Abstract
Climate change and human activities have seriously degraded alpine grassland, potentially affecting soil particle size distribution (PSD) and further influencing the nutrient levels and erodibility of soil. Predicting the fertility and erodibility of alpine soil using multifractal dimensions of soil PSD could be used to enhance the management and restoration of degraded alpine grasslands. In the present study, we evaluated three types of alpine grasslands: alpine meadow (AM), alpine steppe (AS), and alpine desert steppe (ADS). Fencing and grazing management measures were conducted at sites containing each grassland type. Then, we analyzed the PSDs, erodibility, and other properties of soil in the 0–20 cm soil layer. Multifractal characterization of soil PSD was calculated using the fractal scale theory. The findings showed that grassland type significantly impacted soil nutrients and the multifractal dimensions of soil PSDs, whereas management measures affected soil erodibility significantly. The proportion of finer particles decreased as follows: AM > AS > ADS. Compared to grazing, fencing enhanced clay content and reduced the proportion of coarser particles under all three grassland types. AM had higher organic carbon and nitrogen levels than AS and ADS. Multifractal dimensions were highest for AM, with ADS having higher erodibility than AM and AS. Multifractal dimensions (except for correlation dimension) also had significantly positive relationships with soil organic carbon and available nutrient content and soil erodibility, but had significantly negative correlations with soil pH, bulk density, and electrical conductivity. Thus, the multifractal dimensions of soil PSDs could be used to characterize the erodibility and fertility characteristics of soil in alpine regions, providing a reference for assessing vegetation restoration measures in the Northern Tibet Plateau.
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
