Persistence of fertilization effects on soil organic carbon in degraded alpine wetlands in the Yellow River source region

In the restoration of degraded wetlands,fertilization can improve the vegetation-soil-microorganisms complex,thereby affecting the organic carbon content.However,it is currently unclear whether these effects are sustainable.This study employed Biolog-Eco surveys to investigate the changes in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties,and soil microbial functional diversity in degraded alpine wetlands of the source region of the Yellow River at 3 and 15 months after the application of nitrogen,phosphorus,and organic mixed fertilizer.The following results were obtained:The addition of nitrogen fertilizer and organic compost significantly affects the soil organic carbon content in degraded wetlands.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen addition increases soil organic carbon in both lightly and severely degraded wetlands,whereas after 15 months,organic compost enhanced the soil organic carbon level in severely degraded wetlands.Structural equation modeling indicates that fertilization decreases the soil pH and directly or indirectly influences the soil organic carbon levels through variations in the soil water content and the aboveground biomass of vegetation.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen fertilizer showed a direct positive effect on soil organic carbon.However,organic mixed fertilizer indirectly reduced soil organic carbon by increasing biomass and decreasing soil moisture.After 15 months,none of the fertilizers significantly affected the soil organic carbon level.In summary,it can be inferred that the addition of nitrogen fertilizer lacks sustainability in positively influencing the organic carbon content.

Study on the Surface Soil Micro-biomass Carbon of Kinds of Vegetation Types in Dagu Estuary Wetland

A field experiment was carried out to explore surface soil mircro-biomass carbon （MBC）. The results showed that the difference of soil MBC was significant among three vegetation types in five sample spots in July. The order of surface soil MBC was： Aquaculture pond reed （sample 2）〉 reed of river bank （sample 5）〉 sea- plant（sample 5）〉 river flat（sample 4）〉 The alkaline（sample 1）. There is a very sig- nificant correlation among the soil MBC, the water content of soil and the content of organic matter. Among wetland plants, reed is kind of plant content of high ground biomass and below-ground biomass,especially the MBC planted in wetland is high- er, which shows that compared with common plants, reed is more conducive to the accumulation of soil MBC and has an important effect to wetland protecting and re- covery of function of ecosystem.

Spatial-Temporal Changes of Soil Organic Carbon During Vegetation Recovery at Ziwuling, China

To probe the processes and mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) changes during forest recovery, a 150-yearchronosequence study on SOC was conducted for various vegetation succession stages at the Ziwuling area, in the centralpart of the Loess Plateau, China. Results showed that during the 150 years of local vegetation rehabilitation SOC increasedsignificantly (P < 0.05) over time in the initial period of 55-59 years, but slightly decreased afterwards. Average SOCdensities for the 0-100 cm layer of farmland, grassland, shrubland and forest were 4.46, 5.05, 9.95, and 7.49 kg C m-3,respectively. The decrease in SOC from 60 to 150 years of abandonment implied that the soil carbon pool was a sink forCO2 before the shrubland stage and became a source in the later period. This change resulted from the spatially variedcomposition and structure of the vegetation. Vegetation recovery had a maximum effect on the surface (0-20 cm) SOCpool. It. was concluded that vegetation recovery on the Loess Plateau could result in significantly increased sequestrationof atmospheric CO2 in soil and vegetation, which was ecologically important for mitigating the increase of atmosphericconcentration of CO2 and for ameliorating the local eco-environment.

Dynamic monitoring of soil bulk density and infiltration rate during coal mining in sandy land with different vegetation

To investigate the effects of coal mining on soil physical properties,sandy lands with three major vegetation types(Salix psammophila,Populus simonii,and Artemisia ordosica)were investigated by the ring knife method and double-ring infiltrometer.Specifically,variations in soil bulk density and water infiltration rate and the influences of coal mining and vegetation type on the properties during different subsidence stages were studied at the Shendong Bulianta mine.The results showed that,in the period before mining,soil bulk density occurred in the order A.ordosica>P.simonii>S.psammophila,with a negative correlation between the initial infiltration rate and steady infiltration rate being observed.In the period during mining and 3 months after mining,there were no significant differences in soil bulk density and water infiltration rate among vegetation types.At 1 year after mining,the soil bulk density occurred in the order A.ordosica>S.psammophila>P.simonii,having a negative correlation with the steady infiltration rate.The water infiltration depths of the S.psammophila,P.simonii and A.ordosica were 50,60,and 30 cm,respectively.The infiltration characters were simulated by the Kostiakov equations,and the simulated and experimental results were consistent.Linear regression revealed that vegetation types and soil bulk density had significant effects on soil initial infiltration rate during the four study periods,and the infiltration rate of the period 1 year after mining was mainly influenced by the soil bulk density of the period before mining.The results indicated that vegetation types had significant effects on soil bulk density,and that the tree-shrub-grass mode was better than one single plantation for water conversation and vegetation recovery in sandy land subjected to mining.

Effects of Vegetation Restoration on Soil Organic Carbon in China:A Meta-analysis

Vegetation restoration has been proposed as an effective method for increasing both plant biomass and soil carbon(C) stocks. In this study, 204 publications(733 observations) were analyzed, focusing on the effects of vegetation restoration on soil organic carbon(SOC) in China. The results showed that SOC was increased by 45.33%, 24.43%, 30.29% and 27.98% at soil depths of 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, 40–60 cm and > 60 cm after vegetation restoration, respectively. Restoration from both cropland and non-cropland increased the SOC content. The conversion of non-cropland was more efficient in SOC accumulation than the conversion of cropland did, especially in > 40 cm layers. In addition, the conversion to planted forest led to greater SOC accumulation than that to other land use did. Conversion period and initial SOC content extended more influence on soil C accumulation as the main factors after vegetation restoration than temperature and precipitation did. The SOC content significantly increased with restoration period after long-term vegetation restoration(> 40 yr), indicating a large potential for further accumulation of carbon in the soil, which could mitigate climate change in the near future.

Soil Organic Carbon and Its Fractions Across Vegetation Types:Effects of Soil Mineral Surface Area and Microaggregates

Soil organic carbon(SOC)can act as a sink or source of atmospheric carbon dioxide;therefore,it is important to understand the amount and composition of SOC in terrestrial ecosystems,the spatial variation in SOC,and the underlying mechanisms that stabilize SOC.In this study,density fractionation and acid hydrolysis were used to assess the spatial variation in SOC,the heavy fraction of organic carbon(HFOC),and the resistant organic carbon(ROC)in soils of the southern Hulun Buir region,northeastern China,and to identify the major factors that contribute to this variation.The results showed that as the contents of clay and silt particles(0–50μm)increased,both methylene blue(MB)adsorption by soil minerals and microaggregate contents increased in the 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil layers(P<0.05).Although varying with vegetation types,SOC,HFOC,and ROC contents increased significantly with the content of clay and silt particles, MB adsorption by soil minerals,and microaggregate content(P<0.05),suggesting that soil texture,the MB adsorption by soil minerals,and microaggregate abundance might be important factors influencing the spatial heterogeneity of carbon contents in soils of the southern Hulun Buir region.

Labile and stabile soil organic carbon fractions in surface horizons of mountain soils–relationships with vegetation and altitude

Global and local climate changes could disturb carbon sequestration and carbon stocks in forest soils. Thus, it is important to characterize the stability of soil organic matter and the dynamics of soil organic carbon(SOC) fractions in forest ecosystems. This study had two aims:(1) to evaluate the effects of altitude and vegetation on the content of labile and stabile forms of organic carbon in the mountain soils; and(2) to assess the impact of the properties of soil organic matter on the SOC pools under changing environmental conditions. The studies were conducted in the Karkonosze Mountains(SW Poland, Central Europe). The content of the most labile fraction of carbon(dissolved organic carbon,DOC) decreases with altitude, but the content of fulvic acids(FA), clearly increases in the zone above 1000 m asl, while the stabile fraction(humins, nonhydrolyzing carbon) significantly decreases. A higher contribution of stabile forms was found in soils under coniferous forests(Norway spruce), while a smaller-under deciduous forests(European beech) and on grasslands. The expected climate change and the ongoing land use transformations in the zone above1000 m asl may lead to a substantial increase in the stable humus fraction(mainly of a non-hydrolyzing carbon) and an increase in the SOC pools, even if humus acids are characterized by a lower maturity and greater mobility favorable to soil podzolization.In the lower zone(below 1000 m asl), a decrease in the most stable humus forms can be expected,accompanied by an increase of DOC contribution,which will result in a reduction in SOC pools. Overall,the expected prevailing(spatial) effect is a decreasing contribution of the most stable humus fractions,which will be associated with a reduction in the SOC pools in medium-high mountains of temperate zone of Central Europe.

The Effect of Vegetation Restoration in Soil Organic Carbon Storage

This review paper has been made to assess the past studies reviewed regarding vegetation restoration and its impact on soil organic carbon content. A Vegetation Restoration is an influential technique that can be used to respond to these effects. As a response to the global biodiversity crisis, more restoration actions have been taken. The European Union Council’s results on kinds of diversity after 2010 highlight words like stopping biodiversity loss and the breakdown of ecological systems in the European Union. The United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity’s growth strategy for 2022, which includes restoring at least 15% of degraded ecosystems, has made this possible. Soil types are among the most vulnerable resources on the planet due to factors such as climate change, land degradation, and the reduction of biodiversity. Organic Carbon, the top meter of soil, could potentially store three times as much carbon as is found in the air and almost twice as much as in plants. For the systematic literature review, past papers on vegetation restoration have been extracted from the latest papers of 2013 and onwards to 2022. The summary of results included key findings of the papers, the interpretation of papers reviewed, and the relevant references. Thirty papers were reviewed and selected from authentic databases and assessed that vegetation restoration significantly affects soil organic carbon (SOC). The findings also exhibit that the primary sources of prediction for SOC dynamics include changes in soil properties, quality, the number of carbon inputs, and the composition of the C pool. Vegetation restoration also plays an important role in improving the services of ecosystems such as controlling the erosion of soil and increasing the carbon sequestration. Moreover, some papers concluded that vegetation restoration positively influences on the SOC. Moreover, to increase the generalizability of the study, implications and future research indications have also been included in the end.

Seasonal variation in soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in an artificial sand-binding vegetation area in Shapotou, northern China

In this study, seasonal variation characteristics of surface soil microbial biomass carbon （MBC） and soil microbial biomass nitrogen （MBN） of an artificial vegetation area located in Shapotou for different time periods were studied using the chloroform fumigation method, and the results were compared with those of near-natural vegetation areas and mobile dunes. Results showed that the MBC and MBN levels in the 0-5 cm soil layer were higher in autumn than in summer and spring. As the prolongation of vegetation restoration raised the MBC and MBN levels in summer and autumn, no clear variation was found in spring. However, the MBC and MBN in 5-20 cm had no obvious seasonal variation. During summer and autumn, the variation trend of MBC and MBN in the vertical direction was shown to be 0-5 〉 5-10 〉 10-20 cm in the vegetation area, while for mobile dunes, the MBC and MBN levels increased as the depth increased. The natural vegetation area was shown to possess the highest MBC and MBN levels, and yet mobile dunes have the lowest MBC and MBN levels. MBC and MBN levels in artificial sand-binding vegetation increased with the prolongation of vegetation restoration, indicating that the succession of sand-binding vegetation will result in the ac- cumulation of soil carbon and nitrogen, as well as the restoration of soil fertility.

Carbon pool structure and carbon density of soil in Pinus koraiensis plantation ecosystem

The organic carbon contents,carbon density and carbon storage of the soil in the Pinus koraiensis plantation ecosystem were investigated in Maoershan experimental forest farm,Shangzhi County,Heilongjiang,on the west slope of the Zhangguangcai Mountains in northeastern China for providing data to evaluation of the carbon balance in forest ecosystem of northeastern China.These soil carbon indicators were measured in three forest types,pure P.koraiensis plantation,P.koraiensis and Betula platyphylla mixed forest,and the P.koraiensis and Quercus mongolica mixed forest.The soil carbon pool consisted of four compartments,namely L layer,F layer,H layer and B layer.With variance analysis,we found that both organic carbon content and carbon density of the soil were significantly affected by forest types,soil compartments and slope positions.The highest soil carbon density（278.63 Mg·ha^-1）.was observed in the mixed forest of P.koraiensis and Q.mongolica.The B layer had the highest carbon density（212.28 Mg·ha^-1） among all the soil compartments.In terms of slope position,the highest soil carbon density（394.18 Mg·ha^-1） presented in the low slope.Besides,soil carbon content and carbon density had a marked change with the organic matter content and vertical depth of the soil in each compartment.The results of this study implied that in the temperate humid region,the mixed ecosystem of regional Pinus koraiensis plantations and natural forest had relatively high carbon storage capability.

Soil organic carbon associated with aggregate-size and density fractions in a Mollisol amended with charred and uncharred maize straw

Straw return has been strongly recommended in China,whereas applying biochar into soil is considered to provide more benefits for agriculture as well as the environment.In this study,a five-year(2011-2015) field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of uncharred maize straw amendment(MS) and charred maize straw amendment(charred MS) on organic carbon(C) contents in bulk soil and in various soil aggregate-size and density fractions.Compared to no amendment(CK),the bulk soil organic C content significantly improved by 9.30% for MS and by 23.4% for charred MS.Uncharred and charred maize straw applied annually at a consistent equal-C dosage resulted in 19.7 and 58.2% organic C sequestration efficiency in soil,respectively,after the five years of the field experiment.The percentages of macroaggregates(>0.25 mm) and occluded microaggregates(0.25-0.053 mm) obviously increased by 7.73 and 18.1% for MS and by 10.7 and 19.6% for charred MS,respectively.Moreover,significant incremental increases of 19.4 and 35.0% in macroaggregate-associated organic C occurred in MS and charred MS,respectively.The occluded microaggregates associated organic C significantly increased by 21.7% for MS and 25.1% for charred MS.Mineral-associated organic C(<0.053 mm) inside the macroaggregates and the occluded microaggregates obviously improved by 24.7 and 33.3% for MS and by 18.4 and 44.9% for charred MS.Organic C associated with coarse particulate organic matter(POM) within the macroaggregates markedly increased by 65.1 and 41.2% for MS and charred MS,respectively.Charred MS resulted in a noteworthy increment of 50.4% for organic C associated with heavy POM inside the occluded microaggregates,whereas charred MS and MS observably improved organic C associated with heavy POM inside the free microaggregates by 36.3 and 20.0%,respectively.These results demonstrate that uncharred and charred maize straw amendments improve C sequestration by physically protecting more organic C in the macroaggregates and the occluded microaggregates.Compared to the feedstock straw amendment,charred maize straw amendment is more advantageous to C sequestration.

Soil-plant co-stimulation during forest vegetation restoration in a subtropical area of southern China

Background: Soil and vegetation have a direct impact on the process and direction of plant community succession, and determine the structure, function, and productivity of ecosystems. However, little is known about the synergistic influence of soil physicochemical properties and vegetation features on vegetation restoration. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-evolution of soil physicochemical properties and vegetation features in the process of vegetation restoration, and to distinguish the primary and secondary relationships between soil and vegetation in their collaborative effects on promoting vegetation restoration in a subtropical area of China.Methods: Soil samples were collected to 40 cm in four distinct plant communities along a restoration gradient from herb(4–5 years), to shrub(11–12 years), to Pinus massoniana coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest(45–46 years), and to evergreen broadleaved forest(old growth forest). Measurements were taken of the soil physicochemical properties and Shannon–Wiener index(SD), diameter at breast height(DBH), height(H), and biomass. Principal component analysis, linear function analysis, and variation partitioning analysis were then performed to prioritize the relative importance of the leading factors affecting vegetation restoration.Results: Soil physicochemical properties and vegetation features showed a significant trend of improvement across the vegetation restoration gradient, reflected mainly in the high response rates of soil organic carbon(SOC)(140.76%), total nitrogen(TN)(222.48%), total phosphorus(TP)(59.54%), alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen(AN)(544.65%),available phosphorus(AP)(53.28%), species diversity(86.3%), biomass(2906.52%), DBH(128.11%), and H(596.97%).The soil properties(pH, SOC, TN, AN, and TP) and vegetation features(biomass, DBH, and H) had a clear coevolutionary relationship over the course of restoration. The synergistic interaction between soil properties and vegetation features had the greatest effect on biomass(55.55%–72.37%), and the soil properties contributed secondarily(3.30%–31.44%). The main impact factors of biomass varied with the restoration periods.Conclusions: In the process of vegetation restoration, soil and vegetation promoted each other. Vegetation restoration was the cumulative result of changes in soil fertility and vegetation features.

Effects of degradation and species composition on soil seed density in the alpine grasslands, China

Grassland degradation can alter the structure and function of ecosystem and soil seed bank.Therefore,estimating the role of soil seed bank in vegetation regeneration of degraded grasslands is crucial.We selected grasslands with three levels of degradation,namely non-degraded(ND),mildly degraded(MD),and heavily degraded(HD)to analyze the effect of grassland degradation on soil seed bank,as well as the role of soil seed bank on vegetation regeneration of the alpine grasslands,China.Soil samples from each level were collected in May,before seedling emergence,in August,after completion of transient seed bank germination,and in December,after seed dispersal,to determine the seed density and species composition through germination experiment.Result showed that a total of 35 plant species was identified,including 15 species observed in both soil seed bank and above-ground vegetation.A total of 19,15,and 14 species of soil seed bank were identified in December,May,and August,respectively.The most abundant species in soil seed bank were Compositae(5 species),followed by Poaceae(4 species),and Cyperaceae(3 species).Degradation level has no significant impact on species richness and Shannon-Wiener index of soil seed bank.In addition,sampling month and grassland degradation affected soil seed bank density,in which December>May>August,and ND>MD>HD,indicating that density of transient seed bank was greater than persistent seed bank.Soil seed bank density of surface layer(0–5 cm)accounting for 42%–72%of the total density,which was significantly higher than that of deep layer(5–10 cm).Similarity of species composition between vegetation and soil seed bank was low,and it increased with degradation level(ranged from 0.14 to 0.69).We concluded that grassland degradation affects soil seed bank density more than species diversity,and soil seed bank contributed slightly to vegetation regeneration of degraded alpine grassland.Therefore,it is unlikely that degraded alpine meadow can be restored solely through soil seed bank.

Effect of vegetation on soil bacteria and their potential functions for ecological restoration in the Hulun Buir Sandy Land,China

To date,much of research on revegetation has focused on soil microorganisms due to their contributions in the formation of soil and soil remediation process.However,little is known about the soil bacteria and their functions respond to the diverse vegetational types in the process of vegetation restoration.Effects of dominated vegetation,i.e.,Artemisia halodendron Turcz Ex Bess,Caragana microphylla Lam.,Hedysarum fruticosum Pall.and Pinus sylvestris L.on bacterial community structures and their potential functions in the Hulun Buir Sandy Land,China were determined using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states(PICRUSt)in 2015.Although the dominant phyla of soil bacterial community among different types of vegetation,including Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria,Acidobacteria,Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes,were similar,the relative abundance of these dominant groups significantly differed,indicating that different types of vegetation might result in variations in the composition of soil bacterial community.In addition,functional genes of bacterial populations were similar among different types of vegetation,whereas its relative abundance was significantly differed.Most carbon fixation genes showed a high relative abundance in P.sylvestris,vs.recalcitrant carbon decomposition genes in A.halodendron,suggesting the variations in carbon cycling potential of different types of vegetation.Abundance of assimilatory nitrate reduction genes was the highest in P.sylvestris,vs.dissimilatory nitrate reduction and nitrate reductase genes in A.halodendron,indicating higher nitrogen gasification loss and lower nitrogen utilization gene functions in A.halodendron.The structures and functional genes of soil bacterial community showed marked sensitivities to different plant species,presenting the potentials for regulating soil carbon and nitrogen cycling.

Parkland trees on smallholder farms ameliorate soil physical-chemical properties in the semi-arid area of Tigray,Ethiopia

Proposed agroforestry options should begin with the species that farmers are most familiar with,which would be the native multipurpose trees that have evolved under smallholder farms and socioeconomic conditions.The African birch(Anogeissus leiocarpa(DC.)Guill.&Perr.)and pink jacaranda(Stereospermum kunthianum Cham.)trees are the dominant species in the agroforestry parkland system in the drylands of Tigray,Ethiopia.Smallholder farmers highly value these trees for their multifunctional uses including timber,firewood,charcoal,medicine,etc.These trees also could improve soil fertility.However,the amount of soil physical and chemical properties enhanced by the two species must be determined to maintain the sustainable conservation of the species in the parklands and to scale up to similar agroecological systems.Hence,we selected twelve isolated trees,six from each species that had similar dendrometric characteristics and were growing in similar environmental conditions.We divided the canopy cover of each tree into three radial distances:mid-canopy,canopy edge,and canopy gap(control).At each distance,we took soil samples from three different depths.We collected 216 soil samples(half disturbed and the other half undisturbed)from each canopy position and soil depth.Bulk density(BD),soil moisture content(SMC),soil organic carbon(SOC),total nitrogen(TN),available phosphorus(AP),available potassium(AK),p H,electrical conductivity(EC),and cation exchange capacity(CEC)were analysed.Results revealed that soil physical and chemical properties significantly improved except for soil texture and EC under both species,CEC under A.leiocarpus,and soil p H under S.kunthianum,all the studied soils were improved under both species canopy as compared with canopy gap.SMC,TN,AP,and AK under canopy of these trees were respectively 24.1%,11.1%,55.0%,and 9.3% higher than those soils under control.The two parkland agroforestry species significantly enhanced soil fertility near the canopy of topsoil through improving soil physical and chemical properties.These two species were recommended in the drylands with similar agro-ecological systems.

Variation of soil organic carbon and bulk density during afforestation regulates soil hydraulic properties

Grain to Green program on arable land has been conducted for decades in semi-arid regions of North China.However,it remains uncertain how afforestation practices affect soil hydraulic properties(SHP).Two afforestation types,i.e.shrubland(SL)and woodland(WL),and the adjacent cropland(CL)were investigated to determine afforestation effects on SHP in this area.Disturbed and undisturbed soil cores were collected in three experimental sites.Soil field capacity(FC),wilting point(WP),and available water capacity(AWC)increased in SL compared to the CL.Soil saturated water content,however,decreased significantly in both SL and WL.Correlation and redundancy analysis identified that bulk density(BD)and soil organic carbon(SOC)were the main factors regulating SHP across different land uses.Lower saturated water contents in afforestation sites were likely driven by the higher BD,compared to the adjacent cropland.FC,WP,and AWC were positively correlated to SOC content.While afforestation may not increase the saturated water content of a landscape,our results indicate that it can improve soil water retention and could be an effective practice for soil and water conservation.

Changes in soil and vegetation on moving sand dunes after exclosure in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

In the semiarid Horqin Sandy Land of northern China, land desertification is the main causation in vegetation degradation and formation of moving dunes. A study was conducted from 1996 to 2005 to monitor the changes of vegetation characteristics and soil properties after moving dunes were fenced. The changes were compared between moving sand dunes with exclosure and without exclosure to evaluate the effectiveness of vegetation and soil restoration after exclosure establishment. The results show that exlosure establishment facilitated the colonization and development of plant species by ameliorating stressful environmental conditions. Species diversity, average coverage, and plant density significantly increased after exclosure of moving sand dunes along sequence compared with sand dunes without exclosure. Vegetation recovery on moving sand dunes accelerated by exclosure resulted in significant changes in soil properties including increased silt and clay contents, organic C and total N and decreased sand content, especially at the 0-5 cm depth. The results implied that moving sand dunes can be rapidly fixed by construction of exclosure.

The Influencing Factors of Soil Organic Carbon Density in Lanlingxi Watershed in Three Gorges Reservoir Area

To reveal the influencing factors of soil organic carbon( SOC) density in 0-30 cm soil layer of Lanlingxi watershed in Three Gorges Reservoir Area,build the regression equation for soil organic carbon density and adjust carbon sink strategy in this region,soil samples of top soil profile( 0-30 cm) in five land use types were selected by the typical method. The SOC density of top soil profile( 0-30 cm) and other environmental factors,such as elevation,slope and aspect and soil properties in five land use types,including grassland,scrubland,woodland,land for tea plantation and farmland in the watershed was investigated. The relationship of SOC density with physical properties of soil was also examined. The SOC density of the above five land use types averaged 7. 55,3. 83,6. 04,10. 24,2. 83 kg·m^(-2),respectively. There was a significant difference in the SOC density( p < 0. 01); SOC density was significantly positively correlated with organic matter content( R= 0. 942,p < 0. 01),clay mass percentage( R = 0. 898,p < 0. 01),total nitrogen( R = 0. 863,p < 0. 01),elevation( R = 0. 599,p < 0. 01); SOC density was significantly negatively correlated with sand content( R =-0. 932,p < 0. 01) and slope( R =-0. 407,p < 0. 05); and the correlation between SOC density and soil p H,total phosphorus or total potassium was not obvious. Multiple correlation coefficient R = 0. 986( R > 0. 8,highly correlated) between SOC density and environmental factors was greater than the correlation coefficient between any one independent variable and dependent variable,which fully proved the combined effect of environmental factors on SOC density.

Spatial pattern of soil carbon and nutrient storage at the Alpine tun-dra ecosystem of Changbai Mountain, China

In August 2003, we investigated spatial pattern in soil carbon and nutrients in the Alpine tundra of Changbai Moun-tain, Jilin Province, China. The analytical results showed that the soil C concentrations at different depths were significantly (p<0.05) higher in Meadow alpine tundra vegetation than that in other vegetation types; the soil C (including inorganic carbon) concentrations at layer below 10 cm are significantly (p<0.05) higher than at layer of 1020 cm among the different vegetation types; the spatial distribution of soil N concentration at top surface of 0-10 cm depth was similar to that at 1020 cm; the soil P concentrations at different depths were significantly (p<0.05) lower at Lithic alpine tundra vegetation than that at other vegetation types; soil K concentration was significantly (p<0.05) higher in Felsenmeer alpine tundra vegetation and Lithic alpine tundra vegetation than that in Typical alpine tundra, Meadow alpine tundra, and Swamp alpine tundra vegetations.. However, the soil K had not significant change at different soil depths of each vegetation type. Soil S concentration was dramatically higher in Meadow alpine tundra vegetation than that in other vegetation types. For each vegetation type, the ratios of C: N, C: P, C: K and C: S generally decreased with soil depth. The ratio of C: N was significantly higher at 010 cm than that at 1020 cm for all vegetation types except at the top layer of the Swamp alpine tundra vegetation. Our study showed that soil C and nutrients storage were significantly spatial heterogeneity.