Abstract
Changes in land use type can lead to variations in soil water characteristics. The objective of this study was to identify the responses of soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water availability (SWA) to land use type (grassland, shrubland and forestland). The soil water characteristic curve describes the relationship between gravimetric water content and soil suction. We measured the soil water characteristic parameters representing SWHC and SWA, which we derived from soil water characteristic curves, in the 0–50 cm soil layer at sites representing three land use types in the Ziwuling forest region, located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that the SWHC was higher at the woodland site than the grassland and shrubland, and there was no significant difference between the latter two sites, the trend of SWA was similar to the SWHC. From grassland to woodland, the soil physical properties in the 0–50 cm soil layer partially improved, BD was significantly higher at the grassland site than at the shrubland and woodland sites, the clay and silt contents decreased significantly from grassland to shrubland to woodland and sand content showed the opposite pattern, the soil porosity was higher in the shrubland and woodland than that in the grassland, the soil physical properties across the 0–50 cm soil layer improved. Soil texture, porosity and bulk density were the key factors affecting SWHC and SWA. The results of this study provide insight into the effects of vegetation restoration on local hydrological resources and can inform soil water management and land use planning on the Chinese Loess Plateau.
Highlights
Soil provides ecosystem services and benefits society by producing biomass and maintaining b iodiversity[1]
Parameter A was significantly higher at the woodland site than at the grassland and shrubland sites in all of the soil layers except the 10–20 cm layer (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in this parameter between the grassland and shrubland in any of the soil layers from 0 to 50 cm (P > 0.05), this indicated that soil water holding capacity (SWHC) was higher at the woodland site than the grassland and shrubland, and there was no significant difference between the latter two sites
Shrubland sites (P < 0.05), and no significant difference between the latter two sites, representing different vegetation restoration stages, was found, in general, the Soil water availability (SWA) was higher at the woodland site than the grassland and shrubland, and there was no significant difference between the latter two sites, the trend of SWA was similar to the SWHC
Summary
Soil provides ecosystem services and benefits society by producing biomass and maintaining b iodiversity[1]. The change in land use following vegetation restoration can alter the root systems of plants and nitrogen fixation, which can lead to changes in the richness and composition of the soil microbial community, improve soil physical properties, and change the soil surface features. The variation and potential of SWHC and the corresponding influencing factors at different vegetation restoration stages from grassland to shrubland to woodland on the Chinese Loess Plateau are unknown. Information about the responses of soil properties (bulk density (BD), porosity and texture) to SWA and SWHC at different vegetation restoration stages on the Chinese Loess Plateau is currently unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that the SWA and SWHC varied with long-term natural vegetation restoration ages throughout succession, and the specific aims of the present study were to examine the variation in the soil water characteristic curve at different stages of vegetation restoration, investigate the key soil properties affecting SWHC and SWA and assess the effects of different vegetation restoration stages on SWHC and SWA
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
