Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Key Laboratory for Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, Hunan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Key Laboratory for Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, Hunan, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2021 Jun 25;775:145876. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145876. Epub 2021 Feb 15.
Secondary vegetation succession can alter soil functions and quality. However, data on changes to soil quality at different stages of vegetation succession in karst areas of southwest China is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different vegetation succession on soil quality and further to identify the factors that influencing soil quality. Secondary forest, shrub, grass, and cropland (as a reference) were selected and sampled in the subtropical karst of southwest China. Soil quality index (SQI) was developed by two methods of Total Data Set (TDS) and Minimum Data Set (MDS). Based on principal component analysis (PCA), soil organic carbon, silt, available phosphorous, available potassium, soil thickness, and soil water content were identified as the most representative indicators for the MDS. Both methods showed that the highest SQI values were observed in secondary forest, followed by shrub and grass, and the cropland values were the lowest. This showed vegetation succession significantly influenced on soil physiochemical properties and thus on soil quality. MDS could adequately represent TDS to quantify the effects of vegetation succession on soil quality since similar SQI results were derived from the two methods (R = 0.68, P < 0.01). The influencing factors explained about 75% of the total variation in SQI using a generalized linear model. Vegetation types accounted for the largest proportion of the SQI variability followed by restoration time, indicating these factors significantly affect soil quality during vegetation succession. In general, vegetation succession significantly influenced soil properties, and also has long-term and positive effects on soil quality during vegetation restoration. This study helps to understand the changes in soil quality during vegetation succession and provides guidance for the sustainable management of revegetation in subtropical karst regions in China.
次生植被演替会改变土壤功能和质量。然而，在中国西南喀斯特地区，关于植被演替不同阶段土壤质量变化的数据有限。本研究旨在评估不同植被演替对土壤质量的影响，并进一步确定影响土壤质量的因素。选择亚热带喀斯特地区的次生林、灌丛、草地和耕地（作为对照）进行采样。采用全数据集（TDS）和最小数据集（MDS）两种方法构建土壤质量指数（SQI）。基于主成分分析（PCA），确定土壤有机碳、粉粒、有效磷、速效钾、土壤厚度和土壤含水量为 MDS 的最具代表性指标。两种方法均表明，次生林的 SQI 值最高，其次是灌丛和草地，耕地的 SQI 值最低。这表明植被演替显著影响土壤理化性质，进而影响土壤质量。MDS 可以充分代表 TDS 来量化植被演替对土壤质量的影响，因为两种方法得出的 SQI 结果相似（R=0.68，P<0.01）。广义线性模型解释了大约 75%的 SQI 总变异，表明影响因素在植被演替过程中对 SQI 具有重要影响。植被类型占 SQI 变异性的最大比例，其次是恢复时间，表明这些因素在植被演替过程中显著影响土壤质量。总的来说，植被演替显著影响土壤性质，对植被恢复过程中的土壤质量具有长期积极的影响。本研究有助于了解植被演替过程中土壤质量的变化，为中国亚热带喀斯特地区植被恢复的可持续管理提供指导。
