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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2016, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (4): 1257-1264.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201604.018

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Effects of altitudes on soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity in alpine-gorge regions.

CAO Rui1,2, WU Fu-zhong1,2, YANG Wan-qin1,2*, XU Zhen-feng1,2, TAN Bo1,2, WANG Bin1,2, LI Jun1,2, CHANG Chen-hui1,2   

  1. 1Long-term Research Station of Alpine Forest Ecosystems, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
    2Collaborative Innovation Center of Ecological Security in the Upper Reaches of Yangtze River, Chengdu 611130, China
  • Received:2015-07-22 Revised:2016-01-17 Online:2016-04-22 Published:2016-04-22
  • Supported by:
    This paper was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31270498, 31570445) and Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (20135103110002).2015-07-22 Received, 2016-01-17 Accepted.*

Abstract: In order to understand the variations of soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities with the change of altitude, a field incubation was conducted in dry valley, ecotone between dry valley and mountain forest, subalpine coniferous forest, alpine forest and alpine meadow from 1563 m to 3994 m of altitude in the alpine-gorge region of western Sichuan. The microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and the activities of invertase, urease and acid phosphorus were measured in both soil organic layer and mineral soil layer. Both the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities showed the similar tendency in soil organic layer. They increased from 2158 m to 3028 m, then decreased to the lowest value at 3593 m, and thereafter increased until 3994 m in the alpine-gorge region. In contrast, the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in mineral soil layer showed the trends as, the subalpine forest at 3028 m > alpine meadow at 3994 m > montane forest ecotone at 2158 m > alpine forest at 3593 m > dry valley at 1563 m. Regardless of altitudes, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were significantly higher in soil organic layer than in mineral soil layer. The soil microbial biomass was significantly positively correlated with the activities of the measured soil enzymes. Moreover, both the soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were significantly positively correlated with soil water content, organic carbon, and total nitrogen. The activity of soil invertase was significantly positively correlated with soil phosphorus content, and the soil acid phosphatase was so with soil phosphorus content and soil temperature. In brief, changes in vegetation and other environmental factors resulting from altitude change might have strong effects on soil biochemical properties in the alpine-gorge region.