Degradation induces changes in the soil C:N:P stoichiometry of alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau

doi:10.1007/s11629-018-5346-y

	Degradation induces changes in the soil C:N:P stoichiometry of alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau
	Zhang Zhen-chao 1,3; Hou Ge 1; Liu Miao 1; Wei Tian-xing 3; Sun Jian 1,2,4
刊名	JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE
	2019-10-01
卷号	16 期号:10 页码:2348-2360
关键词	Tibetan Plateau Alpine steppe Degradation Soil stoichiometry C N C P N P
ISSN号	1672-6316
DOI	10.1007/s11629-018-5346-y
通讯作者	Wei Tian-xing(weitx@bjfu.edu.cn) ; Sun Jian(sunjian@igsnrr.ac.cn)
英文摘要	Due to the Tibetan Plateau's unique high altitude and low temperature climate conditions, the region's alpine steppe ecosystem is highly fragile and is suffering from severe degradation under the stress of increasing population, overgrazing, and climate change. The soil stoichiometry, a crucial part of ecological stoichiometry, provides a fundamental approach for understanding ecosystem processes by examining the relative proportions and balance of the three elements. Understanding the impact of degradation on the soil stoichiometry is vital for conservation and management in the alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau. This study aims to examine the response of soil stoichiometry to degradation and explore the underlying biotic and abiotic mechanisms in the alpine steppe. We conducted a field survey in a sequent degraded alpine steppe with seven levels in Northern Tibet. The plant species, aboveground biomass, and physical and chemical soil properties such as the moisture content, temperature, pH, compactness, total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) were measured and recorded. The results showed that the contents of soil C/N, C/P, and N/P consistently decreased along intensifying degradation gradients. Using regression analysis and a structural equation model (SEM), we found that the C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios were positively affected by the soil compactness, soil moisture content and species richness of graminoids but negatively affected by soil pH and the proportion of aboveground biomass of forbs. The soil temperature had a negative effect on the C/N ratio but showed positive effect on the C/P and N/P ratios. The current study shows that degradation-induced changes in abiotic and biotic conditions such as soil warming and drying, which accelerated the soil organic carbon mineralization, as well as the increase in the proportion of forbs, which were difficult to decompose and input less organic carbon into soil, resulted in the decreases in soil C/N, C/P, and N/P contents to a great extent. Our results provide a sound basis for sustainable conservation and management of the alpine steppe.
资助项目	State Key Research Development Program of China[2016YFC0502002] ; Youth Innovation Research Team Project[LENOM2016Q0003]
WOS关键词	BELOW-GROUND BIOMASS ; LITTER DECOMPOSITION RATES ; N-P STOICHIOMETRY ; ORGANIC-CARBON ; GRASSLAND DEGRADATION ; ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS ; NITROGEN INTERACTIONS ; GLOBAL PATTERNS ; LEAF NITROGEN ; PLANT
WOS研究方向	Environmental Sciences & Ecology
语种	英语
出版者	SCIENCE PRESS
WOS记录号	WOS:000489956000011
资助机构	State Key Research Development Program of China ; Youth Innovation Research Team Project
内容类型	期刊论文
源URL	[http://ir.igsnrr.ac.cn/handle/311030/129887]
专题	中国科学院地理科学与资源研究所
通讯作者	Wei Tian-xing; Sun Jian
作者单位	1.Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geog Sci & Nat Resources Res, Key Lab Ecosyst Network Observat & Modelling, Synth Res Ctr Chinese Ecosyst Res Network, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China 2.Rutgers State Univ, Sch Environm & Biol Sci, Dept Ecol Evolut & Nat Resources, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA 3.Beijing Forestry Univ, Sch Soil & Water Conservat, Beijing 100083, Peoples R China 4.Chinese Acad Sci, Res Ctr Ecoenvironm Sci, State Key Lab Urban & Reg Ecol, Beijing 100085, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Zhang Zhen-chao,Hou Ge,Liu Miao,et al. Degradation induces changes in the soil C:N:P stoichiometry of alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau[J]. JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE,2019,16(10):2348-2360.
APA	Zhang Zhen-chao,Hou Ge,Liu Miao,Wei Tian-xing,&Sun Jian.(2019).Degradation induces changes in the soil C:N:P stoichiometry of alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau.JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE,16(10),2348-2360.
MLA	Zhang Zhen-chao,et al."Degradation induces changes in the soil C:N:P stoichiometry of alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau".JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE 16.10(2019):2348-2360.