Conversion of cropland into agroforestry land versus naturally-restored grassland alters soil macro-faunal diversity and trophic structure in the semi-arid agro-pasture zone of northern China

作     者：LIU Rentao Yosef STEINBERGER HOU Jingwei ZHAO Juan LIU Jianan CHANG Haitao ZHANG Jing LUO Yaxi 

作者机构：Key Laboratory for Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Northwestern China of Ministry of EducationNingxia University The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences Bar Ilan University College of Agriculture Ningxia University 

出 版 物：《Journal of Arid Land》 (干旱区科学（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2019年第11卷第2期

页      面：306-317页

核心收录：

学科分类：07[理学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41661054 41867005) Project for Top Young Talent Candidates of Ningxia (RQ0010) Science Research Foundation of Ningxia Higher Education (NGY2018007) Ningxia Natural Science Foundation (2018AAC02004) Specialized Foundation for Fundamental Condition Construction in Ningxia Science and Technology (2018DPC05021) the Project of First-Class University of Western China for Key Laboratory of Ningxia University (NXYLXK2017B06, GZXM2017001) 

主　　题：abandoned cropland agro-pasture zone community diversity land restoration soil macrofauna 

摘      要：Restoration of cropland(termed Farm ) after abandonment including shrubs(termed Shrub ),trees(termed Tree ) and natural grassland(termed Grass ) has become a routine process aimed to improve land productivity and control desertification. During this restoration process, soil macro-faunal diversity, and trophic structure were investigated at four types of sites(Farm, Shrub, Tree, and Grass)during growing season in the semi-arid agro-pasture zone of northern China. Results indicated that the Staphylinidae family was found to dominate at the Grass, Shrub, and Tree sites, whiles larval Pyralidae individuals were found at the Grass site only. The density of the omnivores(i.e., Formicidae family) was significantly(P0.05) greater at the Grass site than at the Tree and Farm sites. The total density and richness of predator and phytophages were found to be markedly(P0.05) greater at the Grass site than at the Farm site. Meanwhile, we found the taxon richness of predators was significantly(P0.05) higher at the Shrub site than at the Farm and Tree sites. Compared with the Farm and afforested Shrub/Tree sites,the Grass site had greater density, taxon richness, and Shannon index(P0.05). In conclusion, natural restoration of abandoned croplands toward grassland was an effective strategy relative to artificial afforestation for improvement of soil biological diversity. Moreover, planting shrub is a preferable measure in abandoned croplands for land development in the semi-arid agro-pasture zone of northern China.