Effects of vegetation restoration on soil properties and vegetation attributes in the arid and semi-arid regions of China

Wenxin Zhou; Changjia Li; Shuai Wang; Zhuobing Ren; Lindsay C Stringer

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118186

Effects of vegetation restoration on soil properties and vegetation attributes in the arid and semi-arid regions of China

J Environ Manage. 2023 Oct 1:343:118186. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118186. Epub 2023 May 22.

Authors

Wenxin Zhou¹, Changjia Li², Shuai Wang¹, Zhuobing Ren¹, Lindsay C Stringer³

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: changjia.li@bnu.edu.cn.
³ Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK; York Environmental Sustainability Institute, University of York, York, UK.

PMID: 37224686
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118186

Abstract

Driven by the goal of reversing desertification and recovering degraded lands, a wide range of vegetation restoration practices (such as planting and fencing) have been implemented in China's drylands. It is essential to examine the effects of vegetation restoration and environmental factors on soil nutrients to optimize restoration approaches. However, quantitative evaluation on this topic is insufficient due to a lack of long-term field monitoring data. This study evaluated the effects of sandy steppe restoration and sand dune fixation in the semi-arid desert, and natural and artificial vegetation restoration in the arid desert. It considered soil and plant characteristics using long-term (2005-2015) data from the Naiman Research Station located in the semi-arid region and Shapotou Research Station in the arid region of China's drylands. Results showed the sandy steppe had higher soil nutrient contents, vegetation biomass and rate of accumulating soil organic matter (OM) than the fixed dunes and moving dunes. Soil nutrient contents and vegetation biomass of the natural vegetation of Artemisia ordosica were higher than those of the artificial restoration of Artemisia ordosica since 1956. Artificial restoration had a higher rate of accumulating soil OM, total nitrogen (TN) and grass litter biomass than natural restoration. Soil water indirectly affected soil OM by affecting vegetation. Grass diversity was the main influencing factor on soil OM variance in the semi-arid Naiman desert while shrub diversity was the main factor in the arid Shapotou desert. These findings indicate that sand fixation in the semi-arid desert and vegetation restoration in the arid desert bring benefits for soil nutrient accumulation and vegetation improvement, and that natural restoration is preferable to artificial restoration. Results can be used to formulate sustainable vegetation restoration strategies, such as encouraging natural restoration, considering local resource constraints, and giving priority to restoring shrubs in arid areas with limited water.

Keywords: Desert; Dunes; Ecological recovery; Sand fixation; Soil fersility; Steppe; Vegetation characteristics.

MeSH terms

China
Desert Climate
Ecosystem*
Poaceae
Sand
Soil*
Water

Substances

Soil
Sand
Water