Relationship between soil moisture and topography and vegetation in the Tengger Desert

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2024.00047

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 133-142.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2024.00047

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Relationship between soil moisture and topography and vegetation in the Tengger Desert

Ting Ning¹(), Dinghai Zhang¹(), Youyi Zhao¹, Jing Jiang²

^1.Center for Quantitative Biology，College of Science /, Gansu Agricultural University，Lanzhou 730070，China
^2.College of Management, Gansu Agricultural University，Lanzhou 730070，China

Received:2024-01-31 Revised:2024-04-25 Online:2024-09-20 Published:2024-10-15
Contact: Dinghai Zhang

Abstract

Abstract:

Soil moisture critically limits the growth of sand-binding vegetation.Analysis of soil moisture distribution patterns in sandy areas， and their correlation with topography and vegetation factors， provides a scientific basis for desertification control. This study focuses on soil moisture in fixed sand dunes within the Hongwei natural vegetation area of the Tengger Desert. Employing methodologies including generalized linear models （GLM）， generalized additive models （GAM）， and random forest （RF）， the research explores the impacts of topography and vegetation factors on soil moisture at various depths. Findings indicate distinct layers within the 0-300 cm soil depth， specifically a surface layer （0-40 cm）， a middle layer （40-200 cm）， and a deep layer （200-300 cm）， each showing significant differences. The RF model exhibits superior accuracy compared to the GLM and GAM models， suggesting that soil moisture decreases with increasing differences in terrain height. Moreover， surface and middle soil moisture levels rise with higher herbaceous coverage， while middle and deep soil moisture levels initially decrease and then increase with greater shrub abundance and biomass. The study suggests that future revegetation and sand fixation efforts should focus on controlling the density and placement of sand-binding shrubs and herbaceous plants to facilitate the restoration of sand-binding vegetation in the study area.

Key words: soil moisture, topography and vegetation factors, generalized linear model, generalized additive model, random forest model

CLC Number:

S152.7

Ting Ning, Dinghai Zhang, Youyi Zhao, Jing Jiang. Relationship between soil moisture and topography and vegetation in the Tengger Desert[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2024, 44(5): 133-142.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig.1 Experimental sample plots and soil moisture sampling points

Fig.2 Variation of soil moisture content with soil depth

Fig.3 Comparison of soil moisture at different depths

Table 1 Significance test for variables based on generalized linear models

变量	0~40?cm		40~200?cm		200~300?cm
变量	估计值	$P$	估计值	$P$	估计值	$P$
坡度	0.097	0.432	0.015	0.878	0.002	0.986
坡向	0.056	0.404	0.000	0.998	0.157	0.034
高差	-0.291	0.022	-0.379	0.000	-0.351	0.011
灌木盖度	-0.021	0.872	-0.242	0.022	0.019	0.893
灌木多度	-0.314	0.029	0.195	0.088	0.103	0.499
草本盖度	0.256	0.147	0.309	0.030	-0.045	0.809
草本多度	-0.143	0.484	-0.025	0.880	0.211	0.339
凋落物	0.249	0.252	-0.059	0.735	-0.040	0.863
生物量	0.124	0.369	-0.010	0.927	-0.039	0.794

Table 1 Significance test for variables based on generalized linear models

变量	0~40?cm		40~200?cm		200~300?cm
变量	估计值	$P$	估计值	$P$	估计值	$P$
坡度	0.097	0.432	0.015	0.878	0.002	0.986
坡向	0.056	0.404	0.000	0.998	0.157	0.034
高差	-0.291	0.022	-0.379	0.000	-0.351	0.011
灌木盖度	-0.021	0.872	-0.242	0.022	0.019	0.893
灌木多度	-0.314	0.029	0.195	0.088	0.103	0.499
草本盖度	0.256	0.147	0.309	0.030	-0.045	0.809
草本多度	-0.143	0.484	-0.025	0.880	0.211	0.339
凋落物	0.249	0.252	-0.059	0.735	-0.040	0.863
生物量	0.124	0.369	-0.010	0.927	-0.039	0.794

Table 2 Significance test for variables based on generalized additive models

变量	0~40?cm		40~200?cm		200~300?cm
变量	edf	$P$	edf	$P$	edf	$P$
坡度	3.314	0.244	3.381	0.250	3.480	0.025
坡向	1.000	0.580	1.359	0.866	2.537	0.000
高差	1.000	0.197	1.000	0.006	1.448	0.000
灌木盖度	1.000	0.370	1.000	0.156	2.976	0.262
灌木多度	2.644	0.025	1.932	0.115	1.906	0.118
草本盖度	1.000	0.003	1.000	0.003	1.000	0.453
草本多度	1.241	0.052	1.000	0.224	1.778	0.301
凋落物	1.731	0.042	1.000	0.642	1.000	0.533
生物量	2.216	0.029	1.959	0.248	1.000	0.531

Table 2 Significance test for variables based on generalized additive models

变量	0~40?cm		40~200?cm		200~300?cm
变量	edf	$P$	edf	$P$	edf	$P$
坡度	3.314	0.244	3.381	0.250	3.480	0.025
坡向	1.000	0.580	1.359	0.866	2.537	0.000
高差	1.000	0.197	1.000	0.006	1.448	0.000
灌木盖度	1.000	0.370	1.000	0.156	2.976	0.262
灌木多度	2.644	0.025	1.932	0.115	1.906	0.118
草本盖度	1.000	0.003	1.000	0.003	1.000	0.453
草本多度	1.241	0.052	1.000	0.224	1.778	0.301
凋落物	1.731	0.042	1.000	0.642	1.000	0.533
生物量	2.216	0.029	1.959	0.248	1.000	0.531

Table 3 The importance of soil moisture under random forest modeling

排名	0~40?cm	40~200?cm	200~300?cm
1	高差(46.01%)	高差(36.40%)	坡向(48.41%)
2	灌木多度(45.33%)	灌木多度(32.07%)	高差(42.62%)
3	灌木盖度(36.30%)	草本盖度(25.90%)	坡度(34.74%)
4	生物量(31.25%)	灌木盖度(24.23%)	灌木盖度(32.27%)
5	草本盖度(29.65%)	凋落物(23.84%)	生物量(30.13%)
6	坡度(24.85%)	生物量(22.22%)	灌木多度(26.08 %)

Fig.4 Response curve for a generalized linear model

Fig.5 Response curves for generalized additive models

Fig.6 The response curve of the random forest model

Table 4 Evaluation of the model

深度	R²			RMSE
深度	GLM	GAM	RF	GLM	GAM	RF
表层	0.274	0.383	0.82	0.197	0.02	0.11
中层	0.34	0.379	0.902	0.159	0.017	0.086
深层	0.194	0.391	0.599	0.213	0.02	0.146

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Relationship between soil moisture and topography and vegetation in the Tengger Desert

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