Methane emissions by alpine plant communities in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

For the first time to our knowledge, we report here methane emissions by plant communities in alpine ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This has been achieved through long-term field observations from June 2003 to July 2006 using a closed chamber technique. Strong methane emission at the rate of 26.2 +/- 1.2 and 7.8 +/- 1.1 mu g CH4 m(-2) h(-1) was observed for a grass community in a Kobresia humilis meadow and a Potentilla fruticosa meadow, respectively. A shrub community in the Potentilla meadow consumed atmospheric methane at the rate of 5.8 +/- 1.3 mu g CH4 m(-2) h(-1) on a regional basis; plants from alpine meadows contribute at least 0.13 Tg CH4 yr(-1) in the Tibetan Plateau. This finding has important implications with regard to the regional methane budget and species-level difference should be considered when assessing methane emissions by plants.

Nitrous oxide emissions from two alpine meadows in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emission was measured in a Kobresia humilis meadow and a Potentilla fruticosa meadow in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from June 2003 to July 2006. Five treatments were setup in the two alpine meadows. Two bare soil treatments were setup in the K. humilis meadow (BSK) and in the P. fruticosa meadow (BSP) by removing the above- and belowground plant biomass. Three plant community treatments were setup with one in the K. humilis meadow (herbaceous community in the K. humilis meadow-HCK) and two in the P. fruticosa meadow (herbaceous community in the P. fruticosa meadow-HCP, and shrub community in the P. fruticosa meadow-SCP). Nitrous oxide emission from BSP was estimated to be 38.1 +/- 3.6 mu g m(-2) h(-1), significantly higher than from BSK (30.2 +/- 2.8 mu g m(-2) h(-1)) during the whole experiment period. Rates from the two herbaceous blocks (HCK and HCP) were close to 39.5 mu g m(-2) stop h(-1) during the whole experimental period whereas shrub community (SCP) showed significant high emission rates of N2O. Annual rate of N2O emission was estimated to be 356.7 +/- 8.3 and 295.0 +/- 11.6 mg m(-2) year(-1) from the alpine P. fruticosa meadow and from the alpine K. humilis meadow, respectively. These results suggest that alpine meadows in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are an important source of N2O, contributing an average of 0.3 Tg N2O year(-1). We concluded that N2O emission will decrease, due to a predicted vegetation shift from shrubs to grasses imposed by overgrazing.

Carbon Dioxide Exchange Between the Atmosphere and an Alpine Shrubland Meadow During the Growing Season on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

In the present study, we used the eddy covariance method to measure CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and an alpine shrubland meadow ecosystem (37°36'N, 101°18'E; 3 250 m a.s.l.) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, during the growing season in 2003, from 20 April to 30 September. This meadow is dominated by formations of Potentilla fruticosa L. The soil is Mol-Cryic Cambisols. During the study period, the meadow was not grazed. The maximum rates of CO2 uptake and release derived from the diurnal course of CO2 flux were -9.38 and 5.02 μmol•m-2•s-1, respectively. The largest daily CO2 uptake was 1.7 g C•m-2•d-1 on 14 July, which is less than half that of an alpine Kobresia meadow ecosystem at similar latitudes. Daily CO2 uptake during the measurement period indicated that the alpine shrubland meadow ecosystem may behave as a sink of atmospheric CO2 during the growing season. The daytime CO2 uptake was correlated exponentially or linearly with the daily photo synthetic photon flux density each month. The daytime average water use efficiency of the ecosystem was 6.47 mg CO2/g H2O. The efficiency of the ecosystem increased with a decrease in vapor pressure deficit.

Comparative study on CO2 emissions from different types of alpine meadows during grass exuberance period

Potentilla fruticosa scrub, Kobresia humilis meadow and Kobresia tibetica meadow are widely distributed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. During the grass exuberance period from 3 July to 4September, based on close chamber-GC method, a study on CO2 emissions from different treatments was conducted in these meadows at Haibei research station, CAS. Results indicated that mean CO2emission rates from various treatments were 672.09+152.37 mgm-2h-1 for FC (grass treatment); 425.41+191.99 mgrn-2h-1 for FJ (grass exclusion treatment); 280.36+174.83 mgrn-2h-1 for FL (grass and roots exclusion treatment); 838.95+237.02 mgm-2h-1 for GG (scrub+grass treatment); 528.48+205.67 mgm-2h-1for GC (grass treatment); 268.97 ±99.72 mgm-2h-1 for GL (grass and roots exclusion treatment); and 659.20±94.83 mgm-2h-1 for LC (grass treatment), respectively (FC, FJ, FL, GG, GC, GL, LC were the Chinese abbreviation for various treatments). Furthermore, Kobresia humilis meadow, Potentilla fruticosa scrub meadow and Kobresia tibetica meadow differed greatly in average CO2 emission rate of soil-plant system, in the order of GG＞FC＞LC＞GC. Moreover, in Kobresia humilis meadow,heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration accounted for 42% and 58% of the total respiration of soil-plant system respectively, whereas, in Potentilla fruticosa scrub meadow, heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration accounted for 32% and 68% of total system respiration from G-G; 49% and 51%from GC. In addition, root respiration from Kobresia humilis meadow approximated 145 mgCO2m-2h-1,contributed 34% to soil respiration. During the experiment period, Kobresia humilis meadow and Potentilla fruticosa scrub meadow had a net carbon fixation of 111.11 grn-2 and 243.89 grn-2,respectively. Results also showed that soil temperature was the main factor which influenced CO2 emission from alpine meadow ecosystem, significant correlations were found between soil temperature at 5 cm depth and CO2 emission from GG, GC, FC and FJ treatments. In addition, soil moisture may be the inhibitory factor of CO2 emission from Kobresia tibetica meadow, and more detailed analyses should be done in further research.

Growing season ecosystem respirations and associated component fluxes in two alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau

From 30 June to 24 September in 2003 ecosystem respiration (Re) in two alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau were measured using static chamber- and gas chromatography- (GC) based techniques. Simultaneously, plant removal treatments were set to partition Re into plant autotrophic respiration (Ra) and microbial heterotrophic respiration (Rh). Results indicated that Re had clear diurnal and seasonal variation patterns in both of the meadows. The seasonal variability of Re at both meadow sites was caused mainly by changes in Ra, rather than Rh. Moreover, at the Kobresia humilis meadow site (K_site), Ra and Rh accounted for 54% and 46% of Re, respectively. While at the Potentilla fruticosa scrub meadow (P_site), the counterparts accounted for 61% and 39%, respectively. T test showed that there was significant difference in Re rates between the two meadows (t = 2.387, P = 0.022). However, no significant difference was found in Rh rates, whereas a significant difference was observed in Ra rates between the two meadows. Thus, the difference in Re rate between the two meadows was mainly attributed to plant autotrophic respirations. During the growing season, the two meadows showed relatively low Q(10) values, suggesting that Re, especially Rh was not sensitive to temperature variation in the growing season. Additionally, Re and Rh at the K_site, as well as Rh at the P_site was negatively correlated with soil moisture, indicating that soil moisture would also play an important role in respirations.

Distribution and species diversity of plant communities along transect on the Northeastern Tibetan plateau

The distribution and species diversity of plant communities along a 600 km transect through the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (32 degrees 42'-35 degrees 07' N, 101 degrees 02'-97 degrees 38' E) with altitudes from 3255 to 4460 m are described. The transect started from the Youyi Bridge of Banma through Dari, Maqin and Maduo to Zaling Lake. The data from 47 plots along the transect are summarized and analyzed. The mean annual temperature, the mean annual rainfall and the length of growing season decreases from 2.6 to -4.5 degrees C, from 767.2 to 240.1 mm, from 210 to 140 days, respectively, along the transect from the southeastern Banma to northwestern Zaling Lake. The number of vascular plant species recorded in 47 plots is 242 including 2 tree, 34 shrub, 206 herb species. Main vegetation types on the transect from southeast to northwest are: Sabina convallium forest, Picea likiangensis forest, Pyracantha fortuneana + Spiraea alpina shrub, Hippophae neurocarpu shrub, Sibiraea angustata + Polygonum viviparum shrub, Stellera chamaejasme herb meadow, Potentilla fruticosa + Salix obscura + Carex sp. Shrub, Kobresia capillifolia meadow, P. froticosa + Kobresia humilis shrub, Caragana jubata + S. obscura shrub, Kobresia tibetica meadow, Kobresia pygmaea meadow, K. pygmaea + Stipa purpurea steppe meadow, Stipa purpurea steppe. Plant richness and diversity index all showed a decreasing trend with increasing of elevation along transect from southeast to northwest. Detailed information on altitudinal ranges and distribution of the alpine vegetation, vascular flora and environments over the alpine zone at northeastern Tibetan Plateau provides baseline records relevant to future assessment of probable effects of global climate changes.

围封对退化矮嵩草草甸群落结构和主要种群空间分布格局的影响

通过研究围栏封育1年后中度退化的矮嵩草草甸（夏季牧场）群落结构的变化,探讨主要植物种群在小尺度（50 cm×50 cm）上的空间分布格局,并从生活史特征和生态适应对策等角度探讨产生和维持这些格局的机理。结果表明,围封1年显著降低了群落中主要种群矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）、高山唐松草（Thalictrum alpinum）和雪白委陵菜（Potentilla nivea）的重要值,而增加了线叶龙胆（Gentiana farreri）的重要值;显著增加了群落的地上生物量和总生物量,但对地下生物量和群落多样性的影响不显著。围封使退化矮嵩草草甸主要种群矮嵩草、高山唐松草、珠芽蓼（Polygonum viviparum）、线叶嵩草（Kobresia capillifolia）和金露梅（Potentilla fruticosa）等空间分布格局从放牧后的随机分布向聚集分布发展,而雪白委陵菜、重齿风毛菊（S.katochaeteMaxim）、矮火绒草（Leonto-podium nanum）和美丽风毛菊（Saussurea pulchra）等种群的空间分布格局没有发生改变;但黑褐苔草（Carex atro-fusca）的空间格局从放牧后的聚集分布转向随机分布。因此,退化的矮嵩草草甸在围封的初始阶段,由于避免了家畜的选择性采食及其践踏作用,首先可能是使主要种群的空间分布格局有从随机分布向聚集分布变化的趋势,从而使小尺度的种间隔离来降低种间的竞争强度,从而改变了不同物种对资源和空间的竞争能力,进而推动群落物种组成和结构的恢复演替。

青藏高原3种主要植被类型的表观量子效率和最大光合速率的比较

以海北高寒草甸生态系统定位站的涡度相关系统连续观测的CO_2通量数据为基础,分析了青藏高原的高寒矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)草甸、高寒金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)灌丛草甸和高寒藏嵩草(Kobresia tibetica)沼泽化草甸等3种主要植被类型在2005年植物生长季(6-9月)的表观量子产额(a)、最大光合速率(Pmax)和呼吸速率(Reco)的变化特征.结果表明:3种植被类型白天的净生态系统CO_2交换量(NEE)和光量子通量密度(PPFD)存在明显的直角双曲线关系(P＜0.05),其a、Pmax和Reco呈现出相似的季节变化趋势,在生长季初期(6月)最小,在7月或8月份达到最大;高寒矮嵩草草甸的a、Pmax和Reco大于灌丛草甸和沼泽化草甸,而后两者差别不大.

青藏高原两种草甸地表通量季节变化特征

2003年1月-2004年7月运用涡度相关法技术研究青藏高原金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)灌丛草甸(SWM)和藏嵩草(Kobresia humilis)沼泽化草甸(SRM)的地表通量。结果表明：二者地表湍流通量都具有明显的季节变化和日变化，其中感热通量以4月最大，1月最小，而潜热通量则以5月最大；感热通量随着季节的变动而显著变化，在相同月份中沼泽化草甸白天最大值大于灌丛草甸，日变化振幅比灌丛草甸强；白天潜热通量达到最大值的时间和波动强度因季节不同而各异，在非生长季节白天最大值在13～15 h，日波动较弱，生长季节最大值在12 h，日波动较强；高寒草甸地表湍流通量与温度间存在着线性关系；不同季节感热通量：沼泽化草甸>灌丛革甸，而潜热通量与感热通量各异，在1月沼泽化革匈>灌丛草甸，在4和10月，沼泽化草甸<灌丛草甸，在7月二者基本一致。

青藏高原矮嵩草草甸和金露梅灌丛草甸CO2通量变化与环境因子的关系

利用涡度相关技术观测了青藏高原两个典型的生态系统即矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）草甸和金露梅（Potentilla fruticosa）灌丛草甸的CO2通量，并就2003年8月份的数据，分析了生态系统通量变化与环境因子的关系。8月份是这两个生态系统的叶面积指数达到最高也是相对稳定的时期，在此期间矮嵩草草甸和金露梅灌丛草甸净碳吸收量分别达56．2和32．6g C•m^-2，日CO2吸收量最大值分别为12．7μmol•m^-2•s^-1和9．3μmol•m^-2•s^-1，排放量最大值分别为5．1μmol•m^-2•s^-1和5．7μmol•m^-2•s^-1。在相同光合有效光量子通量密度（PPFD）条件下，矮嵩草草甸CO2吸收速度大于金露梅灌丛草甸；在PPFD高于1200μmol•m^-2•s^-1。的条件下，随气温增加，两生态系统的CO2吸收速度都下降，但矮嵩草草甸的下降速度（-0．086）比金露梅灌丛草甸（-0．016）快。土壤水分影响土壤呼吸，并且影响差异因植被类型不同而不同。生态系统日CO2吸收量随昼夜温差增加而增大；较大的昼夜温差导致较高的净CO2交换量；植物反射率与CO2通量之间存在负相关关系。

高寒金露梅灌丛生物量及年周转量

采用样方调查与挖掘相结合的方法，以金露梅（Potentilla fruticosa）灌丛多年累积枝干、地下生物量和当年新生枝叶量及6-9月冠面长度、宽度和高度为参数进行线性回归分析，结合金露梅灌丛与草本植物在样地所占比例，估算其年净初级生产量及年净固碳量。结果表明：2004年金露梅灌丛地下实际周转量为53．7g／m^2，周转率为26％；当年新生枝叶量为41．0g／m^2，年净初级生产量94．7g／m^2；以草本植物与金露梅灌丛在样地所占比例为60％和40％进行估算，2004年金露梅灌丛草甸总净初级生产量为858．3g／m^2，固碳量481．9g／m^2。

高寒灌丛草甸生态系统CO2释放的初步研究

以金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)灌丛草甸生态系统为对象，应用静态密闭箱-气相色谱法对高寒灌丛(GG)、丛内草甸(GC)和裸地(GL)的CO2释放进行了初步研究。结果表明：GG、GC和GL CO2的释放速率均呈明显的单峰型日变化进程，最大释放速率出现在15：00～17：00之间，最小值在7：00前后出现，白天释放速率大于夜晚；CO2释放速率具有明显的季节性变化特征，生长期CO2释放速率明显高于枯黄期，且均表现为正排放，8月为CO2释放高峰期，释放速率GG>GC>GL(P<0．01)；2003年6月30日至2004年2月28日，高寒灌丛植被-土壤系统CO2释放量为3088．458±287．02g／m^2，丛内草甸植被-土壤系统CO2释放量为2239．685±183．68g／m^2，其中基础土壤呼吸CO2的释放量约为1346．748±176．24g／m^2，分别占GG和GC释放量的43．61％和60．13％；CO2释放速率的日变化主要受地表和5cm地温制约，而季节动态与5cm地温呈显著正相关关系(P<0．01)。

海北高寒灌丛草甸生态系统CO2释放速率的季节变化规律

在中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位站干柴滩地区以金露梅Potentilla fruticosa灌丛草甸生态系统为研究对象,应用静态密闭箱-气相色谱法对高寒灌丛(GG)、丛内草甸(GC)和次生裸地(GL)的CO2释放速率进行了长期观测,并对年释放量作了初步估测.结果表明,GG,GC和GL CO2的释放速率在一年内有明显的季节变化.植物生长季CO2释放量明显高于枯黄期,释放速率GG>GC>GL(P＜0.01),且均表现为正排放.不同季节CO2释放存在明显差异,表现为夏季＞秋季＞春季＞冬季.2003年6月30日至2004年6月28日,高寒灌丛植被-土壤系统CO2释放量为4 293.63±955.75 g/m2,丛内草甸植被-土壤系统CO2释放量为3 319.68±806.19 g/m2,裸地CO2的释放量为1 724.14±444.14 g/m2.CO2释放速率的季节变化与土壤5 cm温度呈显著正相关关系(P＜0.01).

Diurnal, seasonal and annual variation in net ecosystem CO2 exchange of an alpine shrubland on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Thus far, grassland ecosystem research has mainly been focused on low-lying grassland areas, whereas research on high-altitude grassland areas, especially on the carbon budget of remote areas like the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau is insufficient. To address this issue, flux of CO2 were measured over an alpine shrubland ecosystem (37 degrees 36'N, 101 degrees 18'E; 325 above sea level [a. s. l.]) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, for 2 years (2003 and 2004) with the eddy covariance method. The vegetation is dominated by formation Potentilla fruticosa L. The soil is Mol-Cryic Cambisols. To interpret the biotic and abiotic factors that modulate CO2 flux over the course of a year we decomposed net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) into its constituent components, and ecosystem respiration (R-eco). Results showed that seasonal trends of annual total biomass and NEE followed closely the change in leaf area index. Integrated NEE were -58.5 and -75.5 g C m(-2), respectively, for the 2003 and 2004 years. Carbon uptake was mainly attributed from June, July, August, and September of the growing season. In July, NEE reached seasonal peaks of similar magnitude (4-5 g C m(-2) day(-1)) each of the 2 years. Also, the integrated night-time NEE reached comparable peak values (1.5-2 g C m(-2) day(-1)) in the 2 years of study. Despite the large difference in time between carbon uptake and release (carbon uptake time < release time), the alpine shrubland was carbon sink. This is probably because the ecosystem respiration at our site was confined significantly by low temperature and small biomass and large day/night temperature difference and usually soil moisture was not limiting factor for carbon uptake. In general, R-eco was an exponential function of soil temperature, but with season-dependent values of Q(10). The temperature-dependent respiration model failed immediately after rain events, when large pulses of R-eco were observed. Thus, for this alpine shrubland in Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, the timing of rain events had more impact than the total amount of precipitation on ecosystem R-eco and NEE.