Effects of Salsola passerina shrub patches on the microscale heterogeneity of soil in a montane grassland, China

Zheng, Jiyong; He, Mingzhu; Li, X.; Chen, Y.; Liu, L.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.05.010

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The formation of 'fertility islands' under shrub canopy has been particularly credited with an increase in spatial variation of soil resources (Herman et al 1995;Wetzel et al 2000;Huenneke et al 2002). Our results, indicating that soil organic C, total N, EC, very fine sand content, and soil water content (0-20 cm) had the higher spatial heterogeneity in MD11, support the conclusion that the presence of shrubs promote the spatial heterogeneity of soil properties because new patch types are included (Whitford et al 1997;Zheng et al 2008).…”

Section: Impact Of Vegetation Restoration On Heterogeneity Of Soil Prsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Due to the long-term influence of extensive fuelwood gathering, heavy grazing, and reclamation, Horqin Sandy Land has become one of the most severely desertified regions in northern China. In recent years, the problems of land desertification and its influence on environmental change in the Horqin region have been intensively studied, e.g., the desertification processes and mechanisms (Zhao et al 2005;Li et al 2008), community succession of vegetation restoration on dunes (Zhang et al 2005a, b), vertical distribution, and production and turnover of fine roots in a sandy shrubland (Huang et al 2008), land cover change effects on soil chemical and biological properties (Zeng et al 2008), and spatial pattern and heterogeneity of soil properties in sand dunes under grazing and restoration (Zuo et al 2008b). In addition, owing to the annual precipitation of 350-500 mm, some mobile dunes can be gradually and naturally restored to semi-fixed or fixed dunes after excluding destructive land uses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial heterogeneity of soil properties and vegetation–soil relationships following vegetation restoration of mobile dunes in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

et al. 2008

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Quantitative methods were used to examine soil properties and their spatial heterogeneity in a 0-year fenced mobile dune (MD0), an 11-year fenced mobile dune (MD11) and a 20-year fenced mobile dune (MD20) in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of vegetation restoration on heterogeneity of soil properties in sand dunes and to provide a concept model to describe the relationship between vegetation succession and spatial heterogeneity variation of soil properties in the dunes. The results showed that the average values of vegetation cover, species number and diversity, soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and electrical conductivity (EC) increased with the increase in fenced age of mobile dunes, while soil water content (0-20 cm) showed the reverse trend. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the spatial heterogeneity of soil organic C, total N, EC, very fine sand content, and soil water content (0-20 cm) increased from MD0 to MD11 with succession from sand pioneer plant to shrub species then decreased from MD11 to MD20 due to continuous development of herbaceous plants. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that there was a relatively high correspondence between vegetation and soil factors, suggesting that the major gradients relating soil organic C, total N, EC, pH, slope, very fine sand content, and soil water content are the main factors for the distribution of dune plants and account for 68.1% of the species-environment relationship among the three sites. In addition, the distribution of the sand pioneer plant was positively related to the relative height of the sampling site and soil water content, and that of most herbaceous plants were determined by soil organic C, total N, EC, pH, and very fine sand content in mobile dunes. The conceptual model of relationship between vegetation succession and spatial heterogeneity of soil properties in mobile dunes suggests spatial patterns of soil properties are most strongly related to plant-induced heterogeneity in dune ecosystems prone to wind erosion, and conversely, the magnitude and degree of spatial heterogeneity in soil properties can influence the plant distribution pattern and vegetation succession of mobile dunes.

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Section: Impact Of Vegetation Restoration On Heterogeneity Of Soil Prsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial heterogeneity of soil properties and vegetation–soil relationships following vegetation restoration of mobile dunes in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

et al. 2008

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“…The research results of Su et al (2005) indicated that, after the establishment of A. halodendron shrub on mobile dune in Horqin Sandy Land, higher levels of soil organic C and total N were found under its shrub canopies in comparison with their openings, exhibiting the classic "islands of fertility." The presences of shrubs result in higher soil nutrient levels and promote the heterogeneity of soil nutrients (Whitford et al 1997;Zheng et al 2008). Our results also showed that the dominance of A. halodendron shrub decreased with vegetation restoration from RMD11to and RMD20 and a reverse trend for S. viridis herb and other herbaceous plants.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Spatial pattern and heterogeneity of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in sand dunes related to vegetation change and geomorphic position in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Zuo

Zou

Zhao

et al. 2009

Environ Monit Assess

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To assesses the effect of geomorphology, topography, and vegetation changes on spatial pattern of soil organic carbon (C) and total nitrogen (N) in sand dunes, we used the quantitative methods to examine the spatial heterogeneity of vegetation cover, soil organic C, and total N in an 11-year naturally restored mobile dune (RMD11) and a 20-year naturally restored mobile dune (RMD20) that had been fenced to exclude grazing in Horqin Sandy Land, northern China. Our results showed that the vegetation cover, plant density, species number and diversity, soil organic C, and total N increased from RMD11 to RMD20 and increased from the 50 x 50-m plot (crest) to the 100 x 100-m plot (slope) in each dune. Geostatistical analysis showed that the spatial structural variance accounted for the largest proportion of the total sample variance in vegetation cover, soil organic C, and total N in each dune plot. Calculated spatial autocorrelation ranges of vegetation cover, soil organic C, and total N increased from RMD11 to RMD20, indicating that longer time since vegetation restoration results in a more homogeneous distribution of vegetation cover, soil organic C, and total N in sand dunes. In addition, the spatial continuity of vegetation cover, soil organic C, and total N decreased from the 50 x 50-m plot (crest) to the 100 x 100-m plot (slope) in each dune. These results suggest that the spatial distribution of soil organic C and total N in sand dunes is associated closely with geomorphic position related to the dune crest and slope, relative elevation of sampling site, and vegetation cover. Understanding the principles of this relationship between them may guide strategies for the conservation and management of semiarid dune ecosystems.

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“…Shrubs in arid and semi-arid environments can dramatically influence and alter spatial distribution of soil resources (Schlesinger et al, 1996), C and N cycling Dossa et al, 2009), soil moisture (Whitford et al, 1997), and create microclimate for favoring conductive environment for microbial activities (Zheng et al, 2008) under canopy area of shrub compared to outside-canopy area which may influence mineralization and nutrient availability in soil. A number of physical and biological mechanisms cause these increases in resource availability, including the concentration or organic material due to leaf fall, pruning materials and root sequestrations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization potential of biofuel crop (Jatropha curcas L.) residues in soil

Chaudhary

Chikara

Ghosh

2014

J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr.

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Use and management of jatropha residue is currently an important global issue for attaining sustainability in biofuel production from Jatropha curcas on wastelands. Perhaps, knowledge about the decomposition characteristics and nutrient release pattern from jatropha residues amended soils are lacking. Thus, the objective of present research was to characterize the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization of jatropha residues during decomposition in soil. The chemical composition of the residues, in terms of C, N, cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin and phenolics contents were determined. Laboratory incubation studies were carried out with two soils (inside and outside-canopy soil of jatropha shrub) and four jatropha residues (1% w/w) amendments (cake, leaf, fruit shell or control soil only). The cumulative CO 2 evolution of the added residues was in the magnitude of fruit shell>leaf>cake>control soil. Net C mineralized in soils were in the range of 46-50, 66-67 and 75-77% of C added by cake, leaf and fruit shell, respectively at the end of incubation study. Soils amended with leaf immobilized N during the first 64 days but subsequently released inorganic N. The addition of cake and fruit shell resulted in net N mineralization and net N immobilization, respectively throughout the incubation period. Cumulative N released by the end of incubation was in the order of cake>leaf>control>fruit shell. Net N mineralization in soils during the study was 75-92 and 21-27% of N added by cake and leaf, respectively whereas there was net N immobilization in fruit shell amended soil. Cumulative CO 2 evolution as well as N mineralization during incubation were higher in inside-canopy soil compared with that of outside-canopy soil. Jatropha cake and leaf proved to be a potential source of mineral N, however leaf will take about 60-70 days as gestation period to mineralize the nitrogen. Similarly, leaf and fruit shell also exhibited a good potential of C mineralization.

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Effects of Salsola passerina shrub patches on the microscale heterogeneity of soil in a montane grassland, China

Cited by 15 publications

References 37 publications

Spatial heterogeneity of soil properties and vegetation–soil relationships following vegetation restoration of mobile dunes in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Spatial heterogeneity of soil properties and vegetation–soil relationships following vegetation restoration of mobile dunes in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Spatial pattern and heterogeneity of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in sand dunes related to vegetation change and geomorphic position in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization potential of biofuel crop (Jatropha curcas L.) residues in soil

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