Relations between the underground biomass and soil organic carbon and nitrogen of the alpine meadow at the Eastern Margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract

This article, by combining field investigation with laboratorial analysis, studies diverse alpine meadow at the Eastern Margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for the underground biomass dynamics, vertical distribution of the content of soil carbon and nitrogen, the connection between the biomass and the content of carbon and nitrogen. The studies show that underground biomass in the herb layer of upland meadow is more than that in the terrace meadow, while underground biomass in the upland shrubland is the most. The vertical distribution of underground biomass of each type is obvious as in shape of “T”. As to the distribution of the content of soil organic carbon in the three sample grounds, it showed that the deeper the soil the less the content of soil organic carbon. In May, unlike at terrace meadow, the underground biomass and the content of soil organic carbon in positive proportion, such revelation at upland meadow and upland shrubland is not apparent. In July, at upland meadow and terrace meadow the underground biomass and the content of soil total nitrogen in positive proportion, such revelation at upland shrubland is not apparent either.