Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (5): 767-776.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.05.09

• Plant Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of rare and endangered Ammopiptanthus mongolicus and associated species on soil characteristics in western Ordos

WU Huimin1(),DANG Xiaohong1,2(),ZHAI Bo1,WEI Yajuan1,LI Xiaole1   

  1. 1. College of Desert Management, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia, China
    2. Hangjin Desert Ecological Positioning Observation and Research Station in Inner Mongolia, Ordos 017400, Inner Mongolia, China
  • Received:2022-09-08 Revised:2022-10-20 Online:2023-05-15 Published:2023-05-30

Abstract:

This study was conducted to explore the influence of desert shrubs and their associated species on soil particle size and nutrient spatial heterogeneity under shrubs. The mixed community of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus and Sarcozygium xanthoxylon and a single plant of A. mongolicus in the Western Ordos National Nature Reserve were selected as the research samples. The surrounding bare sandy land without vegetation cover was used as control. The soil particle size characteristics, nutrient accumulation changes, and the relationship between nutrients and particle size composition under different shrub distribution types were analyzed. The results were as follows: (1) Compared with the mixed community of A. mongolicus-S. xanthoxylon, the volume percentages of soil clay, silt, and fine sand of the single A. mongolicus increased by 0.8%, 0.8%, and 0.71%, respectively. As the types of shrubs decrease, soil particle size became smaller in turn, sorting deteriorated, the fractal dimension became smaller, the soil particle distribution gradually became asymmetric, and the particle composition was concentrated at fine particles. (2) The contents of soil organic matter and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen increased by 1.85 g·kg-1 and 8.18 g·kg-1, respectively, with the increase in shrub species. The accumulation of organic matter and available phosphorus by a single A. mongolicus was stronger than that by A. mongolicus-S. xanthoxylon; however, the accumulation of alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen was slightly poor than that of A. mongolicus-S. xanthoxylon. (3) A. mongolicus-S. xanthoxylon available soil phosphorus content was significantly positively correlated with fine sand content (P<0.05), and A. mongolicus available soil nitrogen and potassium were significantly positively correlated with coarse sand (P<0.05). A. mongolicus-S. xanthoxylon can effectively promote soil granulation and significantly improve soil nutrients. However, the presence of the associated species S. xanthoxylon reduced the enrichment of organic matter and available phosphorus by A. mongolicus.

Key words: soil mechanical composition, nutrient enrichment, relict plant, west Ordos region