Turf-bearing topsoils on the central Tibetan Plateau, China: Pedology, botany, geochronology

Dominant plant species shift their nitrogen uptake patterns in response to nutrient enrichment caused by a fungal fairy in an alpine meadow

“…Several lines of evidence indicate that some grassland species preferentially utilize NO 3 − (Miller et al 2007;von Felten et al 2009). K. humilis has been suggested as a keystone species in this type of meadow, but this is mainly caused by grazing stress because of its stronger tolerance of over-grazing by yaks and sheep and nutrient-poor environments (Kaiser et al 2008). Field observations have shown that graminoids are gradually becoming dominant when grazing is stopped.…”

Plant communities of central Tibetan pastures in the Alpine Steppe/Kobresia pygmaea ecotone

“…S4, electronic version only). The Cyperaceae form a felty turf ("Rhizo-Hydromor", Kaiser et al, 2008) mostly grown on clay. The turf remains frozen from October to late April, but except for record no.…”

Aeolian dust contribution to the formation of alpine soils at Amdo (Northern Tibetan Plateau)

“…However, in the high-mountains and on plateaus the phenomenon of clay and silt detrital minerals enriched in the alpine soil has been widely reported (Rieger, 1983;Litaor, 1987;Munn and Spackman, 1990;Legros, 1991;Wang et al, 1997;Rost, 2001;Birkeland et al, 2003;Muhs and Benedict, 2006;Munroe, 2007;Munroe et al, 2007;Kaiser et al, 2008;Küfmann, 2008;Baumann et al, 2009). The origin of these clay and silt detrital minerals within the alpine soil remains uncertain.…”

“…Many researchers have argued that the clay and silt minerals in the alpine soil surface are of aeolian origin (Thorn and Darmody, 1980;Boulding and Boulding, 1981;Litaor, 1987;Legros, 1991;Dixon, 1991;Dahms, 1993;Hall and Shroba, 1993;Bockheim and Koerner, 1997;Johnston, 2001;Birkeland et al, 2003;Muhs and Benedict, 2006;Kaiser et al, 2008;Küfmann, 2003Küfmann, , 2008. Furthermore, Lawrence et al (2011) concluded that dust inputs comprise from 10% to 40% of the total soil mass in the ecosystems at the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, USA.…”