EGU25-10934, updated on 15 Mar 2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10934
EGU General Assembly 2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Poster | Friday, 02 May, 14:00–15:45 (CEST), Display time Friday, 02 May, 08:30–18:00
 
vPoster spot 3, vP3.17
Effects of vegetation restoration measures on soil nutrients and erodibility in loess hilly region, China
Wenliang Geng1, Xiaoping Zhang1,2, Zhibin Hu1, Chen Duan1, Haojia Wang1, Miaoqian Wang1, Weinan Sun1, Xuanhao Liu1, Yujie Zhang1, Kaiyang Yu1, and Peter Strauss3
Wenliang Geng et al.
  • 1College of Soil and Water Conservation Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
  • 2Research Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education, Yangling 712100, China
  • 3Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Federal Agency for Water Management, Pollnbergstraße 1, 3252, Petzenkirchen, Austria

Abstract: The depletion of soil nutrients and the increased erodibility of soil have exacerbated the degree of soil degradation, thereby impeding the sustainable development of ecosystems. Vegetation restoration, as a widely implemented measure to prevent soil degradation, is valued for its role in enhancing soil nutrients and reducing soil erodibility. To investigate the impact of vegetation restoration measures on soil nutrients and erodibility in the Loess Hilly Region, this study selected Wuqi County, the pioneer county of China's Grain-for-Green Project, as the research site, with sloping farmland serving as the control. Four types of vegetation restoration were chosen: artificial forests (Armeniaca sibirica, Pinus tabulaeformis, Robinia pseudoacacia), artificial mixed forests (Pinus tabulaeformis mixed with Armeniaca sibirica, Pinus tabulaeformis mixed with Robinia pseudoacacia), shrub forests (Hippophae rhamnoides), and abandoned grasslands. The physicochemical properties of the soil at depths of 0—5 cm, 5—20 cm, and 20—40 cm were measured. The Comprehensive Soil Nutrient Index (CSNI) and the Comprehensive Soil Erodibility Index (CSEI) were combined, and a weighted summation method was used to calculate the Comprehensive Soil Quality Index (CSQI), thereby reflecting the impact of vegetation restoration on the improvement of soil nutrients and erodibility. The results indicated that the vegetation types with the highest CSQI were Pinus tabulaeformis mixed with Armeniaca sibirica (3.43), Pinus tabulaeformis mixed with Robinia pseudoacacia (3.22), Robinia pseudoacacia (2.85), Armeniaca sibirica (2.37), Pinus tabulaeformis (2.22), Hippophae rhamnoides (3.06), and grassland (2.93). The CSNI was primarily influenced by the Soil Structure Stability Index (SSSI), sand content, and the content of silt + clay, while the CSEI was controlled by soil organic matter (SOM), macroaggregates, and microaggregates. Overall, vegetation restoration can effectively enhance soil nutrients and improve soil erodibility. Mixed forests, compared to single-species forests, shrublands, and abandoned grasslands, are more effective in improving soil aggregate stability and resistance to erosion. This study provides a reference for assessing vegetation restoration measures.

Keywords: Soil degradation, Soil nutrients, Soil erodibility, Soil quality, Vegetation restoration, Loess Plateau

How to cite: Geng, W., Zhang, X., Hu, Z., Duan, C., Wang, H., Wang, M., Sun, W., Liu, X., Zhang, Y., Yu, K., and Strauss, P.: Effects of vegetation restoration measures on soil nutrients and erodibility in loess hilly region, China, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10934, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10934, 2025.