Vertical distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil organic carbon under cyanobacterial crusts in the Northwest desert region of China

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00036

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (3): 175-184.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00036

Vertical distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil organic carbon under cyanobacterial crusts in the Northwest desert region of China

Fan Du¹^,²(), Jungang Yang², Xing Guo², Yongxing Lu², Ye Tao², Benfeng Yin², Xiaoying Rong², Yonggang Li²^,³, Yuanming Zhang², Xiaobing Zhou²()

^1.College of Life Sciences，Shihezi University，Shihezi 832003，Xinjiang，China
^2.Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Application in Arid Lands / Xinjiang Field Scientific Observation Research Station of Tianshan Wild Fruit Forest Ecosystem，Yili Botanical Garden，Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Urumqi 830011，China
^3.School of Resources and Environment，Henan Institute of Science and Technology，Xinxiang 453003，Henan，China

Received:2025-03-24 Revised:2025-04-24 Online:2025-05-20 Published:2025-06-30
Contact: Xiaobing Zhou

Abstract

Abstract:

The Northwest desert region of China， as a typical ecologically fragile area， where cyanobacterial crust plays cyanobacterial crust playing a crucial carbon-sequestration role， significantly maintaining regional carbon balance and ecological function. Nevertheless， the vertical distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon （SOC） under cyanobacterial crust， especially its fractions （particulate organic carbon （POC） and mineral-associated organic carbon （MAOC）） and their key influencing factors in this region， are not yet clearly understood. This study measured the SOC， POC， and MAOC content in the 0-2， 2-5， 5-10， and 10-20 cm soil depths under cyanobacterial crust in the Northwest desert region， used bare sand as a control， and combined with relevant influencing factors， to clarify the vertical distribution characteristics of SOC components and their influencing factors. The results showed that the SOC， POC， and MAOC content of cyanobacterial crust in each soil depth were higher than those of bare sand， with the most significant differences in the 0-2 cm soil depth. In cyanobacterial crusts， the content of POC and MAOC decreases with soil depth. POC content decreased from 3.83 g·kg⁻¹ at the crust layer to 2.37 g·kg⁻¹ in the 10-20 cm soil depth， and the MAOC content decreased from 2.97 g·kg⁻¹ to 0.95 g·kg⁻¹. In both cyanobacterial crust and bare sand， the proportion of POC content was higher than that of MAOC. The proportion of POC content in bare sand was higher than that in cyanobacterial crust， while the SOC stability of cyanobacterial crust was higher than that of bare sand. Correlation analysis showed that the POC and MAOC content of cyanobacterial crust and bare sand were affected by a combination of climatic factors and soil physicochemical characteristics. In the case of soil organic carbon fractions， they had a significantly positive correlation with total nitrogen， ammonium nitrogen， and available phosphorus， but a significantly negative correlation with pH and mean annual temperature. In addition， mean annual temperature and precipitation were important factors for predicting POC and MAOC content， with mean annual temperature alone contributing 45.50% to predicting POC content in cyanobacterial crusts. This study reveals the carbon-sequestration role of cyanobacterial crust in the Northwest desert region of China， providing a scientific basis for carbon-stock assessment and carbon-sink management in arid region.

Key words: cyanobacterial crust, particulate organic carbon, mineral-associated organic carbon, soil physicochemical characteristics, desert ecosystem

CLC Number:

S288

Fan Du, Jungang Yang, Xing Guo, Yongxing Lu, Ye Tao, Benfeng Yin, Xiaoying Rong, Yonggang Li, Yuanming Zhang, Xiaobing Zhou. Vertical distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil organic carbon under cyanobacterial crusts in the Northwest desert region of China[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2025, 45(3): 175-184.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig.1 Sampling schematic diagram of the northwest desert region of China

Table 1 Detailed information of sampling sites in the northwest desert region of China

点位	主要沙区	纬度 N/(°)	经度 E/(°)	年均气温 MAT/(℃)	年均降水量 MAP/mm	干旱指数 AI	植被类型
G1	古尔班通古特沙漠	45.30109	87.15127	7.56	162	0.1022	温带矮半乔木/灌木荒漠
G2	古尔班通古特沙漠	45.24653	87.67413	6.86	164	0.1069
G3	古尔班通古特沙漠	45.13156	88.30210	6.11	185	0.1245
G4	古尔班通古特沙漠	44.94260	88.65117	6.68	167	0.1085
G5	库布其沙漠	40.38708	108.63548	7.06	236	0.1479	温带半灌木荒漠
G6	库布其沙漠	40.04151	108.67425	6.60	267	0.1724	温带半灌木荒漠
G7	腾格里沙漠	38.88572	102.72562	7.84	118	0.0704	温带半灌木、矮半灌木荒漠
G8	腾格里沙漠	37.96888	103.37158	8.25	159	0.0998
G9	腾格里沙漠	38.26532	104.05925	8.68	146	0.0882
G10	腾格里沙漠	38.52553	104.97848	8.97	164	0.0956
G11	腾格里沙漠	38.78888	105.46609	8.74	168	0.0973
G12	毛乌素沙地	38.86390	107.91095	7.37	292	0.1908	温带丛生禾草典型草原

Table 2 Soil physicochemical characteristics under bare sand and cyanobacterial crust coverage in the northwest desert region

类型	土层 /cm	酸碱度 pH	电导率 EC /（μS·cm^-1）	全氮 TN /(mg·kg^-1)	硝态氮 NO $3 -$ -N /(mg·kg^-1)	铵态氮 NH $4 +$ -N /(mg·kg^-1)	全磷 TP /(mg·kg^-1)	速效磷 AP /(mg·kg^-1)	土壤含水率SWC /%
裸沙	0~2	8.15±0.09^a	105.91±14.38^a	98.59±19.56^a	12.21±6.93^a	8.78±1.31^a	259.89±53.25^a	3.14±0.45^a	0.12±0.04^b
	2~5	8.22±0.10^a	120.67±34.85^a	94.66±17.73^a	9.82±4.51^a	7.38±1.28^a	243.56±46.20^a	3.20±0.36^a	0.20±0.07^b
	5~10	8.27±0.09^a	90.91±8.53^a	95.14±18.01^a	11.28±7.06^a	6.80±1.21^a	237.19±46.82^a	2.84±0.26^a	0.31±0.09^b
	10~20	8.32±0.09^a	113.14±28.72^a	79.85±11.63^a	11.34±7.60^a	7.53±1.11^a	233.01±42.80^a	2.72±0.25^a	0.84±0.28^a
藻结皮	BSC	7.72±0.09^c	194.91±37.15^a	202.71±30.34^a	10.90±2.79^a	11.43±1.50^a	365.15±43.00^a	3.37±0.40^a	0.18±0.03^a
	0~2	8.14±0.08^b	161.83±50.30^a	147.62±23.26^a	12.11±4.41^a	6.56±1.41^b	282.09±39.65^a	3.18±0.36^a	0.19±0.02^a
	2~5	8.31±0.07^ab	165.78±65.19^a	134.15±23.42^a	12.66±5.73^a	6.15±1.25^b	269.44±41.53^a	3.20±0.33^a	0.34±0.11^a
	5~10	8.44±0.06^a	148.29±54.10^a	125.24±23.03^a	7.84±2.95^a	5.87±1.05^b	245.19±35.44^a	3.13±0.25^a	0.28±0.04^a
	10~20	8.51±0.06^a	136.24±36.39^a	124.15±24.78^a	6.87±2.35^a	6.98±1.25^b	263.09±45.28^a	2.88±0.27^a	0.35±0.08^a

Table 2 Soil physicochemical characteristics under bare sand and cyanobacterial crust coverage in the northwest desert region

类型	土层 /cm	酸碱度 pH	电导率 EC /（μS·cm^-1）	全氮 TN /(mg·kg^-1)	硝态氮 NO $3 -$ -N /(mg·kg^-1)	铵态氮 NH $4 +$ -N /(mg·kg^-1)	全磷 TP /(mg·kg^-1)	速效磷 AP /(mg·kg^-1)	土壤含水率SWC /%
裸沙	0~2	8.15±0.09^a	105.91±14.38^a	98.59±19.56^a	12.21±6.93^a	8.78±1.31^a	259.89±53.25^a	3.14±0.45^a	0.12±0.04^b
	2~5	8.22±0.10^a	120.67±34.85^a	94.66±17.73^a	9.82±4.51^a	7.38±1.28^a	243.56±46.20^a	3.20±0.36^a	0.20±0.07^b
	5~10	8.27±0.09^a	90.91±8.53^a	95.14±18.01^a	11.28±7.06^a	6.80±1.21^a	237.19±46.82^a	2.84±0.26^a	0.31±0.09^b
	10~20	8.32±0.09^a	113.14±28.72^a	79.85±11.63^a	11.34±7.60^a	7.53±1.11^a	233.01±42.80^a	2.72±0.25^a	0.84±0.28^a
藻结皮	BSC	7.72±0.09^c	194.91±37.15^a	202.71±30.34^a	10.90±2.79^a	11.43±1.50^a	365.15±43.00^a	3.37±0.40^a	0.18±0.03^a
	0~2	8.14±0.08^b	161.83±50.30^a	147.62±23.26^a	12.11±4.41^a	6.56±1.41^b	282.09±39.65^a	3.18±0.36^a	0.19±0.02^a
	2~5	8.31±0.07^ab	165.78±65.19^a	134.15±23.42^a	12.66±5.73^a	6.15±1.25^b	269.44±41.53^a	3.20±0.33^a	0.34±0.11^a
	5~10	8.44±0.06^a	148.29±54.10^a	125.24±23.03^a	7.84±2.95^a	5.87±1.05^b	245.19±35.44^a	3.13±0.25^a	0.28±0.04^a
	10~20	8.51±0.06^a	136.24±36.39^a	124.15±24.78^a	6.87±2.35^a	6.98±1.25^b	263.09±45.28^a	2.88±0.27^a	0.35±0.08^a

Table 3 Two-way ANOVA of the effects of cover type and soil depth on soil organic carbon fractions and soil physicochemical characteristics （ F-Values）

指标

有机碳

SOC

颗粒态有机碳

POC

矿物结合态有机碳

MAOC

酸碱度

电导率

全氮

硝态氮

NO $3 -$ -N

铵态氮

NH $4 +$ -N

全磷

速效磷

含水量

SWC

Table 3 Two-way ANOVA of the effects of cover type and soil depth on soil organic carbon fractions and soil physicochemical characteristics （ F-Values）

指标

有机碳

SOC

颗粒态有机碳

POC

矿物结合态有机碳

MAOC

酸碱度

电导率

全氮

硝态氮

NO $3 -$ -N

铵态氮

NH $4 +$ -N

全磷

速效磷

含水量

SWC

覆盖类型

16.41^***

7.94^**

26.02^***

3.63

2.52

6.93^*

0.12

1.88

0.48

0.27

1.00

土层深度

6.56^***

2.25

11.99^***

15.13^***

0.31

2.28

0.12

3.46^*

1.16

0.59

4.33^**

覆盖类型×土层深度

0.38

0.17

0.58

0.66

0.08

0.07

0.20

0.16

0.02

0.08

3.21^*

Fig.2 Distribution characteristics of SOC， POC， and MAOC content in different soil depths under bare sand and cyanobacterial crust

Fig.3 Proportions and stability of POC and MAOC under bare sand and cyanobacterial crust

Fig.4 Correlation between environmental factors and POC and MAOC in bare sand and cyanobacterial crust

Fig.5 Random forest model predicts the key factors affecting POC and MAOC content

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Vertical distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil organic carbon under cyanobacterial crusts in the Northwest desert region of China

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