Abstract: The 8-year-old Larix gmelinii forests were transplanted from four sites (Tahe, Songling, Sunwu, and Dailing) comprising a latitudinal gradient across the distribution range of L. gmelinii in Northeastern China, and the soil microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and nitrogen (Nmic) in spring soil thawing period were measured after 3-year transplanting. Under the similar soil substrates and the same climate conditions, the mean values of soil Cmic and Nmic in the L. gmelinii forests transplanted from the four sites differed significantly, being decreased with increasing latitude and soil depth. The Cmic for Tahe, Songling, Sunwu, and Dailing averaged 55463, 82641, 87481, and 124618 mg·kg-1, and the Nmic averaged 7063, 9678, 7976, and 11966 mg·kg-1, respectively. The Cmic and Nmic peaked before soil thawing, declined rapidly at the early stage of soil  thawing, and had less change and maintained at a lower level during the period of soil freezing-thawing. By the end of soil thawing, the Cmic for lower latitudinal soils (i.e., Dailing and Sunwu) recovered faster. Soil temperature and moisture content during spring soil thawing affected the temporal patterns of Cmic and Nmic significantly, but the affecting degree depended on the stages of soil thawing. The Cmic and Nmic were negatively correlated to the soil temperature at the early stage of soil thawing, and exponentially related to the soil moisture content during the whole soil thawing period.

Key words: soil thawing, Larix gmelinii, soil microbial biomass, climate change, latitude, biochar, arsenic, soil, adsorption, desorption.