Study on Physical Properties and Related Spectral Characteristics of Composited Soil with Different Ratio of Feldspathic Sandstone and Sand

[Objective] To study the soil texture, water storage and related spectral characteristics of composited soil. [Method] 3 different ratios of composited soils was designed by using feldspathic sandstone and sand by 3 different ratios, 1：1（C1）, 1：2（C2） and 1：5（C3）, and the CK used loess soil and sand by 1：2, then the soil texture, water storage, soil and winter wheat spectral characteristic were measured and analyzed under those treatments in 2010-2013. [Result] （1） With the increasing of the plant- ing year, treatment C1, C2 and C3 all showed decreasing in the proportions of sand and increasing of silt and the CK showed decreasing of clay and increasing of sand, along 1-30 cm soil depth. Treatment C2 showed the proportion of sand, silt and clay were 76.69%, 18.72% and 4.70%, respectively. （2） The water contents of all the treatments were significant different from other in 0-60 cm soil depth, and showed increasing trend with the increasing of sand proportion. Treatment C2 had higher average water content during the 3 years than treatment CK, C1 and C3 by 21.34%, 11.59% and 3.91% in the same soil depth, respectively. （3） In 2013, the spectral reflection curve characters were similar for all treatment of winter wheat at the jointing stage and filling stage along the full-wave band （350-2 500 nm）, and the reflectance was higher in the jointing stage than the filling stage; the reflection peak was found around 550 nm, a part of green light wave band. Treatment C2 showed the highest canopy that all treatments had similar spectral curves, and the relative reflectance of soil increased during 350-1 750 nm wave length along with the increase of the sand proportion; for treatment CK, C1, C2 and C3, the soil spectral reflectance （y） and wave length （x） appeared highly correlated relationships, they were y=0.18 71 In（x）-0.979 4, y=0.158 7 In（x）-0.801 2, y=0.177 1 In（x）-0.910 8 and y=0.184 5 In（x）-0.944 5, respectively. [Conclusion] Synthesizing the soil physical properties and related spectral character indices, treatment C2 generated the best combination ratio of feldspathic sandstone and sand.

Potential Role of Feldspathic Sandstone as a Natural Water Retaining Agent in Mu Us Sandy Land,Northwest China

This paper analyzed the water-retention mechanism of feldspathic sandstone （fine-（〈 1 mm diam.） and gravel-sized （2-3 cm diam.） in Mu Us Sandy Land, Northwest China. The objective of this study is to study the effect of feldspathic sandstone amendment on water retention in sandy land. The results showed that as the proportion of fine feldspathic sandstone in the sandy land soil increased, the soil texture changed from sand to silt loam, the capillary po- rosity gradually increased from 26.3% to 44.9%, and the soil saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased from 7.10 ram/rain to 0.07 mm/min. Feldspathic sandstone gravel formed micro-reservoirs in the sandy land soil, playing the role of a ＇water absorbent＇ and ＇water retaining agent＇ in sandy land. Amendment with feldspathic sandstone can increase water retention in the arable layer of sandy land by 67%. This study provides a theoretical basis for the amelioration of sandy land on a large scale. It can be concluded that amendment with feldspathic sandstone can improve the physical properties of sandy land soil and increase soil water retention.

The Effects of Different Ratios of Feldspathic Sandstone and Sand Compound Soil on Water-stable Aggregates in 4 Years Crop Planting

To study the formation process of feldspathic sandstone and sand compound soil in the Mu Us Desert,1∶ 1,1∶ 2 and 1∶ 5 ratios of feldspathic sandstone and sand were mixed to obtain compound soil to plant crops,and analyze the rules of changes in water-stable aggregates of the compound soil among the 4 years crops growing process. The results showed,before crop planting,the order of mass percent of> 0. 25 mm and 0. 25-2. 00 mm water-stable aggregates in three kinds of compound soil was 1∶ 1 > 1∶ 2 > 1∶ 5,showing that the overall content was low; the mass percent of > 0. 25 mm water-stable aggregates remained at 18. 38%-28. 22%; the mass percent of 0. 25-0. 50 mm,0. 50-2. 00 mm,2. 00-5. 00 mm,and > 5. 00 mm water-stable aggregates was close with each other in each kind of compound soil. After4 years of planting,the mass percent of > 0. 25 mm water-stable aggregates in 1∶ 2 compound soil increased significantly and exceeded other2 kinds of compound soil,reached 32. 34%; the main components of > 0. 25 mm water stable aggregates in 1∶ 1,1∶ 2,and 1∶ 5 compound soil were 0. 25-0. 50 mm( 53. 54%),0. 25-0. 50 mm( 59. 43%),0. 05-2. 00 mm( 52. 16%),aggregates; 0. 25-2. 00 mm aggregates increased significantly in all three kinds of compound soil,with the highest increase in 1∶ 2 compound soil; the organic matters of 1∶ 2 compound soil were significantly correlated with 0. 25-0. 50 mm and 0. 25-2. 00 mm water-stable aggregates. The results showed that the ratio of 0. 25-2. 00 mm aggregates in the three kinds of compound soil was increased after 4 years of crop planting and 1∶ 2 compound soil was most favorable for the formation of aggregates.

Niche Characteristics of Herbaceous Plants under Pinus tabuliformis Plantation Forest in Feldspathic Sandstone Area

[Objectives] To explore the niche characteristics of herbaceous plants under Pinus tabuliformis plantation forest in the feldspathic sandstone area,and to provide basic data for maintaining biodiversity and community stability in the local P.tabuliformis plantation forest.[Methods] The types,quantity,average plant height,and coverage of various herbaceous plants were recorded by field survey in a well-growing P.tabulaeformis forest area.Based on the survey data,Shannon and Levins niche breadth index,Levins niche overlap index and ecological response were used to analyze the niche characteristics of herbaceous plants under P.tabulaeformis plantation forest.[Results]( i) There were 35 species of herbaceous plants in the P.tabulaeformis plantation forest in the feldspathic sandstone area.Among them,Stipa bungeiensis had the largest niche breadth indexes with better performance.Because of its strong adaptability,its community was in an obviously advantageous position.( ii) The overall niche width and niche overlap index were generally not high,and understory herb species showed differentiation.( iii) Among the understory herbaceous species,37.15% of the species were developed species,and 62.86% of the species were declining species.Among the 14 dominant species,11 were developmental species.The species with largest the resource occupancy were S.bungeiensis( 0.188 5),Heteropappus altaicus( 0.053 1),and Cleistogenes squarrosa( 0.037 9).[Conclusions] Competition among under herbaceous plants in P.tabulaeformis plantation forest in the feldspathic sandstone area was weak,and the community species had poor utilization of resources and environment.Most of the dominant herbaceous species were in the developing stage,indicating that the P.tabulaeformis plantation community tends to be relatively stable at the current stage.

Sand stabilization effect of feldspathic sandstone during the fallow period in Mu Us Sandy Land

Depended on the analysis of ground snow situation, soil moisture loss speed and soil structure after planting crops of Mu Us Sandy Land remedied with feldspathic sandstone in the fallow period, it is concluded that feldspathic sandstone mixed with sand improved the sand stabilization in the governance of Mu Us Sandy Land in the fallow period. The sandy land remedied with feldspathic sandstone had big snow coverage, 25%-75% higher than normal sand; soil moisture losses slowed down, and moisture content rose by over 3 times; soil structure had been improved, and water stable aggregate content increased by 6.52%-18.04%; survival rate of protection forest increased to 85%; and ground flatness is less than 1%. The above conditions weakened sand rising conditions of Mu Us Sandy Land in the fallow period and formed two protective layers of snow cover and soil frozen layer under cold weather so as to prevent against wind erosion.