The effects of winter temperature rises on soil microbial
activity, nutrients and salinity in the Ningxia
Plain were studied in a field experiment using an
infrared radiator to increase temperatures. The winter
temperature increases of 0.5 °C–2.0 °C led to
decreased activities of soil catalase, urease and phosphatase
by 0.08–1.20 mL g−1, 0.004–0.019 mg g−1,
and 0.10–0.25 mg kg−1, respectively; increased soil
organic matter by 0.01–0.62 g kg−1, decreased available
N by 2.45–4.66 g kg−1, increased available P by
2.92–5.74 g kg−1, increased soil pH by 0.42–0.67, and
increased total salt by 0.39–0.50 g kg−1. After winter
temperature increases, the activities of soil catalase,
urease and phosphatase showed a significant decreasing
tendency; and soil organic matter and available
N showed a significant increasing tendency. However,
available N showed a significant decreasing tendency,
and available K showed no significant changes;