Effect of Leaching on Loss of Soil Phosphorus in Different Types of Sand Dune in Horqin Sandy Land, China

Abstract

We simulated P leaching on active dune (AD), semi-stabilized dune (SSD) and stabilized dune (SD) under 140, 700 and 1400 mm of rainfall in Horqin Sandy Land Inner Mongolia, China. The results showed that the available phosphorus (AP) pool decreased by 5–50% in topsoil (0–10 cm), and increased by -5–220% in subsoil (10–20 cm) in AD, SSD, and SD soil. The total P (TP) pool in topsoil (0–10 cm) decreased by 1.8–5.0%, and increased by -5–4.6% in subsoil (10–20 cm) in AD, SSD, and SD soil. The P loss in the soils (0-20 cm) was 0.5–4.5% in AD, SSD, and SD soil. These data indicated that significant downward movement of P occurred during soil leaching. And, the movement of soil P by leaching can cause P loss and changes in vertical distribution of P. Moreover, the difference in P concentration, drawn up by plant roots, between topsoil and subsoil can buffer the P loss at the start of leaching. Therefore, vegetation restoration is essential to reduce P loss in sandy lands.

Soil phosphorus budget in global grasslands and implications for management

“…In the Chihuahuan Desert grassland of New Mexico, for example, the loss was only 0.0378 kg P ha -1 during a 30-min heavy rainfall simulation (146 mm h -1 ) (Schlesinger et al, 1999). In other natural grasslands (i.e., Horqin Sand Land Inner Mongolia, northeastern China), P loss was higher and could reach 2.6 kg P ha -1 , 1.6 kg P ha -1 and 1.2 kg P ha -1 , respectively, from soils taken from active, semi-stabilized, and stabilized sand dune in degraded grassland with 20 mm simulated rainfall that occurred every 2 days over 14 days (equivalent to 140 mm of total precipitation) (Zhou et al 2013).…”

“…Natural 0.2~8.8 0.03~9.2 -2.01~0.36 (Chaneton et al, 1996;Dong et al, 2000;Hoffmann et al, 2008;Oelmann et al, 2007;Steinke et al, 2013;Yan et al, 2011;Zhou et al, 2013) Managed 0~244 0~68.7 -42.0~126.0 (Domburg et al, 2000;Dong et al, 2000;Foy et al, 2002;Haas et al, 2007;Haygarth et al, 1998a;Haygarth et al, 1998b;Hooda et al, 1999;Hooda et al, 2000;Käding, 2006;Li et al, 2004;Messiga et al, 2015;Murphy et al, 2015;Pote et al, 2009;Rowarth et al, 1992;Sinaj et al, 2002;Tiessen et al, 1982;Toor et al, 2005;Toor et al, 2004 (Newman, 1995;Schlesinger et al, 1999;Turnbull et al, 2011) Managed 0.4~30.0 1.4~13.0 -1.0~25.8 (Gourley et al, 2012;Obour et al, 2011) Figure adapted from Haygarth et al, 1998a. Fig.…”