Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia

Soil quality plays a crucial role in sustaining agricultural systems productivity, and it is important in sustaining ecosystem. What about the soil quality in different planting years of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in the steppe desert of Ningxia in China?That is not yet completely understood.The obje...

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Main Authors: Chen Lin, Yang Xinguo, Song Naiping, Li Xuebin, Zhai Deping
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Zhejiang University Press 2014-09-01
Series:浙江大学学报. 农业与生命科学版
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Online Access:https://www.academax.com/doi/10.3785/j.issn.1008-9209.2013.11.261
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author Chen Lin
Yang Xinguo
Song Naiping
Li Xuebin
Zhai Deping
author_facet Chen Lin
Yang Xinguo
Song Naiping
Li Xuebin
Zhai Deping
author_sort Chen Lin
collection DOAJ
description Soil quality plays a crucial role in sustaining agricultural systems productivity, and it is important in sustaining ecosystem. What about the soil quality in different planting years of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in the steppe desert of Ningxia in China?That is not yet completely understood.The objective of this study was to investigate the soil physical and chemical properties of different soil particle diameters (&gt;0.5 mm,0.106-0.25 mm and &lt;0.106 mm) after planting alfalfa for 0-12 years.By using the method of replacing time with space, an analysis was made on the dynamic changes of top soil (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) nutrients and soil particle. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the different soil particle diameters in the same period of the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM), CaCO<sub>3</sub>, total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP) and available phosphorus (AP)(P&gt;0.05), but the soil active organic carbon (SAOC) contents of the soil particle with diameters of &gt;0.5 mm and &lt; 0.106 mm were significantly higher than that of soil particle with diameters of 0.106-0.25 mm (P&lt;0.05). With the increasing of planting years, the pH values decreased, and after planting alfalfa, it was greater affected in 20-40 cm soil layer than 0-20 cm soil layer. The EC values were fluctuated in different planting years, but there were not significant (P&gt;0.05), and the EC values of 0-20 cm soil layer were significantly higher than that of 20-40 cm soil layer in most planting years. The SOM contents in each planting year were higher than the grass, but there was no significant difference (P&gt;0.05), and the SOM contents of soil particle with diameters of &gt;0.5 mm and &lt;0.106 mm in 0-20 cm soil layer were increased firstly (1 year) and then decreased (4-12 years) with the increase of planting years, while the SAOC contents of 20-40 cm soil layer remained unchanged. The SAOC contents of soil particle with diameters of &gt;0.5 mm and &lt;0.106 mm in 0-40 cm soil layer in each planting year were significantly higher than that of soil particle with diameters of 0.106-0.25 mm (P&lt;0.05), but there was no significant difference in each planting year (P&gt;0.05). The TN and AN contents in 0-40 cm soil layer fluctuated a lot and showed no influence on TN content. The TP contents of 0-40 cm soil layer and the AP contents of 0-20 cm soil layer showed the increasing trend (0-12 years), and the AP contents of 20-40 cm soil layer showed the “M” type fluctuations. The TP contents of 0-20 cm soil layer were significantly lower than those of the 20-40 cm soil layer in 1-12 years (P&lt;0.05). The C/N values of 0-20 cm soil layer were higher than those of the 20-40 cm soil layer in the same planting years, and in 12 years, the C/N value was significantly lower than other years (P&lt;0.05). The CaCO<sub>3</sub> contents of 0-40 cm soil layer showed an increasing trend with the increasing of planting years, and the CaCO<sub>3</sub> contents of 20-40 cm soil layer were significantly higher than those of 0-20 cm soil layer (P&lt;0.05).In conclusion, with the increasing of planting years, there was significant difference only between the soil particle diameter and the SAOC content (P&lt;0.05), and the soil quality showed temporal variability.
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spelling doaj-art-aa62af08fcdf44f7b045160a3ecf1d0a2025-08-20T02:47:27ZengZhejiang University Press浙江大学学报. 农业与生命科学版1008-92092097-51552014-09-014054155010.3785/j.issn.1008-9209.2013.11.26110089209Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of NingxiaChen LinYang XinguoSong NaipingLi XuebinZhai DepingSoil quality plays a crucial role in sustaining agricultural systems productivity, and it is important in sustaining ecosystem. What about the soil quality in different planting years of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in the steppe desert of Ningxia in China?That is not yet completely understood.The objective of this study was to investigate the soil physical and chemical properties of different soil particle diameters (&gt;0.5 mm,0.106-0.25 mm and &lt;0.106 mm) after planting alfalfa for 0-12 years.By using the method of replacing time with space, an analysis was made on the dynamic changes of top soil (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) nutrients and soil particle. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the different soil particle diameters in the same period of the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM), CaCO<sub>3</sub>, total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP) and available phosphorus (AP)(P&gt;0.05), but the soil active organic carbon (SAOC) contents of the soil particle with diameters of &gt;0.5 mm and &lt; 0.106 mm were significantly higher than that of soil particle with diameters of 0.106-0.25 mm (P&lt;0.05). With the increasing of planting years, the pH values decreased, and after planting alfalfa, it was greater affected in 20-40 cm soil layer than 0-20 cm soil layer. The EC values were fluctuated in different planting years, but there were not significant (P&gt;0.05), and the EC values of 0-20 cm soil layer were significantly higher than that of 20-40 cm soil layer in most planting years. The SOM contents in each planting year were higher than the grass, but there was no significant difference (P&gt;0.05), and the SOM contents of soil particle with diameters of &gt;0.5 mm and &lt;0.106 mm in 0-20 cm soil layer were increased firstly (1 year) and then decreased (4-12 years) with the increase of planting years, while the SAOC contents of 20-40 cm soil layer remained unchanged. The SAOC contents of soil particle with diameters of &gt;0.5 mm and &lt;0.106 mm in 0-40 cm soil layer in each planting year were significantly higher than that of soil particle with diameters of 0.106-0.25 mm (P&lt;0.05), but there was no significant difference in each planting year (P&gt;0.05). The TN and AN contents in 0-40 cm soil layer fluctuated a lot and showed no influence on TN content. The TP contents of 0-40 cm soil layer and the AP contents of 0-20 cm soil layer showed the increasing trend (0-12 years), and the AP contents of 20-40 cm soil layer showed the “M” type fluctuations. The TP contents of 0-20 cm soil layer were significantly lower than those of the 20-40 cm soil layer in 1-12 years (P&lt;0.05). The C/N values of 0-20 cm soil layer were higher than those of the 20-40 cm soil layer in the same planting years, and in 12 years, the C/N value was significantly lower than other years (P&lt;0.05). The CaCO<sub>3</sub> contents of 0-40 cm soil layer showed an increasing trend with the increasing of planting years, and the CaCO<sub>3</sub> contents of 20-40 cm soil layer were significantly higher than those of 0-20 cm soil layer (P&lt;0.05).In conclusion, with the increasing of planting years, there was significant difference only between the soil particle diameter and the SAOC content (P&lt;0.05), and the soil quality showed temporal variability.https://www.academax.com/doi/10.3785/j.issn.1008-9209.2013.11.261desert steppealfalfadifferent soil particle diameterssoil physical and chemical propertiesresponse
spellingShingle Chen Lin
Yang Xinguo
Song Naiping
Li Xuebin
Zhai Deping
Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia
浙江大学学报. 农业与生命科学版
desert steppe
alfalfa
different soil particle diameters
soil physical and chemical properties
response
title Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia
title_full Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia
title_fullStr Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia
title_full_unstemmed Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia
title_short Effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of Ningxia
title_sort effects of planting alfalfa on soil quality in desert steppe of ningxia
topic desert steppe
alfalfa
different soil particle diameters
soil physical and chemical properties
response
url https://www.academax.com/doi/10.3785/j.issn.1008-9209.2013.11.261
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AT yangxinguo effectsofplantingalfalfaonsoilqualityindesertsteppeofningxia
AT songnaiping effectsofplantingalfalfaonsoilqualityindesertsteppeofningxia
AT lixuebin effectsofplantingalfalfaonsoilqualityindesertsteppeofningxia
AT zhaideping effectsofplantingalfalfaonsoilqualityindesertsteppeofningxia