Herbaceous communities and soil properties of Salix psammophila plantations on alpine sandy land

To enable the plantation on alpine sandy land to play its ecological function efficiently and sustainably, the understory herbaceous communities and soil properties of Salix psammophila plantation with 2 densities and 2 stubble measures in Gonghe Basin were analysed. The results showed that there were 20 species of herbs belongs to 10 families and 19 genera in 4 plantation types, Leymus secalinus and Astragalus adsurgens were the common dominant species. The important value of A. adsurgens was the highest in the 2 density plantations, and the important value of L. secalinus in the 2 stubble measure plantations was significantly higher than that of A. adsurgens. The number of herbaceous species in the 2 density plantations was the same (13), which was lower than that in the full stubble plantation (17) and in the alternate stubble plantation (14). The total coverage and biomass of herbaceous community and the soil silt and very fine sand contents in low density plantation and alternate stubble plantation were higher than those in high density plantation and full stubble plantation, respectively. The soil silt content of the 2 stubble measure plantations was significantly higher than that of the 2 density plantations. Ordination diagram of RDA on herbaceous communities and soil properties with basic conditions of S. psammophila plantations showed that the crown, plantation density and base diameter of S. psammophila were the main factors affecting the herbaceous community and soil properties. The results of comprehensive evaluation of understory herbaceous communities and soil properties of the 4 plantation types were as follows: alternate stubble plantation > full stubble plantation > low density plantation > high density plantation.