Work

Eco-Mechanical Optimization of Composite-Amended Sandy Substrate for Alhagi sparsifolia in Arid Regions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In response to the problems of loose soil structure and insufficient water and nutrient retention capacity of sandy bank slopes in arid regions, which constrain vegetation establishment and long-term slope stability, this study focuses on typical sandy soils in arid northwestern China. The desert plant Alhagi sparsifolia, characterized by clonal root sucker reproduction, was selected as the study species to construct and optimize a composite-amended sandy substrate suitable for ecological restoration of bank slopes. Based on an orthogonal experimental design, carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC), straw fibers (SF), and fly ash (FA) were combined at different proportions to assess (i) the vertical distribution of soil water and nutrients in the A. sparsifolia growth habitat, (ii) aggregate structure, (iii) plant trait responses to environmental regulation, and (iv) the shear strength of root–soil composites. The results indicate that when the contents of CMC, SF, and FA were 0.5%, 1.0%, and 5.0%, respectively, the substrate environment promoted a vertically oriented root system with pronounced lateral root development in A. sparsifolia, and the plants adopted an adaptive strategy that balances resource acquisition efficiency and environmental constraints by regulating aboveground growth allocation. This growth pattern reduced the risk of disturbances to slope stability caused by excessive aboveground biomass while maintaining the sand-fixing function of root morphological traits. This study provides a plant functional trait-based regulation strategy for ecological restoration of typical sandy slopes in arid regions, and the proposed composite substrate optimization scheme offers a feasible reference for improving vegetation establishment and substrate performance in sandy habitats.

Source: Plants

DOI: 10.3390/plants15040605

Authors: Meixue Zhang, Qinglin Li, Xiaofei Yang, Penghu Feng, Wenjuan Chen, Guang Yang

Institutions: Shihezi University, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps

Language: English

Topic: Tree Root and Stability Studies

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258