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The role of weed invasion in controlling sand dune reactivation in abandoned fields in semi‐arid Inner Mongolia, China
Author(s) -
Nemoto Masayuki,
Ohkuro Toshiya,
Xu Bin
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/bf02529462
Subject(s) - arid , weed , vegetation (pathology) , inner mongolia , environmental science , agronomy , crop , agroforestry , economic shortage , geography , ecology , biology , china , medicine , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology , pathology , government (linguistics)
The growth of crops and invading weeds were examined at six sites under different cultivation conditions in semi‐arid Inner Mongolia, where sand dune reactivation has been controlled by weed invasion. The soil moisture content was not sufficient for crop growth in over‐cultivated farmland. The shortage of moisture in the soil suppresses the growth of both crops and weeds. Accordingly, farmers carry out weeding to maintain better soil moisture conditions for crop growth. Over‐cultivated farmland is often abandoned when the crop yield decreases to an economically unprofitable level. If weed vegetation before abandonment remains, it becomes a core of vegetation expansion and recovers the entire soil surface. While weedy vegetation is lacking or has been grazed by livestock, sand dune reactivation occurs.