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Interaction of soil water dynamics and long-term natural vegetation succession on the Loess Plateau, China

Date
Date
Wednesday 3 May 2023, 12.00
Location
School of Geography 8.11

Networking Lunch

This presentation will be followed by a Networking Lunch 1.00-2.00pm. Please complete this form to register for lunch and let us know your dietary requirements.

Abstract:

Interaction of soil water dynamics and long-term natural vegetation succession on the Loess Plateau, China.

Yongwang will explore the change of soil water storage during the about 160 years long natural vegetation restoration and its main impact factors.

The subject to be studied is the influence mechanism of land cover change on soil ‘reservoir’ in the process of vegetation succession. Soil water is one of the most important soil factors affecting vegetation growth, carbon distribution, microbial activity, nutrient cycling and photosynthetic rate. Changes in land cover during vegetation succession can affect soil physical properties, such as bulk density, moisture changes, soil infiltration and evaporation, thus affecting changes in soil ‘reservoir’. At present, studies on soil water retention and water supply under different land cover at home and abroad are mostly found in artificial vegetation, while studies on soil water function of natural succession vegetation are insufficient. To study the influence mechanism of land cover change on the soil ‘reservoir’ in the process of vegetation succession from the perspective of water resources could provide important scientific guidance for the vegetation construction and agricultural production in the study area;, help clarify the action mechanism of vegetation succession on soil moisture, even the interaction mechanism between soil moisture and plant, provide theoretical support for ecological environment construction, assess the ability of soil ‘reservoir’ to store and regulate the soil water

About the speaker: Yongwang received his PH.D. from Chinese Academy of Science 6 years ago, and his major is ecology.  He is an associate professor in Yan'an University, China. He is funded by China Scholarship Council, and in Leeds for one year ‘ to visit some researchers in ecology and to find out whether we can cooperate to get some new ideas about soil hydrology under different land covers.’