Analysis for soil characteristics of degraded grassland on Alpine Meadow

[Objective] The aim of this study is to explore the effects of grassland degradation on soil physical and chemical properties. [Method] The ratio of plant root to soil and soil texture on Alpine Meadow were investigated in this study, and soil available N, P, K, Cu, Zn, organic matter and pH value were also analyzed by routine analysis of soil nutrients in different degraded grasslands. [Result] With the intensification of degraded gradient and the soil depth, the ratio of plant root to soil was decreased gradually. The highest ratio of plant root to soil was in 0-10 cm depth of soil in grassland with different degraded gradients, while its ratio of plant root to soil changed from 0.001 to 0.040 with soil type of loam. Soil chemical characteristic changed in different degraded gradients. The content of available N, P, K reduced significantly with the soil depth and the intensification of degraded gradients. The content of Cu and Zn was relatively lack in degraded grassland. [Conclusion] There is no significant correlation between nutrition content or pH value and the succession degree of degraded grassland.