We use cookies on our website. Some are necessary for the operation of the website. You can also allow cookies for statistical purposes. You can adjust the data protection settings or agree to all cookies directly.
Data Protection Declaration
Imprint
FOR 536 P1: Amount, composition, and turnover of organic matter pools in grassland soils under typical steppe vegetation types of the Xilin River Basin (Inner Mongolia) with different grazing management
Project
Project code: DFG FOR 536
Contract period: 01.01.2004
- 01.01.2016
Purpose of research: Basic research
Heavy grazing in Leymus chinensis-dominated semi-arid grasslands results in changes in the amount, composition, and turnover of soil organic matter (SOM), due to the degradation of soil aggregation and release of aggregate-protected SOM, associated with enhanced susceptibility to soil erosion. This becomes evident as reduced bulk soil OC content, but especially as reduced microaggregation and reduced free and occluded particulate organic matter (POM) contents, which are the most sensitive indicators for topsoil OM effects due to heavy grazing.
The focus of the second phase within the MAGIM framework will be to expand this work to overgrazing effects in the Xilin river catchment. This will be achieved by detailed studies on the effects of continuous grazing in the second major steppe type (Stipa grandis dominated sites). The analysis of indicator parameters for heavy grazing (microaggregation, POM contents) on selected plots of the controlled grazing experiment with defined stocking rates will relate SOM status to specific management conditions. Selected SOM data will be obtained within the joint large-scale spatial experiment to relate these results to the soils of the whole catchment area. This approach will allow to quantify the effects of overgrazing on topsoil OC content and composition in the major soil and steppe types of the Xilin river catchment.
Section overview
Subjects
- Soil science
