Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (11): 1797-1805.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.11.09

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Differences in the physical and chemical properties of biological soil crusts in different shrub communities in the Gonghe Basin

ZHANG Manyu1,2(),WANG Zhitao2,DENG Lei2,3,ZHOU Hong2()   

  1. 1. College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, Qinghai, China
    2. Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, Qinghai, China
    3. Qinghai Provincial Forestry and Grassland Project Service Center, Xining 810016, Qinghai, China
  • Received:2023-02-22 Revised:2023-06-05 Online:2023-11-15 Published:2023-12-01

Abstract:

Exploring the differences in the physical and chemical properties of biological soil crusts (BSCs) in different shrub communities in the Gonghe Basin of Qinghai Province to provide theoretical reference for the protection and rational utilization of BSCs resources. The BSCs at different stages of Artemisia desertorum, Caragana microphylla, Salix cheilophila communities in the Gonghe Basin were investigated. Particle composition and nutrient characteristics were studied through field sampling and indoor analysis. The results showed that the particle composition of BSCs in the three shrub communities was dominated by sand (45%-90%). The sand content of Caragana microphylla>Salix cheilophila>Artemisia desertorum was significantly higher than that of bare sand between shrubs. The contents of total nitrogen, total carbon, organic matter, available phosphorus, available potassium, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, total phosphorus in the BSCs of the Salix cheilophila community were significantly higher than other, and the contents increased with the development of BSCs in the three shrub communities. The shrub community mostly influenced the physical and chemical properties of BSCs, and the shrub biomass was significantly positively correlated with the coverage, thickness, total nitrogen, total carbon, organic matter, available phosphorus, available potassium, available nitrogen, and total phosphorus of BSCs, and significantly negatively correlated with sand content (P<0.05). The shrub community effectively improved the soil structure of BSCs in the sandy land of the Gonghe Basin. The Artemisia desertorum community was more conducive to soil refinement, and the Salix cheilophila community was more conducive to nutrient accumulation.

Key words: biological soil crusts, shrub communities, differences in physicochemical properties, Gonghe Basin