Topographic differentiations of biological soil crusts and hydraulic properties in fixed sand dunes,Tengger Desert

Biological soil crusts(BSCs) play an important role in surface soil hydrology. Soils dominated with moss BSCs may have higher infiltration rates than those dominated with cyanobacteria or algal BSCs. However, it is unnown whether improved infiltration in moss BSCs is accompanied by an increase in soil hydraulic conductivity or water retention capacity. We investigated this question in the Tengger Desert, where a 43-year-old revegetation program has promoted the formation of two distinct types of BSCs along topographic positions, i.e. the moss-dominated BSCs on the interdune land and windward slopes of the fixed sand dunes, and the algal-dominated BSCs on the crest and leeward slopes. Soil water retention capacity and hydraulic conductivity were measured using an indoor evaporation method and a field infiltration method. And the results were fitted to the van Genuchten–Mualem model. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivities under greater water pressure(–0.01 MPa) and water retention capacities in the entire pressure head range were higher for both crust types than for bare sand. However, saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivities in the near-saturation range(–0.01 MPa) showed decreasing trends from bare sand to moss crusts and to algal crusts. Our data suggested that topographic differentiation of BSCs significantly affected not only soil water retention and hydraulic conductivities, but also the overall hydrology of the fixed sand dunes at a landscape scale, as seen in the reduction and spatial variability in deep soil water storage.     

Species composition, distribution patterns and ecological functions of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert

As one of the most important biological factors that maintain the stability of the largest fixed and semi-fixed desert in China,the Gurbantunggut Desert,the biological soil crusts (BSCs) develop well and play critical ecological roles in the desert ecosystem. In this paper,we briefly summarize our research findings since 2002 including species composition,distribution pattern and ecological functions of BSCs in the desert. Our results indicate abundant species diversity of BSCs in the Gurbantunggut Desert in comparison to other deserts in China. At the scales of sand dune or whole desert,the distribution patterns of BSCs are location-specific. The existence of BSCs in this desert could:(1) accelerate the formation of desert soil and the weathering of minerals; (2) accumulate organic matter in surface soil through related species in soil crusts; (3) enhance the abilities of sand surface to resist wind erosion; (4) influence seed germination of vascular plants; and (5) enhance the production of dew deposition on sandy soil surface.     

Effects of artificially cultivated biological soil crusts on soil nutrients and biological activities in the Loess Plateau

Biological soil crusts （BSCs） play an important role in the early succession of vegetation restoration in the Loess Plateau, China. To evaluate the effects of artificially cultivated BSCs on the soil surface micro-envir- onment, we obtained natural moss crusts and moss-lichen crusts from the Loess Plateau of Shaanxi province, and subsequently inoculated and cultivated on horizontal and sloping surfaces of loess soil in a greenhouse. The chemical and biological properties of the subsoil under cultivated BSCs were determined after 10 weeks of cul- tivation. The results indicated that BSCs coverage was more than 65% after 10 weeks of cultivation. Moss crust coverage reached 40% after 5 weeks of cultivation. Compared with the control, soil organic matter and available nitrogen contents in moss crust with the horizontal treatments increased by 100.87% and 48.23%, respectively; increased by 67.56% and 52.17% with the sloping treatments, respectively; they also increased in moss-lichen crust with horizontal and sloping treatments, but there was no significant difference. Available phosphorus in cultivated BSCs was reduced, soil pH was lower and cationic exchange capacity was higher in cultivated BSCs than in the control. Alkaline phosphatase, urease and invertase activities were increased in artificially cultivated BSCs, and alkaline phosphatase activity in all cultivated BSCs was obviously higher than that in the control. Numbers of soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were increased in the formation process of cultivated BSCs. These results indicate that BSCs could be formed rapidly in short-term cultivation and improve the mi- cro-environment of soil surface, which provides a scientific reference for vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction in the Loess Plateau. China.     

Responses of microbial activities and soil physical-chemical properties to the successional process of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert,Xinjiang

Biological soil crusts(BSCs) are capable of modifying nutrient availability to favor the establishment of biogeochemical cycles. Microbial activities serve as critical roles for both carbon and nutrient transformation in BSCs. However, little is known about microbial activities and physical-chemical properties of BSCs in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Xinjiang, China. In the present research, a sampling line with 1-m wide and 20-m long was set up in each of five typical interdune areas selected randomly in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Within each sampling line, samples of bare sand sheet, algal crusts, lichen crusts and moss crusts were randomly collected at the depth of 0–2 cm. Variations of microalgal biomass, microbial biomass, enzyme activities and soil physical-chemical properties in different succession of BSCs were analyzed. The relationships between microalgal biomass, microbial biomass, enzymatic activities and soil physical-chemical properties were explored by stepwise regression. Our results indicate that microalgal biomass, microbial biomass and most of enzyme activities increased as the BSCs developed and their highest values occurred in lichen or moss crusts. Except for total K, the contents of most soil nutrients(organic C, total N, total P, available N, available P and available K) were the lowest in the bare sand sheet and significantly increased with the BSCs development, reaching their highest values in moss crusts. However, pH values significantly decreased as the BSCs developed. Significant and positive correlations were observed between chlorophyll a and microbial biomass C. Total P and N were positively associated with chlorophyll a and microbial biomass C, whereas there was a significant and negative correlation between microbial biomass and available P. The growth of cyanobacteria and microorganism contributed C and N in the soil, which offered substrates for enzyme activities thus increasing enzyme activities. Probably, improvement in enzyme activities increased soil fertility and promoted the growth of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae and heterotrophic microorganism, with the accelerating succession of BSCs. The present research found that microalgal-microbial biomass and enzyme activities played important roles on the contents of nutrients in the successional stages of BSCs and helped us to understand developmental mechanism in the succession of BSCs.     

Precipitation and soil particle size co-determine spatial distribution of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert,China

Biological soil crusts(BSCs) are bio-sedimentary associations that play crucial ecological roles in arid and semi-arid regions. In the Gurbantunggut Desert of China, more than 27% of the land surface is characterized by a predominant cover of lichen-dominated BSCs that contribute to the stability of the desert. However, little is known about the major factors that limit the spatial distribution of BSCs at a macro scale. In this study, the cover of BSCs was investigated along a precipitation gradient from the margins to the center of the Gurbantunggut Desert. Environmental variables including precipitation, soil particle size, soil p H, electrical conductivity, soil organic carbon, total salt, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium were analyzed at a macro scale to determine their association with differing assemblages of BSCs(cyanobacteria crusts, lichen crusts and moss crusts) using constrained linear ordination redundancy analysis(RDA). A model of BSCs distribution correlated with environmental variables that dominated the first two axes of the RDA was constructed to clearly demonstrate the succession stages of BSCs. The study determined that soil particle size(represented by coarse sand content) and precipitation are the most significant drivers influencing the spatial distribution of BSCs at a macro scale in the Gurbantunggut Desert. The cover of lichen and moss crusts increased with increasing precipitation, while the cover of cyanobacteria crusts decreased with increasing precipitation. The cover of lichen and moss crusts was negatively associated with coarse sand content, whereas the cover of cyanobacteria crusts was positively correlated with coarse sand content. These findings highlight the need for both the availability of soil moisture and a relatively stable of soil matrix, not only for the growth of BSCs but more importantly, for the regeneration and rehabilitation of disturbed BSC communities in arid and semi-arid lands. Thereby, this study will provide a theory basis to effectively increase soil stability in desert regions.     

Diurnal dynamics of soil respiration and the influencing factors for three land-cover types in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert,China

Knowledge of soil respiration and the influencing factors in desert ecosystems is essential to understanding carbon dynamics and responses of biotic and abiotic processes in soils to climate change. In this study, soil respiration rate(R_s) for three land-cover types(shifting sandy land, sandy land with straw checkerboard barriers, and shelter forest land) in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert was measured in May 2015 using an automated soil CO_2 flux system. The effects of soil temperature(T_s) and soil water content(W_s) on R_s were also analyzed. The results showed that R_s values in shifting sandy land, sandy land with straw checkerboard barriers, and shelter forest land were all low and exhibited obvious diurnal fluctuations. The establishment of straw checkerboard barriers in sandy land had no significant effect on R_s, while the establishment of shelterbelts significantly increased R_s. Shifting sandy land and sandy land with straw checkerboard barriers were carbon sinks at night and early morning and were carbon sources in the daytime, while shelter forest land always acted as a carbon source during the whole day. The synergistic effect of T_s and W_s could better explain the diurnal dynamics in R_s than single factor. In shifting sandy land and sandy land with straw checkerboard barriers, W_s was identified as a limiting factor influencing the diurnal dynamics of R_s. Furthermore, a relatively strong hysteresis loop existed between R_s and T_s. In contrast, in shelter forest land, R_s was significantly influenced by T_s, and a relatively weaker hysteresis loop existed between R_s and W_s.     

黄土地表生物结皮对土壤贮水性能及水分入渗特征的影响

采用双环法对山西省偏关县3种结皮覆盖下(苔藓藻结皮、藻结皮和薄层藻结皮)土壤的贮水性能和渗透特征进行了对比研究.结果表明:不同结皮覆盖下土壤的贮水能力受结皮厚度和孔隙度状况的影响较大,0～10 cm土层饱和贮水量为502.69～525.80 t/hm2 ,滞留贮水量为169.71～198.29 t/hm2;初渗速率的变化范围为5. 19～11.10 mm/min,无结皮最高,苔藓藻结皮最低;稳渗速率变化范围为1.6 7～2.67 mm/min.采用的3种入渗模型(Kostiakov模型、Horton模型和Ph ilip模型)中Horton模型的拟合值更接近于实测值, 决定系数R2在0.98～0.99,更适用于描述本研究区具有生物结皮土壤的入渗特征.     

Spatial distribution of Agriophyllum squarrosum Moq.(Chenopodiaceae) in the straw checkerboards at a revegetated land of the Tengger Desert,northern China

The present study focuses on straw checkerboards established in the Shapotou Desert Research and Experimental Station at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert and their effects on the species richness and the abundance of Agriophyllum squarrosu Moq. Specifically, detailed analyses on the spatial distribution of A. squarrosum and the related soil properties were carried out at a small scale in the straw checkerboards. A. squarrosum is an excellent pioneer plant for revegetation in desert areas. However, the distribution pattern of A. squarrosum and the influencing factors have not been sufficiently delineated. The results showed that the species richness and the abundance of A. squarrosum were decreased exponentially from the border to the center of the straw checkerboards. At the micro-geomorphological scale, the soil texture, soil organic matter(SOM), soil nutrients(nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), and soil infiltration rate in the topsoil tended to increase from the center to the border within a straw checkerboard, while soil moisture presented an opposite tendency. The soil seed bank of A. squarrosum, soil bulk density, electrical conductivity, sand content, Ca CO3 accumulation, and p H showed no significant difference(P0.05) between the border and the center of the straw checkerboards. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the abundance of A. squarrosum was mainly determined by the concentrations of SOM, nitrogen, and the infiltration rate, implying that nutrient acclimation was the optimal competitive strategy of A. squarrosum for surviving in a barren natural environment of an arid desert region.     

塔里木沙漠公路防护林土壤盐结皮化学特征及其对土壤蒸发的影响

盐结皮是广泛分布于塔里木沙漠公路防护林土壤表层的一个特殊层次,目前对其化学特征及其对土壤蒸发的影响尚无系统研究。文中对塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地不同定植年限防护林土壤盐结皮有机质含量、全盐量、八大离子含量和pH值进行了分析,并进行了盐结皮抑制土壤蒸发试验,结果表明:土壤盐结皮有机质含量随着防护林定植年限的增加而增加;全盐量、各离子含量、pH值均随着防护林定植年限的增加而逐渐降低。其中,全盐量均远高于流沙地;各离子含量与流沙地相比有不同程度的增加,Cl-、Na+和SO24-增加量最为明显,Mg2+、K+、Ca2+和HCO-3次之,CO23-含量极微且基本没有变化,pH值均呈碱性,定植11年防护林盐结皮pH值甚至低于流沙地;盐结皮可以有效的抑制土壤水分的蒸发。     

黄土高原藓结皮覆盖土壤导水性能和水流特征

生物结皮具有特殊的水文物理性质,为探究其对土壤水分渗透性和水流特征的影响,以黄土高原风沙土和黄绵土上3种典型地表覆盖类型(裸地、藓结皮、藓结皮-草本植物混合)为对象,采用环刀法和染色示踪法对其导水性质与水流特征进行探究。结果表明:藓结皮对2种土壤类型0~5 cm土层土壤理化性质影响较大,与裸地相比土壤容重降低了9.85%~10.00%,土壤黏粒含量增加了1.01~1.29倍,表层有机质含量提高了2.73~3.02倍;藓结皮使0~5 cm土层土壤饱和导水率降低了61.32%~88.89%,而在5~10 cm土层饱和导水率则有明显上升。另外,由于草本植物的影响,藓结皮-草本植物0~5 cm土层与藓结皮土壤相比土壤饱和导水率提高了1.32~6.43倍;黄绵土藓结皮与藓结皮-草本植物的染色面积比均高于裸地,且水分下渗深度增加了10 cm,而风沙土藓结皮与风沙土裸地的染色面积比差异不明显。综上所述,藓结皮和藓结皮-草本植物的存在改变了表层土壤水分渗透性以及水流运动特征和水分下渗深度,影响着黄土高原土壤水分保持和生态恢复。     

古尔班通古特沙漠不同类型生物结皮对草本植物多样性影响

选择古尔班通古特沙漠的北部(一号点)、中部(二号点)、南部(三号点)3个不同样点的裸沙和藻结皮、地衣结皮与苔藓结皮3种生物结皮类型,对比研究了草本植物多样性的差异性及其主要环境影响因素.结果表明:(1)不同生物结皮类型的土壤理化性质有明显差异,土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾含量以及黏粒、粉粒和细沙的含量随生物结皮演替显著...     

Impact factors of soil wind erosion in the center of Taklimakan Desert

The development and progress of soil wind erosion are influenced by the factors of climate,terrain,soil and vegetation,etc. This paper,taking Tazhong region,a town in the centre of the Taklimakan Desert,as an example and using comparative and quantitative methods,discussed the effects of climate,surface roughness(including vegetation cover) and surface soil properties on soil wind erosion. The results showed that the climate factor index C of annual wind erosion is 28.3,while the maximum of C is 13.9 in summer and it is only 0.7 in winter. The value of C has a very good exponential relationship with the wind speed. In Tazhong region,the surface roughness height is relatively small with a mean of 6.32 × 10-5 m,which is in favor of soil wind erosion. The wind erosion is further enhanced by its sandy soil types,soil particle size,lacking of vegetation and low soil moisture content. The present situation of soil wind erosion is the result of concurrent effects of climate,vegetation and surface soil properties.     

环渤海平原区土壤盐分分布特征及影响因素分析

通过环渤海低平原区2010年4-5月份采集的70组0-60cm土样和水样的全盐量、八大离子和pH值的测试数据,查明了环渤海低平原强蒸发条件下土壤盐分空间特征,并对影响因素进行了相关分析。结果表明:土壤盐分与浅层地下水埋深之间表现为线性负相关,相关系数为0.7312;土壤盐分与地下水矿化度之间可以用指数函数关系进行拟合,决定系数为0.73-0.76;在其他因素不变的情况下,土壤含盐量与蒸发量之间的关系为线性正相关,在土壤积盐因素中有17.3%与蒸发量有关;在浅层地下水埋深较大的中西部地区,两者之间表现为线性负相关,相关系数为0.7021;在浅层地下水埋深较小的滨海平原,两者之间表现为线性正相关,相关系数为0.6035;土壤自身的理化性质对盐分的滞留和阻隔作用同样重要。在空间分布上,随着自西向东浅层地下水埋深逐渐变小、矿化度逐渐增高、降水量越来越大和蒸发量的变化,土壤盐分逐渐增高的趋势也验证了土壤盐分与上述因素之间的相关性。     

Spatio-temporal variation of soil moisture in a fixed dune at the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut Desert in Xinjiang,China

Soil moisture is critical for vegetation growth in deserts. However, detailed dataregarding the soil moisture distribution in space and time in the Gurbantunggut Desert have not yet been reported. In this study, we conducted a series ofinsitu observation experiments in a fixed sand dune at the southern edge of the GurbantunggutDesert from February 2014 to October 2016, to explore the spatio-temporal variation of soil moisture content, investigate the impact of Haloxylonammodendron (C. A. Mey.) Bungeon soil moisture content in its root zone, and examine the factors influencing the soil moisture spatial pattern. One-way analysis of variance,least significant difference testsand correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that the soil moisture content exhibited annual periodicity and the temporal variation of soil moisture content throughout a year could be divided into three periods, namely, a moisture-gaining period, a moisture-losing period and a moisture-stable period.According to the temporal and spatial variability, the 0-400 cm soil profile could be divided into two layers: an active layer with moderate variability and a stable layer with weak variability.The temporal variability was larger than the spatial variability in the active layer,and the mean profile soil moisture content at different slope positions displayed the trend of decreasing with increasing relative heightand mainly followed the order of interdunearea>westand east slopes>slope top.The mean profile soil moisture content in the root zone of dead H. ammodendronindividuals was significantly higher than that in the root zones of adult and young individuals, while the soil moisture content in the root zone of adult individuals was slightly higher than that in the root zone of young individuals with no significant difference.The spatial pattern of soil moisture was attributable to the combined effects of snowfall, vegetation and soil texture, whereas the effects of rainfall and evaporation were not significant. The findings may offer a foundation for the management of sandy soil moisture and vegetation restoration in arid areas.     

东北黑土区土壤水分对大豆生长影响的试验研究

2009年在黑龙江省鹤山农场进行6个土壤水分水平控制的大豆盆栽试验,土壤水分分别是:15%、18%、24%、30%、40%、48%.结果表明:土壤水分和大豆产量有很好的二次曲线关系,决定系数R<'2>达到0.97,大豆产量在田间持水量条件下达到峰值,低干、高于田间持水量时,大豆均减产,田间持水量80%～133%减产幅度...     

晋西黄土区林地坡面土壤水分异质性研究

经过多年观测,研究了晋西黄土区林地坡面土壤水分异质性的变化规律,通过不同数学方法分析土壤水分与环境因子的关联,探讨坡面尺度上的土壤水分空间异质性的影响因子。结果表明,晋西黄土区林地坡面土壤含水量呈现出明显的剖面与时间变化规律;土壤平均含水量在100cm以内,从表层开始随着土层深度的增加而减少,变异系数也相应减小;土壤含水量与前期降雨呈现出显著的线性关系;变异系数在降雨后迅速减小,并随着干旱天数的增加而增加。通过灰色关联与多元回归分析得出在坡面尺度上土壤水分是地形因子、植被因子等多重因子共同作用的结果,对于不同土层土壤水分来说,影响因素所起的作用也不相同。在坡面尺度上气象因子对土壤水分的空间异质性影响不大。     

Biocrust-induced partitioning of soil water between grass and shrub in a desert steppe of Northwest China

Maintaining the stability of exotic sand-binding shrub has become a large challenge in arid and semi-arid grassland ecosystems in northern China. We investigated two kinds of shrublands with different BSCs (biological soil crusts) cover in desert steppe in Northwest China to characterize the water sources of shrub (Caragana intermedia Kuang et H. C. Fu) and grass (Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit.) by stable ¹⁸O isotopic. Our results showed that both shrublands were subject to persistent soil water deficiency from 2012 to 2017, the minimum soil depth with CV (coefficient of variation) <15% and SWC (soil water content) <6% was 1.4 m in shrubland with open areas lacking obvious BSC cover, and 0.8 m in shrubland covered by mature BSCs. For C. intermedia, a considerable proportion of water sources pointed to the surface soil. Water from BSCs contributed to averages 22.9% and 17.6% of the total for C. intermedia and A. scoparia, respectively. C. intermedia might use more water from BSCs in rainy season than dry season, in contrast to A. scoparia. The relationship between shrub (or grass) and soil water by δ¹⁸O shown significant differences in months, which partly verified the potential trends and relations covered by the high variability of the water source at seasonal scale. More fine roots at 0-5 cm soil layer could be found in the surface soil layer covered by BSCs (8000 cm/m³) than without BSCs (3200 cm/m³), which ensured the possibility of using the surface soil water by C. intermedia. The result implies that even under serious soil water deficiency, C. intermedia can use the surface soil water, leading to the coexistence between C. intermedia and A. scoparia. Different with the result from BSCs in desert areas, the natural withdrawal of artificial C. intermedia from desert steppe will be a long-term process, and the highly competitive relationship between shrubs and grasses also determines that its habitat will be maintained in serious drought state for a long time.     

Shrub modulates the stoichiometry of moss and soil in desert ecosystems,China

Desert mosses, which are important stabilizers in desert ecosystems, are distributed patchily under and between shrubs. Mosses differ from vascular plants in the ways they take up nutrients. Clarifying their distribution with ecological stoichiometry may be useful in explaining their mechanisms of living in different microhabitats. In this study, Syntrichia caninervis, the dominant moss species of moss crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert, China, was selected to examine the study of stoichiometric characteristics in three microhabitats (under living shrubs, under dead shrubs and in exposed ground). The stoichiometry and enzyme activity of rhizosphere soil were analyzed. The plant function in the above-ground and below-ground parts of S. caninervis is significantly different, so the stoichiometry of the above-ground and below-ground parts might also be different. Results showed that carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents in the below-ground parts of S. caninervis were significantly lower than those in the above-ground parts. The highest N and P contents of the two parts were found under living shrubs and the lowest under dead shrubs. The C contents of the two parts did not differ significantly among the three microhabitats. In contrast, the ratios of C:N and C:P in the below-ground parts were higher than those in the above-ground parts in all microhabitats, with significant differences in the microhabitats of exposed ground and under living shrubs. There was an increasing trend in soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN), soil available phosphorous (SAP), and C:P and N:P ratios from exposed ground to under living shrubs and to under dead shrubs. No significant differences were found in soil total phosphorous (STP) and soil available nitrogen (SAN), or in ratios of C:N and SAN:SAP. Higher soil urease (SUE) and soil nitrate reductase (SNR) activities were found in soil under dead shrubs, while higher soil sucrase (STC) and soil β-glucosidase (SBG) activities were respectively found in exposed ground and under living shrubs. Soil alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity reached its lowest value under dead shrubs, and there was no significant difference between the microhabitats of exposed ground and under living shrubs. Results indicated that the photosynthesis-related C of S. caninervis remained stable under the three microhabitats while N and P were mediated by the microhabitats. The growth strategy of S. caninervis varied in different microhabitats because of the different energy cycles and nutrient balances. The changes of stoichiometry in soil were not mirrored in the moss. We conclude that microhabitat could change the growth strategy of moss and nutrients cycling of moss patches.     

基于MTVDI与DDI二元回归模型对毛乌素沙地腹部土壤表层水分的研究

采用温度植被干旱指数法(MTVDI)与荒漠化指数法(DDI),利用2016年4月、9月的Landsat数据对毛乌素沙地腹部的土壤水分进行反演,并与实测的土壤水分进行对比检验,将所反演的土壤含水量图划分为4个等级,基于此分析了2个时期毛乌素沙地腹部的旱情土壤水分分布变化。结果显示：(1)4月份MTVDI指数与0~10 cm、10~20 cm、20~30 cm土层土壤含水量的R²值分别为0.656、0.646、0.637,整体高于9月份R²值0.457、0.436、0.431,MTVDI能够较好地反映毛乌素沙地腹部土壤表层水分,且精度较高;(2)荒漠化指数DDI与MTVDI结合建立二元线性回归模型监测区域土层0~10 cm深度含水量,平均相对误差为10.95 %;(3)4月份,研究区0~10 cm表层土壤含水量5%~10%区域占总面积的53.72%以上,达到了6 256 km²,含水量偏低,需要加强当地水资源管理。     

Interactive effects of soil temperature and moisture on soil N mineralization in a Stipa krylovii grassland in Inner Mongolia,China

Determining soil N mineralization response to soil temperature and moisture changes is challenging in the field due to complicated effects from other factors. In the laboratory, N mineralization is highly dependent on temperature, moisture and sample size. In this study, a laboratory incubation experiment was carefully designed and conducted under controlled conditions to examine the effects of soil temperature and moisture on soil N mineralization using soil samples obtained from the Stipa krylovii grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Five temperature(i.e. 9°C, 14°C, 22°C, 30°C and 40°C) and five moisture levels(i.e. 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% WHC, where WHC is the soil water holding capacity) were included in a full-factorial design. During the 71-day incubation period, microbial biomass carbon(MBC), ammonium nitrogen(NH4 +-N) and nitrate nitrogen(NO3--N) were measured approximately every 18 days; soil basal respiration for qCO2 index was measured once every 2 days(once a week near the end of the incubation period). The results showed that the mineral N production and net N mineralization rates were positively correlated with temperature; the strongest correlation was observed for temperatures between 30°C and 40°C. The relationships between moisture levels and both the mineral N production and net N mineralization rates were quadratic. The interaction between soil temperature and moisture was significant on N mineralization, i.e. increasing temperatures(moisture) enhanced the sensitivity of N mineralization to moisture(temperature). Our results also showed a positive correlation between the net nitrification rate and temperature, while the correlation between the NH4 +-N content and temperature was insignificant. The net nitrification rate was negatively correlated with high NH4 +-N contents at 80%–100% WHC, suggesting an active denitrification in moist conditions. Moreover, qCO2 index was positively correlated with temperature, especially at 80% WHC. With a low net nitrification rate and high soil basal respiration rate, it was likely that the denitrification concealed the microbial gross mineralization activity; therefore, active soil N mineralization occurred in 60%–80% WHC conditions.