Warming intensified the effects of nitrogen addition on N2O emissions from alpine meadow in the northern Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau

Li, Ming-Jie; Ge, Yi-Qing; Ganjurjav, Hasbagan; Hu, Guo-Zheng; Wu, Hong-Bao; Yan, Jun; He, Shi-Cheng; Gao, Qing-Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.accre.2024.01.007

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 68 publications

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“…Burrowing behavior not only increases the accumulation of surface soil organic matter by rodents but also reduces the soil's bulk density, changes the soil's permeability, stimulates soil microbial activity, and accelerates gas diffusion in the soil [5,10,11]. Further, the alteration of soil carbon and nitrogen content will directly or indirectly cause the uptake and emission of soil CH 4 and N 2 O [11,45]. Previous studies have shown that CH 4 emission is positively correlated with soil carbon and nitrogen content in grassland ecosystems; that is, higher soil carbon and nitrogen contents stimulate more CH 4 and N 2 O emissions [46,47].…”

Section: Effect Of Rodent Control On Soil Ch 4 and N 2 O Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Rodent Isolation on Plant Community Structure and Greenhouse Gas Emission in the Alpine Grassland of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Wu,

Chen,

Ganjurjav

et al. 2024

Sustainability

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As one of the dominant species of the alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, the activities (e.g., gnawing, burrowing, and grass storage) of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) directly alter the plant community structure of the grassland ecosystem and affect livestock production and greenhouse gas emission. In order to investigate the effects of rodent isolation (RI) on plant community structure and greenhouse gas emission in the alpine grassland of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, we established plots of rodent isolation and rodent activity (i.e., the control sample (CK)) in the 14th village, Seni District, Nagqu City in May 2018. From July 2019 to September, the numbers, sizes, and total damaged area of effective holes; the height, coverage, and aboveground plant biomass; and the methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions of the alpine grassland were monitored by the quadrat survey method and static closed-chamber method. The results show that the invasion and tunneling of Ochotona curzoniae resulted in the destruction of alpine grassland measuring 0.064 m2 per square meter, while the rodent isolation plots showed that 97.9% of the alpine grassland remained unaltered; such unaffected land implies that the economic income of herdsmen could increase by 140 CNY hm−2. The rodent isolation plots also show that the height and proportion of grasses and sedges in the alpine grassland increased, while the proportion of poisonous weeds decreased. Moreover, the rodent isolation plots also showed a significantly increased coverage of aboveground biomass (p < 0.05), although species richness showed no significant effect based on the Shannon–Weiner, Simpson, and Pielou indices (p > 0.05). The soil uptake of CH4 and N2O was 204.99 ± 50.23 μg m−2 h−1 and 4.48 ± 1.02 μg m−2 h−1 in the rodent isolation plots, significantly higher by 465.75% and 3001.4% relative to the rodent activity plots, respectively (p < 0.05). Therefore, the establishment of rodent isolation areas can effectively alleviate the degree of damage to alpine grasslands in the short run and slow down the greenhouse gas emission rate to some extent. However, excessive rodent control may also have negative effects on grassland ecosystems, so more attention should be paid in future studies to determining the disturbance threshold of plateau pika in this area. These results provide theoretical guidance for rodent control, grassland protection, and ecological environment management on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

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Section: Effect Of Rodent Control On Soil Ch 4 and N 2 O Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Rodent Isolation on Plant Community Structure and Greenhouse Gas Emission in the Alpine Grassland of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Wu,

Chen,

Ganjurjav

et al. 2024

Sustainability

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Soil nitrogen-related functional genes undergo abundance changes during vegetation degradation in a Qinghai-Tibet Plateau wet meadow

Du,

Ma,

et al. 2024

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Climate change and anthropogenic activities have significantly contributed to the degradation of wet meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Soil nitrogen (N) availability is a crucial determinant of the productivity of wet meadow vegetation. Furthermore, soil microbial nitrogen functional genes (NFGs) are critical in the transformation of soil N. Nevertheless, the dynamics of NFGs in response to vegetation degradation, as well as the underlying drivers, remain poorly understood. In this study, wet meadows at varying levels of vegetation degradation on the QTP, categorized as non-degraded (ND), slightly degraded (SD), moderately degraded (MD), and heavily degraded (HD), were examined. Soil samples from depths of 0 to 10 cm and 10 to 20 cm were collected during different growth cycles (June 2020, August 2020, and May 2021). The analysis focused on NFGs involved in organic nitrogen fixation ( nifH ), archaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidation ( amoA-AOA and amoA-AOB , respectively), and nitrite reduction ( nirK ), utilizing real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Our findings indicate a significant decline in the abundance of NFGs with intensified vegetation degradation, exhibiting notable spatial and temporal fluctuations. Specifically, the relative NFGs followed the pattern: nirK > amoA- AOA > amoA- AOB > nifH . Redundancy analysis revealed that vegetation cover was the primary regulator of NFGs abundance, accounting for 56.1%–57% of the variation. Additionally, soil total nitrogen, pH, and total phosphorus content were responsible for 38.5%, 28.2%, and 7% of the variability in NFGs, respectively. The ( amoA-AOA + amoA-AOB + nirK ) ratios associated with effective N transformation indicated that the vegetation degradation process moderately increased the nitrification potential. IMPORTANCE Our research investigates how the degradation of meadows affects the tiny organisms in soil that help plants use nitrogen, which is essential for their growth. In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a region known for its unique ecosystems, we found that as meadows deteriorate—due to climate change and human activities—the number of these beneficial organisms significantly decreases. This decline could reduce soil fertility, impacting plant life and the overall health of the ecosystem. Understanding these changes helps us grasp how environmental pressures influence soil and plant health. Such knowledge is crucial for developing strategies to preserve these vulnerable ecosystems and ensure they continue to sustain biodiversity and provide resources for local communities.

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Warming intensified the effects of nitrogen addition on N2O emissions from alpine meadow in the northern Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau

Cited by 2 publications

References 68 publications

Effects of Rodent Isolation on Plant Community Structure and Greenhouse Gas Emission in the Alpine Grassland of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Effects of Rodent Isolation on Plant Community Structure and Greenhouse Gas Emission in the Alpine Grassland of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Soil nitrogen-related functional genes undergo abundance changes during vegetation degradation in a Qinghai-Tibet Plateau wet meadow

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