干旱区研究

Arid Zone Research >

2025 , Vol. 42 >Issue 7: 1236 - 1245

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13866/j.azr.2025.07.07

Land and Water Resources

Distribution of soil phosphorus fractions in lichen crusts at different slope positions in Gurbantunggut Desert

  • YANG Ziyue ,
  • YIN Benfeng ,
  • ZHANG Shujun ,
  • HUANG Yunjie ,
  • YANG Ao ,
  • ZHANG Yuanming ,
  • GAO Yingzhi ,
  • JING Changqing
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  • 1. Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    3. Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Application in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    5. College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang, China

Received date: 2024-12-09

  Revised date: 2025-04-02

  Online published: 2025-07-07

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Abstract

As the fundamental terrain of deserts, sand ridges play a crucial role in shaping the surface water and thermal environment at different slope positions, which profoundly influences how biological soil crusts develop and their spatial distribution patterns. Lichen crusts are widely distributed on the desert surface. However, issues such as how lichen crusts at different slope positions affect the soil phosphorous cycle and what factors play key roles in influencing this remain unclear. Against this background, this study was conducted in Gurbantunggut Desert, involving a systematic analysis of the changes in phosphorus fractions and related enzyme activities in the lichen crust and 0-5 cm soil layer beneath the crust at different slope positions. The results showed that stable phosphorus in the soil (HCl-Pi, HHCl-Po, HHCl-Pi, and Residual-P) accounted for over 75% of the total phosphorus (TP) content, followed by medium labile phosphorus (NaOH-Pi and NaOH-Po) and labile phosphorus (Resin-P, NaHCO3-Pi, and NaHCO3-Po). The slope position had a significant impact on stable phosphorus, and the soil layer had a significant impact on medium labile phosphorus (P<0.05). The data on the contents of stable phosphorus, TP, organic phosphorus (Po), and inorganic phosphorus (Pi) all revealed that, in the crust layer, the values at the bottom of the slope were significantly higher than those on the east and west slopes, while in the 0-5 cm soil layer, the values on the west slope were significantly lower than those at the bottom of the slope and on the east slope (P<0.05). However, the content of NaOH-Pi was significantly higher on the east and west slopes than at the bottom of the slope in the crust layer, and it was significantly higher on the west slope than on the east slope and at the bottom of the slope in the 0-5 cm soil layer. In terms of soil enzymes, the east slope exhibited the lowest activity of alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and β-glucosidase activity (GC) in the crust layer, but the highest in the 0-5 cm soil layer. Random forest model analysis showed that the changes in moisture and temperature brought about by the slope position were the most important factors affecting the levels of labile phosphorus and stable phosphorus in the crust soil, respectively. This provides scientific support that enriches the theoretical framework of soil phosphorous cycling in desert ecosystems.

Key words： biological soil crusts; lichen crusts; phosphorus cycling; temperate deserts; slope position; Gurbantunggut Desert

Cite this article

YANG Ziyue , YIN Benfeng , ZHANG Shujun , HUANG Yunjie , YANG Ao , ZHANG Yuanming , GAO Yingzhi , JING Changqing . Distribution of soil phosphorus fractions in lichen crusts at different slope positions in Gurbantunggut Desert[J]. Arid Zone Research, 2025 , 42(7) : 1236 -1245 . DOI: 10.13866/j.azr.2025.07.07

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