Seasonal dynamics of soil water content in the typical vegetation and its response to precipitation in a semi-arid area of Chinese Loess Plateau

Soil water content is a key limiting factor for vegetation growth in the semi-arid area of Chinese Loess Plateau and precipitation is the main source of soil water content in this area. To further understand the impact of vegetation types and environmental factors such as precipitation on soil water content, we continuously monitored the seasonal dynamics in soil water content in four plots (natural grassland, Caragana korshinskii, Armeniaca sibirica and Pinus tabulaeformis) in Chinese Loess Plateau. The results show that the amplitude of soil water content fluctuation decreases with an increase in soil depth, showing obvious seasonal variations. Soil water content of artificial vegetation was found to be significantly lower than that of natural grassland, and most precipitation events have difficulty replenishing soil water content below a depth of 40 cm. Spring and autumn are the key seasons for replenishment of soil water by precipitation. Changes in soil water content are affected by precipitation, vegetation types, soil evaporation and other factors. The interception effect of vegetation on precipitation and the demand for water consumption by transpiration are the key factors affecting the efficiency of soil water replenishment by precipitation in this area. Due to artificial vegetation plantation in this area, soil will face a water deficit crisis in the future.     

Effects of grassland management on the community structure,aboveground biomass and stability of a temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia,China

Plant community structure responds strongly to anthropogenic disturbances, which greatly influence community stability. The changes in community structure, aboveground biomass(AGB), biodiversity and community stability associated with different management practices were studied with a three-year field investigation in a temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. The species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, evenness, plant functional type abundance, AGB, temporal community stability, summed covariance, scaling coefficient and dominant species stability were compared among areas subjected to long-term reservation(R), long-term grazing(G), mowing since enclosure in 2008(M) and grazing enclosure since 2008(E). Site R had higher perennial grass abundance and lower species richness than sites G, M and E, although the AGB was not significantly different among the four sites. The species structure varied from a single dominant species at site R to multiple dominant species at sites G, M and E. The long-term reservation grassland had lower biodiversity but higher stability, whereas the enclosed grassland with/without mowing had higher biodiversity but lower stability. Different stability mechanisms, such as the compensatory dynamics, mean-variance scaling and dominant species stability were examined. Results showed that community stability was most closely related to the relative stability of the dominant species, which supports the biomass ratio hypothesis proposed by Grime.     

Effects of fencing on vegetation and soil restoration in a degraded alkaline grassland in northeast China

In order to restore a degraded alkaline grassland, the local government implemented a large restoration project using fences in Changling county, Jilin province, China, in 2000. Grazing was excluded from the protected area, whereas the grazed area was continuously grazed at 8.5 dry sheep equivalent（DSE）/hm2. In the current research, soil and plant samples were taken from grazed and fenced areas to examine changes in vegetation and soil properties in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Results showed that vegetation characteristics and soil properties improved significantly in the fenced area compared with the grazed area. In the protected area the vegetation cover, height and above- and belowground biomass increased significantly. Soil pH, electrical conductivity and bulk density decreased significantly, but soil organic carbon and total nitrogen concentration increased greatly in the protected area. By comparing the vegetation and soil characteristics with pre-degraded grassland, we found that vegetation can recover 6 years after fencing, and soil pH can be restored 8 years after fencing. However, the restoration of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations needed 16, 30 and 19 years, respectively. It is recommended that the stocking rate should be reduced to 1/3 of the current carrying capacity, or that a grazing regime of 1-year of grazing followed by a 2-year rest is adopted to sustain the current status of vegetation and soil resources. However, if N fertilizer is applied, the rest period could be shortened, depending on the rate of application.     

Effects of vegetation types on soil water dynamics during vegetation restoration in the Mu Us Sandy Land,northwestern China

The arid and semi-arid northwestern China has been undergoing ecological degradation and the efforts to reverse the ecological degradation have been undertaken for many years. Some shifting dunes have been fixed and the vegetation has been partially recovered in certain areas and the Mu Us Sandy Land in the Ordos Plateau is an example of the success. The present study attempts to reveal the relationships between the vegetation restoration and ecohydrology in the Mu Us Sandy Land. We continuously measured soil water content at 10-min intervals under three vegetation types(i.e., shifting dune, shrub-dominated community, and herb-dominated community) in the Mu Us Sandy Land from April 2012 to October 2013. The results show the infiltration coefficient increased with increased rainfall amount and eventually reached a stable value. Infiltration coefficients were 0.91, 0.64, and 0.74 in the shifting dune, in the shrub-dominated community, and in the herb-dominated community, respectively. Cumulative infiltration and soil texture are two vital factors affecting the depths of rainfall penetration. Only rainfall events larger than 35.0 mm could recharge soil water at the 60–80 cm layer in the herb-dominated community. Our results imply that the expected forward succession of restored vegetation may be destined to deterioration after reaching the climax simply because of following two facts:(1) soil water is mainly retained at shallower layer and(2) plant fine roots mainly distribute in deeper layer in the herb-dominated community.     

Soil exchangeable base cations along a chronosequence of Caragana microphylla plantation in a semi-arid sandy land,China

As a pioneer leguminous shrub species for vegetation re-establishment,Caragana microphylla is widely distributed in the semi-fixed and fixed sandy lands of the Horqin region,North China.C.microphylla plantations modify organic carbon(SOC),nitrogen(N) and phosphorus dynamics,bulk density and water-holding capacity,and biological activities in soils,but little is known with regard to soil exchange properties.Variation in soil exchangeable base cations was examined under C.microphylla plantations with an age sequence of 0,5,10,and 22 years in the Horqin Sandy Land,and at the depth of 0-10,10-20,and 20-30 cm,respectively.C.microphylla has been planted on the non-vegetated sand dunes with similar physical-chemical soil properties.The results showed that exchangeable calcium(Ca),magnesium(Mg),and potassium(K),and cation exchange capacity(CEC) were significantly increased,and Ca saturation tended to decrease,while Mg and K saturations were increased with the plantation years.No difference was observed for exchangeable sodium(Na) neither with plantation years nor at soil depths.Of all the base cations and soil layers,exchangeable K at the depth of 0-10 cm accumulated most quickly,and it increased by 1.76,3.16,and 4.25 times,respectively after C.microphylla was planted for 5,10,and 22 years.Exchangeable Ca,Mg,and K,and CEC were significantly(P<0.001) and positively correlated with SOC,total N,pH,and electrical conductivity(EC).Soil pH and SOC are regarded as the main factors influencing the variation in exchangeable cations,and the preferential absorption of cations by plants and different leaching rates of base cations that modify cation saturations under C.microphylla plantation.It is concluded that as a nitrogen-fixation species,C.microphylla plantation is beneficial to increasing exchangeable base cations and CEC in soils,and therefore can improve soil fertility and create favorable microenvironments for plants and creatures in the semi-arid sandy land ecosystems.     

Effects of different mulching patterns on soil moisture,temperature, and maize yield in a semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau,China

A study was conducted in the semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau in China to identify an alternative material for use instead of plastic film under maize crops. Plastic film (PMW), straw (SMW), and biodegradable film (BMW) were used for mulching throughout the whole season (fallow and growth periods), in addition to straw for mulching (SMF) only during the fallow period. The results showed that PMW and BMW treatments retained 17 mm and 11 mm more water, respectively, than the mean value of both SMW and SMF treatments, and 53 mm and 38 mm more water than nonmulching (NM) treatment during the fallow period. PMW and BMW treatments increased the soil water and temperature during the early growth stage of maize and significantly improved the dry matter accumulation. Under PMW and BMW treatments, the yield improved by 4.6–6.4 Mg ha^?1 and 2.3–2.8 Mg ha^?1, and the net income increased by 1166 USD ha^?1 and 372 USD ha^?1 compared with NM treatment, respectively. SMW treatment led to poor growth and yield reductions of 3.7 Mg ha^?1 due to the lower temperature, whereas SMF treatment had no significant effects on the yield (P > 0.05). High water consumption with PMW treatment reduced the water supply capacity at the end of the season, and resulted in soil water deficit during 2015, indicating that high yields might not be sustained in the long-term. Therefore, BMW treatment is recommended as an effective method for increasing the maize yield and maintaining the balance of soil water in semi-arid areas.     

Conversion of cropland into agroforestry land versus naturally-restored grassland alters soil macro-faunal diversity and trophic structure in the semi-arid agro-pasture zone of northern China

Restoration of cropland(termed 'Farm') after abandonment including shrubs(termed 'Shrub'),trees(termed 'Tree') and natural grassland(termed 'Grass') has become a routine process aimed to improve land productivity and control desertification. During this restoration process, soil macro-faunal diversity, and trophic structure were investigated at four types of sites(Farm, Shrub, Tree, and Grass)during growing season in the semi-arid agro-pasture zone of northern China. Results indicated that the Staphylinidae family was found to dominate at the Grass, Shrub, and Tree sites, whiles larval Pyralidae individuals were found at the Grass site only. The density of the omnivores(i.e., Formicidae family) was significantly(P<0.05) greater at the Grass site than at the Tree and Farm sites. The total density and richness of predator and phytophages were found to be markedly(P<0.05) greater at the Grass site than at the Farm site. Meanwhile, we found the taxon richness of predators was significantly(P<0.05) higher at the Shrub site than at the Farm and Tree sites. Compared with the Farm and afforested Shrub/Tree sites,the Grass site had greater density, taxon richness, and Shannon index(P<0.05). In conclusion, natural restoration of abandoned croplands toward grassland was an effective strategy relative to artificial afforestation for improvement of soil biological diversity. Moreover, planting shrub is a preferable measure in abandoned croplands for land development in the semi-arid agro-pasture zone of northern China.     

Dependency of litter decomposition on litter quality,climate change,and grassland type in the alpine grassland of Tianshan Mountains,Northwest China

Litter decomposition is an important component of the nutrient recycling process and is highly sensitive to climate change. However, the impacts of warming and increased precipitation on litter decomposition have not been well studied, especially in the alpine grassland of Tianshan Mountains. We conducted a manipulative warming and increased precipitation experiment combined with different grassland types to examine the impact of litter quality and climate change on the litter decomposition rate based on three dominant species (Astragalus mongholicus, Potentilla anserina, and Festuca ovina) in Tianshan Mountains from 2019 to 2021. The results of this study indicated there were significant differences in litter quality, specific leaf area, and leaf dry matter content. In addition, litter quality exerted significant effects on litter decomposition, and the litter decomposition rate varied in different grassland types. Increased precipitation significantly accelerated the litter decomposition of P. anserina; however, it had no significant effect on the litter decomposition of A. mongholicus and F. ovina. However, warming consistently decreased the litter decomposition rate, with the strongest impact on the litter decomposition of F. ovina. There was a significant interaction between increased precipitation and litter type, but there was no significant interaction between warming and litter type. These results indicated that warming and increased precipitation significantly influenced litter decomposition; however, the strength was dependent on litter quality. In addition, soil water content played a crucial role in regulating litter decomposition in different grassland types. Moreover, we found that the litter decomposition rate exhibited a hump-shaped or linear response to the increase of soil water content. Our study emphasizes that ongoing climate change significantly altered litter decomposition in the alpine grassland, which is of great significance for understanding the nutrient supply and turnover of litter.     

Manipulated precipitation regulated carbon and phosphorus limitations of microbial metabolisms in a temperate grassland on the Loess Plateau,China

Manipulated precipitation patterns can profoundly influence the metabolism of soil microorganisms. However, the responses of soil organic carbon(SOC) and nutrient turnover to microbial metabolic limitation under changing precipitation conditions remain unclear in semi-arid ecosystems. This study measured the potential activities of enzymes associated with carbon(C: β-1,4-glucosidase(BG) and β-D-cellobiosidase(CBH)), nitrogen(N: β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase(NAG) and L-leucine aminopeptidase(LAP)...     

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.     

Changes in soil microbial community response to precipitation events in a semi-arid steppe of the Xilin River Basin,China

In the context of climate change, precipitation is predicted to become more intense at the global scale. Such change may alter soil microbial communities and the microbially mediated carbon and nitrogen dynamics. In this study, we experimentally repackaged precipitation patterns during the growing season(from June to September) of 2012 in a semi-arid temperate steppe of the Xilin River Basin in Inner Mongolia of China, based on the 60-year growing season precipitation data. Specifically, a total amount of 240 mm simulated precipitation was assigned to experimental plots by taking the following treatments:(1) P6(6 extreme precipitation events, near the 1~(st) percentile);(2) P10(10 extreme precipitation events, near the 5~(th) percentile);(3) P16(16 moderate precipitation events, near the 50~(th) percentile); and(4) P24(24 events, 60-year average precipitation, near the 50~(th) percentile). At the end of the growing season, we analyzed soil microbial community structure and biomass, bacterial abundance, fungal abundance and bacterial composition, by using phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA), real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) and 16S rRNA gene clone library methods. The extreme precipitation events did not change soil microbial community structure(represented by the ratio of PLFA concentration in fungi to PLFA concentration in bacteria, and the ratio of PLFA concentration in gram-positive bacterial biomass to PLFA concentration in gram-negative bacterial biomass). However, the extreme precipitation events significantly increased soil microbial activity(represented by soil microbial biomass nitrogen and soil bacterial 16S rRNA gene copy numbers). Soil fungal community showed no significant response to precipitation events. According to the redundancy analysis, both soil microbial biomass nitrogen and soil ammonium nitrogen(NH_4-N) were found to be significant in shaping soil microbial community. Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla in soil bacterial composition, and responded differently to the extreme precipitation events. Based on the results, we concluded that the extreme precipitation events altered the overall soil microbial activity, but did not impact how the processes would occur, since soil microbial community structure remained unchanged.     

半干旱区草地土壤动物多样性的季节变化及其与温湿度的关系

在中国科学院奈曼沙漠化研究站附近选择不同程度封育草地为研究样地,通过调查不同季节降雨、温度、土壤温度和水分以及土壤动物特征,分析了土壤动物季节变化及其对降雨和温度的响应特征。结果表明:研究样地共获得土壤动物11目13个类群,螨类和鞘翅目幼虫为优势类群,存在于3个季节中;常见类群随季节变化发生更替。夏季大型土壤动物个体数多,种类丰富,多样性较高,而春季和秋季均较低。中小型土壤动物密度表现为春季>夏季>秋季,Shannon指数和均匀度指数表现为夏季较高,而春季和秋季均较低。相关分析表明,土壤含水量季节变化是影响大型土壤动物群落个体数季节分布的主要因素,而中小型土壤动物个体数、类群数、Shannon指数和均匀度指数与土壤含水量和温度间均无显著相关关系(P>0.05)。说明夏季"雨热同季"对大型土壤动物多样性影响较大,而对中小型土壤动物多样性影响相对较小。     

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen in a semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia,China

Due to increasing global demand for crop production and energy use, more and more reactive nitrogen(Nr) has been generated and emitted to the environment. As a result, global atmospheric nitrogen(N) deposition has tripled since the industrial revolution and the ecological environment and human health have been harmed. In this study, we measured dry and wet/bulk N deposition from July 2013 to December 2015 in a semi-arid grassland of Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, China. The samples of dry and wet/bulk N deposition were collected monthly with a DELTA(DEnuder for Long Term Atmospheric sampling) system and with Gradko passive samplers and a precipitation gauge. The measured results show that the annual mean concentrations of NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, particulate NH_4~+(pNH_4~+) and particulate NO_3~-(pNO_3~-) in atmosphere were 2.33, 1.90, 0.18, 1.42 and 0.42 μg N/m3, respectively, and that the annual mean volume-weighted concentrations of NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N in precipitation were 2.71 and 1.99 mg N/L, respectively. The concentrations of Nr components(including NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, p NH_4~+, pNO_3~-, NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N) exhibited different seasonal variations. Specifically, NO_2 and HNO_3 exhibited higher concentrations in autumn than in summer, while the other Nr components(NH_3, pNH_4~+, pNO_3~-, NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N) showed the highest values in summer. Based on measured concentrations of Nr components and their deposition velocities estimated using the GEOS-Chem global atmospheric chemical transport model, the calculated annual mean dry deposition fluxes were 3.17, 1.13, 0.63, 0.91 and 0.36 kg N/(hm~2·a) for NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, p NH_4~+ and pNO_3~-, respectively, and the calculated annual mean wet/bulk deposition fluxes were 5.37 and 3.15 kg N/(hm~2·a) for NH_4~+-N and NO_3~--N, respectively. The estimated annual N deposition(including dry N deposition and wet/bulk N deposition) reached 14.7 kg N/(hm~2·a) in grassland of Duolun County, approaching to the upper limit of the N critical load(10–15 kg N/(hm~2·a)). Dry and wet/bulk deposition fluxes of all Nr components(with an exception of HNO_3) showed similar seasonal variations with the maximum deposition flux in summer and the minimum in winter. Reduced Nr components(e.g., gaseous NH_3 and p NH_4~+ in atmosphere and NH_4~+-N in precipitation) dominated the total N deposition at the sampling site(accounted for 64% of the total N deposition), suggesting that the deposited atmospheric Nr mainly originated from agricultural activities. Considering the projected future increases in crop and livestock production in Inner Mongolia, the ecological and human risks to the negative effects of increased N deposition could be increased if no mitigation measures are taken.     

Impact of nitrogen addition on plant community in a semi-arid temperate steppe in China

Increased nitrogen (N) deposition will often lead to a decline in species richness in grassland ecosystems but the shifts in functional groups and plant traits are still poorly understood in China.A field experiment was conducted at Duolun,Inner Mongolia,China,to investigate the effects of N addition on a temperate steppe ecosystem.Six N levels (0,3,6,12,24,and 48 g N/(m 2 a)) were added as three applications per year from 2005 to 2010.Enhanced N deposition,even as little as 3 g N/(m 2 a) above ambient N deposition (1.2 g N/(m 2 a)),led to a decline in species richness of the whole community.Increasing N addition can significantly stimulate aboveground biomass of perennial bunchgrasses (PB) but decrease perennial forbs (PF),and induce a slight change in the biomass of shrubs and semi-shrubs (SS).The biomass of annuals (AS) and perennial rhizome grasses (PR) accounts for only a small part of the total biomass.Species richness of PF decreased significantly with increasing N addition rate but there was a little change in the other functional groups.PB,as the dominant functional group,has a relatively higher height than others.Differences in the response of each functional group to N addition have site-specific and species-specific characteristics.We initially infer that N enrichment stimulated the growth of PB,which further suppressed the growth of other functional groups.     

Changes in the relationship between species richness and belowground biomass among grassland types and along environmental gradients in Xinjiang,Northwest China

The association between biodiversity and belowground biomass (BGB) remains a central debate in ecology. In this study, we compared the variations in species richness (SR) and BGB as well as their interaction in the top (0-20 cm), middle (20-50 cm) and deep (50-100 cm) soil depths among 8 grassland types (lowland meadow, temperate desert, temperate desert steppe, temperate steppe desert, temperate steppe, temperate meadow steppe, mountain meadow and alpine steppe) and along environmental gradients (elevation, energy condition (annual mean temperature (AMT) and potential evapotranspiration (PET)), and mean annual precipitation (MAP)) based on a 2011-2013 survey of 379 sites in Xinjiang, Northwest China. The SR and BGB varied among the grassland types. The alpine steppe had a medium level of SR but the highest BGB in the top soil depth, whereas the lowland meadow had the lowest SR but the highest BGB in the middle and deep soil depths. The SR and BGB in the different soil depths were tightly associated with elevation, MAP and energy condition; however, the particular forms of trends in SR and BGB depended on environmental factors and soil depths. The relationship between SR and BGB was unimodal in the top soil depth, but SR was positively related with BGB in the middle soil depth. Although elevation, MAP, energy condition and SR had significant effects on BGB, the variations in BGB in the top soil depth were mostly determined by elevation, and those in the middle and deep soil depths were mainly affected by energy condition. These findings highlight the importance of environmental factors in the regulations of SR and BGB as well as their interaction in the grasslands in Xinjiang.     

Soil bacterial characteristics between surface and subsurface soils along a precipitation gradient in the Alxa Desert,China

Bacteria in desert soil have unique phylogeny and important ecological functions, and theirresponses to changes in precipitation need further attention. However, relevant studies have mainlyfocused on the surface soil, and studies on the responses of bacteria at different soil depths to variationsin precipitation are rare. Thus, we used 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing to investigate the changesin soil bacterial distribution along a mean annual precipitation gradient (50–150 mm) in the Alxa Desert,China, and compared the variation characteristics in the surface soil layer (0–10 cm) and subsurface soillayer (10–20 cm). Results showed that soil bacterial communities significantly changed along theprecipitation gradient in both soil layers. However, the subsurface soil layer could support bacterialcommunities with higher diversity and closer internal relationships but more internal competition than thesurface soil layer. Additionally, compared with the surface soil layer, variations in diversity andco-occurrence patterns in the subsurface soil layer were more in line with the changes in the mean annualprecipitation, while bacterial community structure was less variable in the subsurface soil layer. Comparedwith the mean annual precipitation, soil moisture had little influence on the structure and diversity of soilbacterial community but had a high correlation with intercommunity connectivity. Therefore, soilmoisture might play a complex role in mediating environmental conditions and soil bacterial communitycharacteristics. Due to the different responses of surface and subsurface soil bacteria to the changes inprecipitation, it is necessary to distinguish different soil layers when predicting the trends in desert soilbacterial conditions associated with precipitation, and prediction of subsurface soil bacteria may be moreaccurate.     

Long-term cultivation and landscape position effects on aggregate size and organic carbon fractionation on surface soil properties in semi-arid region of Iran

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of long-term cultivation and landscape position on organic carbon content and soil aggregation. Sampling sites were determined based upon land use at the end of 50 years soil use and management, cultivated/annual wheat cropping and grazed pasture, and landscape position in Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiary province, southwest Iran. Soil samples were collected from the 0–5 cm and 5–15 cm depths in two adjacent fields that have the same slope and aspect. The soil was silty clay at the summit and footslope positions, and was a silty clay loam at the backslope. Wet-sieving analysis and aggregate-size fractionation methods were used to separate the samples into three aggregate fractions (i.e., 2–4.75, 0.25–2, and 0.053–0.25 mm). The treatments were arranged in a factorial design. Land use significantly affected the water-stable aggregate fractions, so that the wet soil stability of the macroaggregates (i.e., 2–4.75 mm) was higher in the pasture, whereas it was greater for the meso-aggregates (i.e., 0.25–2 mm) in the cultivated soils. Cultivation decreased both the wet-aggregate stability and percent of macroaggregates whereas long-term pasture enhanced aggregation. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content within aggregates and primary particles was also significantly influenced by landscape position, land use, and the depth of sampling. The SOC content was higher in clay than those in silt and sand contents. The SOC content decreased as depth increased in all fractions. In general, the highest and lowest wet-stable aggregates were observed on the footslope and backslope positions, respectively.     

疏勒河流域不同植被类型土壤酶活性动态变化

以疏勒河流域中游玉门饮马农场不同植被类型（白刺、小麦、苜蓿、孜然和茴香）土壤为研究对象,以荒地为对照,探讨疏勒河流域绿洲荒漠过渡带不同植被类型条件下土壤酶活性季节变化特征。结果表明：不同植被类型显著提高了土壤脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、硝酸还原酶、脱氢酶和过氧化氢酶活性,且0～20 cm土层高于20～40 cm土层。其中苜蓿地土壤脲酶和硝酸还原酶含量最高,其平均值比对照分别增加了77.88%和156.94%;孜然地碱性磷酸酶含量最高,平均是对照的4.43倍;小麦地脱氢酶和过氧化氢酶活性最高,其平均值比对照分别提高了112.72%和51.00%。土壤脱氢酶活性与土壤磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶之间呈显著、极显著的正相关关系。土壤酶活性受生长季节影响较大,但无明显的规律性。5种植被类型土壤酶活性存在差异,但因季节因素的影响,很难确定哪种植被类型对土壤酶活性的影响最大。     

黄土高原南部植被恢复对土壤理化性状与土壤酶活性的影响

利用退耕区域不同植被恢复类型为试点,研究不同植被恢复年限、不同恢复类型土壤理化性状和土壤酶活性动态变化。结果表明,随着恢复年限增加,土壤容重先增加后逐渐下降;pH降低,降幅为1.47%~5.52%;土壤有机质、全氮逐渐增加,增幅分别为9.76%~71.54%、17.39%~62.32%;全磷含量除30 a刺槐比对照增加了12.92%外,其它植被类型均低于对照;速效养分略有增加,趋势不明显;酶活性逐渐增强,尿酶、过氧化氢酶、碱性磷酸酶、蔗糖酶增幅分别为39%~229%、34%~96%、25%~149%、74%~250%。相关性分析表明,各种酶活性与有机质及全氮含量显著相关。因此,实施退耕还林植被恢复有利于土壤理化性状改善,酶活性增强。     

包头市西郊工业污染区盐渍土水盐动态研究

本文研究了工业污染区盐渍化弃耕地的水盐动态 ,结果表明 ,除降水等因素外 ,植被状况对水盐动态也有明显影响。随植被盖度增加 ,土壤含盐量下降 ,全年处于脱盐状态的时间加长 ,植被盖度≥ 32 %时 ,4～ 1 0月 0～ 1 0 0 cm土层一般处于脱盐状态。切断或最大限度地减少工业污染源是必须解决的首要问题 ,在此基础上针对水盐动态和影响因素 ,采取综合措施恢复植被 ,才能逐步改善工业污染区盐渍土的性状。