Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the n-alkane composition of typical alpine meadows. Plant and soil samples were collected and analyzed to characterize the n-alkane components. The results show that the n-alkane with maximum concentration (Cmax) was C22 in Ligularia virgaurea and Aconitum pendulum, C29 in Elsholtzia densa, Pedicularis kansuensis and Oxytropis kansuensis, and C31 in Potentilla anserine and Leontopodium nanum. Furthermore, the C29 and C31 concentrations in the surface soil from typical alpine meadow were higher than that in sub-layer soil; however, the opposite relationship was seen in soil from degraded alpine meadow. In addition, the correlation between the long chain n-alkanes in soils and plants was strongly significant (p < 0.01, r = 0.816). The change of the C29 and C31 concentration with soil depth could be related to the plant succession of the alpine meadow.
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