Effects of different management measures on soil microbial biomass in an alpine meadow

doi:10.11686/cyxb2016055

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, soil microbial biomass characteristics were monitored during 2011-2014 in Maqu alpine meadows under four different management strategies: non-fenced, enclosed, enclosed with fertilization, and enclosed and sowing. Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN), and soil microbial biomass phosphorus (SMBP) were analyzed using the chloroform fumigation extraction method. The results showed that in the same year, the different management measures were ranked, from highest soil microbial biomass in the 0-20 cm soil layer to lowest, as follows: enclosed+sowing>enclosed+fertilization>enclosed>non-fenced, and from highest soil microbial biomass in the 20-40 cm soil layer to lowest, as follows: enclosed+fertilization>enclosed+sowing>enclosed>non-fenced. In the same year, soil microbial biomass in the 0-20 cm soil layer was always greater (1.22 to 3.39 times greater) than that in the 20-40 cm soil layer. With the same management measure and soil depth (0-20 cm or 20-40 cm), soil microbial biomass increased from 2011 to 2012, peaking in 2012 and decreased again afterwards, except for SMBC in the 0-20 cm soil layer in the non-fenced treatment. With the same management measures, the annual variation in soil microbial biomass in the 0-20 cm soil layer was greater than that in the 20-40 cm soil layer. The soil microbial biomass was negatively correlated with temperature, and significantly positively correlated with precipitation. The management measures were ranked, from highest soil quality composite index to lowest, as follows: enclosed+sowing>enclosed+fertilization>enclosed>non-fenced. The results showed that enclosure+sowing is a better soil management measure than the other three strategies for soil restoration and improvement. Consequently, enclosure+sowing should be applied for ecological restoration of Maqu alpine meadows.

JIANG Yong-Mei, YAO Tuo, LI Jian-Hong, CHEN Long, LIU Huan, LIU Ting, TIAN Yong-Liang, ZHANG Biao, GAO Ya-Min. Effects of different management measures on soil microbial biomass in an alpine meadow[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2016, 25(12): 35-43.

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