title: Effects of spatiotemporal variation of soil salinity on fine root distribution in different plant configuration modes in new reclamation coastal saline field.
abstract: In order to study the effects of salinity on plant fine roots, we considered three different plant configuration modes (tree stand model (TSM), shrub stand model (SSM), and tree-shrub stand model (TSSM)). Soil samples were collected with the method of soil drilling. Significant differences of electrical conductivity (EC) in the soil depth of 0-60 cm were observed among the three modes (p < 0.05). In the above three modes, the variation of soil salinity among various soil layers and monthly variation of soil salinity were the highest in SSM and reached 2.30 and 2.23 mS/cm (EC1:5), respectively. Due to the effect of salinity, fine root biomass (FRB) showed significant differences in different soil depths (p < 0.05). More than 60% of FRB was concentrated in the soil depth above 30 cm. FRB showed exponential decline with soil depth (p < 0.05). FRB showed spatial heterogeneity in the 40-cm soil depth. In the above three modes, compared with FRB, specific root length (SRL) and fine root length density (FRLD) showed the similar changing trend. Fine roots showed significant seasonal differences among different modes (p < 0.05). FRB showed the bimodal variation and was the highest in July. However, we found that the high content of salts had obvious inhibitory effect on the distribution of FRB. Therefore, the salinity should be below 1.5 mS/cm, which was suitable for the growth of plant roots. Among the three modes, TSSM had the highest FRB, SRL, and FRLD and no obvious soil salt accumulation was observed. The results indicated that fine root biomass was affected by high salt and that TSSM had the strong effects of salt suppression and control. In our study, TSSM may be the optimal configuration mode for salt suppression and control in saline soil.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.|Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Science, College of Resource and Environment Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.|Ecological Engineering College, Guizhou University of Engineering Science, Bijie, 551700, Guizhou, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.|Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Science, College of Resource and Environment Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.|Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Science, College of Resource and Environment Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.|Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Science, College of Resource and Environment Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Harbour City Ecological Garden Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yingfu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Harbour City Ecological Garden Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China. ylcai.@geo.ecnu.edu.cn.|Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth Science, College of Resource and Environment Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China. ylcai.@geo.ecnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yongli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*; D054712:Salinity; D012621:Seasons; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014197:Trees / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012965:Sodium Chloride
keywords: Fine root biomass; New reclamation saline soil; Plant configuration mode; Soil salinity; Spatiotemporal variation