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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2017, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (5): 15-28.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2016269

• Orignal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatial distribution and chemical properties of marsh wetland soil in the Heihe Nature Reserve

BAI Na1, WANG Li1, *, KONG Dong-Sheng2   

  1. 1.College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    2.Hexi Ecological & Oasis Agricultural Research Institute, Hexi University, Zhangye 734000, China
  • Received:2016-07-01 Revised:2016-11-04 Online:2017-05-20 Published:2017-05-20

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the spatial distribution of soils with different chemical properties in the marsh wetland of the Heihe Nature Reserve, Zhangye. A field study was conducted in the marsh wetland, and soil samples were collected for chemical analyses in the laboratory. Using spatial distribution instead of time succession, descriptive statistics and linear regressions of data were used to explore the distribution of available nutrients, organic matter, soil total salt content, and pH in the marsh soils. The soil organic matter levels significantly increased with increasing soil depth. As the soil depth increased, the available nitrogen content showed a clear vertical differentiation, first increasing and then decreasing. Available phosphorus, available potassium, and total salt content showed the same distribution patterns; that is, significant accumulation in surface soils. There was no significant difference in the spatial distribution of pH, but soil in this region is alkaline to strongly alkaline. Soil organic matter and pH showed a weak negative correlation, because pH indirectly affects the soil organic matter content by inhibiting growth. The total salt content was strongly correlated with available potassium. The variability coefficients of total salt, soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium had medium values, while that of pH had a low value. The marsh wetland in Heihe is deteriorating because of a lack of soil and water conservation in arid and semiarid regions. Long-term experimental research to monitor changes in soils in sensitive areas is required for their protection and restoration.

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