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Arid Land Geography ›› 2020, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (6): 1543-1550.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2020.06.15

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Soil erosibility of typical plant communities in Ulan Buh Desert

WANG Jia-ting1, 2, YU Ming-han1, 2, YANG Hai-long1, 2, WU Qi-gan1, 2, LIU Tai-han1, 2   

  1. 1 School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; 2 Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2020-01-09 Revised:2020-12-03 Online:2020-11-25 Published:2020-11-25

Abstract: In order to figure out the effect of vegetation restoration on the wind erodibility of the soil in Ulan Buh Desert, Inner Mongolia, China, eight typical plant communities (Nitraria tangutorum Bobr., Ammopiptanthus mongolicus Cheng f., Phragmites communis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., Artemisia ordosica Krasch., Stipa glareosa P. Smirn., Kalidium foliatum Moq., Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq., Haloxylon ammodendron Bunge.) in Ulan Buh Desert were investigated in this study. The topsoil in each community at different sand fixing stages was sampled and the soil physical factors (erodible particle content, soil water content, organic matter content), soil crust factor index, and vegetation factor index were monitored to analyze the differences of soil erodible factors among different plant community types and sand fixation stages. Results showed that: (1) In Ulan Buh Desert, the erodible particle content in different plant communities was in the range of 85.23%-91.64%, organic matter content was in the range of 0.42- 3.16 g · kg- 1, soil water content was 11.10- 18.30 g · kg- 1, soil crust factor index was 0.83- 0.99, and vegetation factor index was 0.29- 0.67. (2) The erodible particle content, organic matter content, and soil water content in shrub communities (S. glareosa, K. foliatum, A. squarrosum) were higher than that in herbaceous communities (N. tangutorum, A. mongolicus, H. ammodendron). It can be concluded that wind erosion erodibility of shrub communities is weaker than that of herbaceous communities, indicating a stronger ability in reducing soil wind erosion in shrub community. Vegetation type significantly affects the topsoil erodibility through the way of improving topsoil granulometric composition and organic matter content. P. communis had a significantly higher soil water content that other herbaceous communities since its living condition was always in a low-lying area. (3) The erodible particle content of topsoil shows a decreased tendency in the order of flowing sandy land, semi-fixed sandy land, and fixed sandy land. Meanwhile, organic matter content and soil crust factor of topsoil shows an increased tendency in the order of flowing sandy land, semi-fixed sandy land, and fixed sandy land. No significant difference is observed with the soil water content and vegetation factor among the sand fixation stages. Sand fixation had a significant effect on the topsoil erodibility through the way of improving topsoil granulometric composition and organic matter content, and enhancing biocrusts growth. (4) Soil erodible particles, soil organic matter content, soil water content, soil crust factor index, and vegetation factor index had significant correlations with vegetation types and sand fixation stages. Therefore, to reduce soil wind erosion, both plant species selection and community succession promotion should be considered in ecological construction in the sandy area. This research provided supports for evaluating the ecological function of vegetation ecosystem and guiding the construction sandy desertification combating projects in Ulan Buh Desert.

Key words: Ulan Buh Desert, community type, soil wind erosion, soil erodibility