Field Test Of Rapid Cultivating Of Moss Crusts In Wind-Water Erosion Crisscross Region

Soil erosion and soil desertification are increasing attention all over the world.Biological soil crust(biocrusts),which is a common surface cover,can improve soil nutrients,conserve soil and water and prevent soil erosion.Water and soil loss is a global environment problem received huge attention in international community,as well as soil desertification.Biological soil crust(biocrusts)is common surface cover including biotic component,widely distributed in arid and semiarid ecosystems and play important roles in improving soil nutrients,maintaining water and soil,and preventing wind and sand fixation.However,the slow growth rate of biocrusts limits its application in practice.Some studies indicated that artificial inoculation combining with management can accelerate the formation and colonization of moss crusts.Additionally,The effects of inoculation amount,inoculation method,inoculation time,shading,nutrient solution,watering and other measures on the formation and colonization of moss crust have been reported.Whereas,all of these factors are rarely considered comprehensively,and the technology have not been effectively applied in the field.In this study,we collected dominant moss species in the Wind-water erosion crisscross region,and then artificially inoculated in the Liudaogou watershed of Shenmu County.We investigated the influences of inoculation amount,inoculation season,watering frequency,watering amount,nutrient solution on the formation and development of moss crust in natural environment.,Consequently,we proposed an optimal technology of rapidly culturing moss crust under natural condition in Loess Plateau Region,it will be favorable to accelerate the recovery of moss crust and provide technological support in the field,and it will be important for the ecological restoration,prevention of soil erosion and desertification.The results are as follows:(1)Artificial inoculation?the inoculation time and watering can significantly increased the coverage and density of biocrusts in the field(P<0.05).The biocrusts with an area ratio of1:2 were superior to the 1:1 inoculation and 1:5 inoculation treatments.The coverage of the biocrusts increased by 307.61%and 47.25%as compared with the proportion of 1:1 and 1:5,respectively,and the density of moss crusts increased by 13.57%and 8.9%,respectively.The optimal inoculation time in the Loess Plateau region was during the rainy season.After 43days of inoculation and cultivation in the rainy season,the coverage of moss crust was 289%and 43%higher than that before the rainy season and after the rainy season,respectively.The maximum density was 590%and 194%higher than that before and after the rainy season,respectively.In the initial stage of cultivation,the coverage of moss crust showed the maximum increasing rate under 2.4L/m~2 watering and every two days watering treatment.After 40 days,the coverage of moss crust reached to 16.45%which was 32%higher than non-watering treatment,and the density was 2.33 plants per square centimeter,there was43.59%higher than non-watering treatment.(2)Soil texture and the nutrient solution can significantly affected the formation and development of moss crusts.Inoculation in loessial soil was better than that in aeolian sandy soils.After 43 days of inoculation,the maximum coverage of moss crusts in loessial soil was40.05%higher than that in aeolian sands.The maximum density was 68.57%higher than that of sandy soil.The addition of nutrient solution increased the coverage and density of the moss crust,and the second nutrient solution was superior to other nutrient solutions in loess soil.(3)Inoculated in the rainy season with an inoculum ratio of 1:2 area expansion ratio,every two days of watering frequency and the second nutrient solution,cultivated for 43 days,the coverage of moss crust reached to 15.56%,and the density reached to 9.17 plants per square centimeter.The artificially cultivated moss crust had sustained ability in the study area.After one year of artificial cultivation,the average maximum coverage and density of moss crust was 41.19%and 15.71 plants per square centimeter,respectively.