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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2012, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (2): 8-17.

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Status of some selected major and trace elements in pasture soil from northeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

XIN Guo-sheng1,2,3, LONG Rui-jun1,2,4, SHANG Zhan-huan1,2,4, DING Lu-ming2,4, GUO Xu-sheng2,4   

  1. 1.College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China;
    2.The International Center for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou 730000, China;
    3.School of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China;
    4.Engineering Research Centre for Arid Agriculture and Ecological Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730000, China
  • Received:2010-12-23 Online:2012-02-25 Published:2012-04-20

Abstract: The status of mineral elements in surface soils of natural grazing pasture was investigated to better understand the potential effects on soil-plant-animal ecosystems. The study was conducted in 4 counties from the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Soil samples (256) from alpine meadow soil (AMS), sub-alpine meadow soil (SAMS), and marshy soil (MS) were collected from these areas, and analyzed to determine the total and available concentrations of 13 elements (Ca, P, S, K, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, Mo, and Se). The concentrations of mineral elements in soils varied with region and soil type. Total concentrations for most elements were below the national average of soils from China in one or more counties. However, the available concentrations of all mineral elements selected were above their critical levels for animal health, with the exception of Mg, P, and Se. These mineral deficiencies in soils have potential effects on the deficiency and/or imbalance of mineral elements in plants and animals. In addition, excessive Fe in soil could improve the Fe content of forage, but may eventually hamper absorption of some other mineral elements by livestock. Further research on mineral elements in plants and animals should be conducted to ascertain whether some mineral elements in soil are limiting grass and grazing livestock production in these regions.

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