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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8): 132-148.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024368

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Effects of different restoration materials on soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities in degraded alpine grassland

Kun ZHANG1(), Jian-xia QIAO2, Jin-sheng LI3, Yu-peng WANG3(), Ke-si LIU4()   

  1. 1.College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Shanxi Datong University,Datong 037009,China
    2.Ulanqab Grassland Workstation,Ulanqab 012000,China
    3.School of Resources and Environment,Anhui Agricultural University,Hefei 230000,China
    4.College of Grassland Science and Technology,China Agricultural University,Beijing 100193,China
  • Received:2024-09-23 Revised:2024-11-25 Online:2025-08-20 Published:2025-06-16
  • Contact: Yu-peng WANG,Ke-si LIU

Abstract:

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of different restoration materials on soil physicochemical properties and microbial community structure in degraded alpine grassland. Three restoration materials were tested: nitrogen fertilizer (22 g·m-2), biochar (4 kg·m-2), and a microbial inoculant (250 mL·m-2). Degraded alpine grassland without any added materials served as the control (CK). The effects of these restoration materials on soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities in degraded alpine grassland were determined. The results show that the aboveground biomass was significantly affected by the restoration materials (P<0.05), among which biochar and the microbial inoculant had better promoting effects, increasing the total biomass by 151.06% and 149.11%, respectively, compared with that in CK. The soil water content was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the soil electrical conductivity was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in all the restoration treatments, compared with their respective values in CK. All the restoration materials significantly increased (P<0.05) the contents of soil nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus), with the highest concentrations of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus in the biochar treatment. The addition of restoration materials also affected soil microbial community structure. In particular, the biochar and microbial inoculant treatments resulted in significant increases (P<0.05) in microbial biomass, bacterial biomass, and fungal biomass, and in the relative contents of ectomycorrhizal fungi, methanotrophic bacteria, and saprotrophic fungi. The results of variation partitioning analysis indicated that soil pH, total nitrogen, total organic carbon, and available phosphorus were the main environmental variables affecting the microbial community structure in topsoil (0-20 cm). Unlike other materials, biochar promoted a significant interaction between microorganisms, resulting in good synergy between changes in the soil environment and microbial community structure. In summary, although all three restoration materials improved the soil condition in degraded alpine grassland, biochar showed the best effects to fertilize soil and improve microbial community structure. Thus, biochar has greater potential for use in the restoration of degraded alpine grassland.

Key words: restoration materials, alpine grassland, soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, degraded grassland restoration