Water table control on rill initiation and implications for erosional response

On sloping sandy agricultural soil sites near Toronto, Canada, summer storms adequate to generate runoff occur frequently, but rill development occurs mainly in spring when snowmelt or rainfall-induced runoff occurs above frozen subsoil. This suggests that on low and moderate slopes on these soils rill initiation is controlled primarily by hydraulic impedance close to the surface, rather than critical hydraulic conditions in runoff. Laboratory flume experiments were carried out on 10 m slopes at 1.5°, 5° and 9° with loamy sand/clay composite soil sample to test this hypothesis. Runoff with hydraulic conditions adequate for rill initiation occurred rapidly in most tests, but on 1.5° and 5° slopes little knickpoint scour or sediment transport occurred before water table development. This coincided with reduced surface soil strength, knickpoint scour and marked increase in sediment discharge, particularly on 5° slopes where increase was 20- to 30-fold. Further increase in sediment discharge occurred when water tables reached the surface. On 9° slopes runoff occurred more quickly, with higher hydraulic values. Significant rill incision and sediment discharge occurred well before water table development, and ultimately reached much higher values than on lower slopes. Results show that soil erodibility can change dramatically over short time periods during storms due to soil moisture conditions, and that the presence of a hydraulic impedance close to the surface which causes a perched water table to develop can strongly influence rill incision and sediment transport. The influence is unlikely to be marked on soils which are very erodible regardless of moisture conditions, or on extremely resistant soils. It will also be limited on very gentle or steep sites, but can be a significant factor in rill development on intermediate slopes.     

Biodegradation of municipal refuse and chicken manure in a winter-wheat ecosystem in Saudi Arabia

Addition and incorporation of organic fertilizers is known to improve the properties of agricultural soils. Therefore, during 22 weeks of field incubation we studied the biodegradation (measured by static absorption of CO₂) of two organic manures viz. municipal refuse and chicken manure incorporated into sandy soils, under sprinker irrigation, at the rates of 0, 16·5, 33·0, 49·5 and 66·0, and 0, 4·1, 8·25, 16·5, and 33·0 tonnes/ha, respectively.The results obtained indicated that the cumulative amount of CO₂ respired was linearly correlated with the rate of organic material applied (p < 0.001). Statistical analysis of the data obtained showed that both the intercept (rate of decomposition) and the slope (rate of reaction with time) increased with increasing rate of application of organic manure. The magnitude of increment was highest at the application rates of 33·0 and 8·25 tonnes/ha for municipal refuse and chicken manure, respectively. The rate of increment, generally, declined thereafter thus indicating that these two rates are the optimum levels of incorporation of the appropriate organic manures under the conditions of this study.The maximum organic-carbon mineralized, accounting for 10·5 and approximately 50%, was obtained at the optimum rates for municipal refuse and chicken manure, respectively. Both simple and multiple regression equations describing the relationship between soil temperature and soil-moisture content each separately and in combination, as independent variables, and the cumulative rate of CO₂ production were computed. A substantially strong relationship with soil temperature but inconsistent and contradicting results with soil moisture were obtained. Inclusion of soil temperature and moisture in a single model as an independent variable in relation to cumulative CO₂ as a dependent variable improved the soil moisture-CO₂ production relationship.     

Organic C, N and P in size fractions of virgin and cultivated soils of the semi-arid pampa of Argentina

Nutrient and organic carbon (OC) losses are important components of the soil degradation processes produced by continuous agriculture. It was hypothesized that coarse textured soils will be more affected by cultivation than fine textured ones. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the status of OC, total nitrogen (Nt), and three phosphorous fractions (total inorganic, Pi; organic, Po; and available, Pa) in different textured virgin (under Prosopis caldenia forest) and cultivated soils of the semi-arid pampa of Argentina. Three virgin and non-fertilized cultivated soil pairs, representative from soils of the region, were selected for this study: two fine sandy loam Entic Haplustolls and a sandy Typic Ustipsamment. The element content of each soil was analysed from the <0·1-mm to 0·1–2-mm sized aggregates. Results indicated that cultivation decreased the OC, Po and Pi contents in fine aggregates of the fine textured soils, and in coarse aggregates of the coarse textured soil. Plant absorption and wind erosion were probably the main processes which decreased element contents in both textural soil types. It was speculated that in the sandy soil the elements lost from fine sized aggregates were restored by the break down of the weak coarse aggregates produced by tillage. The C/N ratios showed mostly small changes due to cultivation, indicating that no changes of organic matter quality occurred. Only the sandy soil showed C/N increases in the fine sized aggregates and decreases in the coarse sized aggregates. The C/Po quotients were not changed by cultivation, indicating that the qualitative composition of P organic compounds remained unchanged. Large OC decreases and Pa increases after cultivation detected in one of the fine textured soil were apparently linked to the occurrence of natural fires.     

Soil-water behaviour of sandy soils under semi-arid conditions in the Duero Basin (Spain)

This paper examines the soil-water behaviour of sandy soils representative of a broad area in the Duero river basin (Spain), with semi-arid bioclimatic characteristics. Soil-moisture measurements of the first 25 cm of soil profile were taken using time domain reflectometry (TDR) methodology. The infiltration process was studied by means of field experiments combining rainfall simulations and TDR techniques. Finally, a set of hydrodynamic variables was calculated in the laboratory (i.e. available soil-water content, soil-water-retention curves and hydraulic conductivity).The average available soil-water content is 0·07 cm³ cm⁻³, in accordance with the predominance of the sandy textural fraction (85%). The rainfall simulation experiments show that infiltration prevails over overland flow, with a steady-state infiltration rate higher than rainfall application (40mmh⁻¹) in most cases; a low water-retention capacity was also observed. The evolution of soil-moisture over time indicates a close dependence on intra-annual rainfall variability due to the low water-retention capacity of sandy soils. With a maximum water-storage capacity of around 0·18 cm³ cm⁻³, the soils studied show high sensitivity to dry spells and may remain with <50% of the available soil-water content for several months during the year.     

古尔班通古特沙漠风沙土土壤蒸发特征

土壤表面蒸发是降水的无效损失,其大小直接决定着降水转化为有效土壤水的效率,从而间接决定了植物可利用水分的多寡。在降水稀少的沙漠区,定量认识土壤蒸发的大小和其所占降水的比例显得尤为重要。在2004年全生长期(5~9月)应用自制的微型蒸渗仪(Micro-Lysime-ter)测定了风沙土(有结皮覆盖的丘间低地和裸露沙丘顶部)和对照的荒漠盐碱土的土壤蒸发。结果表明:在相似的气象条件下,风沙土区的丘间低地和荒漠盐碱土的日平均蒸发量分别约是裸露沙丘(风沙土区)的2倍和3倍。整个生长期裸露沙丘的累积蒸发量为18.7mm,丘间低地为38.8mm,荒漠盐碱土为52.1mm。根据整个观测期的累积蒸发量和累积降雨量计算得出的蒸发降雨比分别为:裸露沙丘0.20,丘间低地0.42,荒漠盐碱土0.62,表明裸露沙丘由降水转化为土壤水而储存的比率最高。同时,从数据分析中可以看出:在风沙土区0~5cm土层的含水量对土壤蒸发起决定作用,而盐碱土区的土壤蒸发则受到更深层次土壤水分的影响。裸露沙丘低的土壤蒸发、高的降水转化效率,为植被恢复奠定了良好的基础。因此,裸露沙丘的低蒸发量可以视为植被状况对生态水文过程的一种良性反馈。     

Soil nutrients in relation to land use and landscape position in the semi-arid small catchment on the loess plateau in China

Characterizing spatial variability of soil nutrients in relation to site properties, including climate, land use, landscape position and other variables, is important for understanding how ecosystems work and assessing the effects of future land use change on soil nutrients. In order to assess the effects of land use and landscape position on soil nutrients consisting of soil organic matter (SOM), total N (TN), total P (TP), available N (AN) and available P (AP), soil samples were collected in August and October 1998 and July 1999 from three transects in a small catchment on the loess plateau, China. The three transects consisted of typical land use structure from the top to foot of hillslope in the study area: fallow land – cropland – woodland – orchard (T1), fallow land – shrub land – fallow land – cropland – woodland – orchard (T2) and intercropping land – woodland (T3). Significant differences among land uses were found for SOM, TN and AN. Woodland, shrub land and grassland had the higher levels for them compared to fallow land and cropland. Use of soil deterioration index showed that soils deteriorated moderately (−17·05%) under orchard and seriously (ranging from −29·91% to −20·32%) under fallow land, cropland and intercropping land, while soils had no deterioration (−0·74%) under shrubland and (−0·69%) grassland. This study indicated that the cultivated hilly lands must be abandoned before a critical minimum SOM of 0·492%. Soil nutrient responses to landscape positions were variable depending on transect and the location of land use types. The highest levels in SOM, TN and AN were observed at middle slope position on T1, while they occurred at foot slope position on T3. However, an increasing trend from upper slope to foot slope for five nutrients were found on T2.     

Water requirements for germination and early seedling establishment in four African savanna woody plant species

The aim of this study was to determine the water requirements for germination and early seedling establishment of four African savanna tree species, namelyAcacia karroo, A. nilotica, A. tortilisandMundulea sericea. The acacias are characteristic of nutrient-rich, andM. sericeaof nutrient-poor savannas. Imbibition times of scarified seeds ofA. karroo(4 h),M. sericea(6 h) andA. tortilis(8 h) were rapid relative toA. nilotica(28 h) and were inversely correlated with seed size. Imbibed water is lost in about 2 h after drying at 25°C for all species exceptA. nilotica(only 70% moisture loss). Seeds ofA. karrooandM. sericeakept at 40°C dried to below their original moisture contents within 2 h. Seeds ofA. niloticaandA. tortilisdried at 40°C lost viability relative to (undried) control seeds, while there was no significant loss of viability forA. karrooandM. sericea. For fully imbibed seeds to germinate in sandy savanna soils, all four species required at least the equivalent of 3 mm rainfall every 2 days under mild greenhouse conditions. However, most ungerminated seeds were still viable despite drying-out from a fully imbibed state. Maintenance of soil at 50% field capacity (FC), or watering to FC every 9th day is the maintenance requirements for 2-week-old seedlings ofA. niloticaandM. sericeato continue growth for a further 5 weeks under greenhouse conditions, althoughA. niloticamostly survived 25% FC with one seedling surviving 12·5% FC. Root penetration was rapid in sandy soils, withA. niloticaandM. sericeaattaining a depth of 40 cm within 15 days. Frequent, but not necessarily high, rainfall appears to be essential for germination and seedling survival over the first 7 weeks.     

Seed germination of five Helianthemum species: Effect of temperature and presowing treatments

The germination behaviour of five Helianthemum species (H. almeriense, H. appeninum, H. cinereum, H. hirtum, H. squamatum) has been studied under controlled conditions. Constant 15, 20 or 25 °C and alternating 25/15 °C temperature regimes and 16/8 h light/dark photoperiod conditions were used. Presowing treatments applied were manual scarification, boiling water, hot water, dry heat and sulphuric acid. Germination values recorded were final germination percentage and germination rate expressed as days to reach 50% of the final germination percentage (T₅₀). Incubation temperature had no significant effect on final germination percentage for untreated seeds of the five Helianthemum species. However, variation due to temperature was significant for scarified seeds, with the lowest germination percentage attained at 25 °C. In all Helianthemum species studied, the highest germination percentages were obtained by manual scarification of seeds. Germination rate of scarified seeds decreased as germination temperature increased. The different presowing treatments investigated allowed some germination in some species, but none were any better than manual scarification. The high germination among most species studied, following mechanical rupture of the seed coat, shows that the mechanism of dormancy lies in the seed coat. The physical dormancy caused by impermeable seed-coat appears to be the main reason of poor germination of untreated seeds of Helianthemum species studied.     

紫色土不同土体的土壤养分和酶活性特征

对紫色土未培肥和培肥的不同土体,在小麦生育期内土壤养分和酶活性的动态测定结果表明:未培肥土体的全氮、有效磷、蔗糖酶、碱性磷酸酶有明显变化。尤其是砂土在改变为不同质地的土体后,上述土壤养分和酶活性都有所提高。培肥土体的土壤有机质、全氮、有效钾明显增加,土壤酶活性增强。砂土培肥的效果最显著。所以改变土体质地,并加以培肥,有助于提高土壤肥力,防治紫色土退化。     

Exploring some relationships between biological soil crusts, soil aggregation and wind erosion

A portable wind tunnel was used to test the contribution of biological and physical elements to overall soil aggregation on a soil dominated by biological soil crusts in south-eastern Australia. After moderate disturbance and simulated wind erosion, 90% of surface aggregates on the loamy soil and 76% on the sandy soil were dominated by biological elements (cryptogams). Lower levels of biological bonding were observed on the severely disturbed treatment. Linear regression indicated a significant positive relationship (r²=0·72) between biological soil crust cover and dry aggregation levels greater than 0·85mm. To maintain sediment transport below an erosion control target of 5gm⁻¹s⁻¹ for a 65kmh⁻¹ wind at 10m height, a crust cover of approximately 20% is required. When a multiple regression model which sequentially fitted biological crust cover and dry aggregation greater than 0·85mm was applied to the data, dry aggregation accounted for more of the variation in sediment transport rate than biological crust cover. These data were used to develop a conceptual model which integrates crust cover and dry aggregation, and provides a useful framework within which to predict the likely impacts of changes in soil crust cover and aggregation.     

Effects of indole-3-acetic acid and zinc on the growth, osmotic potential and soluble carbon and nitrogen components of soybean plants growing under water deficit

Three-week old soybean (Glycine max) plants were subjected to a factorial combination of four regimes of soil matric water potential (ψ_m=−0·03, −0·5, −1·0 and −1·5 MPa), two levels of supplementary Zn (O and 20 mgl⁻¹) and two levels of foliar IAA application (O and 10 mgl⁻¹). Under control conditions (no Zn, no IAA), increasing soil drying progressively retarded shoot and root growth (length and dry mass production), reduced leaf relative water content (RWC) and decreased the contents of chlorophyll (Chl) and shoot soluble sugars (SS), but increased soluble sugar content of roots and lowered osmotic water potential of shoots and roots (osmotic adjustment). Total free amino acid (TAA) content increased in shoots but decreased in roots whereas contents of soluble proteins (SP) decreased in shoots and roots. The effect of water stress was statistically significant (p<0·05) and had a major effect (as indicated by η²values) on leaf RWC, shoot and root dry masses and osmotic potential. Supplementary Zn improved root growth at all levels of stress and shoot growth under severe stress. Improvement of growth was positively correlated with the internal tissue Zn concentrations (r=0·91 and 0·86 for shoot and 0·94 and 0·82 for root length and dry mass respectively). Exogenous IAA raised (p<0·05) RWC, Chl, DM (slightly), root SS, and SP, whereas shoot TAA was lowered. Effects on root TAA and shoot SS were more complex: they were lowered at zero stress and raised under severe stress. IAA and Zn in combination had additive effects on Chl, growth and osmotic potential, but their combined effects on SP and TAA were more complex. It is concluded that the treatment of soybean plants grown under conditions of low soil water potentials and Zn deficiency with Zn and IAA solutions counteracted the deleterious effects of stress, especially at high stress levels, and helped stressed plants to grow successfully under these adverse unfavourable conditions.     

土壤含水率对风沙流结构及风蚀量的影响

通过对科尔沁沙地典型生境（流动沙丘、沙质草地和农田）的土壤进行风洞试验,分析了不同含水率下3类土壤的风沙流结构、输沙率及总输沙量的变化趋势。结果表明：（1）不同含水率下,3类土壤的输沙率随高度的增加均呈现减小趋势,且有良好的指数函数关系。（2）随含水率的增加,流动沙丘和沙质草地土壤风沙流沙粒的平均跃移高度增加、0—12 cm的输沙率占总输沙率之比增加,农田土壤则相反。（3）不同风速下,3类土壤输沙量与含水率的关系可用指数函数或三次函数关系来描述。（4）基于不同风速下输沙量随含水率增加的斜率变化程度,可将含水率分为3个区间：平稳下降区间、跃变区间和衰弱区间;流动沙丘、沙质草地和农田土壤的含水率跃变区间分别为0.79%—1.01%、1.14%—1.72%和2.77%—4.44%。（5）随土壤含水率上升,总输沙量大小排序发生变化：0.00—0.76%时流动沙丘>沙质草地>农田,0.76%—1.35%时沙质草地>流动沙丘>农田,1.35%以上时农田>沙质草地>流动沙丘。     

土地利用方式对土壤有机碳和团聚体组分特征的影响

以广东省内第四纪红色黏土、玄武岩和花岗岩母质发育的土壤为研究对象,采集不同土地利用方式（水田、旱地、林地、果园/草地）下表层（0~15 cm）和亚表层（15~30 cm）土壤,研究土壤有机碳及其组分（腐殖质碳、易氧化有机碳）、土壤团聚体及其稳定性,分析土壤有机碳及其组分与土壤团聚体及其稳定性之间的相互关系。结果表明：土地利用类型、成土母质等影响土壤有机碳及其组分。3种母质发育的土壤中,各腐殖质组分占有机碳的比例是胡敏酸碳（HAC）＜富里酸碳（FAC）＜胡敏素碳（HMC）,第四纪红色黏土母质发育土壤腐殖酸碳（HAC＋FAC）以草地最高、水田最低;玄武岩、花岗岩母质发育土壤腐殖酸碳以果园最高。土壤中易氧化有机碳所占比例均高于惰性态,第四纪红色黏土母质发育土壤易氧化有机碳占有机碳比例以草地最高、旱地最低;玄武岩、花岗岩为果园最高、林地最低。3种母质发育土壤团聚体（湿筛）主要以＜0.25 mm微团聚体为主,表层土壤＞0.25 mm团聚体所占比例、团聚体平均重量直径（MWD）、团聚体破坏率（PAD）大于亚表层。土壤有机碳各组分均随着有机碳质量分数的增加而增加,＞0.25 mm团聚体质量分数和团聚体MWD随着土壤有机碳及其组分质量分数的增加而增大;PAD随着土壤易氧化碳组分质量分数增加而降低,易氧化有机碳组分有利于土壤中形成较大的团聚体,并增加团聚体水稳性。     

The differences of water balance components of Caragana korshinkii grown in homogeneous and layered soils in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone

Soil texture greatly influences soil water movement, thus may affect the water balance and vegetation growth in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone. This study is to determine if the water balance differs in homogeneous and layered soils with Caragana korshinkii stands in semiarid region. Soil water measurements up to 500-cm depth were taken in 2006 and 2007 on homogeneous sandy soil, homogeneous silt loam soil, and layered soil with sand overlying silt loam. HYDRUS-1D was used to simulate the soil water balance. The results indicated the annual water balance components were greatly affected by soil layering. The ratio of average actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) to precipitation (P) during the two years in the layered soil was slightly lower than that in homogeneous soils. The ratios of annual actual transpiration (T_r) to evapotranspiration were 50.9%, 41.2% and 30.6% in layered soil, homogeneous sandy soil, and homogeneous silt loam soil, respectively. C. korshinkii grown in layered soil had deeper soil water recharge and higher T_r/ET_a ratio, thus had more available water for transpiration than that in homogeneous soils. This study suggested the layered soil with sand overlying silt loam is more favorable to C. korshinkii growth in terms of water use than homogeneous soils in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone.     

Influence of understory removal, thinning and P fertilization on N2fixation in a mature mesquite (Prosopis glandulosavar.glandulosa) stand

The natural abundance¹⁵N/¹⁴N method was used to estimate the influence of silvicultural and P fertilization treatments on N accretion, N₂fixation and N partitioning among tissues in a mature mesquiteProsopis glandulosavar.glandulosastand in Texas. The silvicultural treatments consisted of understory removal, herbicide treatment of brushy resprouts, thinning trees to single stems and 100 kg ha⁻¹P fertilization. The trees had a mean basal diameter of 17·8 cm with 8 to 35 cm range. The stand was slow growing with the increase in dry matter ranging from 0·465 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹to 0·701 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹for the 8 years after the treatments were applied. N accretion after 8 years ranged from 3·1 kg ha⁻¹year⁻¹to 4·4 kg ha⁻¹year⁻¹.Due to the range in δ¹⁵N of the leaves, twigs, branches and trunk, we used the weighted (by biomass) average δ¹⁵N per tree in calculations of the percent N derived from N₂fixation (%Ndfa). There was considerable variability in δ¹⁵N of the reference plants, i.e. from 3·3 to 5·9. In contrast there was low variability in the background δ¹⁵N of nearby soils (7·0±1·0). As the total above-ground biomass δ¹⁵N of a grass grown outside the influence of mesquite (7·8±0·58) had the same δ¹⁵N as the soil (7·5±1·0), we used the grass outside the influence of mesquite and the weighted tree mean δ¹⁵N to calculate % of N derived from N₂fixation.The decrease in intraspecific competition by thinning multistemed trees to single stemmed trees was the only treatment that significantly (p= 0·0001) increased growth. Interspecific competition, i.e. understory removal, did not increase growth. There were no significant differences in total N production or N fixation among treatment means. The most striking result was the highly positive correlation between tree δ¹⁵N and total N per tree and biomass per tree (R²= 0·90,F= 164·4, df. = 18, mean square error (MSE) = 0·155,p= 0·0001). This implies that the younger trees colonizing infertile soils relied more heavily on N₂fixation than larger trees which accumulated 1200 kg ha⁻¹more N under their canopies. The percentage N derived from N₂fixation ranged from 63 to 73% in the various treatments. Despite the high percentage of N derived from N₂fixation, the N₂fixation of the stand was very low, i.e. 1·98 to 2·80 kg N ha⁻¹year⁻¹, due to the low growth of the stand. We believe that comparisons of the whole tree weighted δ¹⁵N to background soil δ¹⁵N provides a more reasonable approach to estimate % N₂fixation than comparisons of leaves of fixers and reference plants.     

流沙地铺设沥青隔水层防渗试验报告

新开垦流沙地的灌水和养分渗漏现象十分严重。为解决此问题,在土层50厘米深处辅设了-薄层不透水沥青层。试验表明,采取此种措施后,试验区的灌溉水量比对照区减少了50-60%;速效氮的淋溶损失也有减少。由于保水、保肥,促进作物产量提高。     

基于1:100万土壤空间数据库的有机碳储量估算研究——以中国东北三省为例

以最近建成的中国1:100万土壤空间数据库以及《中国土种志》和省级土种志的土壤属性为基础,共收集东北三省736个土壤剖面理化分析数据,估算出该地区土壤有机碳总储量,并分析讨论了土壤有机碳密度在空间上的分布特征。结果表明,东北三省土壤有机碳密度平均为16.13 kg/m²,在空间分布上的总趋势为东北部高,西南部低,密度较高的有机碳主要分布在原始森林、湿地及部分农业耕作区中。土壤有机碳密度最高的土类为泥炭土和沼泽土等土类,最低的为石质土、风沙土等土类。     

Micropropagation of Acacia seyal Del. in vitro

In vitro mass propagation of Acacia seyal Del. was achieved using seedling shoot tip explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) or Thidiazuron (TDZ) with ∝-Naphtalene acetic acid (NAA). The best result was obtained with BA in the presence of NAA. The greatest shoot multiplication with long shoots was observed on media containing (mg l^-1) 2·0 BA with 0·1 or 0·5 NAA and 4·0 BA with 0·1 NAA; with 6·4 and 6·7 mean number of shoots, respectively. TDZ also induced multiple shoots but most of the shoots were stunted. Microshoots were rooted better on half-MS salts supplemented with Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The highest rooting percentage (80%) and root number (4·9 roots/microshoot) were promoted by 4·0 mg IBA. The plantlets (90%) successfully survived acclimatization ex vitro.     

Extractable and total Fe and Mn contents of three sand dune soils in NW Nigeria

The profile distribution of total, diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA)- and 0·1 HCl-extractable Fe and Mn were determined in 12 pedons formed on three contiguous sand dunes in the semi-arid savanna of Nigeria. The total Fe and Mn contents varied from 100 to 3750 and 40 to 11,375 μg g⁻¹, respectively. Values of 0·1 HCl-extractable Fe and Mn varied from 8·0 to 123 and 1·5 to 43·5 μg g⁻¹, respectively. The corresponding values of DTPA-extractable Fe and Mn were 4·5 to 16·0 and 1·0 to 38·8 μg g⁻¹. Total Fe and Mn correlated significantly with clay in nearly all the dunes (p≤ 0·01) but were not significantly correlated with organic matter. The 0·1 HCl-extractable Mn had a positive significant correlation with soil pH (r= 0·58*) in Illela dunes but a negative significant correlation with pH in the Sangiwa dunes (r= −0·75***). The values of extractable Fe and Mn in the sand dune soils are above the critical limits reported in other literature, thus deficiencies of these micronutrients do not pose a problem to crop production in the study area.     

Wind tunnel simulation of aeolian sandy soil erodibility under human disturbance

Inappropriate anthropogenic activities such as overcultivation and overgrazing of steppe and excessive collection of fuelwood are largely responsible for current desertification in China. However, quantitative information concerning the impacts of human disturbance on soil erosion remains sparse. This study investigated aeolian sandy soil erodibility under human disturbance by wind tunnel simulation. The fixed aeolian sandy soils were taken from an artificial vegetation protective system on mobile dunes at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. The results indicate that: (1) human disturbance such as cultivation can accelerate the erodibility of the fixed aeolian sandy soil. The ratio between total soil loss from the undisturbed soil and the cultivated soil is about 0.004; (2) surface vegetation and microbiotic crust are the main factors responsible for the natural wind erodibility of the fixed sandy soil. Wind erosion rate increases with decreasing percent of the vegetation and crust cover; (3) the grain size distribution shows a higher percentage of particles in the range >1.0 mm and a lower percentage in the range <0.05 mm for the cultivated sandy soil than for the undisturbed fixed sandy soil.