Above- and belowground dynamics of plant community succession following abandonment of farmland on the Loess Plateau, China

Abstract

Aboveground and belowground changes during vegetation restoration and vegetation successions need to be characterized in relation to their individual responses to changes in soil resources. We examined above-and belowground vegetation characteristics, soil moisture, and nutrient status at the end of the growing season in 2006 in plots with vegetation succession ages of 2, 4, 6, and 8 years (two replicates each) that had been established on abandoned cropland, where potatoes had been grown for 3 years, using hoe and plow cultivation, immediately prior to vegetation clearance and subsequent natural plant colonization. A plant community comprising pioneer species [e.g., Artemisia capillaries, (subshrub)] was characterized by low levels of species richness (7.5±1.4 species m −2 ), plant density (35.7± 4.2 stems m −2 ), fine root length density (940.1± 90.1 m m −2 ), and root area density (2.3±0.3 m 2 m −2 ) that increased rapidly with time. Aboveground and belowground characteristics of both A. capillaries and the later successional species, Stipa bungeana (C3 perennial grass), increased in the first 6 years, but in the following 2 years A. capillaries declined while S. bungeana thrived. Thus, the fine root length density of A. capillaries, 812.4 m m −2 after 2 years, changed by a factor of 1.7, 2.0, and 0.4 in the 4th, 6th, and 8th years, whereas that of S. bungeana changed from 278.4 m m −2 , after 4 years, and by 1.7 and 23.3 times in the 6th and 8th years, respectively. Secondary vegetation succession resulted in reduced soil moisture contents. Soil available P and N mainly influenced aboveground characteristics, while soil moisture mainly influenced belowground characteristics. However, soil moisture had no significant affect on S. bungeana belowground characteristics at the population level in this semiarid region.

Natural succession on abandoned cropland effectively decreases the soil erodibility and improves the fungal diversity

“…, Wang et al. ). As succession develops and enters the later stages, the strong competitiveness of some species allows them to acquire most of the abiotic and biotic resources and thus to dominate the community, thereby decreasing species diversity.…”

The effect of Robinia pseudoacacia afforestation on soil and vegetation properties in the Loess Plateau (China): A chronosequence approach

“…The altitude ranges from 1010 to 1430 m a.s.l. Soils (yellow-brown soil) are derived from very homogeneous loess sediments and are typically composed of approximately 64% sand (50-2000 lm), 24% silt (2-50 lm), and 12% clay (<2 lm) (USA soil taxonomy) (Wang et al, 2009). Due to the loose soil particles and the poor resistance, the soil is prone to severe erosion processes (Shi and Shao, 2000).…”

Soil Seed Bank and Standing Vegetation of Abandoned Croplands on Chinese Loess Plateau: Implications for Restoration

“…Soils have developed on wind-deposited loessic parent material and are classified as Calcic Cambisols (Wang et al, 2003) and characterized by yellow color, absence of bedding, loose structure, great macroporousness, and wetness-induced collapsibility. The soil texture is silty loam, the content of sand sized particle being 11.7%, clay 23.7%, and silt 64.6% according to USDA soil classification system (Wang et al, 2009). The soil is slightly alkaline (pH > 8) (Wang, 2006).…”