Search Results (17)

Understanding the community assembly mechanisms and stability of artificial sand-fixing forests is critical for the management of desert ecosystems. This study investigated the understory vegetation of four artificial sand-fixing shrub forests in the Mu Us Sandy Land to understand community assembly mechanisms and stability by analyzing niche characteristics, interspecific associations, and community stability. The results showed the following: (1) Lc (Leymus chinensis), Ee (Euphorbia esula), Gd (Grubovia dasyphylla), and Ch (Corispermum hyssopifolium) all have wide ecological niches and high importance values, serving as key species for maintaining community function. (2) The understory herbaceous plant communities of S. psammophila, A. ordosica and C. fruticosum exhibited low niche overlap, and the A. fruticosa understory herbaceous plant community showed high niche overlap. (3) The overall association of the understory herbaceous plant communities of S. psammophila, A. ordosica, and C. fruticosum is positive, while that of the understory herbaceous plant community of A. fruticosa is negative; the interspecific associations are weak, and the species show an independent distribution pattern. (4) Among the four understory herbaceous plant communities, the stability of the S. psammophila understory herbaceous plant community is relatively the highest, followed by A. ordosica and C. fruticosum understory herbaceous plant community, and the stability of A. fruticosa understory herbaceous plant community is the lowest. Furthermore, community stability was positively correlated with the variance ratio (VR) but negatively correlated with mean niche overlap. We recommend prioritizing S. psammophila and C. fruticosum for sand fixation and conserving key herbaceous species to optimize resource use and stabilize interspecific relationships. The novelty of this study lies in its integrated assessment of niche characteristics, interspecific associations, and community stability, and it primarily focused on the role of interspecific relationships. Future research should incorporate environmental drivers and shrub functional traits to disentangle the synergistic effects of biotic and abiotic factors, thereby providing a more robust scientific foundation for vegetation restoration in desert ecosystems. Full article

Global climate change has intensified land desertification in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwestern China, highlighting the urgent need to cultivate plant species with ideal architecture and well-developed root systems to combat ecosystem degradation. Amorpha fruticosa is widely used as a windbreak and sand-fixation shrub; however, its rapid growth and high transpiration during the early planting stage often result in excessive water loss, low survival rates, and limited vegetation restoration effectiveness. Plant growth retardants (PGRts) are known to suppress apical dominance and promote branching. In this study, one-year-old A. fruticosa seedlings were treated with different combinations of paclobutrazol (PP₃₃₃) and uniconazole (S₃₃₀₇) to investigate their effects on plant morphology and biomass allocation; it aims to determine the optimal formula for cultivating shrub structures with excellent windbreak and sand-fixation effects in land desertification areas. The results showed that both PP₃₃₃ and S₃₃₀₇ significantly inhibited plant height while promoting basal stem diameter, branching, and root development. Among all treatments, the S₃₃₀₇ 200 mg·L⁻¹ + PP₃₃₃ 200 mg·L⁻¹ combination (SD3) was the most effective, resulting in the greatest increases in basal diameter, branch number, total root length, and root-to-shoot ratio, while significantly reducing height increment, leaf length and leaf area (p < 0.05). Under the S₃₃₀₇ 200 mg·L⁻¹ + PP₃₃₃ 300 mg·L⁻¹ treatment (SD4), leaf width and specific leaf area were reduced by 17.92% and 38.89%, respectively, compared with the control. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive or negative relationships among most growth traits, with leaf length negatively correlated with other morphological indicators. Fresh and dry weights of both aboveground and root tissues were significantly positively correlated with basal diameter (R = 0.38) and branch basal diameter (R = 0.33). Principal component analysis demonstrated that the SD3 treatment achieved the highest comprehensive score (2.91), indicating its superiority in promoting a compact yet robust plant architecture. Overall, the SD3 treatment improved drought resistance and sand-fixation capacity of A. fruticosa by “dwarfing and strengthening plants while optimizing root–shoot allocation.” These findings provide theoretical support for large-scale cultivation and vegetation restoration in arid and semi-arid regions and offer a technical reference for growth regulation and windbreak and sand-fixation capacity in other xerophytic shrub species. Full article

This study examined the windbreak effects of different tree–shrub configurations through wind tunnel experiments. Using Populus euphratica Oliv. and Tamarix chinensis Lour. as model species, six rows of front-tree–back-shrub arrangements in a triangular layout were tested under varying spacing patterns. Four spacings of P e (7.5 cm × 7.5 cm, 7.5 cm × 10 cm, 7.5 cm × 12.5 cm, 10 cm × 10 cm) and four spacings of T cs (5 cm × 5 cm, 5 cm × 7.5 cm, 5 cm × 10 cm, 7.5 cm × 7.5 cm) were analyzed. Tree–shrub combinations significantly outperformed pure stands. The configuration of P e (7.5 cm × 10 cm) with T c (5 cm × 10 cm) achieved the highest efficiency, with an average of 27.1% and a peak of 47.13% at 7 H. This configuration was effective up to 15 H and showed slower efficiency decline at higher wind speeds. Vertically, most combinations reached maximum efficiency at 20 cm height, while pure T c peaked at 51.96% at 3 cm and pure P e at 36.33% at 20 cm. Overall, the optimal configuration was P e spaced at 7.5 cm × 10 cm and T c at 5 cm × 10 cm, which not only enhanced protective performance but also reduced planting density. These findings provide valuable scientific references for designing windbreak and sand-fixing forests in arid regions, supporting ecological restoration and sustainable land management in desert–oasis transition zones. Full article

Salix psammophila C. Wang & C. Y. Yang is an important windbreak and sand-fixing shrub species in Northwest China, with excellent characteristics such as resistance to drought, wind, and sand. S. psammophila needs to be stubbed flat after several years of growth to continue to grow, otherwise, its growth rate will slow down and even begin to die. To understand the genetic regulatory mechanism of secondary growth in S. psammophila, cell structure and transcriptome analysis were performed on the secondary xylem and secondary phloem of stems. The results showed that the secondary xylem and the secondary phloem of S. psammophila were well developed at 1, 2, and 3-year-old stages, and the secondary growth changes mainly occurred in the secondary xylem at the 2 to 3-year-old stage, with a faster growth rate. The CSE2 and CSE1 genes that regulate CSE (caffeoyl shikimate esterase) have high sequence similarity (92% and 93%) with the CSE2 and CSE1 genes of the genus Populus, respectively, and regulate lignin biosynthesis. Notably, the expression levels of these two genes decreased in the secondary xylem of 3-year-old S. psammophila, indicating that the rapid growth of S. psammophila may be related to lignin biosynthesis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to screen candidate TFs and genes involved in the secondary growth processes of S. psammophila, which were categorized into six co-expression modules. A total of 79 genes were selected from these co-expression modules, and co-expression network maps of the genes were constructed. The results indicate that the secondary growth of S. psammophila was regulated by a TF regulatory network. Interestingly, PLATZ TFs were involved in the rapid secondary growth and stress tolerance in S. psammophila. This hints that S. psammophila may promote secondary growth by increasing stress tolerance. Full article

Background: The restoration of the degraded sandy grasslands in Hulun Buir is crucial for maintaining the local ecological balance and sustainable development. Caragana microphylla Lam., a shrub species widely employed in the restoration of sandy vegetation. It is essential to understand its impact on the understory vegetation and soil properties during this process. Methods: This study employed ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and redundancy analysis to systematically analyze the impact of C. microphylla on the three critical stages of desertified grassland vegetation recovery: semi-fixed dunes, fixed dunes, and sandy grasslands. It provided strategies for the restoration of desertified grassland vegetation and offered additional theoretical evidence for the role of vegetation in promoting the recovery of sandy lands. Results: (1) As the degree of vegetation recovery in desertified grasslands increases, the species richness of understory vegetation, Shannon–Wiener index, community height, and biomass also increase. Both the community height and biomass within shrublands are higher than outside, with species richness within the shrublands being higher than outside during the semi-fixed and fixed-sand land stages. (2) In both the 0~10 cm and 10~20 cm soil layers, soil water content showed an increasing trend, peaking in the sandy grassland stage (1.2%), and was higher within the shrublands than outside. The soil water content at 10~20 cm was higher than in the 0~10 cm layer. In both layers, clay and silt content gradually increased with the degree of vegetation recovery in the sandy land, and higher within the shrublands than outside, while the opposite was true for sand content. (3) In both soil layers, soil organic carbon gradually increased with the degree of vegetation recovery, peaking in the sandy grassland stage (4.12 g·kg⁻¹), and was higher within the shrublands than outside. Total nitrogen increased from the semi-fixed-sand land stage to the fixed-sand land stage, with higher levels within the shrublands than outside at all stages. Soil pH within the shrublands decreased as the degree of vegetation recovery increased. There was no significant change in the total phosphorus content. (4) In both soil layers, soil physicochemical characteristics accounted for 59.6% and 46.9% of the vegetation changes within and outside the shrublands, respectively, with the main influencing factors being the soil particle size, total nitrogen, soil water content, and soil organic carbon. Conclusions: In the process of sandy grassland restoration, C. microphylla facilitates the growth and development of vegetation by enhancing the underlying soil physicochemical properties, specifically regarding the soil particle size distribution, soil water content, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen. Full article

A predominant management practice to reduce wind erosion in the arid deserts of northwest China is the planting of shrubs. However, the carbon sequestration capacity of these sand-fixing plantations has not received much attention. In this study, the carbon sequestration capacity of six typical sand-fixing plantations (Haloxylon ammodendron (C. A. Mey.) Bunge, Caragana korshinskii Kom., Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb., Calligonum mongolicum Turcz., Artemisia desertorum Spreng. and Hedysarum scoparium Fisch. & C. A. Mey.) in the Shiyang River Basin were compared and analyzed. We evaluated how carbon sequestration may vary among different species, and examined if plantation age or management style (such as the additional construction of sand barriers, enclosure) positively or negatively influenced the carbon storage potential of these plantation ecosystems. Our results showed that all six plantations could store carbon, but plant species is the controlling factor driving carbon stock accumulation in plantations. The actual organic carbon stored beneath 25-year-old T. ramosissima, H. ammodendron, C. korshinskii, H. scoparium, C. mongolicum and A. desertorum plantations was 45.80, 31.80, 20.57, 20.2, 8.24 and1.76 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively. Plantations using a clay–sand barrier had 1.3 times the carbon sequestration capacity of plantations that only used wheat straw and sand barriers. Similarly, enclosed plantations had 1.4 times the carbon storage capacity of unenclosed plantations. Plantation age greatly impacts carbon sequestration capacity. A 25-year-old H. ammodendron plantation has a carbon sequestration capacity three times greater than that of 3-year plantation. We conclude that while afforesting arid areas, H. ammodendron and T. ramosissima should be prioritized, and priority also should be given to using clay–sand barrier and enclosure. Full article

Rhizosphere microorganisms play a pivotal role in biogeochemical cycles, particularly in relation to carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles. However, the impact of stand age on the composition of rhizosphere microbial communities and the abundance involved in C and N cycling remains largely unexplored in restoration ecosystems dominated by shrubs of temperate deserts. This study focuses on revealing changes in microbial composition and functional genes in the rhizosphere soil of Caragana korshinskii after revegetation, as well as their response mechanisms to changes in environmental factors. The alpha diversity of bacteria tended to increase with stand age, whereas that of fungi decreased. The abundance of denitrification; dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, nitrification, and ammonium assimilation; and C fixation-related gene levels increased with stand age, whereas those related to the degradation of starch, pectin, hemicellulose, cellulose, and aromatics decreased. The parameters MBC, MBN, and TC were the key factors affecting the bacterial community, whereas the fungal community was regulated by TN, EC, pH, and MBC. Stand age indirectly regulated C and N cycling functions of genes through altered soil properties and microbial community structures. This study presents a novel approach to accurately evaluate the C and N cycling dynamics within ecosystems at various stages of restoration. Full article

Drought stress significantly limits the function and stability of desert ecosystems. This research examines the distribution characteristics of soil moisture across different microtopographic types in the semi-fixed dunes located at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. We constructed a path model to examine the direct and indirect impacts of topography, shrub vegetation, and herbaceous vegetation. The data encompassed soil moisture, topography, and vegetation variables, which were collected from field experiments to ensure their accuracy and relevance. Furthermore, SHAP models based on machine learning algorithms were utilized to elucidate the specific mechanisms through which key factors influence soil moisture. The results of the descriptive statistics indicate the highest surface soil moisture content, recorded at 1.21%, was observed at the bottom of the dunes, while the leeward slopes demonstrated elevated moisture levels in the middle and deep soil layers, with measurements of 2.25% and 2.43%, respectively. Soil moisture at different depths initially decreases and then increases with greater herbaceous cover and slope direction, while surface soil moisture follows a similar trend in terms of height difference, with 3 m serving as the boundary for trend changes. Middle and deep soil moistures initially increase and then decrease with greater biomass and shrub coverage, with 30 g and 40% serving as the boundary for trend changes respectively. This study elucidates the spatial distribution patterns and influencing factors of soil moisture in semi-fixed dunes, offering valuable references for the establishment of sand-stabilizing vegetation in desert regions. Full article

Reforestation of native shrub on shifting sand dunes has been widely used for desertification control in semi-arid grassland in Northeast China. Previous studies have confirmed that plantation establishment facilitates fixing sand dunes, restoring vegetation, and improving soil properties, but very few have focused on the response of the soil fungal community. In this study, a chronosequence of Caragana microphylla (CM) shrub sand-fixation plantations (8-, 19-, and 33-year-old), non-vegetated shifting sand dunes (0 years), and adjacent natural CM forests (NCFs; 50-year-old) in the Horqin sandy land were selected as experimental sites. Soil properties including enzymatic activities were determined, and the composition and structure of the soil fungal community were investigated using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing technique based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA. This study aimed to (1) describe the response of the soil fungal community to revegetation onto a moving sand dune by planting a native shrub plantation; (2) determine the main soil factors driving the succession of the fungal community; and (3) discuss whether the soil fungal community can be restored to its original state by reforestation. The reforestation of CM significantly ameliorated soil properties, increased soil fungal diversity, and altered the composition and structure of the soil fungal community. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zoopagomycota were the dominant phyla in all sites. Ascomycota did not respond to plantation development, whereas the other two dominant phyla linearly increased or decreased with the plantation age. The relative abundance of dominant genera varied with sites and showed a waning and waxing characteristic. The composition and structure of the soil fungal community in the 33-year CM plantation were very close to that of the NCF, indicating the restorability of the soil fungal community. The succession of the soil fungal community was directly driven by soil properties, of which soil moisture, organic matter, total N, urease, and protease were the main affecting factors. Full article

Establishing artificial sand-fixing shrubs is a key measure to curb dune flow and drive changes in the soil stocks and cycling of carbon and nitrogen. But our understanding of these dynamics across years of sand-fixing afforestation and the factors influencing them remains inadequate, making it hard to accurately assess its capacity to sequester carbon. To fill that knowledge gap, this study investigated soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) stocks in Mu Us Desert under artificial sand-fixing shrub stands of different ages (10, 30, 50, and 70 years old) vis-à-vis a mobile sand dune, to determine whether Caragana korshinskii afforestation improved stock characteristics and whether SOC and STN stocks were correlated during the restoration processes. The results showed that the pattern observed is consistent with an increase over time in the stocks of both SOC and STN. At 10, 30, 50, and 70 years, these stocks were found to be 1.8, 2.3, 3.2, and 5.5 times higher for SOC, and 1.3, 1.6, 2.1, and 2.7 times higher for STN, respectively, than those of the control (mobile sand) dune. Stocks of SOC and STN mainly increased significantly in the 0–10 cm soil layer. The SOC stock was correlated positively with the STN stock as well as the C:N ratio. The slope of the regression for the C:N ratio against stand age was positive, increasing slightly faster with afforestation age. Additionally, our findings suggest that during the establishment of artificial stands of shrubs, the size of the STN stock did not expand as fast as the SOC stock, resulting in an asynchronous N supply and demand that likely limits the accumulation of soil organic matter. This research provides important evidence for the sustainable development of desertified ecosystems. Full article

Microtubules, polymerized from α-tubulin (TUA) and β-tubulin (TUB) monomers, play a pivotal role in shaping plant morphogenesis according to developmental and environmental cues. Salix psammophila C. Wang & C. Y. Yang is an important shrub plant in sand-fixing afforestation in arid regions, with three significantly distinct plant types shaped under various environments, namely, upright, intermediate, and scattered types. However, how tubulin genes respond to the developmental and environmental signs in S. psammophila has been far less studied. Here, based on RNA-seq, Sanger sequencing, and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) data, we analyzed the phylogeny of tubulins and their expression profiles in S. psammophila among the three plant types. Furthermore, we analyzed the genetic structure and expression pattern of SpsTUB10 in S. psammophila under various abiotic stress treatments. In total, we identified 26 SpsTubulin genes in S. psammophila. The homologous alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these SpsTubulin genes can be classified into two groups, corresponding to the TUA and TUB genes. The expression profiles of these SpsTubulin genes in various organs showed that most SpsTubulin genes were mainly expressed in the root. SpsTUB10 is a member of the TUB IIa group, consisting of two intros and three exons. The SpsTUB10 protein contains a typical GTPase domain and a C-terminal domain, with α-helix and random coil dominant in the secondary and tertiary structures. The RT-PCR results of SpsTUB10 showed an extremely significant difference in expression levels among the root and stem-developing organs between the upright and scattered types, and the transcript level of SpsTUB10 had a significantly negative correlation with the crown-height ratio. Under different treatments, we found that cold, osmotic stress, and short daylight could significantly increase SpsTUB10 expression levels compared to those in the controls, thereby supporting the positive role of SpsTUB10 in stress-induced responses. These results will provide evidence for the SpsTubulin genes’ response to the developmental and environmental cues in S. psammophila. Full article

To understand the role of shrubs in nebkha development, a comparative analysis of nebkha morphology and shrub features was conducted in two different habitats at the southeast margin of the Tengger Desert, Northern China. Morphometric variables of 184 Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas were measured in a semi-fixed lake-basin lowland site (site 1, n = 102) and a salinized fixed sand site (site 2, n = 82). Mean length, width, projected area, and accumulated sand volume were all greater in nebkhas in site 1 than in site 2 (p < 0.05); however, mean height (i.e., sand burial depth) did not differ significantly in nebkhas between the two sites (p > 0.05). The larger nebkha volume in site 1 relative to site 2 (mean, 88.19 m³ vs. 33.16 m³) implied that the projected area influenced the accumulated sand volume. Nebkhas in site 1 tended to have large areas, low densities, and high spatial autocorrelation, while nebkhas in site 2 exhibited opposite trends with stochastic distribution. Mean vegetation density was significantly higher in site 1 than in site 2 (p < 0.05), while mean vegetation height exhibited an opposite trend (p < 0.05). In addition, there was higher vegetation coverage in site 1 than in site 2 (p > 0.05). According to the results, plant species (i.e., N. tangutorum) limited nebkha height under similar wind regimes regardless of the transport distance of aeolian material, while aeolian deposition and its effect on shrub growth jointly increased nebkha size. Full article

There is a dearth of research regarding the windbreak and sand stabilization functions of Caragana liouana shelter forests in the Gonghe Basin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Therefore, the aim is to elucidate the patterns of near-surface wind–sand activity in artificial Caragana liouana forests of varying ages and mixed forests of different configurations in alpine sandy areas. Additionally, this research seeks to clarify the windbreak and sand fixation effects of these forests. To this end, we have selected artificial forests of Caragana liouana of varying ages (10-year-old pure Caragana liouana forest (10aZJ-C), 17-year-old pure Caragana liouana forest (17aZJ-C), 37-year-old pure Caragana liouana forest (3aZJ-C)) and shrub mixed forests of different mixing modes (10-year-old Caragana liouana and Caragana korshinskii mixed forest (10aNZ-HJ), 10-year-old Caragana liouana and Artemisia desertorum mixed forest (10aSZ-HJ), an 10-year-old Caragana liouana and Salix cheilophila mixed forest (10aWZ-HJ)) within the Sand Control Station of Shazhuyu Village in the Gonghe Basin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as the research subjects. Naked sand dunes were used as the control plot (CK), and through field observations of the wind speed profile, sand transport rate, and micro-topographic changes of each stand plot, we analyzed the wind–sand flow structure characteristics and sand transport process of Caragana liouana of different ages and their mixed forests, eventually proposing suitable afforestation configuration modes for the alpine sand area of the Gonghe Basin in Qinghai. The findings indicate that the wind speed profile within each stand plot follows a linear distribution pattern. Compared to naked dune land, the windbreak effect of each plot decreases as the height from the ground increases. Among them, the 10aWZ-HJ plot significantly alters the wind speed profile and has a substantial windbreak effect; at a height of 200 cm, the windbreak effect can still reach 41.27%. The sand transport rate of each plot fits into an exponential function relationship, with the correlation coefficients (R²) of the fitting equations for each plot all exceeding 0.95 and significantly lower than the control plot, suggesting vegetation can effectively reduce near-surface sand transport. The sand-fixing effects at the height of 0–45 cm from the ground in each plot are as follows: 37aZJ-C > 17aZJ-C > 10aWZ-HJ > 10aNZ-HJ > 10aZJ-C > 10aSZ-HJ. Overall, all plots indicate a state of accumulation. The 10aWZ-HJ plot has the largest relative accumulation area at 88.00%, and the highest average intensity of wind erosion and accumulation at 1.11. Taking into account the stability of the stand and the total protection time, this study suggests that it is suitable to mainly use mixed forests of Salix cheilophila and Caragana liouana in the alpine sand area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the construction of windbreak and sand-fixing forests in alpine sand areas. Full article

Revegetation by planting shrubs on moving sand dunes is widely used to control desertification in arid/semi-arid areas. The soil including microbial community can gradually be improved along with plantation development. The purposes of this study were (1) to investigate the responses of microbial communities involved in the mineralization of soil organic phosphorus (OP) and dissolution of inorganic P (IOP) in the development of sand-fixating plantation and (2) to discuss the interactions between P turnover microbial communities and soil properties. We assessed the compositions of soil phoD gene (one of the Pho regulons encoding alkaline phosphomonoesterases) and gcd gene (encoding glucose dehydrogenase) in microbial community by using high-throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing in a chronosequence of Caragana microphylla plantations (0-, 10-, 20-, and 37-year plantations and a native C. microphylla shrub forest) in Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China. Soil properties including soil nutrients, enzymatic activity, and P fractions were also determined. The abundance of phoD and gcd genes linearly increased with the plantation age. However, the diversity of soil phoD microbes was more abundant than that of gcd. The phoD gene abundance and the fractions of total OP and IOP were positively correlated with the activity of phosphomonoesterase. Actinobacteria and Streptomycetaceae were the dominant phoD taxa, while Proteobacteria and Rhizobiaceae were the dominant gcd taxa. Plantation development facilitated the progressive successions of soil phoD and gcd communities resulting from the increase in the abundance of dominant taxa. Total soil N, NH₄-N, and available K were the main factors affecting the structures of phoD and gcd communities, while pH was not significantly influencing factor in such arid and nutrient-poor sandy soil. Many phoD or gcd OTUs were classified into Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium, suggesting the coupling relationship between soil P turnover and N fixation. Full article

Revegetation on moving sand dunes is a widely used approach for restoring the degraded sandy land in northeastern China. The development of sand-fixation forest might improve the structures of soil microbial communities and affect soil N cycle. In the present study, the diversities of nitrite (nirS and nirK) and nitrous oxide (nosZ) reductase genes were investigated under a chronosequence of Caragana microphylla sand-fixation shrub forest (9- and 19-year), adjacent non-vegetated shifting sand-dune, and a natural forest dominated by C. microphylla. The dominant compositions and gene abundance were analyzed by a clone library technique and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The compositions and dominant taxa of nirK, nirS, and nosZ communities under forest soil were all similar to those in the shifting sand-dune. However, the three gene abundances all linearly increased across forest age. Clones associated with known denitrifiers carrying nosZ, nirK, or nirS genes, such as members of Pseudomonas, Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas, Azospirillum, and Cupriavidus, were detected. These denitrifiers were found to be abundant in soil and dominant in soil denitrification. Soil pH, total N, and available N affected the denitrifying communities by altering the relative abundance of dominant taxa. Overall, although soil attributes and forest age had no significant effects on the dominant constituents of nirK, nirS, and nosZ communities, revegetation on shifting sand-dunes facilitated the quantitative restoration of soil denitrifiers due to the increase in soil nutrients. Full article