Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands
Soils δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N are now regarded as useful indicators of nitrogen (N) status and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Numerous studies have explored the effects of various factors on soils δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N...
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/4/433 |
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| author | Xing Zhao Xingliang Xu Fang Wang Isabel Greenberg Min Liu Rongxiao Che Li Zhang Xiaoyong Cui |
| author_facet | Xing Zhao Xingliang Xu Fang Wang Isabel Greenberg Min Liu Rongxiao Che Li Zhang Xiaoyong Cui |
| author_sort | Xing Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soils δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N are now regarded as useful indicators of nitrogen (N) status and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Numerous studies have explored the effects of various factors on soils δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in terrestrial ecosystems on different scales, but it remains unclear how co-varying climatic, edaphic and biotic factors independently contribute to the variation in soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in temperate grasslands on a large scale. To answer the above question, a large-scale soil collection was carried out along a vegetation transect across the temperate grasslands of Inner Mongolia. We found that mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT) do not correlate with soil δ<sup>15</sup>N along the transect, while soil δ<sup>13</sup>C linearly decreased with MAP and MAT. Soil δ<sup>15</sup>N logarithmically increased with concentrations of SOC, total N and total P. By comparison, soil δ<sup>13</sup>C linearly decreased with SOC, total N and total P. Soil δ<sup>15</sup>N logarithmically increased with microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N, while soil δ<sup>13</sup>C linearly decreased with microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N. Plant belowground biomass linearly increased with soil δ<sup>15</sup>N but decreased with soil δ<sup>13</sup>C. Soil δ<sup>15</sup>N decreased with soil δ<sup>13</sup>C along the transect. Multiple linear regressions showed that biotic and edaphic factors such as microbial biomass C and total N exert more effect on soil δ<sup>15</sup>N, whereas climatic and edaphic factors such as MAT and total P have more impact on soil δ<sup>13</sup>C. These findings show that soil C and N cycles in temperate grasslands are, to some extent, decoupled and dominantly controlled by different factors. Further investigations should focus on those ecological processes leading to decoupling of C and N cycles in temperate grassland soils. |
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| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:31:52Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-51e8fb5016eb4ceb9823cfea2c8af6a82023-11-19T21:18:39ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-04-0111443310.3390/f11040433Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate GrasslandsXing Zhao0Xingliang Xu1Fang Wang2Isabel Greenberg3Min Liu4Rongxiao Che5Li Zhang6Xiaoyong Cui7University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaDepartment of Environmental Chemistry, University of Kassel, Nordbahnhofstrasse 1a, 37213 Witzenhausen, GermanyUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaInstitute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, Shanghai Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaSoils δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N are now regarded as useful indicators of nitrogen (N) status and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Numerous studies have explored the effects of various factors on soils δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in terrestrial ecosystems on different scales, but it remains unclear how co-varying climatic, edaphic and biotic factors independently contribute to the variation in soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in temperate grasslands on a large scale. To answer the above question, a large-scale soil collection was carried out along a vegetation transect across the temperate grasslands of Inner Mongolia. We found that mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT) do not correlate with soil δ<sup>15</sup>N along the transect, while soil δ<sup>13</sup>C linearly decreased with MAP and MAT. Soil δ<sup>15</sup>N logarithmically increased with concentrations of SOC, total N and total P. By comparison, soil δ<sup>13</sup>C linearly decreased with SOC, total N and total P. Soil δ<sup>15</sup>N logarithmically increased with microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N, while soil δ<sup>13</sup>C linearly decreased with microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N. Plant belowground biomass linearly increased with soil δ<sup>15</sup>N but decreased with soil δ<sup>13</sup>C. Soil δ<sup>15</sup>N decreased with soil δ<sup>13</sup>C along the transect. Multiple linear regressions showed that biotic and edaphic factors such as microbial biomass C and total N exert more effect on soil δ<sup>15</sup>N, whereas climatic and edaphic factors such as MAT and total P have more impact on soil δ<sup>13</sup>C. These findings show that soil C and N cycles in temperate grasslands are, to some extent, decoupled and dominantly controlled by different factors. Further investigations should focus on those ecological processes leading to decoupling of C and N cycles in temperate grassland soils.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/4/433carbon cyclingnatural stable isotope abundancenitrogen cyclingsoil organic mattertemperate grassland |
| spellingShingle | Xing Zhao Xingliang Xu Fang Wang Isabel Greenberg Min Liu Rongxiao Che Li Zhang Xiaoyong Cui Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands Forests carbon cycling natural stable isotope abundance nitrogen cycling soil organic matter temperate grassland |
| title | Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands |
| title_full | Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands |
| title_fullStr | Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands |
| title_short | Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic Controls over Soil δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N in Temperate Grasslands |
| title_sort | climatic edaphic and biotic controls over soil δ sup 13 sup c and δ sup 15 sup n in temperate grasslands |
| topic | carbon cycling natural stable isotope abundance nitrogen cycling soil organic matter temperate grassland |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/4/433 |
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