Changes in levels of enzymes and osmotic adjustment compounds in key species and their relevance to vegetation succession in abandoned croplands of a semiarid sandy region.

Reclamation of cropland from grassland is regarded as a main reason for grassland degradation; understanding succession from abandoned cropland to grassland is thus crucial for vegetation restoration in arid and semiarid areas. Soil becomes dry when cropland is reverted to grassland, and enzyme and osmotic adjustment compounds may help plants to adapt to a drying environment. Croplands that were abandoned in various years on the Ordos Plateau in China, were selected for the analysis of the dynamics of enzymes and osmotic adjustment compounds in plant species during vegetation succession. With increasing number of years since abandonment, levels of superoxide dismutase increased in , first decreased and then increased in and , and fluctuated in . Levels of peroxidase and catalase in the four species fluctuated; levels of proline, soluble sugar, and soluble protein either decreased or first increased and then generally decreased. According to a drought resistance index, the drought resistance of the four species was ranked in descending order as follows:  >  >  > . The drought resistance ability of the different species was closely linked with vegetation succession from communities dominated by annual and biennial species (with main accompanying species of and ) to communities dominated by perennial species ( and ) when soil became dry owing to increasing evapotranspiration after cropland abandonment. The restoration of steppe after cropland abandonment on the Ordos Plateau is recommended both as high-quality forage and for environmental sustainability.