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Arid Land Geography ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (1): 94-104.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.125

• Soil Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatial differentiation and its influencing factors of soil carbon in Populus euphratica Oliv. forest in the lower reach of Heihe River

YIN Yidan1,2(), YU Tengfei1,3,4(), HAN Tuo1,3,4, TAN Tianyi5, CHEN Xiaoling5   

  1. 1. Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    4. Alxa Desert Eco-Hydrology Experimental Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    5. Ejin Banner Forestry and Grassland Bureau, Alagxa 737300, Inner Mongolia, China
  • Received:2024-02-28 Revised:2024-05-21 Online:2025-01-25 Published:2025-01-21
  • Contact: YU Tengfei E-mail:yinyidan@nieer.ac.cn;yutf@lzb.ac.cn

Abstract:

The distribution of soil carbon in desert riparian forests is shaped by multiple factors. This study examines the Ejina Oasis in the lower reaches of the Heihe River, China. Soil samples from 20 Populus euphratica Oliv. plots at depths of 0-100 cm were analyzed to investigate the spatial variation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) and their influencing factors. The results reveal: (1) The mean SOC and SIC contents in the 0-100 cm soil layer were 2.90 g·kg-1 and 10.79 g·kg-1, respectively, with SIC being 3.72 times of SOC. (2) Vertically, both SOC and SIC contents exhibited a declining trend with increasing soil depth, while horizontally, SOC and SIC from the upper to lower sections of East River of the Heihe River show a decreasing trend, but the total amount of SIC is still greater than SOC. This suggests that inorganic carbon predominates in the lower reaches of inland rivers in arid regions. (3) Soil physical and chemical properties showed a stronger explanatory power for SOC, whereas their influence on SIC was comparatively lower. Specifically, soil chemical properties such as electrical conductivity (EC), sodium ion (Na+), sulfate (SO42-), chloride ion (Cl-), calcium ion (Ca2+), magnesium ion (Mg2+), and potassium ion (K+) had the most significant influence on SOC. In conclusion, the soil carbon pool in desert riparian forests in the lower reaches of inland river basins in arid areas is predominantly composed of SIC, with notable spatial variations in both horizontal and vertical directions. Basic cations are identified as the primary factor influencing SOC spatial differentiation, while soil sand content and bulk density are the key factors affecting SIC spatial differentiation.

Key words: riparian Populus euphratica Oliv. forest, soil carbon, distribution characteristics, influencing factor, Heihe River Basin