Soil organic carbon and nutrient losses resulted from spring dust emissions in Northern China

Abstract

Dust emissions due to wind erosion have significant impacts on air quality, climate, and biogeochemical processes. Arid and semi-arid regions in Northern China are a major contributor to global dust emissions. However, how dust emissions affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient losses in this region are poorly understood. In this study, we estimated the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of SOC and nutrient (total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP)) losses in spring using a process-based dust emission model in Northern China during 1982–2011. Spatial patterns of SOC and nutrient losses are consistent with dust emission rates across the research region. Annual losses of SOC, TN, and TP resulted from wind erosion in spring were 0.985 ± 0.149 Tg yr−1, 0.094 ± 0.014 Tg yr−1, and 0.089 ± 0.013 Tg yr−1, respectively. Two distinct periods with opposite trends were identified in dust emissions and SOC and nutrient losses, declining from 1982 to 1997 and then increasing. The opposite patterns in Northern China are largely attributed to the changes in vegetation growth due to climate change and shifts of green-up date of vegetation. The findings could help to reduce the uncertainties in simulating regional biogeochemical cycling in Northern China.