Title: Characteristics of species composition and plant diversity in the process of vegetation restoration on moving dunes in the Kerqin Sandy Land
Abstract: In the semi-arid Kerqin Sandy Land of north China,land desertification is the main cause of vegetation degradation and formation of mobile dunes.An experiment was implemented from 1996 to 2003 to monitor the natural process of vegetation recovery after mobile dunes were fenced.We investigated the plant species diversity and composition in each year of the restoration development.Soil samples from 0-5 cm were taken at 2-year intervals to assess the variations of soil physical and chemical properties with vegetation recovery.Vegetative investigations and soil analysis were carried out in a reference site(stable dunes) to detect similarity of composition between mobile and stable dunes.Colonization of pioneer plant species such as Agriophyllum quarrosum facilitated the invasion and development of other plant species on mobile dunes by ameliorating stressful environmental conditions.With restoration development,species diversity and coverage significantly increased.Variations in time of species composition in mobile dunes showed a trend that is in the direction towards stable dunes communities.Vegetation recovery and development resulted in significant changes in soil properties including increased silt and clay contents,organic C and total N in the 0-5 cm depth on mobile dunes.
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 2
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