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Journal of Desert Research ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (4): 185-194.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2021.00077

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Effects of groundwater depth on soil enzymatic activities of typical plant communities in semi-arid area

Tianyan Su1(), Zihan Liu1, Anqi Cong2, Wei Mao1, Qiu Yang1()   

  1. 1.College of Ecology and Environment,Hainan University,Haikou 570228,China
    2.Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Lanzhou 730000,China
  • Received:2021-04-28 Revised:2021-05-26 Online:2021-07-27 Published:2021-07-27
  • Contact: Qiu Yang

Abstract:

Soil enzymatic activity is a key indicator reflecting soil function, especially in semi-arid areas where soil water is restricted. The changes of soil enzyme activities driven by soil water can change soil nutrient turnover and affect soil carbon quality. However, changes in soil water movement caused by changes in groundwater depth on soil enzymatic activities of typical plant communities in semi-arid areas are still unclear. Therefore, we carried out two typical plant communities (Pennisetum centrasiaticum and Artemisia halodendron) in the semi-arid sandy grassland of Horqin and established the underground water level manipulate experiment. The manipulate groundwater depth as 0.5 m, 1.0 m, and 2.0 m. We analyze the soil physical and chemical properties and soil enzymatic activity of different soil layers, and explore the change characteristics of soil enzymatic activities in different groundwater depth gradients and the two different vegetation types. The research results showed that: four kinds of soil hydrolase (acid phosphatase, glucosidase, acetylglucosaminidase and L-leucine aminopeptidase) and two kinds of oxidoreductases (catalase and polyphenol oxidase) were affected by the treatment of groundwater depth and vegetation types, with the increase of groundwater depth, soil enzyme activities under the communities of Pennisetum centrasiaticum and Artemisia halodendron showed insignificant and significant differences, respectively. At the same time, the soil enzyme activity decreased with the increase of soil depth in each treatment. With the increase of groundwater depth, soil enzyme activity is mainly affected by soil organic carbon. Our results indicated groundwater depths affect the soil hydrolase and oxidoreductase activities pattern. The ratio of soil hydrolase and oxidoreductase activities have also affected the soil carbon quality, especially in Pennisetum centrasiaticum and Artemisia halodendron communities. It is suggested to consider the differences of adaptation strategies in various plant communities according to the change of groundwater level when vegetation restoration is carried out in future semi-arid regions, so as to better restore the relevant overground and underground ecosystem functions.

Key words: semi-arid region, underground water level, vegetation types, soil enzymatic activity

CLC Number: