Response of the soils of different land use types to drought: Eco-physiological characteristics of plants grown on the soils by pot experiment

To study the response to drought by soils of two land use types (forest land and grass land, with different degradation degree) in typical karst area of southwest China to drought, a pot experiment was conducted by comparing the eco-physiological characteristics of plants growing on the soils treated with two water stress modes. Physio-ecological indexes indicating stress level of plants such as leaf relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, proline content and peroxidase (POD) activity were assayed. The results showed that the plants grown on the soil of grass land, especially under sustained water stress, suffered more severe stress at the end of water stress treatment, with lower RWC, chlorophyll content, POD activity and higher MDA content, respectively. It indicated that compared to the soil of forest land (with light or almost no degradation), the soil of grass land (with severe degradation) was less resistant to drought stress, with lower ability to sustain plant's eco-physiological needs for water.