In order to understand the variations of soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities with the change of altitude, a field incubation was conducted in dry valley, ecotone between dry valley and mountain forest, subalpine coniferous forest, alpine forest and alpine meadow from 1563 m to 3994 m of altitude in the alpine-gorge region of western Sichuan. The microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and the activities of invertase, urease and acid phosphorus were measured in both soil organic layer and mineral soil layer. Both the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities showed the similar tendency in soil organic layer. They increased from 2158 m to 3028 m, then decreased to the lowest value at 3593 m, and thereafter increased until 3994 m in the alpine-gorge region. In contrast, the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in mineral soil layer showed the trends as, the subalpine forest at 3028 m > alpine meadow at 3994 m > montane forest ecotone at 2158 m > alpine forest at 3593 m > dry valley at 1563 m. Regardless of altitudes, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were significantly higher in soil organic layer than in mineral soil layer. The soil microbial biomass was significantly positively correlated with the activities of the measured soil enzymes. Moreover, both the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were significantly positively correlated with soil water content, organic carbon, and total nitrogen. The activity of soil invertase was significantly positively correlated with soil phosphorus content, and the soil acid phosphatase was so with soil phosphorus content and soil temperature. In brief, changes in vegetation and other environmental factors resulting from altitude change might have strong effects on soil biochemical properties in the alpine-gorge region.
为了解土壤微生物生物量和酶活性随海拔的变化特征,以川西海拔1563 m到3994 m的高山峡谷区的干旱河谷、干旱河谷-山地森林交错带、亚高山针叶林、高山森林和高山草甸土壤为研究对象,采用原位培养法研究了5种不同海拔生态系统中有机层(0～15 cm)和矿质层(15～30 cm)土壤微生物生物量碳氮、土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶及酸性磷酸酶活性的变化.结果表明:有机层土壤中微生物生物量碳氮和3种土壤酶活性呈现出先增加后减少再增加的变化特征,从2158 m开始不断增加,到3028 m左右达到峰值后减少,在3593 m出现最小值后,逆势增加直到3994 m后再次减少;矿质层土壤的微生物生物量碳氮和3种土壤酶活性表现为亚高山针叶林(3028 m)>高山草甸(3994 m)>干旱河谷-山地森林交错带(2158 m)>高山森林(3593 m)>干旱河谷(1563 m).各海拔梯度土壤有机层的微生物生物量和酶活性显著高于矿质层.高山峡谷区土壤微生物生物量与土壤酶活性呈极显著正相关.土壤微生物生物量和土壤酶与土壤含水量、有机碳和全氮呈极显著正相关,土壤蔗糖酶与土壤全磷含量呈极显著正相关,土壤酸性磷酸酶与土壤全磷和土壤温度呈极显著正相关.可见,高山峡谷区海拔变化引起的植被和其他环境因子的变化显著影响了土壤生化特性.
Keywords: alpine-gorge region; altitude; soil enzyme activity; soil microbial biomass.