Seasonal changes in TC and WSOC and their ^13C isotope ratios in Northeast Asian aerosols： land surface–biosphere–atmosphere interactions

In order to understand the relative importance of anthropogenic and biological sources of carbonaceous aerosols in Northeast Asia,we measured total carbon(TC)and water-soluble organic carbon(WSOC)and their stable carbon isotope ratios(d^(13)C)in total suspended particulates collected from Sapporo,northern Japan(43.07°N,141.36°E)over a 1-year period(during 2 September 2009and 5 October 2010).Temporal variations of TC showed a gradual decrease from mid-autumn to winter followed by a gradual increase to growing season with a peak in early summer.Both d^(13)C_(TC)and d^(13)C_(WSOC)showed very similar temporal trends with a gradual enrichment of^(13)C from mid-autumn to winter followed by a depletion in the^(13)C to early summer and thereafter it remained stable,except for few cases.Based on the results obtained together with the air mass trajectories,we found that biogenic emissions including biological particles(e.g.,pollen)and secondary organic aerosol formation from biogenic volatile organic compounds are the important sources of carbonaceous aerosols in spring/summer whereas fungal spores from soil and biomass burning and enhanced fossil fuel combustion contribute significantly in autumn/winter and in winter,respectively,in Northeast Asia.

Determination of the geographical origin of Chinese teas based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios

The objective of this study was to investigate the geographical origin of Chinese teas using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio technology.The results showed that inter-provincial dispersion of teas in Guangdong(GD),Guangxi(GX),Hainan(HA),Fujian(FJ),Shandong(SD),Sichuan(SC),Chongqing(CQ),and Henan(HN) provinces was high,while in Zhejiang(ZJ),Hubei(HB),Yunnan(YN),and Anhui(AH) provinces,it was low.Tea samples from GD,GX,HA,and FJ provinces were clustered in one group and separated from those from AH and HB provinces.Thus,carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio technology could discriminate teas from among some provinces of China,but not from among others.Better separation might be obtained with a combination of isotopic ratios and other indexes,such as elemental data and organic components.

Long-Term Effects of Inorganic and Organic Amendments on Organic Carbon in a Paddy Soil of the Taihu Lake Region,China

A long-term experiment set up in 1980 compared the effects of applying manures and chemical fertilizers on a paddy soil in the Taihu Lake region, China. Of the fourteen randomly distributed treatments consisting of different combinations of organic manure, inorganic nitrogen （N）, phosphorus （P）, and potassium （K）, and rice straw, eight were selected for the present study in 2007. Application of organic manure plus straw significantly increased soil organic carbon （SOC） content of the topsoil （0-10 cm） compared to that of chemical fertilizers alone. The content of SOC was relatively stable in the 10-30 cm layer in the chemical fertilizer treatments and in the 20-40 cm layer in the manure treatments. The stable carbon isotope ratio （513C） ranged from -24% to -28% and increased gradually with depth. The content of SOC was significantly （P 〈 0.05） negatively correlated with 513C. In the 0-20 cm layer, the 513C value significantly decreased in the treatments of manure alone （M）, manure and chemical N and P fertilizers （MNP）, manure and chemical N, P, and K fertilizers （MNPK）, manure, rice straw, and chemical N fertilizer （MRN）, and chemical N fertilizer and rice straw （CNR）, as compared with the no-fertilizer control. In the 30-50 cm layer, however, the ratio significantly increased in all the treatments except Treatment CNR. Mineralization of organic C peaked in the first 2-4 d of incubation and gradually leveled off thereafter over the first 3 weeks, being faster in the manure treatments than the chemical fertilizer treatments. The average rate of mineralization varied from 55.36 to 75.46 mL CO2 kg-1 d-1 and that of stable mineralization from 10 to 20 mL CO2 kg-1 d-1. In eight weeks of incubation, cumulative mineralization was always higher in the manure treatments than the chemical fertilizer treatments, being the highest in Treatment MRN. Combined humus in the soil was mainly （over 50%） composed of tightly combined fraction. The loosely combined humus and its ratio of humic acid （HA） to fulvic acid （FA） significantly increased with long-term application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers. It could be concluded that the cycle of organic C in the paddy soil ecosystem studied was stable over the long-term application of fertilizers and continued cultivation.

Effects of leaf age,elevation and light conditions on photosynthesis and leaf traits in saplings of two evergreen conifers,Abies veitchii and A.mariesii

Aims Subalpine coniferous species are distributed over a wide range of elevations in which they must contend with stressful conditions,such as high elevations and extended periods of darkness.Two evergreen coniferous species,Abies veitchii and Abies mariesii,dominate at low and high elevations,respectively,in the subalpine zone,central Japan.The aim of this study is to examine the effects of leaf age,elevation and light conditions on photosynthetic rates through changes in morphological and physiological leaf traits in the two species.Methods We here examined effects of leaf age,elevation and light conditions on photosynthesis,and leaf traits in A.veitchii and A.mariesii.Saplings of the two conifers were sampled in the understory and canopy gaps at their lower(1600 m)and upper(2300 m)distribution limits.Important Findings The two species showed similar responses to leaf age and different responses to elevation and light conditions in photosynthesis and leaf traits.The maximum photosynthetic rate of A.veitchii is correlated negatively with leaf mass per area(LMA)and non-structural carbohydrate(NSC)concentration.LMA increased at high elevations in the two species,whereas NSC concentrations increased only in A.veitchii.Therefore,the maximum photosynthetic rate of A.veitchii decreased at high elevations.Furthermore,maximum photosynthetic rates correlate positively with nitrogen concentration in both species.In the understory,leaf nitrogen concentrations decreased and increased in A.veitchii and A.mariesii,respectively.LMA decreased and the chlorophyll-to-nitrogen ratio increased in understory conditions only for A.mariesii,suggesting it has a higher light-capture efficiency in dark conditions than does A.veitchii.This study concluded that A.mariesii has more shade-tolerant photosynthetic and leaf traits and its photosynthetic rate is less affected by elevation compared with A.veitchii,allowing A.mariesii to survive in the understory and to dominate at high elevations.

Dispersal of crop-livestock and geographical-temporal variation of subsistence along the Steppe and Silk Roads across Eurasia in prehistory

The innovations of agricultural production and their extensive dispersal promoted the transformation of human livelihoods and profoundly influenced the evolution of human-land relationships in late prehistoric Eurasia.The Steppe and Silk Roads(SSRs)played important roles in the transcontinental exchange and dispersal of cereal crops and livestock related to agricultural innovation across Eurasia before the Han Dynasty(202 BC to AD 220),while the geographical-temporal variations in prehistoric subsistence in relation to the spread and exchange of cereal crops and livestock originating from different areas of Eurasia still remain unclear.In this paper,we explore these issues based on the review and analysis of published archaeobotanical,zooarchaeological,and carbon-stable isotope data from human bones from Neolithic-Early Iron Age sites in areas along the SSRs,with a comparison to updated results based on radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analyses.Our results suggest that humans engaged in hunting game,while foxtail/broomcorn millet cultivation gradually became the primary subsistence strategy in Eastern SSRs from 10,500 to 6000 a BP.In contemporaneous Western SSRs,humans mainly cultivated wheat/barley and raised sheep/goats,cattle,and pigs.Trans-Eurasian exchange,which is reflected by the mixed utilization of wheat/barley and millet,emerged in the south-central Steppe during 6000–4000 a BP,while millet cultivation and pig husbandry became the dominant livelihoods in most areas of Eastern SSRs.During 4000–2200 a BP,Silk Roads became the major passageway for trans-Eurasian exchange,the interactive development of oasis agriculture and pastoralism facilitated intensive human settlement in the Central Silk Roads,and subsistence strategies substantially changed with significant geographical differences in Eastern SSRs,while subsistence in some areas of Western SSRs was evidently affected by the introduction and adoption of millet crops after 3000 a BP.The geographical-temporal variations in subsistence in the SSRs from the Neolithic to Early Iron Age were primarily affected by the prehistoric dispersal of farming groups across Eurasia,which was accompanied by the spread of cereal crops/livestock,while the impacts of climate change still need to be further evaluated.