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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (9): 38-52.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024462

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Changes in soil organic carbon fractions and carbon sequestration potential of degraded alpine meadows

Jian-min RAN1,2(), Xiao-yan SONG1,2(), Dan WANG1,2,3, Chang-ting WANG1,2   

  1. 1.College of Grassland Resources,Southwest Minzu University,Chengdu 610041,China
    2.Sichuan Provincial Forest and Grassland Key Laboratory of Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization of Tibetan Plateau,Chengdu 610041,China
    3.Sichuan Animal Science Academy,Chengdu 610066,China
  • Received:2024-11-21 Revised:2025-01-17 Online:2025-09-20 Published:2025-07-02
  • Contact: Xiao-yan SONG

Abstract:

This study investigates the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) components and the carbon sequestration potential associated with varying degrees of degradation in alpine meadow soil on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Utilizing the internationally recognized physical grouping method, SOC is categorized into particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC). The analysis focuses on the characteristics of SOC component alterations and the carbon sequestration potential in alpine meadow soil subjected to different degradation levels: [no degradation (ND), light degradation (LD), moderate degradation (MD), and heavily degradation (HD)]. The findings reveal that light, moderate, and heavy degradation led to reductions in soil organic carbon in the 0-30 cm layer of the alpine meadow by 24.54%, 34.45%, and 34.81%, respectively, with significant impacts observed in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm layers (P<0.05). Degradation resulted in a decrease of POC by 43.47%-56.01% and MAOC by 17.61%-31.20%, indicating that POC constitutes the primary component of SOC loss. Furthermore, the relative analysis using random forest methodologies identifies soil total nitrogen (TN), bulk density (BD), and pH as the principal influencing factors on soil organic carbon and its components, with soil TN exerting the most significant influence (P<0.01). Correlation analysis indicates a significant positive relationship between SOC, POC, and MAOC with TN, while a negative correlation exists between BD and pH. The study estimates the carbon sequestration potential of the soil (0-30 cm) for the recovery of light, moderate, and heavy degradation in alpine meadows at 1.97, 2.78, and 2.86 kg·m-2, respectively. Notably, the surface layer (0-10 cm) contributes 54.93% of the total carbon sequestration, highlighting its critical role in carbon sequestration potential in this region. The research findings provide a theoretical foundation for restoring degraded alpine meadows and offer scientific support for carbon sequestration strategies within grassland ecosystems on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

Key words: grassland degradation, soil organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, mineral-associated organic carbon, soil carbon increment potential