Effects of wind erosion on the spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients in two desert grassland communities

Wind is known to affect the spatial heterogeneity of soil resources in arid and semiarid systems, but multi-year, quantified observations are largely absent. We studied the effects of wind erosion on the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and other soil nutrients at the Jornada Experimental Range, in southern New Mexico. Enhanced wind erosion was encouraged by grass cover reduction in a Sporobolus-mesquite dominated site (SM) and a Bouteloua-mesquite dominated site (BM). The scale and magnitude of spatial dependence for the soil analytes were quantified using geostatistical analyses. Results of this study show that soil organic matter related analytes such as SOC, TN, N_avail, and SO₄ ^2- are among the first to be eroded and redistributed; cations such as Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ may not be removed and redistributed significantly; and other ions such as K⁺, Na⁺ and Cl⁻ showed no discernible pattern of change. Geostatistics show that wind appeared to increase the scale of spatial autocorrelation, but decrease the scale of spatial dependence of most soil analytes over 2–3 windy seasons. In the wind enhanced plot of the SM site, up to 99% of the spatial dependence of SOC was autocorrelated at the distance of 1.45 m before the initiation of wind erosion, but the spatial dependence dropped significantly to only 60% at a larger autocorrelation distance of 2.76 m after three windy seasons. Similar but less significant changes were observed for SOC in the BM site. Despite the differential effects of wind on the soil analytes, we conclude that the overall results of wind on the grass cover reduction plots are the disappearance of small, strong fertile islands, which may be related to grasses; and the reinforcement of large fertile islands, which are likely related to mesquite shrubs. In addition, the change of the spatial patterns of SOC and other soil nutrients induced by enhanced wind erosion may persist and reinforce soil islands associated with shrubs, thus allowing a positive feedback for further desertification in this arid grassland.     

A new ecological-wind erosion model to simulate the impacts of aeolian transport on dryland vegetation patterns

Drylands cover more than 40% of the land surface of the Earth and are characterized by patchy vegetation and that permits erosion of the surface. Vegetation-aeolian transport is an important feedback in drylands, particularly those undergoing shrub encroachment. Although one side of the feedback, the influence of vegetation loss on aeolian transport, has been well studied, the other, the influence of aeolian transport on existing vegetation, has been never studied in detail. In this study, a new ecological-wind erosion model (ECO-WEMO) that contains an aeolian transport component was created to simulate how aeolian transport impacts vegetation pattern and causes the state change. Two modeling scenarios were investigated: 1) stable grass and shrub communities without/with aeolian transport and 2) unstable shrub and grass communities without/with aeolian transport disturbed by different drought conditions. The first scenario focuses on the simulation of the influence of aeolian transport on vegetation communities and the second scenario focuses on the simulation of the state change of vegetation communities. The results from the first scenario show that: First, the mean biomasses of grass and shrub become consistent in the case of no wind in both shrub-dominated and grass-dominated communities. Second, the mean biomass of shrub becomes higher than the grass in the case of wind in shrub-dominated communities and the mean biomass of grass becomes higher than the shrub in the case of wind in grass-dominated communities. Third, the dust flux of shrub-dominated communities is higher than the grass-dominated communities. Fourth, the net change in surface height in shrub-dominated communities has a considerably higher range than in grass-dominated communities. Fifth, the spatial pattern of shrub-dominated communities is sparser than the spatial pattern of grass in the vegetation communities in the case of wind. The results from the second scenario show that: First, the state change only took place from grass-dominated communities to shrub-dominated communities in the condition of drought. Second, the state change only took place in the case of wind. Third, the state change didn't take place after the slight and moderate droughts but only took place after the drought. Fourth, large vegetation biomass reduction only took place in the case of wind after the severe drought. Our results confirm, in a modeling context, the important role that aeolian transport can play in vegetation dynamics and state change in deserts.     

Quantitative effects of wind erosion on the soil texture and soil nutrients under different vegetation coverage in a semiarid steppe of northern China

Many studies reported the influence of wind erosion on soil degradation and the effect of vegetation coverage on preventing wind erosion. However, fewer studies have quantitatively measured the grassland soil particle size fractions and nutrients’ loss caused by wind erosion under different vegetation coverage. Aims: We conducted a field experiments to (1) to explore the effect of vegetation coverage on soil wind erosion; (2) examine quantitatively the effects of wind erosion on soil texture, and determine the most erodible particles fraction of soil; (3) to examine quantitatively the soil carbon, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus loss caused by wind erosion under different vegetation coverage. Methods: Six vegetation coverage treatments (0 %, 15 %, 35 %, 55 %, 75 % and 95 %) were constructed. To be able to monitor wind erosion status under more diverse weather conditions, three consecutive repeat experiments under different weather condition were conducted. Results: The results show that all the residue soil samples after wind erosion became coarser than that of original soil samples. The degree of change for the soil particle size distribution before and after wind erosion gradually increased with the less of vegetation coverage. The critical particle size for distinguishing the original soil sample and the residue soil after wind erosion occurred in the range of 125 μm and 210 μm depending on the vegetation cover. The fractions below or above the critical particle size are either easy to deplete or favoured by wind erosion, respectively. The most reduction occurs between 50 and 90 μm depending on the different weather condition and vegetation coverage. Due to the disproportionately greater amounts of nutrients in the fine soil particles, the preferential depletion of fine particles directly lead to a preferentially significant depletion of organic carbon and nutrients. The organic carbon and nutrient contents in the residue soil after erosion decreased significantly compared to that in the original soil. The soil nutrient loss ratio decrease significantly with the increase of vegetation coverage. Conclusions: Wind erosion is an important factor to affect the evolution of soil texture and soil nutrient. Vegetation coverage has a major impact on both preventing wind erosion and decreasing loss ratio of fine particles and nutrients. If we want to effectively protect the fine particles and nutrients, the vegetation cover should be maintained at least above 35 %.     

Sediment deposition and soil nutrient heterogeneity in two desert grassland ecosystems, southern New Mexico

The role of wind in changing the spatial heterogeneity of soil resources in erosion-dominated semiarid ecosystems is well known. Yet the effect of windblown sediment deposition on soil nutrient distribution and ecosystem dynamics at local and landscape scales has received little attention. We examined the effects of enhanced sediment deposition on the spatial distribution of soil nutrients at the Jornada Experimental Range, southern New Mexico. Enhanced sediment deposition was obtained as a result of grass cover reduction in the upwind portion of the experiment in two sites co-dominated by mesquite and one of two grass species with different morphologies. The spatial characteristics of soil available nitrogen (including ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate), phosphate, potassium, and calcium were quantified using a variety of traditional and geostatistical analyses. Our results showed that enhanced deposition led to considerable reduction in both mean soil nutrient concentrations and coefficients of variation over a two-year period (2004–2006). Given the observed increase in the scale of spatial dependence for available nitrogen, but not for potassium, phosphate, and calcium following enhanced sediment deposition, we suggest that soil available nitrogen may be particularly responsive to increased aeolian activities due to livestock grazing and other anthropogenic activities that remove vegetation. Our study further suggests that soil particles deposited in the downwind area may be “nutrient-imbalanced.” Specifically, the lower-than-normal available nitrogen concentrations in the wind-deposited soils may inhibit the growth of grasses and the germination of seeds. For wind-erodible ecosystems found in southern New Mexico, structures of Bouteloua-dominated communities may be particularly susceptible to change under enhanced soil erosion conditions.     

Aeolian process effects on vegetation communities in an arid grassland ecosystem

Many arid grassland communities are changing from grass dominance to shrub dominance, but the mechanisms involved in this conversion process are not completely understood. Aeolian processes likely contribute to this conversion from grassland to shrubland. The purpose of this research is to provide information regarding how vegetation changes occur in an arid grassland as a result of aeolian sediment transport. The experimental design included three treatment blocks, each with a 25 × 50 m area where all grasses, semi-shrubs, and perennial forbs were hand removed, a 25 × 50 m control area with no manipulation of vegetation cover, and two 10 × 25 m plots immediately downwind of the grass-removal and control areas in the prevailing wind direction, 19° north of east, for measuring vegetation cover. Aeolian sediment flux, soil nutrients, and soil seed bank were monitored on each treatment area and downwind plot. Grass and shrub cover were measured on each grass-removal, control, and downwind plot along continuous line transects as well as on 5 × 10 m subplots within each downwind area over four years following grass removal. On grass-removal areas, sediment flux increased significantly, soil nutrients and seed bank were depleted, and Prosopis glandulosa shrub cover increased compared to controls. Additionally, differential changes for grass and shrub cover were observed for plots downwind of vegetation-removal and control areas. Grass cover on plots downwind of vegetation-removal areas decreased over time (2004-2007) despite above average rainfall throughout the period of observation, while grass cover increased downwind of control areas; P. glandulosa cover increased on plots downwind of vegetation-removal areas, while decreasing on plots downwind of control areas. The relationships between vegetation changes and aeolian sediment flux were significant and were best described by a logarithmic function, with decreases in grass cover and increases in shrub cover occurring with small increases in aeolian sediment flux.     

Abundance of trees and grasses in a woodland savanna in relation to environmental factors

The relationships of plant species associations and underlying environmental factors in a woodland savanna in South Africa were investigated. 40 plots were included with 25 tree and 17 grass species dominating the arboreal and ground cover. Correspondence Analysis described the relationships between soil moisture retention, soil nutrients and the abundance of trees and grasses. Dry matter indices represented the accumulated effects of rainfall, fire and grazing of the herbaceous layer. Variations in the abundance of plants corresponded to well-defined gradients of soil nutrients. The distribution of grass and tree species along the ordination axes indicated that soils with high water retention capacity and high nutrient contents provided a suitable substrate for many of the tree species sampled. However, grass species abundance was high in plots with porous soils and poor nutrient availability.     

The relationships between soil factors,grass nutrients and the foraging behaviour of wildebeest and zebra

Summary We examined the relationships between soil factors, nutrients in grasses and foraging behaviour of wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and zebra (Equus burchelli) in a semi-arid nature reserve in South Africa. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) Soil nutrient levels determine the abundance and distribution of grass species; (2) nutrient levels within grass species are correlated with soil nutrient levels; (3) the spatial distribution and diet composition of ungulates is influenced by the nutrient availability in grasses. The distribution of soil factors in upper ground levels did explain the differential abundance of grass species in the reserve. Ordination of nutrient levels in grass species showed high levels of particular nutrients in certain species, but no one species showed uniformly high levels of all nutrients. Moreover, grasses on fertile soils did not necessarily accumulate higher nutrient levels than grasses on poor soils. Thus, nutrient levels in grasses were not correlated with soil nutrient levels. Wildebeest and zebra responded to monthly variations in the levels of N and P in grasses by moving seasonally to habitat types characterized by grass communities containing a high proportion of nutritional species, rather than by selecting particularly nutritious species within communities. We suggest that within semiarid savannas, areas with a higher diversity of grass communities will be more likely to have some of these communities containing high nutrient levels at any given season, than a lower diversity area. Therefore, the higher-diversity area would be likely to support more herbivores, and thus diversity would control carrying capacity.     

The significance of carbon‐enriched dust for global carbon accounting

Soil carbon stores amount to 54% of the terrestrial carbon pool and twice the atmospheric carbon pool, but soil organic carbon (SOC) can be transient. There is an ongoing debate about whether soils are a net source or sink of carbon, and understanding the role of aeolian processes in SOC erosion, transport and deposition is rudimentary. The impacts of SOC erosion by wind on the global carbon budget, and its importance for carbon accounting remain largely unknown. Current understanding of SOC losses to wind erosion is based on the assumption that the SOC content of eroded material is the same as that of the parent soils. However, measured enrichment factors for the SOC content of Australian dusts relative to parent soils show that the SOC content of dusts can be up to seven times (by weight) larger than that of source‐area soils, with enrichment factors ranging from 1.67 to 7.09. Assuming dust emissions from the continent of ~110 Mt yr^?1, SOC dust emissions would be 0.13–4.65 Mt SOC yr^?1 without enrichment but 0.94–7.77 Mt SOC yr^?1 with enrichment; which represents an uncertainty of around 60%. Representing SOC enrichment within dust emission models will reduce uncertainty in estimates of the impact of wind erosion on SOC flux and provide an approach for the inclusion of wind erosion processes in carbon accounting systems.     

Losses of soil organic carbon under wind erosion in China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) storage generally represents the long‐term net balance of photosynthesis and total respiration in terrestrial ecosystems. However, soil erosion can affect SOC content by direct removal of soil and reduction of the surface soil depth; it also affects plant growth and soil biological activity, soil air CO₂ concentration, water regimes, soil temperature, soil respiration, carbon flux to the atmosphere, and carbon deposition in soil. In arid and semi‐arid region of northern China, wind erosion caused soil degradation and desert expansion. This paper estimated the SOC loss of the surface horizon at eroded regions based on soil property and wind erosion intensity data. The SOC loss in China because of wind erosion was about 75 Tg C yr^?1 in 1990s. The spatial pattern of SOC loss indicates that SOC loss of the surface horizon increases significantly with the increase of soil wind erosion intensity. The comparison of SOC loss and annual net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial ecosystem was discussed in wind erosion regions of China. We found that NPP is also low in the eroded regions and heavy SOC loss often occurs in regions where NPP is very small. However, there is potential to improve our study to resolve uncertainty on the soil organic matter oxidation and soil deposition processes in eroded and deposited sites.     

自然降雨下黄土丘陵区草灌植物垂直覆盖结构的减流减沙效应

黄土高原是我国水土流失和生态环境问题最为严重的地区之一,植被恢复是防治水土流失的重要措施。植物垂直覆盖结构包括地上冠层、地表枯落物和地下根系,各组分具有不同的水土保持作用,是研究植被与水土流失关系的基本单元。目前,关于植物垂直覆盖结构不同组分对土壤侵蚀影响的研究主要是基于人工模拟降雨,缺少自然降雨条件下不同植物的垂直覆盖结构对产流、产沙和入渗等多过程影响的系统研究。本研究以黄土丘陵区典型的草本(须芒草)、半灌木(铁杆蒿)和灌木(绣线菊)为研究对象,每种植物进行三种处理(自然状态、去除枯落物和仅留根系)以及裸地对照,观测2015—2016年降雨事件的产流产沙量和入渗量,分析植物不同垂直覆盖结构的减流减沙效益及其相对贡献。结果表明:三种植物均具有较好的减流(45.9%—73.2%)、减沙效益(87.5%—94.6%)和增加入渗作用(4.7%—10.8%),灌木的减流效果(73.2%)显著高于草本(45.9%)和半灌木(63.5%),但三种植物间的减沙效益没有显著性差异。冠层的减流作用最大,贡献率接近一半(48%—50%),草本枯落物的减流贡献率与根系基本一致,而半灌木和灌木枯落物的减流贡献...     

Revegetation Methods for High-Elevation Roadsides at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Establishment of native plant populations on disturbed roadsides was investigated at Bryce Canyon National Park (BCNP) in relation to several revegetation and seedbed preparation techniques. In 1994, the BCNP Rim Road (2,683–2,770 m elevation) was reconstructed resulting in a 23.8‐ha roadside disturbance. Revegetation comparisons included the influence of fertilizer on plant establishment and development, the success of indigenous versus commercial seed, seedling response to microsites, methods of erosion control, and shrub transplant growth and survival. Plant density, cover, and biomass were measured 1, 2, and 4 years after revegetation implementation (1995–1998). Seeded native grass cover and density were the highest on plots fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus, but by the fourth growing season, differences between fertilized and unfertilized plots were minimal. Fertilizers may facilitate more rapid establishment of seeded grasses following disturbance, increasing soil cover and soil stability on steep and unstable slopes. However the benefit of increased soil nutrients favored few of the desired species resulting in lower species richness over time compared to unfertilized sites. Elymus trachycaulus (slender wheatgrass) plants raised from indigenous seed had higher density and cover than those from a commercial seed source 2 and 4 years after sowing. Indigenous materials may exhibit slow establishment immediately following seeding, but they will likely persist during extreme climatic conditions such as cold temperatures and relatively short growing seasons. Seeded grasses established better near stones and logs than on adjacent open microsites, suggesting that a roughened seedbed created before seeding can significantly enhance plant establishment. After two growing seasons, total grass cover between various erosion‐control treatments was similar indicating that a variety of erosion reduction techniques can be utilized to reduce erosion. Finally shrub transplants showed minimal differential response to fertilizers, water‐absorbing gels, and soil type. Simply planting and watering transplants was sufficient for the greatest plant survival and growth.     

Sawdust Addition Reduces the Productivity of Nitrogen‐Enriched Mountain Grasslands

Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment of mountain grasslands has boosted grasses and fast‐growing unpalatable plants at the expense of slow‐growing species, resulting in a significant loss in biodiversity. A potential tool to reduce nutrient availability and aboveground productivity without destroying the perennial vegetation is carbon (C) addition. However, little is known about its suitability under severe climatic conditions. Here, we report the results of a 3‐year field study assessing the effects of sawdust addition on soil nutrients, aboveground productivity, and vegetational composition of 10 grazed and ungrazed mountain grasslands. Of particular interest was the effect of C addition on grasses and on the tall unpalatable weed Veratrum album. After 3 years, soil pH, ammonium, and plant‐available phosphorus were not altered by sawdust application, and nitrate concentrations were marginally higher in treatment plots. However, the biomass of grasses and forbs (without V. album) was 20–25% lower in sawdust‐amended plots, whereas the biomass of V. album was marginally higher. Sawdust addition reduced the cover of grasses but did not affect evenness, vegetation diversity, or plant species richness, although species richness generally increased with decreasing biomass at our sites. Our results suggest that sawdust addition is a potent tool to reduce within a relatively short time the aboveground productivity and grass cover in both grazed and ungrazed mountain grasslands as long as they are not dominated by tall unpalatable weeds. The technique has the advantage that it preserves the topsoil and the perennial soil seed bank.     

模拟降雨下喀斯特坡耕地土壤养分输出机制

喀斯特区坡耕地水土及养分流失不仅是该区土地质量退化、土地生产力衰退主要原因,同时也是该区地下水质污染的重要因素。为揭示喀斯特坡耕地地表和地下二元空间结构下的土壤养分流失机制,以喀斯特坡耕地为研究对象,通过模拟其地表微地貌及地下孔(裂)隙构造特征,采用人工模拟降雨试验研究不同雨强下喀斯特坡耕地地表及地下水土及其氮、磷、钾流失特征。结果表明:(1)小雨强(50mm/h)和中雨强下(70mm/h),喀斯特坡耕地坡面产流主要以地下产流为主;大雨强下(90mm/h),地表径流高于地下径流;产沙方式则表现为由小雨的地表和地下产沙并重到中大雨强的地表产沙为主的一个转变过程。(2)在降雨侵蚀过程中,径流各养分输出浓度均表现出一定的初期冲刷效应,受土壤吸附作用影响,雨强对全钾(TK)和全氮(TN)的影响较全磷(TP)明显。(3)地表径流、地表泥沙和总泥沙各养分输出负荷均随雨强增大而增加,坡面径流泥沙总的TK输出负荷以泥沙为主,而TN和TP输出负荷则以径流为主;TP和TN在径流的输出负荷上以地下径流输出为主(其中TP地表负荷比在11.6%—46.2%,TN在7.0%—48.5%之间),而TK则以二者并重(地表负荷比在43.5%—57.0%之间);各养分在泥沙的输出负荷上则均以地表泥沙流失为主,其负荷比均在54.5%以上。研究结果可为喀斯特区坡耕地水土流失及养分流失的源头控制提供基本参数和科学依据。     

Ecology of Soil Erosion in Ecosystems

Each year, about 75 billion tons of soil are eroded from the world's terrestrial ecosystems. Most agricultural land in the world is losing soil at rates ranging from 13 tons/ha/year to 40 tons/ha/year. Because soil is formed very slowly, this means that soil is being lost 13–40 times faster than the rate of renewal and sustainability. Rain and wind energy are the two prime causes of erosion from tilled or bare land. Erosion occurs when the soil lacks protective vegetative cover. Soil erosion reduces the productivity of the land by loss of water, soil organic matter, nutrients, biota, and depth of soil. The greatest threat to providing food for a rapidly growing human population is soil erosion. Abandoned, eroded agricultural land is replaced by clearing forested ecosystems. Received 17 February 1998; accepted 26 May 1998.     

陕北黄土区生物结皮条件下土壤养分的积累及流失风险

分析了陕北黄土高原典型流域生物结皮的形成和发育对土壤养分的积累效应,同时对生物结皮条件下土壤养分的流失风险进行评价.结果表明：生物结皮生长发育后能够迅速增加结皮层及2 cm土层的养分含量,但对深层土壤影响较小;退耕0～20年间结皮层的养分含量与退耕年限之间的关系可用指数函数（y=a［b-exp(-cx)］）拟合,其中有机质、全氮和碱解氮在退耕20年间的增加速度变化不大,而全磷、速效磷和速效钾在退耕初期增加迅速,后期增加缓慢;自然发育生物结皮对土壤养分的年均净贡献量为：有机质50.15 g·m^-2、全氮1.95 g·m^-2、全磷0.44 g·m^-2、碱解氮164.33 mg·m^-2、速效磷9.64 mg·m^-2和速效钾126.21 mg·m^-2,人工培育条件下生物结皮发育更快,对养分尤其是速效养分的贡献速率更高;生物结皮条件下养分含量的提高增加了养分流失风险,尤其是养分随泥沙流失大幅度增加,生物结皮增加的养分中平均有39.06%随泥沙流失,仅有60.94%得以保留.总之,生物结皮可迅速、全面增加表层土壤养分,但同时会加大养分流失风险.尽管如此,土壤养分的净增加量仍相当可观,显示生物结皮具有较好的土壤养分积累效应.     

雅鲁藏布江山南宽谷风沙化土地土壤养分和粒度特征

在雅鲁藏布江山南宽谷区,选择流动沙地、平缓沙砾地、半固定沙地、固定沙地和覆沙河滩地等类型样地,研究了不同深度(0—10 cm、10—20 cm和20—40 cm)土壤层的养分状况和粒度特征,探讨了风沙运动对土壤粒度组成和养分含量的影响。结果表明:1)风沙化土地土壤pH值呈中性、碱性和强碱性,土壤有机质和全氮含量均很低,但全磷和全钾均很高。土壤粒度组成表现为砂粒含量(53.83%—95.93%)>粉粒(3.3%—40.5%)>粘粒(0.77%—5.68%)。2)粘粒和粉粒含量均以覆沙河滩地(分别为4.02%和27.95%)最大、半固定沙地(分别为1.35%和5.27%)最小。粘粒含量表现为覆沙河滩地>固定沙地(2.98%)>河滩流动沙地(2.89%)>平缓沙砾地(1.69%)>河岸流动沙地(1.54%)>山坡流动沙地(1.49%)>半固定沙地。不同类型沙地粉粒含量的大小顺序与粘粒含量相似,仅在山坡流动沙地和河岸流动沙地的大小顺序有所差别。砂粒含量以半固定沙地(为93.40%)最大、覆沙河滩地最小(68.05%)。不同类型沙地的砂粒含量与粉粒含量的大小顺序正好相反。3)土壤养分含量与粘粒、粉粒、极细砂粒和细砂粒等细沙物质的相关性较强,与中砂粒、粗砂粒和极粗砂粒等粗沙物质呈负相关或相关性较弱。其中,粘粒和极细砂粒含量的增加对土壤养分的增加贡献较大。流动沙丘随风沙运动而不断往复摆动的现象和土壤细颗粒的迁移和损失,对不同类型沙地和沙丘部位的土壤养分状况及其再分配过程产生较大影响。     

科尔沁沙地人工杨树林生态服务效能评价

采用定位观测法,系统评价了杨树(Populus simonii)林的防风、抗蚀和滞尘等生态服务效能及其间接价值,同时定量探讨了风速减弱系数与实测林地叶面积指数的关系。结果表明,在研究区主害风(西北风)天气下,林地迎风区6H(H为平均树高)、3H、林地中央、林地背风区林缘、6和8H处2m高度的日平均风速与对照点(流动沙丘)相比均有不同程度减弱,风速减弱系数在18．3％～66．2％之间。林地背风区6H处0．25、0．5、1和2 m 4个高度的月平均风速减弱系数与林地叶面积指数呈显著非线性相关,其间存在良好的三次曲线关系(P<0．0001,R²=0．43～0．94,n=80)。在主害风天气下,林地各观测点的地表日风蚀量与对照点相比大幅度降低,平均降幅85．2％～99．9％。在观测期内,林地中央的日平均降尘量为13.2 kg·hm^-2,而林地迎风区6H处的日平均降尘量为9．9 kg·hm^-2,林地的日滞尘能力约为3．3kg·hm^-2。       

Soil nitrogen availability under grasses of different palatability in a temperate semi‐arid rangeland of central Argentina

Abstract Grazing by domestic livestock is frequently associated with the replacement of high‐nutrient palatable species with low‐nutrient unpalatable species, which may have a substantial effect on nutrient cycling. The objective of the present study was to compare soil N availability and net N mineralization in soils under Poa ligularis (palatable grass) with those in soils under Stipa tenuissima (unpalatable grass) in a temperate semi‐arid rangeland of central Argentina. Nitrogen availability and net mineralization under laboratory and field conditions were measured. Soil N availability under P. ligularis was higher than or similar to soil N availability under S. tenuissima. In situ net N mineralization in the soil under P. ligularis was lower than or similar to net N mineralization in the soil under S. tenuissima. Potential net N mineralization was greater in the soil under P. ligularis than in the soil under S. tenuissima. Our results suggest that the replacement of palatable grasses by unpalatable grasses in the temperate semi‐arid rangelands of central Argentina may imply a reduction in the rate of nutrient cycling.     

不同土地利用方式下土壤风蚀主要影响因子研究——以内蒙古武川县为例

以内蒙古武川县为例,选取天然草场、旱作农田(马铃薯)和退耕人工灌木林3类农用地为研究对象,对影响土壤风蚀的气候、植被覆盖度、土壤特性等若干因子进行了野外实测、室内分析及风洞模拟试验.结果表明,降雨少、风大、风多、土壤质地粗糙以及冬春冻融交替作用造成土壤表层疏松干燥等原因,决定了春季是该地区土壤风蚀的易发期.植被覆盖度是影响土壤风蚀的重要因子.在冬春风蚀季节覆盖度高低依次为灌木地＞天然草地＞旱作农田,此时缺少地表覆盖物保护的旱作农田最易受到风蚀危害.土壤含水量是影响风蚀的另一个重要因子.通过风洞试验对土壤风蚀率与含水量的定量关系研究表明,土壤含水量越高,土壤启动风速越大,风蚀率越小.6%土壤含水量是旱作农田风蚀强度由强变弱的一个转折点.田间试验结果表明,不同土地利用方式下表层土壤含水量总体上表现为天然草地＞旱作农田＞灌木林.通过风洞试验对土壤水分和风速的定量化研究表明,土壤风蚀速率随风速的增大而增大,二者呈幂函数关系.在净风吹蚀的条件下,18 m·s^-1风速是风蚀强度急剧增加的一个转折点.     

Towards a better model of the effect of prostrate vegetation cover on wind erosion

Vegetation cover is the key to controlling wind erosion. A brief review of wind erosion/cover models is outlined. Fryrear's (1985) soil cover (wheat stubble) model was evaluated against field wind tunnel results from far south-west N.S.W. Fryrear's equation over estimated the soil loss compared to field wind tunnel results.Fryrear's model failed to provide meaningful results at low cover levels with the soil loss ratio, SLR>1 for percent soil cover, % SC<6. A single parameter exponential model was fitted to the wind tunnel data which ensured that SLR did not exceed 1 for 100% SC. Even with this improvement, the exponential model has drawbacks.Results suggest that the SLR is sensitive to wind velocity and that SLR goes to 0 well before % SC=100. A method for approximating the threshold wind velocity required to initiate erosion for various cover levels is described. Using the recurrence interval for a prescribed wind velocity, the probability of erosion hazard for a field can be determined.It is the authors belief that the wind tunnel is underestimating the occurrence of wind erosion events in this study. Three reasons why the wind tunnel may be underestimating erosion events are given.