The relationship between litter and soil and hydrothermal conditions of typical communities of grassland in Yanchi, Ningxia

Abstract: The litter in typical communities of grassland in Yanchi, Ningxia were studied by using set sample in situ and litterbags method，the results showed: (1) Monthly litterfall of Agropyron cristatum, Glycyrrhiza uralensi, Artemisia desertorum and Leymus secalinus showed no significant correlation with monthly precipitation and mean temperature. The litterfall amount varied much among months and the variation coefficient ranged from 71.77% to 107.91%. For 4 species, litter amount all peaked at October. (2) There was a positive significant relationship between litters water content and soil water content in the four typical communities. (3) Litter decomposition changed soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, available P and K content to some extent, but showed less effects for totalP and totalK content.