title: [Nutrient contents and microbial populations of aeolian sandy soil in Sanjiangyuan region of Qinghai Province].
abstract: Sanjiangyuan region (the headstream of three rivers) in Qinghai Province of China is the highest and largest inland alpine wetland in the world. The study on the nutrient contents and microbial populations of aeolian sandy soils in this region showed that soil organic matter content increased with the evolution of aeolian sand dunes from un-stabilized to stabilized state, being 5.9 and 3.8 times higher in stabilized sand dune than in mobile and semi-stabilized sand dunes, respectively. Soil nitrogen and phosphorus contents increased in line with the amount of organic matter, while potassium content and pH value varied slightly. The microbial populations changed markedly with the development of vegetation, fixing of mobile sand, and increase of soil nutrients. The quantities of soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were 4.0 and 2.8 times, 19.6 and 6.3 times, and 12.4 and 2.6 times higher in stabilized and semi-stabilized sand dunes than in mobile sand dune, respectively, indicating that soil microbial bio-diversity was increased with the evolution of aeolian sand dunes from mobile to stabilized state. In addition, the quantities of soil microbes were closely correlated with the contents of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and available nitrogen and phosphorus, but not correlated with soil total phosphorus, total and available potassium, or pH value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. lin_chaofeng@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Chao-feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhan-quan
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Quan-hong
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Hang-xian
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Lai-sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Deng-shan
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003889:Desert Climate; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen