The effects of vegetation communities on soil organic carbon stock in an enclosed desert-steppe region of northern China

Enclosure is an effective strategy for enhancing soil carbon sequestration in the desert steppe. Soil organic (SOC) and its stock during changes plant community influence fertility global cycle. We studied SOC along with six types steppe of Inner Mongolia, northern China. The goal this study was to explore differences among communities while accounting effects environmental factors. collected 336 samples at four depths (0–5 cm, 5–10 10–20 20–30 cm) vegetation attributes from 84 plots enclosure. results revealed that type depth were most influential factors root biomass, SOC, stock. Total biomass varied 229.21 731.71 g·m−2 ranked as follows: Koeleria cristata > Leymus chinensis Stipa krylovii >Allium mongolicum >Stipa breviflora Convolvulus ammannii. Mean soils associated K. 1.94 1.62 times higher than measured C. ammannii soils, respectively. Root gradually decreased depth. Stratification ratios (SRs) increased different showed better quality (except A. mongolicum). Results redundancy analysis (RDA) clay, coverage, litter had significant impacts on conclude greatest effect improving after enclosure, contributed