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Responses of Vegetation, Soil, and Microbes and Carbon and Nitrogen Pools to Semiarid Grassland Land-Use Patterns in Duolun, Inner Mongolia, China

Author

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  • Xiuli Gao

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

  • Shihai Lv

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

  • Zhaoyan Diao

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

  • Dewang Wang

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

  • Daikui Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

  • Zhirong Zheng

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

Abstract

Previous studies have observed that increased precipitation positively affects primary production in semiarid grasslands in Inner Mongolia, while soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) strongly influence how ecosystems respond to precipitation as well as anthropogenic disturbances under different management strategies. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the storage of organic C and N in four grassland sites with similar flora and landforms but with different grazing intensities to characterize how the storage and concentrations of C and N respond to relief from grazing pressure and precipitation. The concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), as well as the contents of soil bacteria and fungi in the 0–50 cm soil layers, were measured. The results showed that SOC, STN, MBC, and MBN storage varied greatly among the four grassland sites ( p < 0.05), with all decreasing significantly with grassland degradation and increasing greatly with the exclusion of grazing, i.e., the establishment of natural grassland (NG). More than 90% of C and 95% of N stored in the soil were lost due to heavy grazing, but the losses were smaller in other nutrient pools (including the aboveground biomass, litter, and roots). Interestingly, the proportion of the particle size fractions (clay, silt, and sand) had a stronger effect on limiting the soil and microbial nutrient pools compared to precipitation. The limited range of C and N storage found in these grassland soils indicated that enclosed fencing was a valuable management tool with a high potential to sequester C in the top meter of the soil, showing a stronger effect than precipitation. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving grassland recovery in semiarid areas that have been heavily grazed.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiuli Gao & Shihai Lv & Zhaoyan Diao & Dewang Wang & Daikui Li & Zhirong Zheng, 2023. "Responses of Vegetation, Soil, and Microbes and Carbon and Nitrogen Pools to Semiarid Grassland Land-Use Patterns in Duolun, Inner Mongolia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3434-:d:1067336
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Yongfei Bai & Xingguo Han & Jianguo Wu & Zuozhong Chen & Linghao Li, 2004. "Ecosystem stability and compensatory effects in the Inner Mongolia grassland," Nature, Nature, vol. 431(7005), pages 181-184, September.
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