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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (6): 28-39.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020349

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Soil physical and chemical properties under four typical shrubs found on the Northern and Southern Mountains of Lanzhou City, Northwest China

Xiao-e LIU(), Shi-ping SU(), Yi LI   

  1. College of Forestry,Gansu Agricultural University,Lanzhou 730070,China
  • Received:2020-07-20 Revised:2020-09-24 Online:2021-05-21 Published:2021-05-21
  • Contact: Shi-ping SU

Abstract:

This research was conducted on the Northern and Southern Mountains located in Lanzhou City and evaluated soil physical and chemical properties of the 0-80 cm soil layers under four common shrub species to provide a theoretical basis for shrub species selection in the future construction of artificial shrub communities. The four shrub species studied were Caragana rosea TamarixchinensisReaumuria songarica and Platycladus orientalis cv. sieboldii based on field sampling and laboratory tests. It was found that: 1) The soil bulk density and other physical properties including soil water holding capacity, soil porosity and soil infiltration were markedly better under C. rosea than under the other three shrub species. The soil pH ranged from 7.63 to 8.19. Levels of soil organic matter, total nitrogen and mineral nitrogen under C. rosea were higher than those under the other shrubs studied. Soil phosphorus and potassium showed different patterns for the different shrub species. 2) The bulk density was increased with increase in soil depth over the 0-80 cm soil layers, while the soil water holding capacity, total porosity, capillary porosity and soil penetrability decreased with increase in soil depth. Levels of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, mineral nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus and available potassium decreased with increase in soil depth in the 0-80 cm soil layers, but there were no significant differences in soil pH and total potassium with soil depth. 3) Correlation analysis of soil physical and chemical properties indicated significant positive correlations between soil organic matter and soil total nitrogen, water holding capacity, total porosity, capillary porosity, but a significant negative correlation with soil bulk density. Soil bulk density was significantly negatively correlated with soil water holding capacity, total porosity and capillary porosity. The results showed that C. rosea is more effective in improving soil physical and chemical properties, increasing soil water holding capacity and soil permeability than the other three species tested. Therefore, it is suggested that C. rosea shrubs should be the main species used in restoration planting to conserve water and soil in this area in the future.

Key words: soil physical properties, soil chemical properties, shrubs, Northern and Southern mountain in Lanzhou City