Impact of cellulose and lignin on restoration of vegetation and soil chemical properties for saline-alkali soil of songnen plain

Abstract

To explore the effects of cellulose and lignin on stimulating vegetation restoration and improving soil chemical properties in saline-alkali soil, a large area test was carried out, and 2 treatments were set up: T (cellulose and lignin+ Planted seeds) and CK (Planted seeds). In this study, the species, quantity, plant height, above-ground biomass, biodiversity of vegetation in the treated plots, the determination of soil chemical nutrient content, and the effect of cellulose and lignin on vegetation restoration in saline-alkali land were investigated. The results showed that: 1) Cellulose and lignin contributed to vegetation growth. Compared with CK treatment, plant height and aboveground biomass of T increased by 158.73% and 240.13%, respectively; 2) Cellulose and lignin improved soil structure, and soil porosity, and decreased soil compaction (21.95%); 3) Compared with CK treatment, T treatment decreased soil pH by 0.5 units, total salt content decreased by 30.95%, exchangeable Na+ decreased by 63.00%, and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) decreased by 61.51%. Furthermore, cellulose and lignin effectively improved the physical and chemical properties of saline-alkali soil, promoted the recovery of ecological environment in saline-alkali soil, and improved regional biodiversity, which will provide new methods for soil remediation and improvement in saline-alkali areas.