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Climate warming leads to widespread permafrost thaw with a fraction of the thawed permafrost carbon (C) being released as carbon dioxide (CO2), thus triggering a positive permafrost C-climate feedback. However, large uncertainty exists in the size of this model-projected feedback, partly owing to the limited understanding of permafrost CO2 release through the priming effect (i.e., the stimulation of soil organic matter decomposition by external C inputs) upon thaw. By combining permafrost sampling from 24 sites on the Tibetan Plateau and laboratory incubation, we detected an overall positive priming effect (an increase in soil C decomposition by up to 31%) upon permafrost thaw, which increased with permafrost C density (C storage per area). We then assessed the magnitude of thawed permafrost C under future climate scenarios by coupling increases in active layer thickness over half a century with spatial and vertical distributions of soil C density. The thawed C stocks in the top 3 m of soils from the present (2000-2015) to the future period (2061-2080) were estimated at 1.0 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8-1.2) and 1.3 (95% CI: 1.0-1.7) Pg (1 Pg = 1015 g) C under moderate and high Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios 4.5 and 8.5, respectively. We further predicted permafrost priming effect potential (priming intensity under optimal conditions) based on the thawed C and the empirical relationship between the priming effect and permafrost C density. By the period 2061-2080, the regional priming potentials could be 8.8 (95% CI: 7.4-10.2) and 10.0 (95% CI: 8.3-11.6) Tg (1 Tg = 1012 g) C year-1 under the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios, respectively. This large CO2 emission potential induced by the priming effect highlights the complex permafrost C dynamics upon thaw, potentially reinforcing permafrost C-climate feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant attention has been given to the way in which the soil nitrogen (N) cycle responds to permafrost thaw in recent years, yet little is known about anaerobic N transformations in thermokarst lakes, which account for more than one-third of thermokarst landforms across permafrost regions. Based on the N isotope dilution and tracing technique, combined with qPCR and high-throughput sequencing, we presented large-scale measurements of anaerobic N transformations of sediments across 30 thermokarst lakes over the Tibetan alpine permafrost region. Our results showed that gross N mineralization, ammonium immobilization, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction rates in thermokarst lakes were higher in the eastern part of our study area than in the west. Denitrification dominated in the dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes, being two and one orders of magnitude higher than anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), respectively. The abundances of the dissimilatory nitrate reduction genes (nirK, nirS, hzsB, and nrfA) exhibited patterns consistent with sediment N transformation rates, while a diversity did not. The inter-lake variability in gross N mineralization and ammonium immobilization was dominantly driven by microbial biomass, while the variability in anammox and DNRA was driven by substrate supply and organic carbon content, respectively. Denitrification was jointly affected by nirS abundance and organic carbon content. Overall, the patterns and drivers of anaerobic N transformation rates detected in this study provide a new perspective on potential N release, retention, and removal upon the formation and development of thermokarst lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permafrost thaw could accelerate microbial decomposition, lead to greenhouse gases emissions into the atmosphere, and thus trigger a positive feedback to climate warming. As a key parameter reflecting the resistance of soil organic matter (SOM) to be decomposed by microorganisms, SOM stability may determine the strength of permafrost carbon (C)-climate feedback. Adequate understanding of patterns and drivers of SOM stability can thus contribute to predicting permafrost C cycle and its feedback to climate change. However, due to limited observations, it remains unknown whether biochemical selectivity or physico-chemical protection dominates SOM stability in permafrost regions. By combining large-scale soil sampling, thermal analysis and random forest model, we quantified SOM stability in the top 10 cm using thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry, and explored its spatial patterns across the Tibetan alpine permafrost region. We then constructed structural equation model to evaluate the relative importance of climatic variables, edaphic properties, substrate quality, and mineral variables in regulating SOM stability over a broad geographic scale. Our results indicated that SOM stability exhibited an increasing tendency from the southeastern to northwestern plateau. The stronger SOM stability was associated with higher mineral-organic associations and more arid conditions. By contrast, substrate quality had limited effects on SOM stability. Overall, these results provide large-scale evidence for the physico-chemical protection hypothesis, highlighting the importance of considering mineral variables in Earth system models to better predict soil C dynamics across permafrost regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net primary productivity (NPP) in global grasslands is a critical component of terrestrial carbon cycling and the primary source of food for herbivores. However, the size and spatial distribution of NPP across global grasslands remain unclear, especially for belowground NPP (BNPP), which limits our understanding of above-and belowground carbon cycling and the assessments of herbivore food security. Here, we compiled a comprehensive grassland NPP database with 1,467 field measurements to estimate the spatial distributions of aboveground NPP (ANPP), BNPP, total NPP (TNPP), and the fraction of BNPP (fBNPP) using the random forest (RF) model. The global mean grassland ANPP, BNPP, TNPP, and fBNPP were 433 ± 31 g m−2 yr−1, 593 ± 47 g m−2 yr−1, 979 ± 78 g m−2 yr−1, and 0.54 ± 0.02, respectively. The total ANPP, BNPP, and TNPP over global grasslands were 6.84 ± 0.49, 9.36 ± 0.74, and 15.46 ± 1.23 Pg C yr−1, respectively. ANPP, BNPP, and TNPP exhibited decreasing trends from low latitudes toward the poles. The spatial pattern of fBNPP was almost opposite to that of ANPP. Climate was a major determinant in shaping the spatial distribution of ANPP and TNPP, while soil and vegetation had significant impacts on that of BNPP and fBNPP. Our findings suggest that field data-driven estimation of NPP using the RF model could be a useful approach for obtaining spatially explicit NPP of grasslands, particularly BNPP products, and that more attention should be paid on belowground and non-climatic factors to better assess the carbon cycle in global grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modification of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition by plant carbon (C) input (priming effect) represents a critical biogeochemical process that controls soil C dynamics. However, the patterns and drivers of the priming effect remain hidden, especially over broad geographic scales under various climate and soil conditions. By combining systematic field and laboratory analyses based on multiple analytical and statistical approaches, we explore the determinants of priming intensity along a 2200 km grassland transect on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results show that SOM stability characterized by chemical recalcitrance and physico-chemical protection explains more variance in the priming effect than plant, soil and microbial properties. High priming intensity (up to 137% of basal respiration) is associated with complex SOM chemical structures and low mineral-organic associations. The dependence of priming effect on SOM stabilization mechanisms should be considered in Earth System Models to accurately predict soil C dynamics under changing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial stoichiometry and its driving factors play crucial roles in understanding the balance of chemical elements in ecological interactions and nutrient limitations along aridity gradients. However, little is known about the variation in these features along aridity gradients due to the lack of comprehensive field investigations. Additionally, previous studies focused on the surface soil (0-10 or 0-20 cm); however, the minimum sampling depth for surface soil could impact the results of the vertical distribution of microbial stoichiometry. In the present study, we measured the variation in microbial stoichiometry, examined the major influential factors (climatic, edaphic and biotic factors) along an aridity gradient and determined whether the sampling depth affected microbial C : N : P stoichiometry. We found that the microbial C : N (topsoil: 6.59; subsoil: 6.83), C : P (topsoil: 60.2; subsoil: 60.5) and N : P ratios (topsoil: 9.29; subsoil: 8.91) varied with soil depth and that the microbial C : N ratio significantly increased with soil depth. The microbial C : N ratio significantly increased with increasing aridity for both topsoil and subsoil, while the microbial N : P ratio decreased along the aridity gradient only for the topsoil), which implied that drought-stimulated microbes tend to be more N conservative, especially for the topsoil. Among all the factors, the soil organic carbon (SOC) content and fungi to bacteria ratio exerted the largest influence on the microbial C : N, C : P and N : P ratios at both soil depths, implying that the substrate supply and microbial structure together controlled the microbial stoichiometry. The results also revealed that the aridity index (AI) and plant aboveground biomass (AGB) influenced the C : N ratio in microbial biomass at both soil depths, and the effects of those factors decreased in the subsoil. The results of this study suggested that the flexibility of the microbial N : P ratio should be considered when establishing the minimum sampling depth in a vertical study. The present study also represented the first attempt to examine the patterns of soil microbial stoichiometry for different soil depth along an aridity gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permafrost thaw, especially thermokarst formation, that is, ground collapse due to thawing of ice-rich permafrost, is expected to alter soil gross nitrogen (N) transformations, which can regulate plant productivity and ecosystem carbon cycle. However, it remains unclear how thermokarst formation modifies soil N processes in permafrost ecosystems. Here 15N pool dilution techniques were used to evaluate changes in topsoil gross N transformations during various thaw stages (early, middle, and late stages) along a thermo-erosion gully on the Tibetan Plateau. Structural equation modeling was then conducted to explore the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in affecting soil gross N transformations. The results showed that topsoil gross N mineralization (GNM) decreased at the three stages, reflecting declined inorganic N production after permafrost collapse. In contrast, topsoil gross nitrification increased only during the early stage. Additionally, the ratio of microbial N immobilization to GNM was enhanced during the middle and late stages, indicating a stronger microbial N limitation after thermokarst formation. The structural equation modeling analysis revealed that soil moisture played an important role in modulating gross N transformations. For GNM, decreased soil moisture had inhibiting effects via regulating the microbial biomass, microbial community, and enzyme activities along the thaw sequence. For gross nitrification, declined soil moisture exerted facilitating effects directly by improving oxygen availability and indirectly by modulating the abundances of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria during the early stage. Overall, these results demonstrated that thermokarst formation altered soil N processes, potentially triggering interactions between ecosystem N and carbon cycles after permafrost thaw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface soils interact strongly with both climate and biota and provide fundamental ecosystem services that maintain food, climate, and human security. However, the quantitative linkages between soil properties, climate, and biota at the global scale remain unclear. By compiling a comprehensive global soil database, we mapped eight major soil properties (bulk density; clay, silt, and sand fractions; soil pH; soil organic carbon [SOC] density; soil total nitrogen [STN] density; and soil C : N mass ratios) in the surface (0-30 cm) soil layer based on machine learning algorithms, and demonstrated the quantitative linkages between surface soil properties, climate, and biota at the global scale (i.e., global soil-climate-biome diagram). On the diagram, bulk density increased significantly with higher mean annual temperature (MAT) and lower mean annual precipitation (MAP); soil clay fraction increased significantly with higher MAT and MAP; Soil pH decreased with higher MAP and lower MAT, and the critical MAP for the transition from alkaline to acidic soil decreased with decreasing MAT; SOC density and STN density both were jointly affected by MAT and MAP, showing an increase at lower MAT and a saturation tendency towards higher MAP. Surface soil physical and chemical properties also showed remarkable variations across biomes. The soil-climate-biome diagram suggests the co-evolution of the soil, climate, and biota under global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) accounts for approximately 70 % of global alpine permafrost and is an area sensitive to climate change. The thawing and mobilization of ice and organic carbon-rich permafrost impact hydrologic conditions and biogeochemical processes on the QTP. Despite numerous studies of Arctic permafrost, there are no reports to date for the molecular-level in-stream processing of permafrost-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the QTP. In this study, we examine temporal and spatial changes of chemical composition of DOM and 14C age of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) along an alpine stream (3850–3207 m above sea level) by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and UV-visible spectroscopy. Compared to downstream sites, the DOM at the headstream exhibited older radiocarbon (14C-DOC) age, higher mean molecular weight, higher aromaticity and fewer polyunsaturated components. At the molecular level, 6409 and 1345 formulas were identified as unique to the active layer (AL) leachate and permafrost layer (PL) leachate, respectively. Comparing permafrost leachates to the downstream site, 59 % of AL-specific formulas and 90 % of PL-specific formulas were degraded, likely a result of rapid instream degradation of permafrost-derived DOM. From peak discharge in the summer to low flow in late autumn, the DOC concentration at the headstream site decreased from 13.9 to 10.2 mg/L, while the 14C-DOC age increased from 745 to 1560 years before present (BP), reflecting an increase in relative contribution of deep permafrost carbon due to the effect of changing hydrological conditions over the course of the summer on DOM source (AL vs. PL). Our study thus demonstrates that hydrological conditions impact the mobilization of permafrost carbon in an alpine fluvial network, the signature of which is quickly lost through in-stream metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's terrestrial ecosystems have functioned as important carbon sinks. However, previous estimates of carbon budgets have included large uncertainties owing to the limitations of sample size, multiple data sources, and inconsistent methodologies. In this study, we conducted an intensive field campaign involving 14,371 field plots to investigate all sectors of carbon stocks in China's forests, shrublands, grasslands, and croplands to better estimate the regional and national carbon pools and to explore the biogeographical patterns and potential drivers of these pools. The total carbon pool in these four ecosystems was 79.24 ± 2.42 Pg C, of which 82.9% was stored in soil (to a depth of 1 m), 16.5% in biomass, and 0.60% in litter. Forests, shrublands, grasslands, and croplands contained 30.83 ± 1.57 Pg C, 6.69 ± 0.32 Pg C, 25.40 ± 1.49 Pg C, and 16.32 ± 0.41 Pg C, respectively. When all terrestrial ecosystems are taken into account, the country's total carbon pool is 89.27 ± 1.05 Pg C. The carbon density of the forests, shrublands, and grasslands exhibited a strong correlation with climate: it decreased with increasing temperature but increased with increasing precipitation. Our analysis also suggests a significant sequestration potential of 1.9-3.4 Pg C in forest biomass in the next 10-20 years assuming no removals, mainly because of forest growth. Our results update the estimates of carbon pools in China's terrestrial ecosystems based on direct field measurements, and these estimates are essential to the validation and parameterization of carbon models in China and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Root production and turnover play a key role in regulating carbon (C) flow in terrestrial ecosystems. However, a general pattern reflecting the responses of roots to increasing nitrogen (N) input has yet to be described. Location Global terrestrial ecosystems. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the central tendencies of root production, turnover rate and standing crop with respect to the experimental addition of N. We evaluated the effect of the form of N, root diameter and climatic (mean annual temperature, MAT; mean annual precipitation, MAP), biotic (ecosystem type, plant type and forest stand age) and forcing factors (experimental duration, N addition rate and cumulative amount of N) on the variations in root response. Results Globally, the addition of N significantly decreased root production and turnover rate but had only a minor impact on root standing crop. In different ecosystems, the three root variables exhibited heterogeneous responses to N enrichment. Additionally, root production and turnover rate responded distinctly to diverse forms of N. The responses of root production and turnover rate to the addition of N were generally positively correlated with MAT and MAP but negatively related to forest stand age and experimental duration. The response pattern of root standing crop was negatively affected by MAT, MAP and forest stand age. However, none of the three root parameters had any obvious correlations with N addition rate or cumulative amount of N. Main conclusions Our results demonstrate that, on aggregate, the addition of N decreased root production and turnover rate at the global scale. These root response patterns and the regulatory factors can be incorporated into earth system models to improve the prediction of belowground C dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grasslands of northern China store a large amount of soil organic carbon (SOC), and the small changes in SOC stock could significantly affect the regional C cycle. However, recent estimates of SOC changes in this region are highly controversial. In this study, we examined the changes in the SOC density (SOCD) in the upper 30 cm of the grasslands of northern China between the 1980s and 2000s, using an improved approach that integrates field-based measurements into machine learning algorithms (artificial neural network and random forest). The random forest-generated SOCD averaged 5.55 kg C m-2 in the 1980s and 5.53 kg C m-2 in the 2000s. The change ranged between -0.17 and 0.22 kg C m-2 at the 95 % confidence level, suggesting that the overall SOCD did not change significantly during the study period. However, the change in SOCD exhibited large regional variability. The topsoil of the Inner Mongolian grasslands experienced a significant C loss (4.86 vs. 4.33 kg C m-2), whereas that of the Xinjiang grasslands exhibited an accumulation of C (5.55 vs. 6.46 kg C m-2). In addition, the topsoil C in the Tibetan alpine grasslands remained relatively stable (6.12 vs. 6.06 kg C m-2). A comparison of different grassland types indicated that SOCD exhibited significant decreases in typical steppe, whereas showed increases in mountain meadow, and were stable in the remaining grasslands (alpine meadow, alpine steppe, mountain steppe and desert steppe). Climate change could partly explain these changes in the SOCD of the different grassland types. Increases in precipitation could lead to SOC increase in temperate grasslands and SOC loss in alpine grasslands, while climate warming is likely to cause SOC loss in temperate grasslands. Overall, our study shows that northern grasslands in China remained a neutral SOC sink between the 1980s and 2000s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems is strongly regulated by nitrogen (N) processes. However, key parameters that determine the degree of N regulation on terrestrial C sequestration have not been well quantified. Methods Here, we used a Bayesian probabilistic inversion approach to estimate 14 target parameters related to ecosystem C and N interactions from 19 datasets obtained from Duke Forests under ambient and elevated carbon dioxide (CO2). Important Findings Our results indicated that 8 of the 14 target parameters, such as C:N ratios in most ecosystem compartments, plant N uptake and external N input, were well constrained by available datasets whereas the others, such as N allocation coefficients, N loss and the initial value of mineral N pool were poorly constrained. Our analysis showed that elevated CO2 led to the increases in C:N ratios in foliage, fine roots and litter. Moreover, elevated CO2 stimulated plant N uptake and increased ecosystem N capital in Duke Forests by 25.2 and 8.5%, respectively. In addition, elevated CO2 resulted in the decrease of C exit rates (i.e. increases in C residence times) in foliage, woody biomass, structural litter and passive soil organic matter, but the increase of C exit rate in fine roots. Our results demonstrated that CO2 enrichment substantially altered key parameters in determining terrestrial C and N interactions, which have profound implications for model improvement and predictions of future C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems in response to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests in the middle and high latitudes of the northern hemisphere function as a significant sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This carbon (C) sink has been attributed to two processes: age-related growth after land use change and growth enhancement due to environmental changes, such as elevated CO2, nitrogen deposition, and climate change. However, attribution between these two processes is largely controversial. Here, using a unique time series of an age-class dataset from six national forest inventories in Japan and a new approach developed in this study (i.e., examining changes in biomass density at each age class over the inventory periods), we quantify the growth enhancement due to environmental changes and its contribution to biomass C sink in Japan's forests. We show that the growth enhancement for four major plantations was 4.0∼7.7 Mg C·ha-1 from 1980 to 2005, being 8.4-21.6% of biomass C sequestration per hectare and 4.1-35.5% of the country's total net biomass increase of each forest type. The growth enhancement differs among forest types, age classes, and regions. Our results provide, to our knowledge, the first ground-based evidence that global environmental changes can increase C sequestration in forests on a broad geographic scale and imply that both the traits and age of trees regulate the responses of forest growth to environmental changes. These findings should be incorporated into the prediction of forest C cycling under a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO) and nitrogen (N) deposition may induce changes in C:N ratios in plant tissues and mineral soil. However, the potential mechanisms driving the stoichiometric shifts remain elusive. In this study, we examined the responses of C:N ratios in both plant tissues and mineral soil to elevated CO and N deposition using data extracted from 140 peer-reviewed publications. Our results indicated that C:N ratios in both plant tissues and mineral soil exhibited consistent increases under elevated CO regimes whereas decreases in C:N ratios were observed in response to experimental N addition. Moreover, soil C:N ratio was less sensitive than plant C:N ratio to both global change scenarios. Our results also showed that the responses of stoichiometric ratios were highly variable among different studies. The changes in C:N ratio did not exhibit strong correlations with C dynamics but were negatively associated with corresponding changes in N content. These results suggest that N dynamics drive stoichiometric shifts in both plant tissues and mineral soil under both elevated CO and N deposition scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of biomass partitioning is essential for estimating spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of root biomass in terrestrial ecosystems. The isometric hypothesis predicts that aboveground biomass scales isometrically with belowground biomass across both individual plants and community types (i.e. the slope of the log-log relationship between above- and belowground biomass is not significantly different from 1.0), and that the isometric pattern is independent of variation in environmental conditions. However, current evidence primarily comes from observations over space. It is still unknown whether biomass partitioning patterns occurring over time are similar to those observed over space. In this study, we explored biomass partitioning patterns in forest ecosystems over space and time by synthesizing biomass measurements made in 112 stands extracted from 16 age sequences around the world. We characterized biomass partitioning patterns in forest ecosystems using both root: shoot ratio and the relationship between above- and belowground biomass. Data across various individual studies were organized to reflect biomass partitioning patterns over space, while data within each individual study were used to illustrate biomass allocation patterns over time. Our results showed that root:shoot ratio did not exhibit any significant trend with stand age over space. Similarly, root:shoot ratio remained relatively constant over time in 10 out of 16 age sequences. Reduced major axis analysis indicated that the slope of the log-log relationship between above- and belowground biomass did not reveal a significant difference from 1.0 over space, supporting the isometric hypothesis. Likewise, the slope was not statistically different from 1.0 in 10 out of 16 age sequences, nor did it show any significant change with climatic factors and stand age. Thus, the isometric hypothesis also most probably holds true during forest stand development. Synthesis. Our results demonstrate that biomass partitioning patterns occurring over time are consistent with those observed over space, suggesting that belowground biomass dynamics in forest ecosystems may be reliably estimated from aboveground biomass using biomass partitioning patterns generated over space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) addition may substantially alter the terrestrial N cycle. However, a comprehensive understanding of how the ecosystem N cycle responds to external N input remains elusive. • Here, we evaluated the central tendencies of the responses of 15 variables associated with the ecosystem N cycle to N addition, using data extracted from 206 peer-reviewed papers. • Our results showed that the largest changes in the ecosystem N cycle caused by N addition were increases in soil inorganic N leaching (461%), soil NO3- concentration (429%), nitrification (154%), nitrous oxide emission (134%), and denitrification (84%). N addition also substantially increased soil NH4+ concentration (47%), and the N content in belowground (53%) and aboveground (44%) plant pools, leaves (24%), litter (24%) and dissolved organic N (21%). Total N content in the organic horizon (6.1%) and mineral soil (6.2%) slightly increased in response to N addition. However, N addition induced a decrease in microbial biomass N by 5.8%. • The increases in N effluxes caused by N addition were much greater than those in plant and soil pools except soil NO3-, suggesting a leaky terrestrial N system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighty eight surface soil samples were collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and metabolites (DDXs) and hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs). The measured concentrations were 51.8 ± 38.5 ng g−1, 0.329 ± 0.818 ng g−1, and 0.467 ± 0.741 ng g−1as means and standard deviations of PAHs, DDXs, and HCHs, respectively, which were 1–2 orders of magnitude lower than those reported for eastern China. Significant differences were also revealed among four sub-areas within QTP. PAHs detected in the samples from the remote sub-areas of T’ang-ku-la/Hoh Xil Mountains and along the Qinghai-Tibet highway in the west and northwest of QTP were 1 order of magnitude lower than those from Lhasa and east Qinghai. The differences in soil OCPs among the sub-areas were 2–7 times. Soil PAHs were significantly correlated with emission density and soil organic carbon content (SOC), while OCPs were correlated significantly with the population density and SOC. Based on the calculated backward air mass trajectories and geographical distributions of emission and population, it was revealed that PAHs and OCPs accumulated in the soils in the west and northwest QTP were primarily from long-range transport and may represent the background levels of East Asia. This part of QTP can also serve as an important receptor area for regional or even global long-range transport study. The elevated concentrations of PAHs and OCPs in Lhasa and east Qinghai were mainly from local sources, while PAHs from adjacent Lanzhou area also contributed considerably to the accumulation of PAHs in east Qinghai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest carbon pool in the terrestrial biosphere, soil carbon stock consists of organic and inorganic components. However, previous studies dominantly concentrated on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, and little is known about the magnitude and patterns of soil inorganic carbon (SIC). In this study, we evaluated the magnitude of SIC stock in the Tibetan alpine grasslands using data from 405 profiles surveyed from 135 sites across the plateau during 2001-2004. Kriging interpolation was conducted to interpolate site-level observations to the regional level. We also compared spatial and vertical distributions of SIC stock with the corresponding patterns of SOC stock in the Tibetan alpine grasslands. Our results showed that SIC stock in the top 1 meter in the Tibetan alpine grasslands was approximately 15.2 Pg C (1 Pg = 1015 g), with an average density (amount per area) of 13.46 kg C m-2. SIC density exhibited different spatial and vertical distributions in comparison with SOC density. Spatially, SIC density in the alpine steppe was larger than that in the alpine meadow, in contrast to SOC distribution. Vertically, SIC stock in the upper 30 and 50 cm accounted for 47.6% and 71.6%, respectively, of that in the upper 1 meter, with lower proportions than that of SOC stock in the same interval (67.8% and 83.3%). In total, SIC stock in the Tibetan alpine grasslands was about 2.1 times the corresponding SOC stock, accounting for 28.5% of the total SIC stock in China. These results highlight that SIC stock in the Tibetan grasslands could make a significant contribution to China's terrestrial carbon balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To investigate large-scale patterns of above-ground and below-ground biomass partitioning in grassland ecosystems and to test the isometric theory at the community level. Location Northern China, in diverse grassland types spanning temperate grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions to alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Methods We investigated above-ground and below-ground biomass in China's grasslands by conducting five consecutive sampling campaigns across the northern part of the country during 2001–05. We then documented the root : shoot ratio (R/S) and its relationship with climatic factors for China's grasslands. We further explored relationships between above-ground and below-ground biomass across different grassland types. Results Our results indicated that the overall R/S of China's grasslands was larger than the global average (6.3 vs. 3.7). The R/S for China's grasslands did not show any significant trend with either mean annual temperature or mean annual precipitation. Above-ground biomass was nearly proportional to below-ground biomass with a scaling exponent (the slope of log–log linear relationship between above-ground and below-ground biomass) of 1.02 across various grassland types. The slope did not differ significantly between temperate and alpine grasslands or between steppe and meadow. Main conclusions Our findings support the isometric theory of above-ground and below-ground biomass partitioning, and suggest that above-ground biomass scales isometrically with below-ground biomass at the community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Our objective was to document the general relationship between plant species richness (SR) and above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) at different spatial scales and the environmental influence on this relationship. Location Temperate and alpine grasslands of China. Methods We investigated SR and ANPP at 321 field sites (1355 plots) across the widely distributed temperate and alpine grasslands of China. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions were used to test SR–ANPP relationships among site means. Plot-level data of SR and ANPP were analysed with general linear models (GLMs) and the correlation between SR and ANPP was decomposed into covariance components to test the influence of climatic variables, region, vegetation type and remaining variation among sites on SR, ANPP and their relationship. Results We found positive linear relationships between SR and ANPP among sites in both the alpine and temperate grassland regions and in different grassland vegetation types of these biomes. Environmental gradients such as growing-season precipitation affected both SR and ANPP in parallel. However, after removing the among-site environmental variation, residual SR and ANPP were no longer correlated at the pooled within-site level. Main conclusions The positive SR–ANPP relationship across large-scale environmental gradients among sites was most likely the result of climatic variables influencing SR and ANPP in parallel. Our results suggest that in China's natural grasslands there is no direct relationship between SR and ANPP, presumably because the pool of available species for local community assembly is large, in contrast to experiments where species pools are artificially reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soils of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau store a large amount of organic carbon, but the magnitude, spatial patterns and environmental controls of the storage are little investigated. In this study, using data of soil organic carbon (SOC) in 405 profiles collected from 135 sites across the plateau and a satellite-based dataset of enhanced vegetation index (EVI) during 2001–2004, we estimated storage and spatial patterns of SOC in the alpine grasslands. We also explored the relationships between SOC density (soil carbon storage per area) and climatic variables and soil texture. Our results indicated that SOC storage in the top 1 m in the alpine grasslands was estimated at 7.4 Pg C (1 Pg=1015 g), with an average density of 6.5 kg m−2. The density of SOC decreased from the southeastern to the northwestern areas, corresponding to the precipitation gradient. The SOC density increased significantly with soil moisture, clay and silt content, but weakly with mean annual temperature. These variables could together explain about 72% of total variation in SOC density, of which 54% was attributed to soil moisture, suggesting a key role of soil moisture in shaping spatial patterns of SOC density in the alpine grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]