Fractal features of soil particle size in the process of desertification in desert grassland of Ningxia, China.

doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.201710.024

Abstract

Abstract: The variation of soil properties, the fractal dimension of soil particle size, and the relationships between fractal dimension of soil particle size and soil properties in the process of desertification in desert grassland of Ningxia were discussed. The results showed that the fractal dimension (D) at different desertification stages in desert grassland varied greatly, the value of D was between 1.69 and 2.62. Except for the 10-20 cm soil layer, the value of D gradually declined with increa-sing desertification of desert grassland at 0-30 cm soil layer. In the process of desertification in de-sert grassland, the grassland had the highest values of D, the volume percentage of clay and silt, and the lowest values of the volume percentage of very fine sand and fine sand. However, the mobile dunes had the lowest value of D, the volume percentage of clay and silt, and the highest value of the volume percentage of very fine sand and fine sand. There was a significant positive correlation between the soil fractal dimension value and the volume percentage of soil particles <50 μm, and a significant negative correlation between the soil fractal dimension value and the volume percentage of soil particles >50 μm. The grain size of 50 μm was the critical value for deciding the relationship between the soil particle fractal dimension and the volume percentage. Soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) decreased gradually with increasing desertification of desert grassland, but soil bulk density increased gradually. Qualitative change from fixed dunes to semi-fixed dunes with the rapid decrease of the volume percentage of clay and silt, SOM, TN and the rapid increase of volume percentage of very fine sand and fine sand, soil bulk density. Fractal dimension was significantly correlated to SOM, TN and soil bulk density. Fractal dimension 2.58 was a critical value of fixed dunes and semi-fixed dunes. So, the fractal dimension of 2.58 could be taken as the desertification indicator of desert grassland.

YAN Xin, AN Hui. Fractal features of soil particle size in the process of desertification in desert grassland of Ningxia, China.[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2017, 28(10): 3243-3250.

References

[1] Zhao CL, Shao MA, Jia XX, et al. Particle size distribution of soils (0-500 cm) in the Loess Plateau, China. Geoderma Regional, 2016, 7: 251-258
[2] Li M (李敏), Li Y (李毅). Local fractal and multifractal characteristics of soil number-based particle size distributions. Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science) (西北农林科技大学学报: 自然科学版), 2011, 39(11): 216-222 (in Chinese)
[3] Yang P-L (杨培岭), Luo Y-P (罗远培), Shi Y-C (石元春). Fractal features of soils characterized by particle weight distribution. Chinese Science Bulletin (科学通报), 1993, 38(20): 1896-1899 (in Chinese)
[4] Perfect E, Kay BD. Applications of fractals in soil and tillage research: A review. Soil & Tillage Research, 1995, 36: 1-20
[5] Wang G-L (王国梁), Zhou S-L (周生路), Zhao Q-G (赵其国). Volume fractal dimension of soil particles and its application to land use. Acta Pedologica Sinica (土壤学报), 2006, 42(4): 545-550 (in Chinese)
[6] Mishra S, Parker JC, Singhal N. Estimation of soil hydraulic properties and their uncertainty from particle size distribution data. Journal of Hydrology, 1989, 108: 1-18
[7] Huang G-H (黄冠华), Zhan W-H (詹卫华). Fractal property of soil particle size distribution and its application. Acta Pedologica Sinica (土壤学报), 2002, 39(4): 490-497 (in Chinese)
[8] Wang D (王德), Fu B-J (傅伯杰), Chen L-D (陈利顶), et al. Fractal analyzation soil particle size distributions under different land-use types: A case study in the loess hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, China. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 2007, 27(7): 3081-3089 (in Chinese)
[9] Lyu S-Q (吕圣桥), Gao P (高鹏), Geng G-P (耿广坡), et al. Characteristics of soil particles and their correlation with soil organic matter in lowlands of the Yellow River Delta. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (水土保持学报), 2011, 25(6): 134-138 (in Chinese)
[10] Huai T (淮态), Pang J-L (庞奖励), Wen Q (文青), et al. Fractal characteristics of particle size distribution in soils different in land use. Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment (生态与农村环境学报), 2008, 24(4): 41-44 (in Chinese)
[11] Du H-Y (杜海燕), Zhou Z-B (周智彬), Liu F-S (刘凤山), et al. Variation of fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution in the Aral Reclamation area in oasis development. Arid Zone Research (干旱区研究), 2013, 30(4): 615-622 (in Chinese)
[12] Wei M-H (魏茂宏), Lin H-L (林慧龙). Soil particle size distribution and its fractal dimension among degradation sequences of the alpine meadow in the source region of the Yangtze and Yellow River, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology (应用生态学报), 2014, 25(3): 679-686 (in Chinese)
[13] Wang X-D (王小丹), Liu G-C (刘刚才), Liu S-Z (刘淑珍), et al. Fractal characteristics of soil and its application in the arid and semi-arid region, Tibet Pla-teau. Journal of Mountain Science (山地学报), 2003, 21(suppl.1): 58-63 (in Chinese)
[14] Shen H-H (沈海花), Zhu Y-K (朱言坤), Zhao X (赵霞), et al. Analysis of current grassland resources in China. Chinese Science Bulletin (科学通报), 2016, 61(2): 139-154 (in Chinese)
[15] Zhao H-L (赵哈林), Zhao X-Y (赵学勇), Zhang T-H (张铜会), et al. The Biological Process of Desertification and the Mechanism of Restoration of Degraded Ve-getation. Beijing: Science Press, 2007 (in Chinese)
[16] Xu D-M (许冬梅), Zhao L-L (赵丽莉), Xie Y-Z (谢应忠). Dynamics of plant community during sandy desertification for grassland in Yanchi County. Acta Botanica Boreali-Occidentalia Sinica (西北植物学报), 2011, 31(10): 2084-2089 (in Chinese)
[17] Zhao H-L (赵哈林), Li Y-Q (李玉强), Zhou R-L (周瑞莲). Effects of desertification on C and N storages in grassland ecosystem on Horqin sandy land. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology (应用生态学报), 2007, 18(11): 2412-2417 (in Chinese)
[18] Tang Z-S (唐庄生), An H (安慧), Deng L (邓蕾). Changes in the plant community and soil physical properties during grassland desertification of steppes. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 2016, 36(4): 991-1000 (in Chinese)
[19] Zuo X-A (左小安), Zhao H-L (赵哈林), Zhao X-Y (赵学勇), et al. Spatial heterogeneity of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen of sandy grassland in the restoration of degraded vegetation in Horqin sandy land, northern China. Environmental Science (环境科学), 2009, 30(8): 2387-2393 (in Chinese)
[20] Zhao Z-P (赵志平), Wu X-P (吴晓莆), Li G (李果), et al. The cause of grassland degradation in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the Three Rivers Headwaters Region of Qinghai Province. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 2013, 33(20): 6577-6586 (in Chinese)
[21] Zhao H-L (赵哈林), Zhao X-Y (赵学勇), Zhang T-H (张铜会), et al. Desertification process and its spatial differentiation in arid areas of northwest China. Journal of Desert Research (中国沙漠), 2011, 31(1): 1-8 (in Chinese)
[22] Ding G-D (丁国栋). Study on indicative feature and cover classification of vegetation in regional desertification assessment: Taking Mu Us sand land as an example. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (水土保持学报), 2004, 18(1): 158-160 (in Chinese)
[23] Huang C-Y (黄昌勇), Xu J-M (徐建明). Agrology. Beijing: China Agriculture Press, 2011 (in Chinese)
[24] Tyler SW, Wheatcraft SW. Fractal scaling of soil particle-size distributions: Analysis and limitations. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 1992, 56: 362-369
[25] Wei X, Li XG, Wei N. Fractal features of soil particle size distribution in layered sediments behind two check dams: Implications for the Loess Plateau, China. Geomorphology, 2016, 266: 133-145
[26] Zhao HL, Zhao XY, Zhou RL, et al. Desertification processes due to heavy grazing in sandy range land, Inner Mongolia. Journal of Arid Environments, 2005, 62: 309-319
[27] Zhang C, McBean EA. Estimation of desertification risk from soil erosion: A case study for Gansu Province, China. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 2016, 30: 2215-2229
[28] Tang ZS, An H, Shangguan ZP. The impact of desertification on carbon and nitrogen storage in the desert steppe ecosystem. Ecological Engineering, 2015, 84: 92-99
[29] Liu S-L (刘树林), Wang T (王涛), Qu J-J (屈建军). Soil characteristics changes in desertification processes in Hunshandake sandy land, northern China. Journal of Desert Research (中国沙漠), 2008, 28(4): 611-616 (in Chinese)
[30] Yan Y-C (闫玉春), Wang X (王旭), Yang G-X (杨桂霞), et al. Review on mechanism of fine soil particles increase in enclosed grassland. Journal of Desert Research (中国沙漠), 2011, 31(5): 1162-1166 (in Chinese)
[31] Zhang C-X (张成霞), Nan Z-B (南志标). Changeable characteristics of three soil microbial groups under different grazing intensities in Loess Plateau. Pratacultural Science (草业科学), 2010, 27(11): 131-136 (in Chinese)
[32] An H (安慧), Xu K (徐坤). The effect of gra-zing disturbance on soil properties in desert steppe. Acta Prataculturae Sinica (草业学报), 2013, 22(4): 35-42 (in Chinese)
[33] Gao Y (高洋), Wang G-X (王根绪), Gao Y-H (高永恒). Distribution characteristics of soil organic matter and nitrogen, phosphorus content in alpine grassland ecosystem in upper Yangtze River. Pratacultural Science (草业科学), 2015, 32(10): 1548-1554 (in Chinese)
[34] Zhao F (赵菲), Xie Y-Z (谢应忠), Ma H-B (马红彬), et al. Effects of enclosure on species diversity and soil organic matter of typical steppe. Pratacultural Science (草业科学), 2011, 28(6): 887-891 (in Chinese)
[35] Peng J-J (彭佳佳), Hu Y-F (胡玉福), Xiao H-H (肖海华), et al. Influences of ecological restoration on soil organic matter and nitrogen in desertification grassland in the northwestern Sichuan. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment (干旱区资源与环境), 2015, 29(5): 149-153 (in Chinese)
[36] Cyle SV, Hussain S, Shabeer KR, et al. Labile carbon pools and soil organic carbon stocks in the foothill Himalayas under different land use systems. Geoderma, 2014, 232-234: 81-87
[37] Wu T-Y (武天云), Schoenau JJ, Li F-M (李凤民), et al. Concepts and relative analytical techniques of soil organic matter. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology (应用生态学报), 2004, 15(4): 717-722 (in Chinese)
[38] Cao C-Y (曹成有), Zhu L-H (朱丽辉), Fu Y (富瑶), et al. Changes of soil biological activity in desertification process of Horqin sandy grassland. Chinese Journal of Ecology (生态学杂志), 2007, 26(5): 622-627 (in Chinese)
[39] Hu Y-F (胡云锋), Liu J-Y (刘纪远), Zhuang D-F (庄大方), et al. Fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution under different land use/land coverage. Acta Pedologica Sinica (土壤学报), 2005, 42(2): 336-339 (in Chinese)
[40] Su Y-Z (苏永中), Zhao H-L (赵哈林). Fractal features of soil particle size distribution in the desertification process of the farmland in Horsing Sandy Land. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 2004, 24(1): 71-74 (in Chinese)
[41] Gui D-W (桂东伟), Lei J-Q (雷加强), Zeng F-J (曾凡江), et al. Characteristics of soil particle size distribution in different land-use types of Oasis Rim. Scientia Silvae Sinicae (林业科学), 2011, 47(1): 22-28 (in Chinese)
[42] Lobe I, Amelung W, Preez CCD. Losses of carbon and nitrogen with prolonged arable cropping from sandy soils of the South African Highveld. European Journal of Soil Science, 2001, 52: 93-101
[43] Fullen MA, Booth CA, Brandsma RT. Long-term effects of grass ley set-aside on erosion rates and soil organic matter on sandy soils in east Shropshire, UK. Soil & Tillage Research, 2006, 89: 122-128
[44] Peng X-H (彭新华), Zhang B (张斌), Zhao Q-G (赵其国). A review on relationship between soil orga-nic carbon pools and soil structure stability. Acta Pedolo-gica Sinica (土壤学报), 2004, 41(4): 618-623 (in Chinese)
[45] Liu M-Q (刘满强), Hu F (胡锋), Chen X-Y (陈小云). A review on mechanisms of soil organic carbon stabilization. Acta Ecologica Sinica (生态学报), 2007, 27(6): 2642-2650 (in Chinese)