Responses of soil organic carbon components and their sensitivity to karst rocky desertification control measures in Southwest China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization is closely related to carbon source or sink of terrestrial ecosystem. Understanding SOC mineralization under plum plantation is essential for improving our understanding of SOC responses to land-use change in karst rocky desertification ecosystem. In this study, 2-year, 5-year, and 20-year plum plantations and adjacent abandoned land dominated by herbs were sampled, and a 90-day incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of plum plantations with different ages on SOC mineralization in subtropical China. Results showed that: (1) Plum plantation significantly decreased SOC content compared with abandoned land, but there was no significant difference in SOC content among plum plantations with different ages. Oppositely, the accumulative SOC mineralization (Ct) and potential SOC mineralization (C0) showed different responses to plum plantation ages. (2) The dynamics of the SOC mineralization were a good fit to a first-order kinetic model. Both C0 and Ct in calcareous soil of this study was several- to 10-folds lower than other soils in non-karst regions, indicating that SOC in karst regions has higher stability. (3) Correlation analysis revealed that both Ct and C0 was significantly correlated with soil calcium (Ca), suggesting an important role of Ca in SOC mineralization in karst rocky desertification areas. In conclusion, a Ca-rich geological background controls SOC mineralization in karst rocky desertification areas.

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The challenge and future of rocky desertification control in karst areas in southwest China

Solid Earth ◽

10.5194/se-7-83-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 83-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

J. Y. Zhang ◽

M. H. Dai ◽

L. C. Wang ◽

C. F. Zeng ◽

W. C. Su

Keyword(s):

Southwest China ◽

Scientific Research ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Dynamic Monitoring ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Second Phase ◽

Karst Rocky Desertification ◽

Ecological Compensation ◽

Rocky Desertification ◽

Desertification Control

Abstract. Karst rocky desertification occurs after vegetation deteriorates as a result of intensive land use, which leads to severe water loss and soil erosion and exposes basement rocks, creating a rocky landscape. Karst rocky desertification is found in humid areas in southwest China, the region most seriously affected by rocky desertification in the world. In order to promote ecological restoration and help peasants out of poverty, the Chinese government carried out the first phase of a rocky desertification control project from 2006 to 2015, which initially contained the expansion of rocky desertification. Currently, the Chinese government is prepared to implement the second phase of the rocky desertification control project, and therefore it is essential to summarise the lessons learned over the last 10 years of the first phase. In this paper, we analyse the driving social and economic factors behind rocky desertification, summarise the scientific research on rocky desertification in the region, and finally identify the main problems facing rocky desertification control. In addition, we put forward several policy suggestions that take into account the perspective of local peasants, scientific research, and China's economic development and urbanisation process. These suggestions include promoting the non-agriculturalization of household livelihoods, improving ecological compensation, strengthening the evaluation of rocky desertification control and dynamic monitoring, and strengthening research on key ecological function recovery technologies and supporting technologies.

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Effects of Plum Plantation Ages on Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in The Karst Rocky Desertification Ecosystem of Southwest China

10.20944/preprints201911.0154.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Hui Yang ◽

Biqin Mo ◽

Mengxia Zhou ◽

Tongbin Zhu ◽

Jianhua Cao

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Carbon Mineralization ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystem ◽

Karst Region ◽

Order Kinetic ◽

Karst Rocky Desertification ◽

Rocky Desertification ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Soc Mineralization

Soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization is closely related to carbon source or sink of terrestrial ecosystem. Understanding soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization under plum plantation is essential for improving our understanding of SOC responses to land-use change in karst rocky desertification ecosystem. In this study, 2-y, 5-y and 20-y plum plantations and adjacent woodland were sampled and a 90-day incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of plum plantation with different years on SOC mineralization in subtropical China. Results showed that: (1) there was no significant difference in SOC content between different planting years, but there were significant differences in accumulative SOC mineralization (Ct) and potential SOC mineralization (C0); (2) the dynamics of the SOC mineralization was a good fit to a first-order kinetic model. Both C0 and Ct in calcareous soil of this study was several to ten folds lower than that in other soils, indicating that SOC in karst region has higher stability. (3) Correlation analysis revealed that both Ct and C0 was significantly correlated with soil calcium (Ca) and C/N, indicating the important role of Ca and C/N in SOC mineralization in karst rocky desertification area.

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Response of Soil Organic Carbon and Its Active Fractions to Restoration Measures in the Karst Rocky Desertification Ecosystem, SW China

Polish Journal of Environmental Studies ◽

10.15244/pjoes/127916 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yixin Bai ◽

Maoyin Sheng ◽

Qijuan Hu ◽

Chu Zhao ◽

Hailong Xiao

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Karst Rocky Desertification ◽

Rocky Desertification ◽

Sw China ◽

Restoration Measures

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The challenge and future of rocky desertification control in Karst areas in Southwest China

Solid Earth Discussions ◽

10.5194/sed-7-3271-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 3271-3292 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J. Y. Zhang ◽

M. H. Dai ◽

L. C. Wang ◽

C. F. Zeng ◽

W. C. Su

Keyword(s):

Southwest China ◽

Scientific Research ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Dynamic Monitoring ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Second Phase ◽

Karst Rocky Desertification ◽

Ecological Compensation ◽

Rocky Desertification ◽

Desertification Control

Abstract. Karst rocky desertification occurs after vegetation deteriorates as a result of intensive land use, which leads to severe water loss and soil erosion and exposes basement rocks, creating a rocky landscape. The karst rocky desertification is found in humid areas in Southwest China, the region most seriously affected by rocky desertification in the world. In order to promote ecological restoration and help peasants out of poverty, the Chinese government carried out the first phase of a rocky desertification control project from 2006 to 2015, which initially contained the expansion of rocky desertification. Currently, the Chinese government is prepared to implement the second phase of the rocky desertification control project, and therefore it is essential to summarize the lessons learned over the last ten years of the first phase. In this paper, we analyze the driving social and economic factors behind rocky desertification, summarize the scientific research on rocky desertification in the region, and finally identify the main problems facing rocky desertification control. In addition, we put forward several policy suggestions that take into account the perspective of local peasants, the scientific research, and China's economic development and urbanization process. These suggestions include: promoting the non-agriculturalization of household livelihoods, improving ecological compensation, strengthening the evaluation of rocky desertification control and dynamic monitoring, and strengthening research on key ecological function recovery technologies and supporting technologies.

Download Full-text