Decay Process Characteristics and Fungal Community Composition of Salix psammophila Sand Barriers in an Arid Area, Northern China

Xia Yang, Yumei Liang, Yong Gao and Ruidong Wang
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Xia Yang: Key Laboratory of Eolian Physics and Desertification Control Engineering, College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 29 Erdos East Street, Hohhot 010018, China
Yumei Liang: Key Laboratory of Eolian Physics and Desertification Control Engineering, College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 29 Erdos East Street, Hohhot 010018, China
Yong Gao: Key Laboratory of Eolian Physics and Desertification Control Engineering, College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 29 Erdos East Street, Hohhot 010018, China
Ruidong Wang: Key Laboratory of Eolian Physics and Desertification Control Engineering, College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 29 Erdos East Street, Hohhot 010018, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: With the increase in setting years in deserts, Salix psammophila sand barriers with different degrees of lodging damage caused by decay are losing wind-prevention and sand-fixation properties. In this study, we focus on the change in chemical properties of soils, and physical and mechanical properties of plants along different setting years; meanwhile, the change in fungal communities has been analyzed using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results show that a change in physical and mechanical properties and the loss of primary chemical components led to the degradation of the protective properties of the barrier to different degrees. After five years of setting, the physical parameters of basic density and shrinkage rate decreased by 44.04% and 28.68%, respectively, and the loss of the modulus of rupture mechanical index declined by 62.72%. After seven years of setting, the mechanical indexes of the modulus of rupture decreased by 76.95%. Five and seven years represented important inflection points in the decay process. Sordariomycetes (53.75%) and Eurotiomycetes (19.78%) were the main fungal groups present during the decay of the sand barrier. The basic density, moisture content, cellulose, and lignin of the sand barrier were the main driving factors affecting the distribution of fungal communities. The mechanism on fungal community to the decay of sand barriers still needs further studies to keep the function of sand barriers in fragile desert ecosystems.

Keywords: S. psammophila sandbarrier; wind-preventing and sand-fixing effects; decay process; fungal community diversity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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