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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 57-68.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020478

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Effects of shrub encroachment on soil aggregate ecological stoichiometry and enzyme activity in alpine grassland

Wen-ming MA(), Chao-wen LIU, Qing-ping ZHOU, Zhuo-ma DENGzeng, Si-hong TANG, Diliyaer·mohetaer, Chen HOU   

  1. Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,Southwest Minzu University,Chengdu 610041,China
  • Received:2020-10-27 Revised:2020-12-28 Online:2021-12-01 Published:2021-12-01
  • Contact: Wen-ming MA

Abstract:

Shrub encroachment is one of the key factors affecting soil organic carbon storage in alpine grassland. In this study, we compared soil properties with and without shrub encroachment in grasslands at the eastern margin of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Soil parameters measured included the contents of organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium, and activities of sucrase, urease, phosphatase, catalase, protease and glucosidase, as well as the ecological stoichiometry characteristics of soil aggregates of various sizes. Our results showed that: 1) The contents of organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in different sized aggregates decreased after shrub encroachment and were higher in large aggregates (0.053-0.25 mm) in size. 2) The C∶N, C∶P and N∶P ratios in soil aggregates increased after shrub encroachment. The maximum C∶N ratio was observed in the >2 mm aggregates. The maximum C∶P and N∶P ratios were observed in the 0.053-0.25 mm aggregates, and the minimum values were observed in <0.002 mm and 0.002-0.053 mm aggregates(P>0.05). 3) Urease, sucrase, phosphatase, catalase and β-D glucosidase activities were elevated mainly in >0.25 mm aggregates at grassland and shrub encroachment. After shrub encroachment, sucrase activity increased, while the protease and phosphatase activities decreased. 4) Urease and β-D glucosidase activities were positively correlated with soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, sucrase and catalase activities were positively correlated with total potassium contents, and protease and phosphatase activities were positively correlated with total phosphorus. Soil biogenic materials are mainly concentrated in large aggregates in this region. However, large aggregates are easily broken by external interference, which shows that the phenomenon of shrub encroachment is not conducive to the sequestration of organic carbon in this area.

Key words: shrub encroachment in alpine grassland, soil aggregates, soil enzyme activity, soil biogenic material, ecological stoichiometric ratio