Affiliation:
1. State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
2. Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Prediction and Control, Gansu Province, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Abstract
Forest litter is an important guarantee for maintaining forest soil fertility and circulating material in forest ecosystems. The input of litter plays an important role in soil organic matter formation and biogeochemical cycles in forest ecosystems. However, the production and elements concentrations of Juniperus przewalskii (JP) litter in the Qilian Mountains are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the production of needle, branch and bark, cone, and impurity litters. We determined the concentrations and fluxes of major (K, Mg, Al, and Fe) and trace (Na, Mn, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, Co, Cd, and Ag) elements in needle litter of JP from September 2020 to August 2021. The results showed that the annual litter production was 4040.74 ± 495.96 kg ha−1 a−1. Needle and cone litters were the main components of the total litter production. The major elements (MEs) and trace elements (TEs) fluxes of litter were consistent with the litter production trend. The concentrations and fluxes of MEs and TEs in needle litter decreased in the order: K > Mg > Al > Fe > Na > Mn > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Co > Cd > Ag. These results have important implications for understanding the migration processes of MEs and TEs in forest ecosystems of the Qilian Mountains.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
“Innovation Star” project of Gansu Province’s outstanding graduate students
Forestry and grassland science and technology project of Gansu Province