Objective To explore the vegetation restoration technology in the arid mountainous area of Taihang Mountains.

Method On the plot with artificially simulated soil layer of 15 cm in thickness, the growth, chlorophyll content, dew point water potential and biomass allocation of Sabina vulgaris, a barren tolerant plant, were studied in combination with different microhabitat improvement measures, i.e. stone mulching (ST), plastic film mulching (DM), liquid film mulching (YM), mycorrhizal fungi treatment (JG), litterfall mulching (KL) and the control (CK).

Result The increment of tree height were 385.75%, 403.03%, 1 330.00%, 1 490.00%, and 1 533.00% higher than the CK under ST, DM, YM, JG, and KL respectively. The increment of crown growth under ST, DM, JG, and KL were 185.03%, 160.36%, 239.80%, and 161.67% higher than the CK. The length of main root under ST treated in July was longer than JG, and under DM and KL in October was longer than JG. Different microhabitat improvement treatments affected the chlorophyll content in S. vulgaris leaves, and the effect of DM, KL, YM, and ST treated in June and July were significantly higher than the CK. Compared with the CK, microhabitat improvement measures would increase the dew point water potential of S. vulgaris leaves all the year round except April, and no significant difference was found in effects among various treatments. But it was observed that the effect of ST treated in July was significantly lower than DM, JG, and KL. Various treatments differed in the effect on the accumulation of aboveground and underground biomass of S. vulgaris, among which the JG had the most significant impact. The effects of various treatments on the biomass distribution of S. vulgaris varied with time. Among them, the dry weight ratio of aboveground and underground biomass under ST in October was significantly higher than under YM and KL, and the CK was significantly higher than KL. In June of next year, the dry weight ratio of aboveground and underground biomass under KL was significantly higher than CK and DM, while no significant difference was found among treatments in other months.

Conclusion Microhabitat improvement measures can significantly increase the height, canopy width, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf dew point water potential, and aboveground and underground biomass of S. vulgaris in the dry and barren mountainous area of the Taihang Mountains. By comparing various microhabitat improvement measures, it is found that the effect of mycorrhizal fungi treatment is significantly better than the others. It is suggested the mycorrhizal fungi treatment should be adopted when carrying out vegetation restoration using S. vulgaris in arid mountains with a soil thickness of 15 cm in the Taihang Mountains.