Implications of tussock degradation for soil properties in Momoge wetland, Northeast China

Abstract

Carex schmidtii wetland, as a unique landscape in the Momoge National Nature Reserve, has suffered from serious degradation due to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance before 2017 and soil properties of degraded tussock meadows have changed in last 30 years. In the present work, typical (TT), slightly degraded (SLT), severely degraded (SET) and completely degraded (CDT) tussock wetlands based on plant coverage was used to construct the degradation succession so as to study the effects of tussock degradation on soil properties. Soil physicochemical properties, stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) in plants and soil organic carbon (SOC) were thoroughly investigated in field so as to predict the consequences of tussock degradation. Results showed that soil pH value was decreased with the degree of tussock degradation increased. The SOC, total nitrogen and total phosphorus of SLT had peak values among the four wetlands. The δ13C value in soil and plants demonstrated that the change of SOC during degradation process have no significant relevance with Carex schmidtii. Principal component analysis indicated that the clusters of TT and SLT are different from SET and CDT. Tussock degradation had a significant negative effect on soil properties. The findings can contribute to establishing the evidence for predicting the influences of tussock degradation on soil properties in Momoge wetland.