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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2022, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (6): 13-22.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20220602

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Seasonal Patterns in Fine Root Biomass and Nutrient Storage of Four Plantations in the Alpine Region of Qinghai Province

Xue Zhang,Dongmei Wang*,Wenjie Wen,Ruosha Liu   

  1. School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University Beijing 100083
  • Received:2021-01-03 Online:2022-06-25 Published:2022-09-24
  • Contact: Dongmei Wang

Abstract:

Objective: Due to the special geographical location, the ecological environment of alpine region in Qinghai Province is fragile and the growth of vegetation is poor. The objective of this research was to investigate seasonal variation and vertical distribution of fine root biomass and nutrient storage of typical plantations in this region. The result would provide a theoretical basis for vegetation restoration and plantation management in alpine region in Qinghai Province. Method: Four typical plantations namely Betula platyphylla, Populus cathayana, Larix principis-rupperchii, and Picea crassifolia were selected in the Taergou watershed of Datong County, Qinghai Province. Samples of fines roots in 0-60 cm soil layer were collected from May to October in 2019 from each plantation type. The fine root biomass and their C (carbon), N (nitrogen), and P (phosphorus) contents were analyzed. We used variance analysis to explore the effect of seasons, plantation types and soil layers on fine root biomass and nutrient storage. Result: During the growing season, the fine root biomass of B. platyphylla, P. cathayana, L. principis-rupperchii, and P. crassifolia in the 0-60 cm soil layer was 7.63, 6.89, 6.11, and 19.31 t·hm-2, respectively. The fine root biomass of P. crassifolia was significantly higher than that of the other plantations. The fine root biomass of the four plantations were all decreased in the order of autumn > summer > spring, with significant difference between seasons (P < 0.05). With the increase of depth of the soil layer, the fine root biomass of the four plantations decreased exponentially. Fine root biomass mainly concentrated in the surface soil layer (0-20 cm), accounting for more than 68% of the total for all the four plantations. The fine root nutrient content of broad-leaved forest was relatively higher than that in coniferous forest, indicating that broad-leaved forest needs more nutrients for its growth. The fine root C content of the four plantations were all decreased in the order of autumn > summer > spring, while the fine root N and P contents in autumn were significantly higher during the growing season (P < 0.05). In vertical variation, the fine root nutrient content generally showed a trend of decreasing with the increase of soil depth. The fine root nutrient storage of P. crassifolia was significantly higher than that of the other species during the growing season. The fine root nutrient storage was the highest in autumn. Conclusion: The fine root biomass, fine root nutrient content and storage of the four plantations in the alpine region of Qinghai Province had significant seasonal variation and vertical distribution pattern. The fine root biomass in autumn was the highest. The fine roots were mainly concentrated in the surface soil layer and decreased with the depth of soil layer, showing an obvious property of surface-aggregation. The seasonal variation and vertical distribution of fine root C, N, and P storage were consistent with the fine root biomass. Among the four plantations, the fine root C, N, and P storage of P. crassifolia were relatively high. Therefore, we suggested that the plantation management in this area should be combined with seasonal characteristics. It is important to promote the growth and development of fine roots by reasonable management measures in the early growing seasons, and to protect the accumulation of surface fine roots in order to ensure vegetation resilience can be improved.

Key words: plantations, fine root, fine root biomass, nutrient storage of fine root, the alpine region of Qinghai Province

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