[Natural vegetation restoration and soil nutrient dynamics of abandoned farmlands in forest-steppe zone on Loess Plateau].
To understand the relationship between plant community succession and soil nutrient dynamics is crucial in intervening vegetation succession. This paper reported the results from a study carried out in a forest-steppe zone on the Loess Plateau, with emphasis on the vegetation characteristics and soil nutrient dynamics duringvegetation restoration on abandoned farmlands of this area. The results showed that under zonal habitat conditions, natural vegetation succession would turn toward the original vegetation communities, but the expected shrub or trees communities didn't occur after 40 approximately 50 years, and Stipa bungeana, Artemisia sacrorum, Bothriochloa ischaemun, Stipa grandis and Lespedeza davurica communities were still the widely distributed communities. Vegetation restoration had a significant effect on soil nutrient dynamics. In general, soil nutrient contents increased with restoration time, and extremely significant changes occurred in soil organic matter, total N, available N, and available K (P< 0.001),while only significant changes in available P (0.05 < P < 0.01) and no significant change in total P (P > 0.05). Moreover, the changes were also found in soil profile. Statistical analysis showed that from surface layer (0 approximately 20 cm) to deeper layer (to 60 cm), extremely significant changes occurred in soil organic matter, total N, available N, available K and available P (P < 0.001), and significant change in total P (P< 0.05). Soil nutrients intended to accumulate in surface layer. Further linear correlation analysis showed that soil organic matter, total N, available N and available K were significantly correlated each other ( P< 0.001), but didn't show correlation with soil total P and available P.
Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, China. zmwen@ms.iswc.ac.cn
Zhongming
Z
Wen
Feng
F
Jiao
Baoyuan
B
Liu
Yaojun
Y
Bu
Juying
J
Jiao
D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D006109:Poaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development*
D012987:Soil