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Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2021, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (3): 256-267.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2021.20058.

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Changes in morphology and soil nutrient patterns of nebkhas in arid regions along a precipitation gradient

WeiCheng Luo,WenZhi Zhao(),Bing Liu,Heng Ren   

  1. Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
  • Received:2020-08-20 Accepted:2020-10-02 Online:2021-06-30 Published:2021-07-05
  • Contact: WenZhi Zhao E-mail:zhaowzh@lzb.ac.cn

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Abstract:

Nebkhas, discrete mounds of sand and vegetation, are a common landscape feature critical to the stability of desert ecosystems and supported by limited precipitation. Nebkha morphology and spatial pattern vary in landscapes, but it is unclear how they change along precipitation gradients in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study we determined morphology and soil nutrient patterns of nebkha from different regions of northwestern China. The objective of this study was to understand zonal differences among nebkhas and how morphological characteristics and soil nutrient patterns of nebkha change along a precipitation gradient in northwestern China. Our results shows that mean annual precipitation (MAP) had significant effects on morphological characteristics of nebkhas such as height, area, and volume which significantly decreased with an increase in MAP. MAP had significant positive effects on shrub cover and species richness of nebkha. Soil nutrients such as soil organic matter (SOM), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the 0-10 cm layer increased with an increase of MAP, and soil nutrient content within nebkhas was higher than in inter-nebkha areas. We concluded that nebkhas are "fertile islands" with an important role in ecosystem dynamics in study regions. Further, MAP is a key factor which determined zonal differences, morphological, and soil nutrients patterns of nebkhas. However, disturbance, such as animal grazing, and planted sand-stabilizing vegetation accelerated the degeneration of nebkha landscapes. We recommend implementation of protective measures for nebkhas in arid and semi-arid areas of China.

Key words: Nebkha, morphology, soil nutrient, precipitation gradient, arid and semi-arid lands

Figure 1

Distribution of sampling sites (stars) along a precipitation gradient in northwestern China"

Table 1

Description of study sites"

Study site

Mean annual

precipitation (mm)

LongitudeLatitudeClimateDisturbance
Ejina (EJN)3742°03′20.77″N101°14′47.87″EExtremely aridGrazing, sand-stabilizing vegetation planted
Jinta (JT)6040°11′23.85″N98°41′10.01″EExtremely aridGrazing, sand-stabilizing vegetation planted
Linze (LZ)11039°24′7.65″N100°10′58.53″EExtremely aridSand-stabilizing vegetation planted
Dengkou (DK)15040°25′55.81″N106°45′30.16″ESemi-aridSand-stabilizing vegetation planted
Hangjin (HJ)24040°44′42.73″N106°32′37.67″ESemi-aridGrazing, sand-stabilizing vegetation planted
Yanchi (YC)28037°55′43.20″N107°25′22.16″ESemi-aridGrazing, sand-stabilizing vegetation planted

Table 2

Morphological parameters of nebkhas of different sites"

Study siteParameterMean±SDMinimumMaximumVarianceSkew
EJNHeight (m)2.05±0.931.602.500.11-0.23
Length (m)9.15±0.566.3012.503.830.42
Width (m)9.40±0.687.0014.105.501.49
Area (m2)70.53±9.7634.62138.361,143.221.47
Volume (m3)98.72±15.4036.93202.922,844.751.26
Vegetation coverage55.83%±4.34%40.00%85.00%2.30%1.21%
JTHeight (m)1.84±0.081.502.230.070.29
Length (m)7.59±0.455.9010.502.441.11
Width (m)8.95±0.596.5012.504.120.75
Area (m2)53.61±4.6230.1070.06254.80-0.35
Volume (m3)64.94±5.1132.1184.07313.67-0.97
Vegetation coverage60.42%±3.17%45.00%80.00%1.20%0.12%
LZHeight (m)1.57±0.080.251.950.080.33
Length (m)6.35±0.414.908.602.010.54
Width (m)4.62±0.413.507.302.041.19
Area (m2)24.07±3.6813.4649.28162.191.44
Volume (m3)24.69±3.2111.6741.07123.480.29
Vegetation coverage54.17%±2.94%40.00%65.00%1.00%-0.20%
DKHeight (m)1.48±0.130.662.200.19-0.47
Length (m)8.12±0.742.6011.106.61-0.79
Width (m)8.23±1.002.4016.5012.040.79
Area (m2)56.92±10.064.90143.771,213.971.19
Volume (m3)59.01±10.802.16143.771,400.110.75
Vegetation coverage61.67%±3.28%45.00%80.00%1.30%0.47%
HJHeight (m)1.33±0.210.503.200.531.58
Length (m)6.70±0.881.9011.509.23-0.31
Width (m)7.18±0.761.9010.806.93-0.48
Area (m2)43.02±8.882.9397.50946.650.68
Volume (m3)45.54±12.361.13117.001,832.170.75
Vegetation coverage76.08%±4.53%40.00%95.00%2.50%-1.21%
YCHeight (m)1.15±0.250.173.580.762.11
Length (m)6.13±0.572.729.963.910.22
Width (m)5.21±0.511.817.933.17-0.26
Area (m2)27.52±4.833.8662.00280.270.84
Volume (m3)29.02±11.720.44147.961,649.202.69
Vegetation coverage81.00%±2.62%65.00%90.00%0.80%-0.44%

Table 3

ANOVA analysis for effect of mean annual precipitation (MAP) on nebkha characteristics"

EffectdfHeightAreaVolumeShrub coverageSpecies richness
FPFPFPFPFP
MAP54.520.0015.79<0.0016.53<0.00125.09<0.00192.49<0.001

Figure 2

Changes in nebkha height and area along a mean annual precipitation gradient Values are means ± standard error. Confidence interval is 95%"

Figure 3

Soil organic matter in two soil layers within and in inter-nebkha areas along a precipitation gradient. Values are means ± standard error. Different lowercases show significant difference between nebkha and inter-nebkha area"

Figure 4

Soil total carbon in two soil layers within and in inter-nebkha areas along a precipitation gradient. Values are means ± standard error"

Figure 5

Soil total nitrogen within nebkha and in inter-nebkha areas for two soil layers along a precipitation gradient. Values are means ± standard error"

Figure 6

Soil total phosphorus within nebkha and in inter-nebkha areas for two soil layers along a precipitation gradient. Values are means ± standard error"

Table 4

ANOVA analysis for effect of mean annual precipitation (MAP) on soil nutrient content of nebkhas and inter-dune lands"

EffectMAP
dfFP
Nebkha (0-10 cm)SOM5123.04<0.001
Total C532.41<0.001
Total N520.58<0.001
Total P543.43<0.001
Inter-nebkha area (0-10 cm)SOM523.62<0.001
Total C526.00<0.001
Total N58.92<0.001
Total P56.320.004
Nebkha (10-20 cm)SOM5184.80<0.001
Total C529.82<0.001
Total N526.62<0.001
Total P597.93<0.001
Inter-nebkha area (10-20 cm)SOM540.01<0.001
Total C549.20<0.001
Total N56.680.003
Total P517.41<0.001
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