Effect Of Cushion Plant's Facilitation On Soil Phyical And Chemical Properties In Alpine Areas

Alpine ecosystem is an important component of the earth's ecosystems,and it is an ideal area studies positive interactions among species.Cushion plants are the dominant species in alpine ecosystems.The positive interaction of cushion plants play an important role in the maintenance of plant population dynamics,species diversity and stability,alpine ecosystem functioning.We selected six alpine cushion plants,in order to explore the facilitation of cushion plants on soil physico-chemical properties.The main conclusions are as follows:1.The physico-chemical properties of soil are different in various alpine areas.The differences of soil physico-chemical properties in Tibet,Gansu Shibaocheng and Qinghai regions were smaller than in Tianshan,Yunnan Baimaxueshan,Gansu Maomao mountain.2.Cushion plants changed the soil physico-chemical properties,which were species-specific.The difference of on soil physico-chemical properties in and out of Rhodiola dumulosa were bigger than Sibbaldia tetrandra.Positive interaction of Rhodiola dumulosa was significantly increased soil water content,total organic carbon,total nitrogen,total organic carbon/total nitrogen,but it were significantly reduced soil pH and total phosphorus.However,positive interaction of Sibbaldia tetrandra was just significantly increased soil water content,and significantly reduced total organic carbon,but soil pH,total nitrogen,total organic carbon/total nitrogen,total phosphorus were no significant differences.3.Positive interaction of cushion plants on soil physico-chemical properties were different in different places.The soil water content,pH,total organic carbon,total phosphorus were no significant differences in and out of Arenaria kansuensis in Maomao mountain,Datongdabanya,Reshuidabanya.The positive interaction of Arenaria kansuensis significantly increased total nitrogen in Maomao mountain.As well as,positive interaction of Arenaria kansuensis significantly increased total organic carbon/total nitrogen in Reshuidabanya.Positive interaction of Thylacospermum capespitosum significantly reduced soil pH,and total nitrogen was no significant different in Gansu Shibaocheng and Xinjiang Tianshan.But positive interaction of Thylacospermum capespitosum significantly increased soil water content,total organic carbon,total organic carbon/total nitrogen,and significantly reduced total phosphorus,positive interaction of Thylacospermum capespitosum were no significantly differences total organic carbon,total organic carbon/total nitrogen,total phosphorus,and significantly reduced soil water content.In summary,this paper explored positive interaction of cushion plants affected soil physico-chemical properties.The positive interactions of cushion plants on soil physico-chemical properties were species-specific and context-depended.This helps to understanded the mechanism of facilitation of cushion facilitation,which also theoretical importance on alpine ecosystem restortation and conservation.