摘要
Vegetation biomass is an important component of terrestrial ecosystem carbon stocks. Grasslands are one of the most widespread biomes worldwideplaying an important role in global carbon cycling. Thereforestudying spatial patterns of biomass and their correlations to environment in grasslands is fundamental to quantifying terrestrial carbon budgets. The Eurasian steppean important part of global grasslandsis the largest and relatively well preserved grassland in the world. In this studywe analyzed the spatial pattern of aboveground biomass（AGB）and correlations of AGB to its environment in the Eurasian steppe by meta-analysis. AGB data used in this study were derived from the harvesting method and were obtained from three data sources（literatureglobal NPP database at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center（ORNL）some data provided by other researchers）. Our results demonstrated that：（1） as for the Eurasian steppe overallthe spatial variation in AGB exhibited significant horizontal and vertical zonality. In detailAGB showed an inverted parabola curve with the latitude and with the elevationwhile a parabola curve with the longitude. In additionthe spatial pattern of AGB had marked horizontal zonality in the Black Sea-Kazakhstan steppe subregion and the Mongolian Plateau steppe subregionwhile horizontal and vertical zonality in the Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe subregion.（2） Of the examined environmental variablesthe spatial variation of AGB was related to mean annual precipitation（MAP）mean annual temperature（MAT）mean annual solar radiation（MAR）soil Gravel contentsoil p H and soil organic content（SOC） at the depth of 0–30 cm. NeverthelessMAP dominated spatial patterns of AGB in the Eurasian steppe and its three subregions.（3） A Gaussian function was found between AGB and MAP in the Eurasian steppe overallwhich was primarily determined by unique patterns of grasslands and environment in the Tibetan Plateau. AGB was significantly positively related to MAP in the Black Sea-Kazakhstan steppe subregion（elevation 〈 3000 m）the Mongolian Plateau steppe subregion（elevation 〈 3000 m） and the surface（elevation ≥ 4800 m） of the Tibetan Plateau. Neverthelessthe spatial variation in AGB exhibited a Gaussian function curve with the increasing MAP in the east and southeast margins（elevation 〈 4800 m） of the Tibetan Plateau. This study provided more knowledge of spatial patterns of AGB and their environmental controls in grasslands than previous studies only conducted in local regions like the Inner Mongolian temperate grasslandthe Tibetan Plateau alpine grasslandetc.
Vegetation biomass is an important component of terrestrial ecosystem carbon stocks. Grasslands are one of the most widespread biomes worldwideplaying an important role in global carbon cycling. Thereforestudying spatial patterns of biomass and their correlations to environment in grasslands is fundamental to quantifying terrestrial carbon budgets. The Eurasian steppean important part of global grasslandsis the largest and relatively well preserved grassland in the world. In this studywe analyzed the spatial pattern of aboveground biomass（AGB）and correlations of AGB to its environment in the Eurasian steppe by meta-analysis. AGB data used in this study were derived from the harvesting method and were obtained from three data sources（literatureglobal NPP database at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center（ORNL）some data provided by other researchers）. Our results demonstrated that：（1） as for the Eurasian steppe overallthe spatial variation in AGB exhibited significant horizontal and vertical zonality. In detailAGB showed an inverted parabola curve with the latitude and with the elevationwhile a parabola curve with the longitude. In additionthe spatial pattern of AGB had marked horizontal zonality in the Black Sea-Kazakhstan steppe subregion and the Mongolian Plateau steppe subregionwhile horizontal and vertical zonality in the Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe subregion.（2） Of the examined environmental variablesthe spatial variation of AGB was related to mean annual precipitation（MAP）mean annual temperature（MAT）mean annual solar radiation（MAR）soil Gravel contentsoil p H and soil organic content（SOC） at the depth of 0–30 cm. NeverthelessMAP dominated spatial patterns of AGB in the Eurasian steppe and its three subregions.（3） A Gaussian function was found between AGB and MAP in the Eurasian steppe overallwhich was primarily determined by unique patterns of grasslands and environment in the Tibetan Plateau. AGB was significantly positively related to MAP in the Black Sea-Kazakhstan steppe subregion（elevation 〈 3000 m）the Mongolian Plateau steppe subregion（elevation 〈 3000 m） and the surface（elevation ≥ 4800 m） of the Tibetan Plateau. Neverthelessthe spatial variation in AGB exhibited a Gaussian function curve with the increasing MAP in the east and southeast margins（elevation 〈 4800 m） of the Tibetan Plateau. This study provided more knowledge of spatial patterns of AGB and their environmental controls in grasslands than previous studies only conducted in local regions like the Inner Mongolian temperate grasslandthe Tibetan Plateau alpine grasslandetc.
基金
The Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Priority Research Program,No.XDA05050602
The Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.31290221
