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Journal of Arid Land
Journal of Arid Land  2023, Vol. 15 Issue (9): 1107-1128    DOI: 10.1007/s40333-023-0025-4
Research article     
Leguminosae plants play a key role in affecting soil physical-chemical and biological properties during grassland succession after farmland abandonment in the Loess Plateau, China
SUN Lin, YU Zhouchang, TIAN Xingfang, ZHANG Ying, SHI Jiayi, FU Rong, LIANG Yujie, ZHANG Wei*()
College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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Abstract  

Leguminosae are an important part of terrestrial ecosystems and play a key role in promoting soil nutrient cycling and improving soil properties. However, plant composition and species diversity change rapidly during the process of succession, the effect of leguminosae on soil physical-chemical and biological properties is still unclear. This study investigated the changes in the composition of plant community, vegetation characteristics, soil physical-chemical properties, and soil biological properties on five former farmlands in China, which had been abandoned for 0, 5, 10, 18, and 30 a. Results showed that, with successional time, plant community developed from annual plants to perennial plants, the importance of Leguminosae and Asteraceae significantly increased and decreased, respectively, and the importance of grass increased and then decreased, having a maximum value after 5 a of abandonment. Plant diversity indices increased with successional time, and vegetation coverage and above- and below-ground biomass increased significantly with successional time after 5 a of abandonment. Compared with farmland, 30 a of abandonment significantly increased soil nutrient content, but total and available phosphorus decreased with successional time. Changes in plant community composition and vegetation characteristics not only change soil properties and improve soil physical-chemical properties, but also regulate soil biological activity, thus affecting soil nutrient cycling. Among these, Leguminosae have the greatest influence on soil properties, and their importance values and community composition are significantly correlated with soil properties. Therefore, this research provides more scientific guidance for selecting plant species to stabilize soil ecosystem of farmland to grassland in the Loess Plateau, China.

Key words： secondary succession      leguminosae      plant diversity      plant community composition      soil physical-chemical properties      soil biological properties     
Received: 21 March 2023      Published: 30 September 2023
Corresponding Authors: * ZHANG Wei (E-mail: zwgwyd@163.com)
About author: First author contact:The first and second authors contributed equally to this work.
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SUN Lin
YU Zhouchang
TIAN Xingfang
ZHANG Ying
SHI Jiayi
FU Rong
LIANG Yujie
ZHANG Wei
Cite this article:

SUN Lin, YU Zhouchang, TIAN Xingfang, ZHANG Ying, SHI Jiayi, FU Rong, LIANG Yujie, ZHANG Wei. Leguminosae plants play a key role in affecting soil physical-chemical and biological properties during grassland succession after farmland abandonment in the Loess Plateau, China. Journal of Arid Land, 2023, 15(9): 1107-1128.

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http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-023-0025-4     OR     http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2023/V15/I9/1107

Fig. 1 Sampling process of the Zhifanggou watershed in the Loess Plateau, China
Index Years of farmland abandonment F P
5 a 10 a 18 a 30 a
Coverage (%) 58.87±3.82a 40.44±2.47c 51.59±2.61b 58.94±1.70a 30.04 <0.001
Above-ground biomass (g/m2) 145.99±5.97c 116.12±8.04d 228.27±16.27b 275.06±8.53a 147.06 <0.001
Below-ground biomass (g/m2) 52.46±4.53c 44.58±4.08c 91.87±7.15b 117.54±8.21a 90.34 <0.001
Margalef richness index 1.62±0.08c 2.67±0.27b 2.92±0.27b 3.51±0.09a 48.17 <0.001
Shannon-Wiener diversity index 1.13±0.07d 2.50±0.13c 2.89±0.29b 3.65±0.12a 114.38 <0.001
Pielou evenness index 0.47±0.03d 0.65±0.02c 0.80±0.03b 0.95±0.02a 227.99 <0.001
Table 1 Plant community characteristics over different successional time
Plant species Years of farmland abandonment
5 a 10 a 18 a 30 a
(%)
Patrinia heterophylla Bunge - 4.56±0.49a 1.89±0.26b 0.58±0.09c
Dracocephalum moldavica L. 4.03±0.48a - - -
Lespedeza dahurica Schindler 9.86±0.11d 16.36±0.66c 21.20±0.53a 17.79±0.40b
Medicago sativa L. - - 3.56±0.44b 6.53±0.57a
Vicia sepium L. - - 2.33±0.51a -
Thermopsis lanceolata R. Br. - - - 3.07±0.64a
Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. - - 1.22±0.39a -
Astragalus melilotoides Pall. - 3.89±0.28b 2.98±0.62b 6.11±0.46a
Gueldenstaedtia verna Boriss. - - - 2.99±0.34a
Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. 10.29±0.36a 5.36±0.46b 0.68±0.06c -
Poa pratensis L. 6.41±0.27a 2.09±0.15c 3.30±0.33b -
Stipa bungeana Trin. - 19.41±0.77a 13.45±0.99b 8.60±0.79c
Cleistogenes chinensis (Maxim.) Keng - - 2.50±0.58a 0.55±0.36b
Roegneria kamoji Ohwi - - 4.54±0.50a 0.30±0.11b
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.ex Steud - - - 0.75±0.18a
Leymus secalinus (Georgi) Tzvel. - - - 1.41±0.13a
Bothriochloa ischaemum (Linnaeus) Keng - - 4.96±0.65b 12.74±0.64a
Viola philippica Cav. - 1.21±0.27a - -
Artemisia capillaris Thunb. 35.02±0.44a 18.31±0.78b 3.68±0.18c 2.07±0.76d
Heteropappus altaicus (Willd.) Novopokr 17.37±0.80a 8.29±0.74b 2.17±0.44c -
Cirsium setosum (Willd.) MB. 1.70±0.14a - - -
Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. - 7.83±0.72c 16.49±0.90a 10.11±0.62b
Ixeris polycephala Cass. - 2.30±0.38a - 1.84±0.32a
Saussurea japonica (Thunb.) DC. - - 2.59±0.25a 1.23±0.25b
Artemisia giraldii Pamp. - 2.24±0.21c 5.12±0.55b 18.88±0.93a
Ixeridium sonchifolium (Maxim.) Shih - 1.59±0.13a - 0.50±0.12b
Bidens parviflora Willd. - - 1.05±0.09a -
Salsola collina Pall. 4.87±0.06a 1.24±0.26b - 0.85±0.11c
Chenopodium glaucum L. - 2.79±0.78a - -
Potentilla discolor Bge. 6.99±0.61a 2.53±0.47b - -
Duchesnea indica (Andr.) Focke - - 3.37±0.43a -
Polygala tenuifolia Willd. 1.17±0.33b - 0.57±0.06c 1.86±0.10a
Incarvillea sinensis Lam. 2.29±0.20a - 2.34±0.38a 1.26±0.06b
Compositae 54.09±0.66a 40.57±0.21b 31.10±0.38d 34.63±0.22c
Gramineae 16.70±0.44d 26.86±0.17b 29.43±1.22a 24.35±0.26c
Leguminosae 9.86±0.11d 20.25±0.93c 31.30±1.62b 36.49±0.08a
Sum of Compositae, Gramineae, and Leguminosae 80.65±0.70d 87.67±1.27c 91.82±0.63b 95.48±0.59a
Table 2 Importance value of plant species over different successional time
Fig. 2 Changes of soil nutrient contents over different successional time. (a), soil organic carbon (SOC); (b), total nitrogen (TN); (c), total phosphorus (TP); (d), available phosphorus (AP); (e), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N); (f), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N). Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference among different successional time at P<0.05 level. Bars are standard errors.
Parameter Farmland Years of farmland abandonment F P
5 a 10 a 18 a 30 a
Soil water content (%) 7.24±0.18e 6.71±0.16d 7.82±0.13c 9.28±0.26b 9.86±0.10a 177.30 <0.001
pH 8.49±0.02c 8.54±0.03bc 8.62±0.02a 8.49±0.03c 8.56±0.03b 10.72 0.001
Soil bulk density (g/cm3) 1.29±0.02a 1.26±0.02a 1.21±0.03b 1.18±0.02bc 1.15±0.02c 23.30 <0.001
Soil temperature (°C) 18.71±0.24a 18.14±0.13b 17.52±0.30c 16.44±0.26d 17.56±0.32c 32.16 <0.001
Clay (%) 18.86±0.81c 19.22±0.28c 19.52±0.26bc 20.19±0.33ab 20.81±0.29a 9.21 0.002
SOC (g/kg) 3.53±0.31d 3.94±0.22cd 4.31±0.23c 4.98±0.28b 5.70±0.20a 35.28 <0.001
TN (g/kg) 0.41±0.02cd 0.36±0.05d 0.45±0.02c 0.51±0.02b 0.59±0.03a 32.47 <0.001
TP (g/kg) 0.60±0.01a 0.58±0.01ab 0.57±0.01bc 0.53±0.01d 0.55±0.01c 14.43 <0.001
NH4+-N (mg/kg) 9.45±0.44b 7.56±0.38d 8.66±0.42c 9.82±0.30b 10.68±0.56a 23.13 <0.001
NO3--N (mg/kg) 3.12±0.23e 2.47±0.12d 3.59±0.29c 4.47±0.21b 5.15±0.26a 63.54 <0.001
AP (mg/kg) 1.95±0.17a 1.64±0.07b 1.20±0.16c 0.78±0.07d 0.61±0.07d 69.98 <0.001
Table 3 Soil physical-chemical properties over different successional time
Fig. 3 Redundancy analysis (RDA) for the relationships among soil physical-chemical properties, vegetation characteristics, and plant community composition. (a), relationships between soil physical-chemical properties (red arrows) and vegetation characteristics (grey arrows); (b), relationships between soil physical-chemical properties (red arrows) and plant community composition (grey arrows). SOC, soil organic carbon; TN, total nitrogen; TP, total phosphorus; AP, available phosphorus; SWC, soil water content; BD, bulk density; T, soil temperature; M, Margalef richness index; H, Shannon-Wiener diversity index; E, Pielou evenness index; AB, above-ground biomass; BB, below-ground biomass; sum of C, G, and L, sum of Compositae, Gramineae, and Leguminosae.
Fig. 4 Changes of soil biological properties over different successional time. Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference among different successional time at P<0.05 level. Bars are standard errors. C, carbon; N, nitrogen. (a), saccharase; (b), urease; (c), alkiline phosphatase; (d), catalase; (e), microbial biomass C (MBC); (f), microbial biomass N; (g), soil microbial respiration; (h), metabolic quotient.
Fig. 5 Redundancy analysis (RDA) for relationship among soil biological properties, vegetation characteristics, and plant community composition. (a), relationships between soil biological properties (red arrows) and vegetation characteristics (grey arrows); (b), relationships between soil biological properties (red arrows) and plant community composition (grey arrows); MBC, soil microbial biomass carbon; MBN, soil microbial biomass nitrogen; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; URE, urease; CAT, catalase; SAC, saccharase; MR, microbial respiration; qCO2, metabolic quotient; M, Margalef richness index; H, Shannon-Wiener diversity index; E, Pielou evenness index; AB, above-ground biomass; BB, below-ground biomass; sum of C, G, and L, sum of importance values of Compositae, Gramineae, and Leguminosae plants.
Parameter Contribution (%) F P
Leguminosae 75.90 27.4 0.002
Compositae 66.10 17.6 0.002
Gramineae 37.90 5.8 0.016
Above-ground biomass 59.40 13.4 0.004
Below-ground biomass 59.10 13.3 0.002
Margalef richness index 53.30 10.6 0.002
Shannon-Wiener diversity index 58.30 12.9 0.002
Pielou evenness index 56.20 11.8 0.002
Table 4 Effects of vegetation characteristics on soil physical-chemical properties over successional time
Parameter Contribution (%) F P
Leguminosae 81.60 31.6 0.002
Compositae 59.00 13.6 0.006
Gramineae 27.30 3.6 0.052
Above-ground biomass 73.70 25.8 0.004
Below-ground biomass 77.70 31.8 0.002
Margalef richness index 45.10 7.9 0.020
Shannon-Wiener diversity index 47.60 8.4 0.004
Pielou evenness index 46.60 8.4 0.010
Table 5 Effects of vegetation characteristics on soil biological properties over successional time
Fig. 6 Variance partitioning analysis of dominant species of Leguminosae on soil physical-chemical properties (a) and soil biological properties (b)
Plot Slope degree (°) Aspect (°) Elevation (m) Location Dominant species
Farmland 26 North by east 45 1187.3 36°46′N, 109°15′E -
5 a 28 North by west 40 1152.4 36°45′N, 109°15′E A. capillaris, H. altaicus
10 a 30 North by east 55 1239.1 36°44′N, 109°16′E S. bungeana, A. capillaris
18 a 27 North by west 38 1195.6 36°45′N, 109°16′E L. dahurica, A. sacrorum
30 a 32 North by east 42 1251.2 36°44′N, 109°16′E A. giraldii, L. dahurica, B. ischaemum
Table S1 Geographical features and dominant species at different plots
Type of enzyme Detailed measurement method
Soil catalase activity Soil catalase activity was determined by addition of 40 mL distilled water and 5 mL 0.3% H2O2 to 2 g fresh soil. The mixture was shaken for 20 min (at 150 r/m) and filtered (Whatman 2V) immediately. Then the filtrate was titrated with 0.1 mol/L KMnO4 under the conditions of sulfuric acid. Finally, the results were expressed as 0.1 mol KMnO4/(g·20 min).
Soil saccharase activity Soil saccharase activity was determined using 8% glucose solution as substrates. About 5 g fresh soil was incubated with 15 mL substrates, 5 mL 0.2 M phosphate buffer (pH 5.5), and 5 drops of toluene for 24 h at 37.8°C. After incubation, the mixture was filtered (Whatman 2V) immediately and 1-mL aliquot was reacted with 3 mL 3, 5-dinitrylsalicylate in a volumetric flask, and then heated for 5 min. Soil solution in the flask was quantified in an ultraviolet spectrometer subsystem (UVS) at 508 nm when it reached room temperature. Finally, results were also expressed as mg glucose/(g·24 h).
Soil urease activity Soil urease activities was routinely determined using 10% urea solution as substrates. About 5 g fresh soil was incubated for 24 h at 37.8°C with 5 mL citrate solution at pH 6.7 and 5 mL substrates. The reaction mixture was then diluted to 50 mL with distilled water. After incubation, the mixture was immediately filtered and 1 mL supernatant was treated with 4 mL sodium phenol solution and 3 mL 0.9% sodium hypochlorite solution. The released ammonium released from urea hydrolysis was quantified in an ultraviolet spectrometer subsystem (UVS) at 578 nm. Results were expressed as mg NH4+-N/(g·24 h).
Soil alkaline phosphatase activity Soil alkaline phosphatase activity was determined by addition of 10 g fresh soil, 2 mL toluene, 10 mL disodium phenyl phosphate solution, and 10 mL 0.05 M borate buffer. The reaction mixture was incubated for 2 h at 37.8°C. After incubation, the mixture was immediately filtered, then the filtrate was treated with 0.5 mL of 2% 4-aminoantipyrine and 8% potassium ferrocyanide; the phenol released was determined in an ultraviolet spectrometer subsystem (UVS) at 510 nm. Results were expressed as mg phenol/(g·24 h).
Table S2 Methods for determination of soil enzymatic activities
Fig. S1 Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of plant community composition over successional time
Fig. S2 Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of soil physical-chemical properties over successional time
Fig. S3 Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of soil biological properties over successional time
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