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Arid Land Geography ›› 2022, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1): 197-207.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000–6060.2021.166

• Biology and Pedology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Litter and soil water conservation function of typical shrubs in eastern Qilian Mountains

YANG Xiaoxia(),ZHAO Jinmei(),ZHANG Xue,FAN Yuhang,ZHANG Bin,WANG Jingnan,ZHANG Biyan   

  1. College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2021-04-14 Revised:2021-06-09 Online:2022-01-25 Published:2022-01-21
  • Contact: Jinmei ZHAO E-mail:1450404710@qq.com;zhaojm@gsau.edu.cn

Abstract:

The water conservation function of the Qilian Mountains plays a vital role in the social, economic, and ecological security of the northeast part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and even the whole Hexi Oasis. To investigate the water conservation function of the shrub litter layer and shrub soil layer in this area, to clarify the difference in water conservation effect of different shrub forests, and to provide theoretical guidance for the restoration and improvement of the water conservation function of shrubs and the vegetation construction in the Qilian Mountains’ alpine region. Taking litter and soil of six typical shrubs in the eastern part of Qilian Mountains as research objects, the hydrological characteristics of litter were studied by field investigation and indoor immersion, The cutting ring method was used to investigate the physical properties of soil, while the coordinate comprehensive evaluation method was used to assess the water conservation function of shrub litter and soil. The outcomes are as follows: (1) The accumulation of litter of the six shrubs ranged from 0.23-3.61 t·hm-2, and the order of size was as follows: Salix oritrepha>Salix sclerophylla>Spiraea salicifolia>Potentilla fruticosa>Rhododendron capitatum>Rhododendron thymifolium. (2) The maximum water holding the capacity range of litter is 0.57-10.59 t·hm -2, with the largest S. oritrepha and the smallest R. thymifolium. The maximum water holding rate ranged from 147.30% to 293.28%, with the largest variation being S. oritrepha and the smallest S. salicifolia. (3) The water holding capacity (Y) and soaking time (t) of the six shrubs are in a logarithmic function relationship: Y=klnt+b, R 2>0.967, and the water absorption rate (V) and soaking time (t) is in a power function relationship: V=Ktn, R2>0.823. (4) The maximum storage capacity and the effective storage capacity were all S. oritrepha>S. sclerophylla>as P. fruticosa>S. salicifolia>R. thymifolium>R. capitatum. The maximum, and effective interception rates were calculated as P. fruticosa>S. oritrepha>S. sclerophylla>S. salicifolia>R. thymifolium>R. capitatum. (5) The soil bulk density of the six types of shrubs ranges from 0.69-0.95 g·cm-3, with S. oritrepha being the largest and R. thymifolium being the smallest. The total porosity of the soil ranges from 60.94%-68.75%. R. thymifolium is the largest, and S. salicifolia is the smallest. The maximum water holding capacity of the soil ranges from 609.44-687.46 t·hm-2, R. thymifolium is the largest, and S. salicifolia is the smallest. (6) The litter layer and soil layer’s water conservation function S. oritrepha is the best according to the analysis of coordinate comprehensive evaluation method, next were the S. sclerophylla (0.7385), P. fruticosa (2.3471), S. salicifolia (2.5302), R. capitatum (3.2114) and R. thymifolium (3.4583). To summarize, we should strengthen shrub litter protection and supervision, take full advantage of the differences in hydrological functions between different shrub litter and soil, and appropriately increase the species of shrub litter S. oritrepha, and give full play to the function of a shrub to conserve water resources.

Key words: shrub, litter, soil, hydrological characteristics, alpine region