Effects of Patchiness on Soil Properties and Degradation of Alpine Meadow on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Wei Zhang, Shuhua Yi, Yu Qin and Jinglin Zhang ()
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Wei Zhang: School of Geographic Information and Tourism, Chuzhou University, 1 Huifeng West Road, Chuzhou 239000, China
Shuhua Yi: Institute of Fragile Ecosystem and Environment, School of Geographic Sciences, Nantong University, 999 Tongjing Road, Nantong 226007, China
Yu Qin: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Donggang West Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
Jinglin Zhang: School of Geographic Information and Tourism, Chuzhou University, 1 Huifeng West Road, Chuzhou 239000, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Patchiness is known to affect soil water and soil temperature, and may trigger or accelerate alpine meadow degradation. However, there is a lack of direct evidence concerning the role of the size and type of patches on soil conditions. Here, we estimated the effects of typical patch types on the critical factors of soil water and soil temperature through an in situ survey and then analyzed the potential impacts of patchiness on alpine meadow degradation. The results showed that (1) the soil water storage (SWS) of typical patch types was remarkably different, and vegetation patches had higher SWS than bare patches; (2) with abundant precipitation, the isolated vegetation patch (IV) had higher SWS than the original vegetation patch (OV), accompanied by a decrease in the SWS of the surrounding medium bare patch (MP); (3) patchiness significantly altered the surface soil temperature, with the IV having the highest soil temperature (ST), followed by the OV and bare patches; and (4) the maximum mean value of evapotranspiration was observed in IV (3.85 mm/day), about 12.78% and 46.66% higher than in the bare patches and OV. Our findings indicated that patchiness intensified the heterogeneity of soil water and soil temperature. The IV could absorb soil water from surrounding MP for excessive evapotranspiration through constant high ST, potentially inducing or aggravating degradation. Increasing the connectivity of IV and preventing the transition of OV to IV is important for the stability and restoration of alpine meadow.

Keywords: patchiness; alpine meadow degradation; isolated vegetation patch; soil water storage; soil temperature; evapotranspiration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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