Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China
Understanding how ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles respond to the variability of precipitation can help us assess the effects of global climate change on terrestrial ecosystem structure and function. We investigated the contributions of aboveground biomass, litter, root, soil and microbi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014-12-01
|
| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/7097/2014/bg-11-7097-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819262924720439296 |
|---|---|
| author | L. Ma S. Yuan C. Guo R. Wang |
| author_facet | L. Ma S. Yuan C. Guo R. Wang |
| author_sort | L. Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding how ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles respond to
the variability of precipitation can help us assess the effects of global
climate change on terrestrial ecosystem structure and function. We
investigated the contributions of aboveground biomass, litter, root, soil
and microbial communities to ecosystem C and N processes at 14 sites along a
1000 km precipitation gradient in native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands of northeastern China.
The results show that aboveground biomass C and N increased gradually, while
no significant regional trends in litter and root biomass were found with
increasing mean annual precipitation (MAP) along the gradient. Soil
respiration increased first and then decreased from the dry to mesic sites,
which could be ascribed to the relative changes in temperature, soil
fungal : bacterial biomass and N availability. Surprisingly, N mineralization varied
only slightly along the gradient, likely due to the decreases of soil
organic matter quality (i.e., C : N). Stepwise regression models indicated
regional soil C and N content positively correlated with MAP and clay
content. Overall, C and N sequestration increased 3.2- and 1.8-fold with
increasing MAP in terms of C and N storage in aboveground biomass, roots,
litter and soil. It was concluded from the current study that regional
precipitation variability strongly influences ecosystem C and N dynamics.
The ecosystem C and N sequestration are primarily modulated by annual
precipitation and soil texture, while the C and N turnover are largely
controlled by microbial community composition, temperature and soil quality
in <i>L. chinensis</i> grasslands across the large-scale precipitation gradient. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T20:05:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae239835058942e6a9987f3ca21e45a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T20:05:26Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae239835058942e6a9987f3ca21e45a42022-12-21T17:32:58ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892014-12-0111247097710610.5194/bg-11-7097-2014Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern ChinaL. Ma0S. Yuan1C. Guo2R. Wang3State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, ChinaUnderstanding how ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles respond to the variability of precipitation can help us assess the effects of global climate change on terrestrial ecosystem structure and function. We investigated the contributions of aboveground biomass, litter, root, soil and microbial communities to ecosystem C and N processes at 14 sites along a 1000 km precipitation gradient in native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands of northeastern China. The results show that aboveground biomass C and N increased gradually, while no significant regional trends in litter and root biomass were found with increasing mean annual precipitation (MAP) along the gradient. Soil respiration increased first and then decreased from the dry to mesic sites, which could be ascribed to the relative changes in temperature, soil fungal : bacterial biomass and N availability. Surprisingly, N mineralization varied only slightly along the gradient, likely due to the decreases of soil organic matter quality (i.e., C : N). Stepwise regression models indicated regional soil C and N content positively correlated with MAP and clay content. Overall, C and N sequestration increased 3.2- and 1.8-fold with increasing MAP in terms of C and N storage in aboveground biomass, roots, litter and soil. It was concluded from the current study that regional precipitation variability strongly influences ecosystem C and N dynamics. The ecosystem C and N sequestration are primarily modulated by annual precipitation and soil texture, while the C and N turnover are largely controlled by microbial community composition, temperature and soil quality in <i>L. chinensis</i> grasslands across the large-scale precipitation gradient.http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/7097/2014/bg-11-7097-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | L. Ma S. Yuan C. Guo R. Wang Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China Biogeosciences |
| title | Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China |
| title_full | Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China |
| title_fullStr | Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China |
| title_short | Carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native <i>Leymus chinensis</i> grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern China |
| title_sort | carbon and nitrogen dynamics of native i leymus chinensis i grasslands along a 1000 km longitudinal precipitation gradient in northeastern china |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/7097/2014/bg-11-7097-2014.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lma carbonandnitrogendynamicsofnativeileymuschinensisigrasslandsalonga1000kmlongitudinalprecipitationgradientinnortheasternchina AT syuan carbonandnitrogendynamicsofnativeileymuschinensisigrasslandsalonga1000kmlongitudinalprecipitationgradientinnortheasternchina AT cguo carbonandnitrogendynamicsofnativeileymuschinensisigrasslandsalonga1000kmlongitudinalprecipitationgradientinnortheasternchina AT rwang carbonandnitrogendynamicsofnativeileymuschinensisigrasslandsalonga1000kmlongitudinalprecipitationgradientinnortheasternchina |