Effects of plant residues on C:N:P of soil, microbial biomass, and extracellular enzyme in an alpine mea-dow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2023 Jan;34(1):58-66. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202301.008.

Abstract

Plant residues can affect C:N:P of soil, microbial biomass, and extracellular enzyme, but the effects are still unclear. We conducted a field experiment in an alpine meadow on the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to explore the effects of removing aboveground plant or roots and adding plant residues on the C:N:P of soil, microbial biomass, and extracellular enzyme. The results showed that removing aboveground plant biomass significantly decreased soil C:N (the change was -23.7%, the same below) and C:P (-14.7%), microbial biomass C:P and N:P, while significantly increased microbial biomass C:N, and enzyme C:N:P compared with meadow without human disturbance. Removing all plant biomass (aboveground and roots) significantly reduced soil C:N (-11.6%), C:P (-24.0%), N:P (-23.3%) and microbial biomass C:N in comparison to removing aboveground plant, while significantly improved microbial biomass N:P and enzyme N:P. Adding plant residues after removing aboveground plant significantly increased microbial biomass C:N and C:P, enzyme C:N compared with removing aboveground plant, while significantly decreased enzyme N:P. Compared with removing all the plant, adding plant residues after removing whole plant significantly reduced soil C:N (-16.4%), microbial biomass C:P, N:P and enzyme N:P, while significantly increased enzyme C:N. Our results suggest that removal of plants could have a strong effect on C:N:P of soil, microbial biomass, and extracellular enzyme, and C:N:P of microbial biomass and that extracellular enzyme woule be more sensitive to plant residues. Roots could play a key role in stabilizing C:N:P of soil, microbial biomass, and extracellular enzyme under plant residues addition. Adding plant residues could be a suitable solution for restoring alpine meadows under the circumstance of intact roots, which was conducive to soil C storage, but might not be suitable for alpine meadows with serious root damage, which would increase soil CO2 emission.

植物残体是引起土壤、微生物和胞外酶C∶N∶P改变的关键因素,但是其作用机理尚不明确。本研究以青藏高原东缘高寒草甸为对象,通过测定土壤、微生物生物量和胞外酶活性等指标,探究移除地上植物或根系及植物残体添加对土壤、微生物和胞外酶C∶N∶P的影响。结果表明: 与无人为扰动草甸相比,移除地上植物显著降低了土壤C∶N(变幅为-23.7%,下同)、C∶P(-14.7%)、微生物生物生物量C∶P、N∶P,显著提高了微生物生物量C∶N、胞外酶C∶N∶P。与移除地上植物相比,移除地上植物和根系显著降低了土壤C∶N(-11.6%)、C∶P(-24.0%)、N∶P(-23.3%)和微生物生物量C∶N,显著提高了微生物生物量N∶P和胞外酶N∶P;移除地上植物后添加植物残体显著提高了微生物生物量C∶N、C∶P和胞外酶C∶N,显著降低了胞外酶N∶P。与移除地上植物和根系相比,移除地上植物和根系后添加植物残体显著降低了土壤C∶N(-16.4%)、微生物生物量C∶P、N∶P和胞外酶N∶P,显著提高了胞外酶C∶N。综上可知,去除植物显著影响土壤、微生物和胞外酶的C∶N∶P,微生物生物量和胞外酶C∶N∶P对植物残体的响应更为敏感。有无根系是添加植物残体时土壤、微生物和胞外酶的生态化学计量稳定性强弱的关键所在。添加植物残体的措施适用于植物根系尚且完好的草甸,有利于高寒草甸土壤碳固存,对没有根系的草甸土壤可能不适用,会增加土壤CO2排放。.

Keywords: alpine grassland; litter; microbial biomass; soil extracellular enzyme; stoichiometric ratio.

MeSH terms

  • Biomass
  • China
  • Grassland*
  • Humans
  • Plants
  • Soil* / chemistry
  • Tibet

Substances

  • Soil