title: [Vegetation above-ground biomass and its affecting factors in water/wind erosion crisscross region on Loess Plateau].
abstract: Field investigations were conducted in Liudaogou small watershed in late September 2009 to study the differences of vegetation above-ground biomass, soil moisture content, and soil nutrient contents under different land use patterns, aimed to approach the vegetation above-ground biomass level and related affecting factors in typical small watershed in water/wind erosion crisscross region on Loess Plateau. The above-ground dry biomass of the main vegetations in Liudaogou was 177-2207 g x m(-2), and that in corn field, millet field, abandoned farmland, artificial grassland, natural grassland, and shrub land was 2097-2207, 518-775, 248-578, 280-545, 177-396, and 372-680 g x m(-2), respectively. The mean soil moisture content in 0-100 layer was the highest (14.2%) in farmlands and the lowest (10.9%) in shrub land. The coefficient of variation of soil moisture content was the greatest (26. 7% ) in abandoned farmland, indicating the strong spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture in this kind of farmland. The mean soil water storage was in the order of farmland > artificial grassland > natural grassland > shrub land. Soil dry layer was observed in alfalfa and caragana lands. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.639, P < 0.05) between above-ground dry biomass and 0-100 cm soil water storage, and also, a very significant positive correlation between above-ground fresh biomass and vegetation height. The above-ground biomass of the higher vegetations could potentially better control the wind and water erosion in the water/wind erosion crisscross region. Vegetation above-ground biomass was highly correlated with soil moisture and nutrient contents, but had no significant correlations with elevation, slope gradient, slope aspect, and soil bulk density.
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. shanshanyilang@163.com
authors.forename: Jian-guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Quan-jiu
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D018533:Biomass; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006109:Poaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014872:Water Movements; D014919:Wind
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D014867:Water