Distribution, stock, and influencing factors of soil organic carbon in an alpine meadow in the hinterland of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Journal of earth system science

Xuchao Zhu^1,2²  Ming’an Shao^1,3³ 

[1]College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100 190, China^3

[2]Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100 101, China^1

[3]State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210 008, China.^2

关键词: Soil organic carbon;    spatial distribution;    influencing factors;    alpine meadow;    Qinghai– Tibetan Plateau;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：天文学(综合)

来源: Indian Academy of Sciences

【 摘 要 】

Understanding the spatial distribution, stocks, and influencing factors of soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for understanding the current situation of SOC in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). We sampled 23 soil profiles to a depth of 50 cm in a 33.5 hm2 plot in a typicalmeadow on the central QTP. The distribution, stock and influencing factors of SOC was then analyzed. The mean density of soil carbon content (SOCD) was 2.28 kgm−2 with a range of 5.99 kg m^{−2}. SOCD in the 0–10 cm layer was 3.94 kgm^{−2} and decreased quadratically with depth. The total stock of SOC toa depth of 50 cm was ca. 2950 t, the 0–10 and 0–30 cm layers accounting for 38 and 80%, respectively. SOCD varied moderately spatially and was distributed more homogeneously in the 0–10 and 40–50 cm layers but was more variable in the middle three layers. SOCD was significantly correlated positively with soil-water content, total porosity, and silt content and negatively with soil pH, bulk density, stone content and sand content. This study provides an important contribution to understanding the role of alpine meadows in the global carbon cycle. It also provides field data for model simulation and the management of alpine meadow ecosystems.

【 授权许可】

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