings(0 to 1.7 seedlings/m2) under various vegetations covers(12.2% to 20.8%) at all dune positions by late summer would most likely not contribute to vegetation restoration in the study area.     

人工植被下风沙土演变研究综述

在流沙上建立了人工植被可以促进风沙土的成土发育。本文概述了人工植被风沙土与流沙的理化性质,微物,土壤酶的差异及其演变趋势。     

Sand source and formation mechanism of riverine sand dunes: a case study in Xiangshui River,China

Riverine sand dunes develop as a result of fluvial-aeolian interactions. The primarily barchan dune chains along the Xiangshui River (a branch of the Xar Moron River in the western part of the Horqin Sandy Land of China) form a typical riverine dune field. We collected a series of samples from the riverine sand dunes parallel to the direction of the prevailing wind and investigated the sand sources and formation mechanisms of these dunes by determining the grain size, heavy mineral content and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of the samples. The sand of the near-river dunes was coarser than the sand of the dunes distant from the river, indicating that coarse sand of the valley mainly deposited on near-river dunes. The heavy mineral analysis suggested that wind-sand activity levels were intense on the upwind dunes, but relatively weak on the downwind dunes. This indicated that the sand sources for the near-river dunes were more abundant than those of the distant dunes. Our OSL analysis of samples suggested that the deposition rates on dunes near the river were greater than the deposition rates on dunes distant from the river. The development of dunes along the river indicated that the river played an important role in dune formation and development. In addition, airflow fluctuation and the formation of the waveform dunes had a type of feedback relationship. Grain size, heavy mineral and OSL analyses are widely used methods in wind-sand research. Sand dune grain size characteristics reflect the effects of airflow on the transport and separation of sand materials, as well as the physical characteristics of the sand sources. Heavy mineral characteristics are often used to investigate the relationships between sediments and sand sources. OSL indicates dune age, revealing formation of dunes. Therefore, it is useful to explore dune sand sources, as well as the mechanisms underlying dune formation, by determining grain size, heavy mineral content and OSL. This study investigated the sand sources of riverine dunes and provided new information about riverine dune formation and development.     

科尔沁沙地坨甸交错区土壤水分的空间变异规律

科尔沁沙地沙丘-草甸相间地区,地貌形态多样、土地利用类型众多,从而导致土壤水分空间分布的复杂性。通过对科尔沁沙地典型沙丘-草甸相间地区的调查取样与试验分析,运用统计学理论和方法,研究土壤水分的空间变异性及其空间分布规律。结果表明：水平方向上,土壤水分总体表现为草甸地大于沙丘地,过渡带介于两者之间。就草甸地而言,植物生长越好,其土壤水分越高,保水持水性能也越好;沙丘地则与之相反,植被最稀疏的流动沙丘,其土壤含水量大于半流动半固定沙丘与固定沙丘,且有良好的储水条件。垂向上,高覆盖草甸、低覆盖草甸和农田（草甸）土壤含水量在地表下0～40 cm波动最大,40～160 cm随深度增加而递增;流动沙丘、半流动沙丘和固定沙丘土壤含水量随深度增加呈微弱加大趋势。林地、撂荒地、农田（沙丘）变化程度居中。从空间分布看,研究区中东部土壤水分偏大,且向南北两侧区域递减。     

Characteristics of soil seed banks at different geomorphic positions within the longitudinal sand dunes of the Gurbantunggut Desert,China

Understanding the characteristics of soil seed banks in sand dunes is crucial to stabilize the dune systems and maintain the plant populations in deserts. In this study, we conducted a survey investigation in the field and a seed germination experiment in the laboratory to explore the characteristics of soil seed banks at various geomorphic positions of longitudinal sand dunes in the Gurbantunggut Desert, China. Totally, 17 plant species belonging to 17 genera and 9 families were identified in soil seed banks, and 35 plant species belonging to 34 genera and 17 families were identified in aboveground vegetation. Plant species richness in soil seed banks decreased with increasing soil depth. The highest species richness was presented in the upper slope of the windward slope and the lowest species richness was presented in the base of the windward slope. There was no significant difference in seed density of soil seed banks among the examined seven geomorphic positions. The highest seed density occurred in the lower slope of the leeward slope while the lowest occurred in the crest. Moreover, seed density decreased with increasing soil depth, being the highest in the upper soil layer(0–2 cm). For both soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation, there was no significant difference in Simpson's diversity index among the seven geomorphic positions; however, Shannon-Wiener diversity index and Pielou's evenness index showed significant differences among the seven geomorphic positions. Those results showed that although there was no significant difference in seed density of soil seed banks among the seven geomorphic positions, the geomorphic positions significantly affected the species richness, diversity and distribution of soil seed banks. Therefore, understanding the characteristics of soil seed banks at different geomorphic positions of sand dunes is essential to vegetation restoration or reestablishment. Furthermore, the Jaccard's similarity coefficients of plant species between soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation at the seven geomorphic positions were low, suggesting that vegetation restoration or reestablishment processes should be promoted through adding seeds to surface layers.     

库布齐沙漠穿沙公路沙害综合防治技术

库布齐穿沙公路修建在库布齐沙漠高大的流动沙丘区 ,风沙流侵袭与沙丘整体前移埋压公路是主要沙害形式。现有防沙措施是沙障保护下的人工植被及天然植被相结合的综合防护体系 ,固沙及阻沙效益明显。目前要解决的是尽快形成公路两侧稳定的植被群落 ,以保证公路的长期畅通     

Spatial heterogeneity of plant species on the windward slope of active sand dunes in a semi-arid region of China

Species richness and abundance are two important species diversity variables that have attracted particular attention because of their significance in determining present and future species composition conditions.This paper aims to explain the qualitative and quantitative relationships between species diversity pattern and grain size(i.e.size of the sampling unit),and species diversity pattern and sampling area,and to analyze species diversity variability on active sand dunes in the Horqin Sandy Land,northeastern Inner Mongolia,China.A 50 m×50 m sampling plot was selected on the windward slope,where the dominant species was annual herb Agriophyllum squarrosum.Species composition and abundance at five grain sizes were recorded,and the species-area curves were produced for thirteen grain sizes.The range of values for species abundance tended to increase with increasing grain size in the study area,whereas,generally,species richness did not follow this rule because of poor species richness on the windward slope of active sand dunes.However,the homogeneity of species richness increased significantly.With the increase in sampling area,species abundance increased linearly,but richness increased logarithmically.Furthermore,variograms showed that species diversity on the windward slope of active sand dunes was weakly anisotropic and the distribution pattern was random,according to the Moran Coefficient.The results also showed that species richness was low,with a random distribution pattern.This conflicts with the results of previous studies that showed spatial aggregation in lower richness in a sampling area within a community and inferred that the physical processes play a more important role in species diversity than distribution pattern on active sand dunes.Further research into different diversity patterns and mechanisms between active sand dunes and interdune lowlands should be conducted to better understand biodiversity conservation in sand dune fields.     

Wind regimes and associated sand dune types in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert,China

Wind controls the formation and development of sand dunes. Therefore, understanding the wind regimes is necessary in sand dune research. In this study, we combined the wind data from 2017 to 2019 at four meteorological stations (Cherigele and Wuertabulage stations in the lake basins, and Yikeri and Sumujilin stations on the top of sand dunes) in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert in China, with high resolution Google Earth images to analyze the correlation between the wind energy environments and dune morphology. The results of data analysis indicated that both the wind direction and sand drift intensity exhibited notable spatial and temporal variations. The highest level of wind activity was observed in spring. Northwesterly and northeasterly winds were the dominant in the Badain Jaran Desert. At the Cherigele, Wuertabulage, and Yikeri stations, the drift potential (DP) was below 200.00 vector units (VU). The wind energy environments in most areas could be classified as low-energy environments. The resultant drift direction differed at different stations and in different seasons, but the overall direction was mainly the southeast. The resultant drift potential (RDP)/DP ratio was greater than 0.30 in most parts of the study area, suggesting that the wind regimes mainly exhibited unimodal or bimodal characteristics. Differences between the thermodynamic properties and the unique landscape settings of lakes and sand dunes could alter the local circulation and intensify the complexity of the wind regimes. The wind regimes were weaker in the lake basins than on the top of sand dunes. Transverse dunes were the most dominant types of sand dunes in the study area, and the wind regimes at most stations were consistent with sand dune types. Wind was thus the main dynamic factor affecting the formation of sand dunes in the Badain Jaran Desert BJD. The results of this study are important for understanding the relationship between the wind regimes and aeolian landforms of the dune field in the deserts.     

Morphology and formation mechanism of sand shadow dunes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The formation and development of dunes depend on wind-blown sand movement which is affected by the characteristics of sand material, topography, wind regimes and other factors. In this paper, we investigated two sand shadow dune groups in Shigatse and Za’gya Zangbo of Tibet and an individual dune in Da Qaidam of Qinghai, and analyzed their topographies and morphologies, and the physical characteristics of the sand, wind regime and sand transport. Formed under harsh conditions behind hills, these mature sand shadow dunes are hundreds of meters long, have significant ridges and crescent dunes downwind, and have a hill pass on one or both sides. Wind tunnel experiments revealed that the hill gap and wind velocity are important factors in the formation of these dunes. Sand shadow dunes formed only when the gap spacing is two-thirds of the hill height. When wind velocities are 20 m/s, the sand body is divided into two parts. The hill pass allows the transport of sand by wind, creating a "narrow-pipe effect", which causes the transported material to gradually accumulate in the center of the shadow zone. We observed that the following are needed for sand shadow dunes to form:(1) strong winds, sufficient sand, suitable obstacles and a dry climate;(2) one or both sides of the obstacle forming the shadow zone must have a hill pass; and(3) the windward side of the obstacle must have a wide, flat area, providing adequate spacing for wind flow and transport of material and the leeward side must have a sufficiently broad, flat area to allow the release of the transported material. Research results on these newly discovered dunes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau could contribute to the understanding of dune geomorphology.     

Effects of different plantation types on soil properties after vegetation restoration in an alpine sandy land on the Tibetan Plateau,China

Large areas of Artemisia ordosica Krasch., Caragana korshinskii Kom., and Caragana intermedia Kuang and H. C. Fu plantations were established on moving sand dunes in the Gonghe Basin(northeastern Tibetan Plateau) for vegetation restoration. Elevating our understanding of the changes in soil characteristics after the establishment of different plantation types can be useful in the context of combating desertification. To assess the effects of these plantation types on the restoration of sandy land, we measured soil physical-chemical properties at four depths(0–5, 5–10, 10–20, and 20–50 cm) in each of the three plantation types and also in non-vegetated moving sand dunes(as control sites). Generally, the establishment of A. ordosica, C. korshinskii and C. intermedia plantations on sand dunes has greatly ameliorated soil quality in the Gonghe Basin. Specifically, relative to the moving sand dunes, shrub plantation has increased the silt and clay contents, total porosity and water holding capacity, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium contents. The calculated soil quality index suggested that in the Gonghe Basin, C. intermedia is the best choice for soil amelioration. In all the three plantation types, soil amelioration mainly occurred in the shallow depths.     

不同植被覆盖度沙垄土壤化学性质的空间分异

为了研究温带固定半固定沙漠土壤化学性质与地表植被的关系,本文以古尔班通古特沙漠西南缘莫索湾地区沙漠–绿洲过渡带为研究区,分别选取植被覆盖度为10%和15%的半固定沙垄及植被盖度为30%的固定沙垄。采集了各沙垄不同地貌部位的土壤样品,室内测试了土壤pH、电导率、有机质、全氮和全磷等指标。结果表明：① 随着植被覆盖度下降,沙垄西坡、坡顶和东坡,土壤pH、电导率、有机质、全氮和全磷呈逐渐降低趋势;② 不同地貌部位的分布格局各沙垄表现不一致,沙垄A和沙垄B的 pH、电导率、有机质、全氮和全磷含量最大值均出现在垄间地,其他部位之间没有明显的规律,沙垄C 的pH和电导率最大值出现在垄间地,而土壤养分含量于坡顶部位富集;③ 各沙垄不同土层土壤性质分布规律相对一致,土壤pH、电导率随着土层深度的增加呈上升的趋势,而土壤养分随着土层深度的增加而降低;④ 土壤化学性质空间分布异质性与植被的分布格局密切相关,相互影响,当植被覆盖度较高时,生物作用起主导作用,当植被覆盖度较低时,风蚀、地形等非生物因素作用加强,影响生物作用,植被对土壤颗粒和养分的拦截及富集作用逐渐减弱或消失。     

不同植被覆盖度沙垄土壤化学性质的空间分异

为了研究温带固定半固定沙漠土壤化学性质与地表植被的关系,本文以古尔班通古特沙漠西南缘莫索湾地区沙漠-绿洲过渡带为研究区,分别选取植被覆盖度为10%和15%的半固定沙垄及植被覆盖度为30%的固定沙垄。采集了各沙垄不同地貌部位的土壤样品,室内测试了土壤pH、电导率、有机质、全氮和全磷等指标。结果表明:①随着植被覆盖度下降,沙垄西坡、坡顶和东坡,土壤pH、电导率、有机质、全氮和全磷呈逐渐降低趋势;②不同地貌部位的分布格局各沙垄表现不一致,沙垄A和沙垄B的pH、电导率、有机质、全氮和全磷含量最大值均出现在垄间地,其他部位之间没有明显的规律,沙垄C的pH和电导率最大值出现在垄间地,而土壤养分含量在坡顶部位富集;③各沙垄不同土层土壤性质分布规律相对一致,土壤pH、电导率随着土层深度的增加呈上升的趋势,而土壤养分随着土层深度的增加而降低;④土壤化学性质空间分布异质性与植被的分布格局密切相关,相互影响,当植被覆盖度较高时,生物作用起主导作用,当植被覆盖度较低时,风蚀、地形等非生物因素作用加强,影响生物作用,植被对土壤颗粒和养分的拦截及富集作用逐渐减弱或消失。