Soil enzymes may act as important biological properties in measuring ecological restoration in desert areas. In order to investigate the effects of human trampling to biocrusts on soil quality, sandy soil under human trampling to biocrusts was served as the research object in artificial and natural vegetation areas at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. Trampling to biocrusts was divided into three levels depending on trampling levels to biocrusts:non-trampling, medium trampling and severe trampling to biocrusts, respectively. Soil samples were taken from 0~5 cm and 5~15 cm soil depth, respectively and soil urease, invertase, catalase, dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and protease activities were measured. Soil quality could be indicated by these soil enzymes activities in desert areas. The results showed that human trampling to cyanobacteria-lichen and moss crusts reduced activities of soil urease, invertase, catalase, dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and protease. Moreover, these soil enzyme activities have a linear negative correlation with trampling degree of biocrusts. In addition to the trampling degree, the studied enzymes activities following trampling biocrusts were significantly influenced by successional stages of crust and soil depth. The six studied enzymes activities under trampled biocrusts in 0~5 cm soil layer were significantly greater than 5~15 cm soil layer. In addition, there was a consistent law of soil enzyme activities under biocrusts no matter how seasons change, follow orders:non-trampling biocrusts>medium-trampling biocrusts=>severe-trampling biocrusts. Moreover, seasonal changes of soil enzyme activities under trampling or non-trampling biocrusts was obvious which from maximum to minimum is summer, autumn, spring and winter. Therefore, human trampling to biocrusts could decrease soil enzyme activity in artificial and natural vegetation areas at southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert, indicating a reduction of soil quality and the degradation of desert ecosystem. The results indicated that the protection to biocrusts is beneficial to the recovery of sandy soil and desert ecological system.
Liu Yanmei
,
Yang Hangyu
,
Jia Rongliang
,
Li Yixuan
. Effects of Human Trampling Biocrusts on Soil Enzyme Activities[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2019
, 39(4)
: 54
-63
.
DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2018.00075
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