Effect of soil moisture gradient on structure of broad-leaved/Korean pine forest in Changbai Mountain

A 112 m×8 m sample pot which includes 14 sub-plots was set up along the slope in Hongshi Forestry Farm of Baihe Forestry Bureau (127°55′E, 42°30′ N), Jilin Province in August 2002. Community structure, soil moisture contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm in depth, water content of litter as well as the contents of C, N and P of litter, living leaves and branches in the broad-leaved/Korean pine (Pinus korraiensis) forest were measured in each sub-plot on different slope positions. The analytical results showed that there existed an obvious soil moisture gradient along the slope: upper slope <middle slope< lower slope. The difference in soil moisture contents on different positions of slope led to a change of the stand structure of the braod-leaved/Korean pine forest. The proportion ofQuercus mongolica gradually increased with the decrease of soil moisture content and that of other major tree species in the broad-leaved/Korean pine forest gradually decreased or disappeared. The dynamic of soil moisture contents in the litter layer was as same as that in mineral soils. The decomposition rates of the litter on different slope positions were different and the dry weights of existent litter varied significantly. The soil nutrients in the litter on the lower slope was richer than that on the upper slope due to the different stand structure on the different slope positions. The moisture content and nutrient contents of soil had effects on the composition, decomposition, and the nutrient release of litter, thus affecting stands growth and stand structure and finally leading to the change of ecosystem. Key words Soil moisture gradient - nutrient - Stand structure - Broad-leaved/Korean pine forest CLC number S718.5 Document code A Foundation item: This study was supported by the NKBRSF (G1999043407-1), Tackle Key Problem of Science and technology of China (2001BA510B-07), Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-406, SCXZD0101), NKTRDP (2001BA510B-07. 2002BA516A20).Biography: WANG Yan (1970-), female, Ph. D, associate professorResponsible editor: Song Funan

Influence of Gradient on Stability of Soil Slope Containing Roots

Abundant herbaceous and shrub roots play an important role in preventing water and soil erosion and increasing shallow slope stability. In order to make a quantitative analysis on the contribution of root system to slope stability under dif- ferent slope gradient, an unconsolidated and undrained triaxial compression test was conducted to measure the shear strengths of soil and root-soil composite in the two slopes in eastern Qinghai Province. In addition, under the protection of plant roots, the effect of gradient on stability of soil slope was investigated by limit equilibrium method. The results showed that the stability coefficient of soil slope planted with two kinds of brush was decreased with the increase in slope gradient, and the sta- bility coefficient increment of soil slope containing Atriplex canescens roots was higher than that containing Caragana korshinskii roots. When the slope gradient ranged from 25° to 50°, the stability coefficient of soil slope planted with Atriplex canescens or Caragana korshinskii ranged from 0.80 to 1.38. However, when the slope gradient exceeded 55°, the increment of stability coefficient of soil slope became small.

Characterization of Soil Quality Under Vegetable Production Along an Urban-Rural Gradient

Human activity and urbanization result in urban-rural environmental gradients. Understanding effect of the gradients on soil properties is necessary for management of the soils around urban areas. In this study, soil quality of some vegetable fields was characterized along an urban-rural gradient in Shaoxing County, Zhejiang Province. Fifteen soil physical and chemical properties were evaluated by using principal component analysis.Results showed that there was a great variation in the soil quality along the gradient. From rural to urban zones, soil organic matter, water-stable aggregates, cation exchangeable capacity (CEC), total N and P, and available K increased, whereas soil pH value decreased. In addition, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn and Cr in the soils tended to be accumulated toward the urban zone. Sequential chemical extraction showed that mobility of all the heavy metals in the soils tended to increase from the rural to the urban zones. The variation of soil properties accounted for by the first principal component was significantly explained by the difference in application rates of municipal wastes.

Distribution of Soil Enzyme Activities and Microbial Biomass Along a Latitudinal Gradient in Farmlands of Songliao Plain,Northeast China

Soil enzymes activities and microbial biomass have an important influence on nutrient cycling. The spatial distribution of soil enzymes activities and microbial biomass were examined along a latitudinal gradient in farmlands of Songliao Plain, Northeast China to assess the impact of climatic changes along the latitudinal transect on nutrient cycling in agroecosystems. Top soils （0-20 cm depth） were sampled in fields at 7 locations from north （Hallun） to south （Dashiqiao） in the end of October 2005 after maize harvest. The contents of total C, N, and P, C/N, available N, and available P increased with the latitude. The activities of invertase and acid phosphatase, microbial biomass （MB） C and N, and MBC/MBN were significantly correlated with latitude （P 〈 0.05, r^2 = 0.198, 0.635, 0.558, 0.211 and 0.317, respectively）, that is, increasing with the latitude. Significant positive correlations （P 〈 0.05） were observed between invertase activity and the total N and available P, and between acid phosphatase activity and the total C, C/N, available N, total P and available P. The urease, acid phosphatase, and dehydrogenase activities were significantly correlated with the soil pH and electrical conductivity （EC） （P 〈 0.05）. MBC and MBN were positively correlated with the total C, C/N, and available P （P 〈 0.05）. The MBC/MBN ratio was positively correlated with the total C, total N, C/N, and available N （P 〈 0.05）. The spatial distribution of soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass resulted from the changes in soil properties such as soil organic matter, soil pH, and EC, partially owing to variations in temperature and rainfall along the latitudinal gradient.

Soil Organic Carbon and Labile Carbon Along a Precipitation Gradient and Their Responses to Some Environmental Changes

Based on data from a field survey in 2001 along the Northeast China transect (NECT), a precipitation gradient,and a short-term simulation experiment under ambient CO2 of 350 μmol mol-1 and doubled CO2 of 700 μmol mol-1with different soil moisture contents of 30%-45%, 45%-60%, and 60%-80% soil water holding capacity, the distributionof soil organic carbon and labile carbon along the NECT, their relationships with precipitation and their responses toCO2 enrichment and soil moisture changes were analyzed. The results indicated that the soil labile carbon along thegradient was significantly related to soil organic carbon (r = 0.993, P < 0.001). The soil labile carbon decreased morerapidly with depth than organic carbon. The soil organic and labile carbon along the gradient decreased with decrease inlongitude in both the topsoils and subsoils, and the coefficient of variation for the labile carbon was greater than that forthe organic carbon. Both the soil organic carbon and labile carbon had significant linear relationships with precipitation,with the correlation coefficient of soil organic carbon being lower (0.677 at P < 0.001) than that of soil labile carbon(0.712 at P < 0.001). In the simulation experiment with doubled and ambient CO2 and different moisture contents, thecoefficient of variation for soil organic carbon was only 1.3%, while for soil labile carbon it was 29.7%. With doubled CO2concentration (700 μmol mol-1), soil labile carbon decreased significantly at 45% to 60% of soil moisture content. Theseindicated that soil labile carbon was relatively more sensitive to environmental changes than soil organic carbon.

INFLUENCES OF SLOPE GRADIENT ON SOIL EROSION

The main factors influencing soil erosion include the net rain excess, the water depth, the velocity, the shear stress of overland flows, and the erosion-resisting capacity of soil. The laws of these factors varying with the slope gradient were investigated by using the kinematic wave theory. Furthermore, the critical slope gradient of erosion was driven. The analysis shows that the critical slope gradient of soil erosion is dependent on grain size, soil bulk density, surface roughness, runoff length, net rain excess, and the friction coefficient of soil, etc. The critical slope gradient has been estimated theoretically with its range between 41.5 degrees similar to 50 degrees.

Effects of slope gradient on runoff from bare-fallow purple soil in China under natural rainfall conditions

Purple soil is highly susceptible for overland flow and surface erosion, therefore understanding surface runoff and soil erosion processes in the purple soil region are important to mitigate flooding and erosion hazards. Slope angle is an important parameter that affects the magnitude of runoff and thus surface erosion in hilly landscapes or bare land area. However, the effect of slope on runoff generation remains unclear in many different soils including Chinese purple soil. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different slope gradients and surface runoff for bare-fallow purple soil, using 5 m × 1.5 m experimental plots under natural rainfall conditions. Four experimental plots(10°, 16°, 20° and 26°) were established in theYanting Agro-ecological Experimental Station of Chinese Academy of Science in central Sichuan Basin. The plot was equipped with water storage tank to monitor water level change. Field monitoring from July 1 to October 31, 2012 observed 42 rainfall events which produced surface runoff from the experimental plots. These water level changes were converted to runoff. The representative eight rainfall events were selected for further analysis, the relationship between slope and runoff coefficient were determined using ANOVA, F-test, and z-score analysis. The results indicated a strong correlation between rainfall and runoff in cumulative amount basis. The mean value of the measured runoff coefficient for four experimental plots was around 0.1. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between slope and runoff coefficient. We reviewed the relationship between slope and runoff in many previous studiesand calculated z-score to compare with our experimental results. The results of z-score analysis indicated that both positive and negative effects of slope on runoff coefficient were obtained, however a moderate gradient(16°-20° in this study) could be a threshold of runoff generation for many different soils including the Chinese purple soil.

Soil microbial community composition and its driving factors in alpine grasslands along a mountain elevational gradient

Understanding the vertical distribution patterns of soil microbial community and its driving factors in alpine grasslands in the humid regions of the Tibet Plateau might be of great significance for predicting the soil microbial community of this type of vegetation in response to environmental change. Using phospholipid fatty acids （PLFA）, we investigated soil microbial community composition along an elevational gradient （3094-4131 m above sea level） on Mount Yajiageng, and we explored the impact of plant functional groups and soil chemistry on the soil microbial community. Except for Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi （AM fungi） biomarker 18：2ω6,9 increasing significantly, other biomarkers did not show a consistent trend with the elevational gradient. Microbial biomass quantified by total PLFAs did not show the elevational trend and had mean values ranging from 1.64 to 4.09 ktmol per g organic carbon （OC）, which had the maximum value at the highest site. Bacterial PLFAs exhibited a similar trend with total PLFAs, and its mean values ranged from 0.82 to 1.81 μmol （g OC）-1. The bacterial to fungal biomass ratios had the minimum value at the highest site, which might be related to temperature and soil total nitrogen （TN）. The ratios of Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria had a significantly negative correlation with soil TN and had the maximum value at the highest site. Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN explained 58% of the total variation in the soil microbial community and could achieve the same interpretation as the whole model. Other factors may influence the soil microbial community through interaction with leguminous plant coverage and soil TN. Soil chemistry and plant functional group composition in substantial amounts explained different parts of the variation within the soil microbial community, and the interaction between them had no impact on the soil microbial community maybe beeause long-term grazing greatly reduces litter. In sum, although there were obvious differences in soil microbial communities along the elevation gradient, there were no clear elevational trends found in general. Plant functional groups and soil chemistry respectively affect the different aspects of soil microbial community. Leguminous plant coverage and soil TN had important effects in shaping soil microbial community.

Changes in soil free-living nematode communities and their trophic composition along a climatic gradient

Ambiguity exists concerning the effects of climate on soil nematode-community composition. In this study, we examined the free-living nematode communities in soil along a climatic gradient representing humid-Mediterranean, Mediterranean, semi-arid, and arid climate types. The relationships between abiotic soil characteristics (organic carbon, soil moisture (SM), water-holding capacity) and nematode parameters, such as abundance, trophic group composition, and diversity indices, were explored in the context of climate and seasonality. Nematode abundance was lowest at the arid site. At the humid Mediterranean and Mediterranean locations, nematode abundance reached its peak in winter, while at the semi-arid and arid sites, an almost opposite trend was observed, with lowest abundances in winter, presumably due to a nutrient washout from the soil profile during the rainy season. On the trophic level, one trophic group demonstrated a positive correlation with SM and one trophic group demonstrated a negative one at each location, while the other two groups remained constant. Fungi-feeding nematodes were found to be unaffected by SM at the humid-Mediterranean and Mediterranean locations, while at the semi-arid and arid sites their proportion increased in correlation with decreasing SM. Bacteria-feeders increased with SM at the arid site, were unaffected at the semi-arid location, and decreased with SM at the humid-Mediterranean and Mediterranean sites. Plant-parasites were associated with SM only at the humid-Mediterranean site. Omnivores-predators were positively affected by SM at the two middle locations, staying constant at the humid-Mediterranean and arid sites. These findings point to the strong linkage existing between nematode trophic behavior and climatic factors, demonstrating distinctive communal fingerprints for each climate type.

Soil seed banks along elevational gradients in tropical, subtropical and subalpine forests in Yunnan Province, southwest China

Soil seed banks are a vital part of ecosystems and influence community dynamics and regeneration.Although soil seed banks in different habitats have been reported, how soil seed banks vary with elevational gradients in different climatic zones is still unknown. This paper investigates seed density,species composition and nonconstituent species of forest soil seed banks in Yunnan Province, southwest China. Similarity between the soil seed bank and standing vegetation was also examined. We collected soil samples from sites spanning 12 elevations in tropical rain forests, subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests and subalpine coniferous forests, and transported them to a glasshouse for germination trials for species identification. The soil seed banks of tropical and subtropical forests had much higher seed densities and species richness than those of subalpine forests. Seeds of woody species dominated the soil seed banks of tropical and subtropical forests, while herbs dominated those of subalpine forests.The nonconstituent species in the soil seed banks were all herbs and were most abundant in tropical forests, followed by subtropical forests but were completely absent from subalpine forests.

The Response of Vegetation Biomass to Soil Properties along Degradation Gradients of Alpine Meadow at Zoige Plateau

Alpine grassland of the Tibetan Plateau has undergone severe degradation, even desertification. However, several questions remain to be answered, especially the response mechanisms of vegetation biomass to soil properties. In this study, an experiment on degradation gradients was conducted in an alpine meadow at the Zoige Plateau in 2017. Both vegetation characteristics and soil properties were observed during the peak season of plant growth. The classification and regression tree model(CART) and structural equation modelling(SEM) were applied to screen the main factors that govern the vegetation dynamics and explore the interaction of these screened factors. Both aboveground biomass(AGB) and belowground biomass(BGB) experienced a remarkable decrease along the degradation gradients. All soil properties experienced significant variations along the degradation gradients at the 0.05 significance level. Soil physical and chemical properties explained 54.78% of the variation in vegetation biomass along the degradation gradients. AGB was mainly influenced by soil water content(SWC), soil bulk density(SBD), soil organic carbon(SOC), soil total nitrogen(STN), and pH. Soil available nitrogen(SAN), SOC and p H, had significant influence on BGB. Most soil properties had positive effects on AGB and BGB, while SBD and p H had a slightly negative effect on AGB and BGB. The correlations of SWC with AGB and BGB were relatively less significant than those of other soil properties. Our results highlighted that the soil properties played important roles in regulating vegetation dynamics along the degradation gradients and that SWC is not the main factor limiting plant growth in the humid Zoige region. Our results can provide guidance for the restoration and improvement of degraded alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau.

Soil Organic Carbon Loss under Different Slope Gradients in Loess Hilly Region

Based on field runoff plots observation and sample analysis, the effect of slope gradient on soil organic carbon loss was studied under natural rainfall conditions in loess hilly region. The results showed that with slope gradient increasing （from10° to 30°）, the changing trend of soil erosion intensity （A） was A20°〉A30°〉A15°〉A10°〉A25°, suggesting that slope gradient between 20° and 25° was a critical degree ranger to exist. Soil organic carbon loss was mainly influenced by soil erosion intensity, appearing the same trend as did soil erosion intensity with increasing slope gradient. Soil erosion results in organic carbon enrichment in sediment. Average enrichment ratios of five runoff plots varied from 2.27 to 3.74, and decreased with increasing erosion intensity and slope gradient. The decrease of surface runoff and soil erosion is the key to reduce soil organic carbon loss.

Soil Organic Carbon Pools in Particle-Size Fractions as Affected by Slope Gradient and Land Use Change in Hilly Regions,Western Iran

This study was conducted to explore the effects of topography and land use changes on particulate organic carbon(POC),particulate total nitrogen(PTN),organic carbon(OC) and total nitrogen(TN) associated with different size primary particle fractions in hilly regions of western Iran.Three popular land uses in the selected site including natural forest(NF),disturbed forest(DF) and cultivated land(CL) and three slope gradients(0-10 %,S1,10-30 %,S2,and 30-50%,S3) were employed as the basis of soil sampling.A total of 99 soil samples were taken from the 0-10 cm surface layer in the whole studied hilly region studied.The results showed that the POC in the forest land use in all slope gradients was considerably more than the deforested and cultivated lands and the highest value was observed at NF-S1 treatment with 9.13%.The values of PTN were significantly higher in the forest land use and in the down slopes(0.5%) than in the deforested and cultivated counterparts and steep slopes(0.09%) except for the CL land use.The C:N ratios in POC fraction were around 17-18 in the forest land and around 23 in the cultivated land.In forest land,the silt-associated OC was highest among the primary particles.The enrichment factor of SOC,EC,was the highest for POC.For the primary particles,EC of both primary fractions of silt and clay showed following trend for selected land uses and slope gradients:CL> DF> NF and S3 > S2> S1.Slope gradient of landscape significantly affected the OC and TN contents associated with the silt and clay particles,whereas higher OC and TN contents were observed in lower positions and the lowest value was measured in the steep slopes.Overall,the results showed that native forest land improves soil organic carbon storage and can reduce the carbon emission and soil erosion especially in the mountainous regions with high rainfall in west of Iran.

Distribution of algae and cyanobacteria of biological soil crusts along the elevation gradient in mountain plant communities at the Northern Urals(Russian European Northeast)

This paper describes the biodiversity of cyanobacteria and microalgae of biological soil crusts(BSC)on bare substrates in different mountain vegetation types at the Northern Urals.In total,we identified 99 algal species from six divisions in all sampled sites.The species diversity and structure of BSC algal communities show a relationship with environmental factors(altitude,soil p H and humidity,and illumination).Taxonomic diversity of algae decreases along the altitude gradient from mountain meadow to mountain tundra.Algae and cyanobacteria species from six divisions were identified in meadow communities,five in mountain forests and four in mountain tundra.We observed a positive correlation between species diversity of phototrophic microorganisms and altitude in the forest communities,but a negative correlation in the tundra.The dominant complex of cyanobacterial and algal species in BSC was specific for each type of plant community and was reflective of the habitat conditions.The species diversity and morphological organization of the BSC algae thalli can be used as a criterion for the ongoing assessment of climatic changes in high latitudes and mountain regions.

Climate Variability and Soil Nutrients Status along Altitudinal Gradient in Kigezi Highlands, Southwestern Uganda

Kigezi highlands currently experiences changes in precipitation and temperature which modify the evaporation and soil moisture storage leading to alterations in runoff and other components of hydrological systems. Extreme events, like floods and droughts, are more intense and frequent. Furthermore heavy unpredictable rainfall has become frequent in the area, causing soil erosion and floods that destroy crops. Soil erosion is particularly a pressing challenge due to steep-sided hills leading to deterioration of soil nutrients including soil fertility. The unpredictable rains and droughts are attributed to climate change and variability. Consequently, climate change and variability have caused a significant impact on soil nutrients which have affected the agricultural productivity in the area. This paper presents findings of empirical study which explored the climate variability and soil nutrient status along altitudinal gradient. The paper particularly addresses key questions of: land management practices in the study area, nutrient availability and their effects on productivity of selected crops along altitudinal gradient in changing climate and variability. Independent variables such as topographic sequence along altitudinal gradient were evaluated against dependent variables such as yield harvests of selected grown crops and soil nutrients. Samples for crop yields were collected along transect of 0.5 kilometer using a quadrant of 4 × 4 m2 along attitudinal gradient. Soil samples were taken from selected plots at 0-20cm soil depth for nutrient analysis. Analysis of physical and chemical soil parameters was carried out on soil samples and these include: soil pH, soil organic content, total nitrogen, available soil phosphorous and exchangeable bases (Ca, Mg, K and Na). The study showed that middle parts of the transects had the highest concentration of most soil nutrients, probably because the middle parts could have been a deposition centre for some organic matter from the upper parts of the hills, and lower lying areas were being affected by floods that affects the decomposition of organic matter which is the main source of nutrients. Similarly, the middle parts of the study were the most fertile due to the high concentration of soil nutrient compositions. This indicates that crop yields were significantly affected by availability of soil nutrients along same gradient, attributable to the severity in soil erosion, nutrients leaching and farming practices.

SOIL NITROGEN MINERALIZATION UNDER NORTHERN HARDWOOD FORESTS ALONG A SULFATE AND NITRATE DEPOSITION GRADIENT IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION

Net N mineralization (ammonification and nitrification) in the 0-10 cm mineral soil zone of five northern hardwood forest sites along a gradient of SO and NO deposition from northeastem Minnesota to central lower Michigan was measured by an in situ buried bag technique at monthly intervals from September 1987 to April 1990. Soil nitrification rates (36.9 to 46.7 kg N·ha-1·yr-1) increased from north to south among the five study sites and were strongly associated with soil temperature (r=0.87, p<0.001). The rates of soil ammonification (66.8 to 84. 1 kg N·ha-1·yr-1) and amounts of total N mineralized (103.7 to 130.6 kg N·ha-1·yr-1)did not show a clear regional trend across the gradient sites. Significant correlations between SO(r=0.82, p<0.001), No(r=0.77, p=0.003) deposition and the adjusted means of ammonium-N after removing the effects of soil temperature indicated that SO and NO deposition had significantly impacts on ammonification process. Soil pH did not correspond to the gradient of H+deposition, which was not correlated with either ammonification or nitrification rates across the study sites.

Development and magnetic properties of loess-derived forest soils along a precipitation gradient in northern Iran

In order to investigate the development of forest soils formed on loess, six representative modern soil pedons were selected along a precipitation gradient extending from eastern Golestan(mean annual precipitation, MAP = 500 mm)to eastern Mazandaran Provinces(MAP = 800 mm).Physiochemical, micromorphological and magnetic properties, as well as clay mineralogy of soils were studied using standard methods. Soils are mainly classified as Alfisols and Mollisols. Downward decalcification and the subsequent clay illuviation were the main criteria of soil development in all study areas. Pedogenic magnetic susceptibility of pedons studied varied systematically across the precipitation gradient in Northern Iran, increasing from 14.66 ×10-8 m3 kg-1 at the eastern part to 83.75 × 10-8 m3 kg-1 at the western margin of this transect. The frequencydependent magnetic susceptibility showed an increasing trend with rainfall as well. The micromorphological study of soils indicated that there is a positive relationship between climate gradient (increasing rainfall) and the micromorphological index of soil development(MISECA). The area and thickness of clay coatings showed an increasing trend with rainfall. Grain size analysis indicates that pedogenic processes are responsible for changing original grain size distribution of loess in our soils.The correlation achieved among modern soil properties and precipitation could be applied to the buried paleosols in the whole study area to refer degree of paleosol development and to reconstruct the paleoclimate.

Shear Instability of Saturated Soil Considering the Gradients of Strain and Pore Pressure

The dynamic instability of saturated soil considering the gradients of strain and pore pressure was discussed in this paper.The inertia and the drainage effects were considered and the Perturbation method was used.It is shown that the strain gradient and pore pressure gradient are positive factors for the instability of saturated soil.

Evaluation of Cadmium Bioavailability in Soils Using Diffusive Gradients in Thin Film Technique and Traditional Methods

The developed technique of diffusive gradients in thin film( DGT) has been suggested as a promising tool for evaluation of cadmium( Cd) availability in soils,but there exists considerable debate on its suitability. In this study,Cd bioavailability in soils was systemically investigated by comparing this technique with seven traditional methods, including soil solution concentration and six commonly used extraction methods( HAc,EDTA,Na c,NH4Ac,CaCl2 and MgCl2). Two typical plants( wheat and maize) were examined for Cd uptake. Maize was more sensitive to increasing exposure to Cd in soils than wheat when the added amounts of Cd ranged from 3. 5 to 5. 0 mg · kg-1,accompanied by the significant decreases of shoot and root biomasses. Cd concentrations in shoots and roots of two plants increased continuously with increasing levels of Cd in soils. Cd uptake was higher in wheat than that in maize. The bioavailable concentrations of Cd measured by all methods increased nearly linearly with increasing addition of Cd in soils. Positive correlations were observed between various bioavailable indicators of Cd in soils and Cd concentrations in two plants. The extractable Cd by six chemical extractants was considerably higher for maize than for wheat,while the DGT-measured and soil solution concentrations of Cd were lower for maize than for wheat,following the same trend as plant Cd uptake. The results imply that DGT measurement can effectively predict the bioavailable levels of Cd in soil solutions and that it is an ideal tool for prediction of Cd bioavailability in soils.

Soil bacterial characteristics between surface and subsurface soils along a precipitation gradient in the Alxa Desert, China

Bacteria in desert soil have unique phylogeny and important ecological functions, and theirresponses to changes in precipitation need further attention. However, relevant studies have mainlyfocused on the surface soil, and studies on the responses of bacteria at different soil depths to variationsin precipitation are rare. Thus, we used 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing to investigate the changesin soil bacterial distribution along a mean annual precipitation gradient (50–150 mm) in the Alxa Desert,China, and compared the variation characteristics in the surface soil layer (0–10 cm) and subsurface soillayer (10–20 cm). Results showed that soil bacterial communities significantly changed along theprecipitation gradient in both soil layers. However, the subsurface soil layer could support bacterialcommunities with higher diversity and closer internal relationships but more internal competition than thesurface soil layer. Additionally, compared with the surface soil layer, variations in diversity andco-occurrence patterns in the subsurface soil layer were more in line with the changes in the mean annualprecipitation, while bacterial community structure was less variable in the subsurface soil layer. Comparedwith the mean annual precipitation, soil moisture had little influence on the structure and diversity of soilbacterial community but had a high correlation with intercommunity connectivity. Therefore, soilmoisture might play a complex role in mediating environmental conditions and soil bacterial communitycharacteristics. Due to the different responses of surface and subsurface soil bacteria to the changes inprecipitation, it is necessary to distinguish different soil layers when predicting the trends in desert soilbacterial conditions associated with precipitation, and prediction of subsurface soil bacteria may be moreaccurate.