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Journal of Desert Research ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (4): 190-199.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00099

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Effects litter decomposition characteristics of dominant plants on soil microbial community in Horqin Sandy Land

Zhiying Ning1(), Yulin Li3, Xueyong Zhao3, Yanjun Zhang4, Haibing Wang1,2, Min Yan1,2, Ruimin Liu1, Heju Zuo1,2()   

  1. 1.Desert Management College /, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University,Hohhot 010010,China
    2.State Key Laboratory of Water Engineering Ecology and Environment in Arid Area, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University,Hohhot 010010,China
    3.Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Lanzhou 730000,China
    4.Hohhot Ecological Environment Monitoring Center,Hohhot 010030,China
  • Received:2025-05-11 Revised:2025-06-26 Online:2025-07-20 Published:2025-08-18
  • Contact: Heju Zuo

Abstract:

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the litter decomposition characteristics of 6 dominant plant species and their impacts on soil microbial community structure in the Horqin Sandy Land. We used field-based litter decomposition experiments and microbial high-throughput sequencing technology. The results indicated that the decomposition rate of litter followed the order: Chenopodium acuminatum>Caragana microphylla>Setarria viridis>Artemisia halodendron>Cleistogenes squarrosa>Lespedeza bicolor. The initial nitrogen (N) content, lignin content, C∶N ratio, and lignin∶N ratio of the litter were identified as the critical factors influencing the rate of decomposition. After 15 months of decomposition, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria emerged as the predominant phyla within the bacterial community, while Ascomycota dominated the fungal community. The species diversity and richness of the bacterial community increased significantly, whereas the species diversity of the fungal community decreased markedly. The richness of the fungal community was positively correlated with the initial litter C∶N and lignin∶N ratios, but negatively correlated with the initial N content. Furthermore, the relative abundances of Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria in the bacterial community, as well as Basidiomycota, Mucormycota, and Zoopagomycota, in the fungal community, were positively associated with the initial cellulose and hemicellulose contents, C∶N ratio, and lignin∶N ratio of the litter.

Key words: Horqin Sandy Land, litter decomposition, microorganism

CLC Number: