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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (8): 12-24.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020280

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Soil and vegetation successional responses in natural restoration of mixed Potentilla parvifolia-Salix cupularis shrubland in the Eastern Qilian Mountains

Xiang HE(), Mei-mei BAI, Chang-lin XU, Mei-juan SONG, Peng-bin WANG, Xiao-jun YU()   

  1. College of Grassland Science,Gansu Agricultural University,Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem,Ministry of Education,Sino-U. S. Center for Grassland Ecosystem Sustainability,Pratacultural Engineering Laboratory of Gansu Province,Lanzhou 730070,China
  • Received:2020-06-22 Revised:2020-10-10 Online:2021-07-09 Published:2021-07-09
  • Contact: Xiao-jun YU

Abstract:

This research aimed to scientifically evaluate the characteristics of natural succession and provide a theoretical basis for planning ecological restoration and sustainable utilization of shrub meadow. Differences in carbon storage and soil nutrient status were measured for a ‘time series’ of sites at different successional stages in mixed Potentilla parvifolia-Salix cupularis shrub meadow in the Eastern Qilian Mountains. For a prolonged natural restorative succession of about 20 years, it was found that the carbon storage of shrub communities increased by 1.1 to 3.8 times and the respiration rate of soil between shrubs increased by 1.1 to 2.0 times, while soil respiration under shrubs remained unchanged. The soil water content of the 0-30 cm soil layer under shrubs of shrub decreased by up to one third and the soil bulk density under shrubs increased in the 0-30 cm soil depth. Soil organic matter levels in the 0-30 cm soil layer displayed a single-peak curve with an initial increase of 2.0% to 48.7% and then a decrease of 4.4% to 32.0% in soil organic matter, available nitrogen and available phosphorus, while levels of total phosphorus and total potassium increased by 3.0% to 76.0%. No consistent pattern over time was detected for levels of other soil nutrients. To summarize, the carbon storage increased, but the physical and chemical properties of soil were negatively affected over the course of restorative succession of shrub meadow vegetation. Therefore, it is suggested that for sustainable and balanced development of grassland ecosystems there will be a need for proactive exploration of ways to achieve efficiency, so that the shrubs and herbs can develop positive plant community interaction and grow harmoniously. In this way the goal of stabilizing and balancing the ecosystem could be achieved and the production capacity of grass and the economic income of farmers and herdsmen increased.

Key words: Eastern Qilian Mountains, restoration succession, soil nutrient contents, carbon storage