Effects of shrub on understory herbaceous plants and soil properties in the restoration processes of degraded vegetation in Horqin Sand Land

作者 Zuo Xiaoan; Zhao Xueyong; Zhao Halin; Guo Yirui; Li Yulin; Liu Rentao; Mao Wei

期刊 Ecology and Environmental Sciences , ,:

摘要 In order to understand the roles of shrubs in the restoration processes of degraded vegetation in semiarid areas, we inves-tigated the effects of shrubs on soil properties and community characterestics of herbaceous plants in Horqin Sand Land, Northern China. Based on the field investigation and lab analysis, the plant community characterestics of herbaceous plants and soil physico-chemical properties in outside and inside shrub canopies were studied in the restoration processes of degraded vegetation (mobile dune, semi-mobile dune, semi-fixed dune and fixed dune). The results showed that the vegetation cover, plant height and density were higher in inside than outside of Caragana microphylla shrub in mobile dune, semi-mobile dune, semi-fixed dune and fixed dune, and community characteristics showed a declined trend from shrub inside to outside. The comparison of soil properties in out-side and inside shrub canopies of Artemisia halodendrom, Caragana microphylla, Artemisia frigida, showed that the contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and phosphorus, available nitrogen and phosphorus at 0～10 cm depth were higher in inside than out-side shrub canopies, which suggests that the development of shrubs can enrich the soil nutrient under shrubs on dunes. These results suggest that the development of shrubs has an important role in protecting and restoring seed resource under shrubs and creates sig-nificant islands of fertility, supporting the benign environment for herbaceous plants invasion and establishment under shrubs.

涉及物种 小叶锦鸡儿 Caragana microphylla 冷蒿 Artemisia frigida 蒿属 Artemisia