delta C-13 difference between plants and soil organic matter along the eastern slope of Mount Gongga

作者：Chen PengNa; Wang GuoAn^*; Han JiaMao; Liu XiaoJuan; Liu Min

来源：Chinese Science Bulletin, 2010, 55(1): 55-62.

DOI：10.1007/s11434-009-0405-y

• Mount Gongga
• C-3/C-4 plants
• delta C-13 difference between plants and soil organic matter
• altitude
• C4 distribution

Carbon isotope ratios (delta C-13) of plants, litter and soil organic matter (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-20 cm) on the eastern slope of Mount Gongga were measured. The results show that delta C-13 values of plants, litter and soil organic matter all decrease first and then increase with altitude, i.e. delta C-13 values gradually decrease from 1200 to 2100 m a.s.l., and increase from 2100 to 4500 m a.s.l. The delta C-13 altitudinal variations are related to the distribution of C-3 and C-4 plants on the eastern slope of Mount Gongga, because C-4 plants are observed to grow only below 2100 m, while C-3 plants occur at all altitudes. There are significantly positive correlations among delta C-13 of vegetation, delta C-13 of litter and delta C-13 of soil organic matter, and litter, 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-20 cm soil organic matter are 0.56aEuro degrees, 2.87aEuro degrees, 3.04aEuro degrees and 3.49aEuro degrees greater in delta C-13 than vegetation, respectively. Considering the influences of rising concentration of atmospheric CO2 and decreasing delta C-13 of atmospheric CO2 since the industry revolution on delta C-13 of plants, 1.57aEuro degrees is proposed to be the smallest correction value for reconstruction of paleovegetation using delta C-13 of soil organic matter.

• 出版日期2010-1
• 单位中国科学院地质与地球物理研究所; 中国农业大学; 北京大学; 中国科学院地质与地球物理研究所兰州油气资源研究中心