Relationships between Soil Crust Development and Soil Properties in the Desert Region of North China

Jiping Niu, Kai Yang, Zejun Tang and Yitong Wang
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Jiping Niu: College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Kai Yang: Advanced Materials Institute, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, China
Zejun Tang: College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Yitong Wang: College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of soil crust development on the underlying soil properties. The field sampling work was conducted in June 2016 in the Hobq Desert in Inner Mongolia, North China. Soil crust samples and 0–6, 6–12, 12–18, 18–24, and 24–30 cm deep underlying soil samples were taken from five representative areas of different soil crust development stages. All samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties, including water content, bulk density, aggregate content, organic matter content, enzyme activities, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen. The results showed that the thickness, water content, macro-aggregate (>250 μm) content, organic matter content, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities of the soil crusts gradually increased along the soil crust development gradient, while the bulk density of the soil crusts decreased. Meanwhile, the physicochemical and biological properties of the soils below the algal and moss crusts were significantly ameliorated when compared with the physical crust. Moreover, the amelioration effects were significant in the upper horizons (approx. 0–12 cm deep) and diminished quickly in the deeper soil layers.

Keywords: crust type; soil depth; physicochemical properties; enzyme; microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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