The Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil Crust in Straw Checkerboards with Different Ages in the Mu Us Sandland, Northern China

Juan Wang and Rui Wang
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Juan Wang: College of Hydraulic Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Rui Wang: Agriculture College, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 17, 1-10

Abstract: Straw checkerboards, as a mechanical sand barrier, are one of the most important engineering measures for sand control and vegetation restoration. In this study, we characterized the physical and chemical properties of soil crust treated with straw checkerboard in the Mu Us Sandland, Northern China, and investigated the mechanism of sand stabilization and revegetation in the arid area. We collected soil crust from 1.0 × 1.0 m straw checkerboards after revegetation intermittently over 10 years, and then measured properties such as soil particle size composition, bulk density, soil nutrients, pH, and other indicators in the laboratory. During the progress of straw checkerboard treatment, the results showed a significant decrease in percentage of soil crusts sand and a corresponding increase in the portion of silt and clay with straw checkerboard treatment years. The age of straw checkerboard treatment was positively correlated with soil nutrients, such as organic matter, total N, total P, total K, available N, available P, and available K. While pH showed a slightly rising trend, electrical conductivity (EC) was negatively correlated with crust life. The number of plant species has significantly changed, herbaceous vegetation succession being replaced by shrubs over 10 years, and vegetation coverage peaked at the sixth year. This study can represent a successful example of restoration in arid desert regions, thereby supplying more theoretical basis for sand fixation and dessert restoration.

Keywords: Mu Us Sandland; physical characteristics; chemical characteristics; soil crust; straw checkerboard (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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