As an important soil cover in deserts, biological crusts play a central role in ecosystem function such as nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, and carbon sequestration. Many biological crust organisms could fix CO2 through photosynthesis to improve soil organic carbon content. There is a knowledge gap in the origin of soil organic carbon (SOC) from biological crusts on a regional level, which restricts the prediction of soil carbon pool. Based on 45 plots in the Mu Us sandy land (42200 km2), we measured the SOC content and soil organic carbon density (SOCD) of two types of typical biological crusts (moss crusts, algal crusts) and their underlying soils, and analyzed together with the climate data, soil and vegetation factors to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics and controlling factors of organic carbon of biological crusts at the regional scale. The results showed that: 1) biological crusts significantly increased SOC and SOCD compared with bare ground. Moss crusts and the underlying SOC (4.93 g·kg-1) and SOCD (0.41 kg·m-2) were higher than those of algal crusts (1.89 g·kg-1, 0.18 kg·m-2). 2) On the regional scale, the SOC and SOCD of biological crusts had clear spatial distribution characteristics, demonstrating a banded distribution and block mosaic from northeast to central and west to southeast. 3) The SOC and SOCD of biological crusts and their underlying soils were mainly affected by climate, soil and vegetation conditions, while the main controlling factors depended on the types of biological crusts. The SOC and SOCD of moss crust were controlled by annual maximum temperature and potential evapotranspiration, whereas those of algal crusts were controlled by water vapor pressure.
生物结皮在旱区荒漠养分循环和碳氮固存等生态系统功能方面发挥着重要作用,尤其能通过光合作用固定CO2,从而提高土壤有机碳含量。目前有关区域尺度生物结皮土壤有机碳认知的缺乏在一定程度上制约了土壤碳库的精准预测。本研究选取毛乌素沙地全域(4.22万km2)内45个样地,测算了藓结皮和藻结皮两类典型生物结皮及其下土壤的有机碳含量(SOC)和密度(SOCD),并结合气候、土壤和植被等指标,深入探讨了区域尺度下生物结皮有机碳的空间分布特征及其主控因素。结果表明: 1)与裸沙相比,生物结皮显著提升了土壤有机碳含量和密度,且藓结皮及其下土壤有机碳含量(4.93 g·kg-1)和密度(0.41 kg·m-2)均高于藻结皮(1.89 g·kg-1、0.18 kg·m-2)。2)区域尺度上,生物结皮的有机碳含量和密度具有明显的空间分布特征,呈现出由东北-中部、西部-东南方向递减的带状分布与块状镶嵌分布。3)生物结皮及其下土壤有机碳含量和密度主要受气候、土壤和植被的综合影响,并因生物结皮类型而异,藓结皮主要受年均最高温和蒸散力的影响,而藻结皮主要受水蒸气分压的影响。.
Keywords: Mu Us sandy land; biological crust; influencing factor; soil organic carbon; spatial distribution characteristic.