Effects of sand dune burial on the litter decomposition of desert plant branches

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00046

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (3): 313-325.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00046

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Effects of sand dune burial on the litter decomposition of desert plant branches

Yanyan Yang¹(), Lianyou Liu², Bo Wu¹, Yingjun Pang¹

^1.Key Laboratory of Desert Ecosystem and Global Change，National Forestry and Grassland Administration，Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration，Chinese Academy of Forestry，Beijing 100091，China
^2.Faculty of Geographic Science，Beijing Normal University，Beijing 100875，China

Received:2025-03-31 Revised:2025-05-11 Online:2025-05-20 Published:2025-06-30

Abstract

Abstract:

Movement of sand dunes along wind directions can cause mortality of desert plants which are central to desert ecosystems. Currently， little is known about the decomposition of plant litter after death under dune burial conditions. In this paper， we investigated the relationship between the duration of dune burial on desert plants （Nitraria tangutorum and Caragana microphylla） and dune parameters of morphology and movement， as well as the decomposition characteristics of desert plants under dune burial by various methods， including remote sensing measurements， sample collection and experimental analysis. The results showed that：（1） The duration of sand dune burial on desert plants was positively and significantly correlated with its morphological parameters and negatively and obviously correlated with its movement speed in power functions， and the larger the dune volume or scale was， the longer the burial time of the plants was. （2） The mass loss rate of the buried desert plants was positively correlated with the duration of sand dune burial in a significant logarithmic function. In the first 25 years of dune compaction and burial， the decomposition rate was greater， and the annual average quality loss rate is 2.6%， after which the decomposition rate leveled off. The decomposition rate of Caragana microphylla branche litters was greater than that of Nitraria tangutorum during the period of dune compaction and burial. The decomposition rate of desert plant branch litters increased with the increase of diameter. （3） Dune burial could lead to the enrichment of organic C and N in the plant branch litters， and the enrichment degree increased with the increase of the duration of sand dune burial. And the enrichment degree of N was higher than that of organic C， but showed a decrease with the increase of the duration of sand dune burial. The results of this study will provide a scientific basis for the accurate prediction of the carbon turnover rate of desert plants in arid areas.

Key words: sand dune burial, desert plants, decomposition of plant litters, mass loss, nutrient release

CLC Number:

S812

Yanyan Yang, Lianyou Liu, Bo Wu, Yingjun Pang. Effects of sand dune burial on the litter decomposition of desert plant branches[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2025, 45(3): 313-325.

Figures/Tables 15

Fig.1 The position of sand transport belt between Badain Jaran and Ulan Buh Desert

Fig.2 The position of studied sand dunes

Table 1 Dune characteristics and buried plant species

沙丘编号	沙丘迎风坡和背风坡在地面投影的最大长度/m	沙丘高度 /m	移动速度 /（m·a^-1）	采集的植物种类
D1	150.2	6.3	10.2	白刺
D2	174.0	6.2	10.3	白刺
D3	123.5	7.3	9.1	白刺
D4	77.3	4.2	13.6	白刺
D5	124.7	4.6	12.8	白刺
D6	98.6	4.8	12.4	白刺
D7	203.8	8.8	7.5	白刺
D8	74.5	4.0	13.8	白刺
D9	97.7	3.3	15.5	白刺
D10	242.7	11.2	5.6	白刺
D11	110.6	5.6	11.2	白刺
D12	223.8	10.8	5.9	白刺
D13	347.0	23.0	3.7	白刺和小叶锦鸡儿

Fig.3 Distribution and sampling schematic of sand-buried plants in interdune areas of a barchan dune

Table 2 Sampling details of buried plants at the windward toe of sand dune

采样编号	距上一采样位置的距离/m	植物种类	采样编号	距上一采样位置的距离/m	植物种类
L1	0.0	小叶锦鸡儿	L15	8.7（紧邻沙丘中轴线）	白刺
L2	18.5	白刺	L16	19.4	白刺
L3	25.2	白刺	L17	20.0	小叶锦鸡儿
L4	16.2	白刺	L18	24.4	小叶锦鸡儿
L5	49.8	白刺	L19	14.0	小叶锦鸡儿
L6	18.5	白刺	L20	15.8	小叶锦鸡儿
L7	11.0	小叶锦鸡儿	L21	8.7	白刺
L8	35.5	白刺	L22	28.2	白刺
L9	22.3	白刺	L23	4.8	白刺
L10	16.3	白刺	L24	7.0	白刺
L11	14.2	小叶锦鸡儿	L25	11.0	白刺
L12	8.3	小叶锦鸡儿	L26	20.2	白刺
L13	4.3（紧邻沙丘中轴线）	白刺	L27	15.4	小叶锦鸡儿
L14	9.0（紧邻丘中轴线）	白刺	L28	58.0	白刺

Fig.4 Schematic diagram of the burial process of interdune plants by barchan dunes

Fig.5 Relationships between burial duration of plants by dunes and morphological parameters/movement speed of sand dunes

Fig.6 Water content of fresh branches of Nitraria tangutorum and Caragana microphylla with varying diameters

Fig.7 Relationship between branch diameter and mass per unit length in fresh branches of Nitraria tangutorum and Caragana microphylla

Fig.8 Relationship between mass loss rate of Nitraria tangutorum branches and durial duration under sand dunes

Fig.9 Mass loss rate of sand-buried Nitraria tangutorum branches with varying diameters

Fig.10 Mass loss rate of sand-buried plant branches at various positions on the windward slope toe of the dune

Fig.11 The content of C，N，and H elements in the buried Nitraria tangutorum branches at the toe of the windward slope of sand dunes D1-D12

Fig.12 The relationship between C，N，and H element content of buried plant branches and the duration of sand dune burial

Fig.13 Content of C，N，and H elements in buried plant branches at different positions on the windward slope toe of the sand dune

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Effects of sand dune burial on the litter decomposition of desert plant branches

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