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Journal of Desert Research ›› 2020, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (3): 185-192.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2020.00003

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Temporal evolution of soil water repellency in stabilized sand dunes in artificial sand fixation vegetation area on fringe of a desert

Zhou Lifeng, Yang Rong, Zhao Wenzhi   

  1. Linze Inland River Basin Research Station/Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resource, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
  • Received:2019-11-10 Revised:2020-02-17 Online:2020-05-20 Published:2020-06-09

Abstract: Soil crusts play profound effects on soil hydrology processes in sand fixation vegetation areas at the edge of deserts. Soil water repellency (SWR) is a potential parameter to quantify the hydrological effects of soil crusts. SWR was measured by the Water Drop Penetration Time (WDPT) method, to investigate the temporal evolution and influence factors of soil crust water repellency in sand dunes, which were stabilized by Haloxylon ammodendron of different planting ages on fringe of a desert. The results showed that SWR of soil crusts was appeared in crest and inter-dune depression (WDPT>5 s), instead of dune slope (WDPT<5 s), after 20 years of planting. The SWR of soil crusts at dune crest was significantly correlated with total organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, C-H component of organic carbon, and electrical conductivity (P<0.01), whereas, the SWR of soil crusts at inter-dune depression was significantly correlated with the contents of clay and silt (P<0.01). The results indicated that the "carbon island" and "salt island" formed by vegetation are the reasons for the SWR formation of soil crust at dune crest, while the accumulation of soil fine particles is the reason for the SWR formation of soil crust at inter-dune depression.

Key words: physical soil crust, biological soil crust, sand dunes, soil hydrological characteristics, Hexi Corridor

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