EFFECTS OF VEGETATION ON SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS CARBON/NITROGEN AND SOIL ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE ZHEGAO RIVER WETLAND IN DIFFERENT RESTORATION YEARS

Vegetation restoration is the primary strategy employed for the purification and restoration of habitats in the Zhegao River wetlands. To investigate the changing characteristics of soil microbial biomass carbon/nitrogen (MBC/MBN) and soil enzyme activities in wetlands undergoing different vegetation restoration treatments, those involving reed and willow restoration were studied in 2014 (WR8) and 2021 (WR1), with a native vegetation wetland (NW) used as a control. This study examined changes in the MBC/MBN, sucrase (Suc), urease (Ure), and acid phosphatase (Acp) in these wetlands. The results indicated that during the restoration of Zhegao River wetlands, reed vegetation had a stronger positive effect on soil properties after one year of restoration than that of willow vegetation. After eight years, the effects of willow vegetation restoration were greater than those of reed vegetation restoration. The activities of MBC, MBN, Suc, Ure, and Acp in the reed and willow wetland soils for different years of vegetation restoration decreased with greater soil depth. Thus, reeds and willows have distinct contributions toward enhancing the ecological service functions of the Zhegao River wetlands for different restoration years, which provides a scientific basis for the selection and protection of ecological wetland restoration.