Effects of Different Plants Cultivation on Soil Physical-chemical Properties and Fine Root Growth in Saline-alkaline Soil in Songnen Plain,Northeastern China
Abstract:The effects of different land use on soil properties and its functioning depth are prevailing hotspots in soil ecology, but few researches are available in degradation saline-alkaline soil, in Songnen Plain, northeastern China. Taking the Zhaodong Experimental Forest Farm as the research site,we sampled 3 soil layers from 8 vegetation types and measured 13 soil parameters.The results showed: root density, pH, available-P, soil moisture, EC, SOC and total N were significantly influenced by different vegetation types. Interspecies differences of first three parameters varied at different soil layers, while the other four parameters showed similar interspecies differences among whole soil profile. Root density in Fraxinus mandshurica plantation was the top in 0-40 cm of the soil, but root density in grassland was the top in 40-60 cm of the soil. Soil pH in Phellodendron amurense was higher than any other plant types in 0-20 cm of the soil, but it was lower than the others in 40-60 cm of the soil. Soil pH in grassland was higher than the others from 20-60 cm of the soil. Available-P in Pinus sylvestris was higher than any others respectively in the first and third soil layer, however it was lower than any other plant species in the second soil layer. Peak soil moisture was in grassland, that was 1.8 times higher than that in Larix gmelinii plantation; EC in grassland (503.4 μs·cm-1) was significantly higher than that in all the other vegetation types. SOC in plantations of Populus, P.sylvestris were significantly lower than those in plantations of P.amurense, Ulmus pumila, F.mandshurica and grassland; Soil total N in Populus and P.sylvestris were only about 72.3% of that in grassland; There was no differences in total P, total K and available-K among different plants.Therefore, afforestation with proper species in Songnen Plain could reduce soil salinity-alkalinity with the expense of more water consumption and similar soil nutrients depletion reflected in SOC and total N. Our findings would provide the guidance for local afforestation and comparison of region interspecies differences, evaluation of soil fertility, and soil nutrient balance in the future.