Arid Zone Research ›› 2022, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 469-476.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2022.02.14

• Soil Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Soil nutrients and stoichiometric characteristics of the Elaeagnus angustifolia shelterbelt in the Hobq Desert

SHI Shiling1(),REN Xiaomeng2,ZHANG Xiaowei3,MENG Zhongju1(),WANG Tao1   

  1. 1. College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia, China
    2. Inner Mongolia Meteorological Institute, Hohhot 010051, Inner Mongolia, China
    3. Uxin Banner Mu Us Sandy Land Ecological Development Co., Ltd., Ordos 017300, Inner Mongolia, China
  • Received:2021-09-03 Revised:2021-10-22 Online:2022-03-15 Published:2022-03-30
  • Contact: Zhongju MENG E-mail:1922752996@qq.com;mengzhongju@126.com

Abstract:

To investigate the soil nutrients and stoichiometric characteristics of the Elaeagnus angustifolia shelterbelt in the northeastern margin of the Hobq Desert, and to offer a theoretical basis for the development of desert shelterbelt, we studied the E. angustifolia shelterbelt with different forest ages (3 a, 9 a, 15 a ) using 30 m×30 m representative sample plots. The soil nutrient content of these plots were measured by stratified sampling of the 0-50 cm soil layer. The pH of different soil layers in the different forest ages had little fluctuation; however, the nutrient elements were significantly affected by forest age and soil depth. Nutrient content increased significantly with forest age, and decreased vertically along the soil profile, illustrating a surface accumulation phenomenon. Among nutrients, forest age had a great influence on available K, total P, and total K; at a forest age of 15 a, these nutrients increased by 152.2%, 58.0%, and 69.5%, respectively, compared with bare sandy land. The C:N, C:P, and N:P of the 0-50 cm soil layer across the different forest ages was 9.25-18.99, 4.78-5.96, and 0.31-0.63, respectively, and was affected by forest age and soil depth. The comprehensive stoichiometric analysis showed a remarkable improvement effect of the E. angustifolia shelterbelt on aeolian sandy soil in the northeastern margin of Hobq Desert, with the soil nutrient status mainly affected by the C and N. The mineralization ability of soil N was weak and nitrogen was poor. As such, nitrogen fertilizer should be appropriately applied in later management.

Key words: soil nutrient, stoichiometric characteristics, Elaeagnus angustifolia shelterbelt, forest age, Hobq Desert