Changes in soil macrofaunal community composition under selective afforestation in shifting sand lands in Horqin of Inner Mongolia, northern China

• Published in: Ecological research 2013, Vol.28 (1), p.1-8
• Main Authors: Liu, Ren Tao, Zhao, Ha Lin, Zhao, Xue Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Afforestation; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Arid zones; Arthropoda; Behavioral Sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemical properties; Community composition; Community ecology; Community structure; Desertification; Dust storms; Ecology; Evolutionary Biology; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Horqin sand land; Life Sciences; Organic carbon; Original Article; Plant Sciences; Sand; Selective afforestation; Semiarid lands; Shrublands; Soil arthropod; Soil microorganisms; Soils; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Vegetation; Woodlands; Zoology
• ISSN: 0912-3814; 1440-1703
• DOI: 10.1007/s11284-012-0982-0

Large-scale afforestation programs have had some beneficial effects on reducing severity of dust storms and controlling desertification in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the influences of selective afforestation on soil arthropod community are largely unknown in desertified ecosystems. Soil macrofaunal communities, soil physico-chemical properties, and herb vegetation were investigated in afforested shrublands and woodlands (both approximately 30 years old post-afforestation), which were compared to shifting sand lands in Horqin, northern China. In the shrublands, environmental parameters (soil and vegetation properties) indicated a significant improvement of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and herbaceous density and cover, in comparison to the woodlands and shifting sand lands. The improved shrubland habitat maintained significantly higher soil macrofaunal abundance and group richness together with higher diversity compared with the woodlands and shifting sand lands. There were no significant differences in soil macrofaunal diversity between the woodlands and shifting sand lands. The results suggest that shrubs can facilitate macrofaunal assemblies and improve soil and vegetation properties when planted in shifting sand lands. Shrub afforestation is beneficial for the restoration of shifting sand lands, and is recommended for management of artificial plantations in these sandy ecosystems.