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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica
Published on: June 23, 2018
N2-fixing black locust intercropping improves ecosystem nutrition at the vulnerable semi-arid Loess Plateau region,
Baoguo Du1, Junzhu Pang2, Bin Hu3
1College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Mianyang Normal University, 166 Mianxing Road West, Mianyang, 621000, China; Institute of Forest Sciences, Chair of Tree Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 53/54, Freiburg, 79110, Germany.
Abstract:
The Loess Plateau in northwestern China constitutes one of the most vulnerable semi-arid regions in the world due to long-term decline in forest cover, soil nutrient depletion by agricultural use, and attendant soil erosion. Here, we characterize the significance of N2-fixing Robinia pseudoacacia L. and non-N2-fixing Juglans regia L. for improving nutrient availability and water retention in soil by comparing a range of biological and physicochemical features in monoculture and mixed plantations of both species. We found that N2-fixing Robinia facilitates the nitrogen and phosphorus composition of non-N2-fixing Juglans in the mixed stand as a consequence of improved soil nutrient availability, evident as higher levels of nitrogen and labile carbon compared to mono-specific stands. This demonstrates that intercropping N2-fixing Robinia with non-N2-fixing woody plants can greatly improve soil carbon and nitrogen bioavailability as well as whole-plant nutrition and can potentially mediate water retention with additional sequestration of soil organic carbon in the range of 1 t C ha-1 year-1. Thus, intercropping N2-fixing woody species (e.g. Robinia pseudoacacia or Hippophae rhamnoides L.) with locally important non-N2-fixing tree and shrub species should be considered in afforestation strategies for landscape restoration.
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