Carbon Storage and Vertical Distribution in Three Shrubland Communities in Gurbantiinggiit Desert, Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, Northwest China

• Published in: 中国地理科学：英文版 2012, Vol.22 (5), p.541-549
• Main Author: GONG Yanming HU Yukun FANG Fei LIU Yanyan LI Kaihui ZHANG Guangming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 中国西北地区; 土壤有机碳; 垂直分布格局; 新疆维吾尔族自治区; 沙漠; 灌丛; 碳储量; 社区
• ISSN: 1002-0063; 1993-064X

This study was carried out in the Gurbantfingg/it Desert, Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, Northwest China in August, 2009. To quantify the storage, contribution and vertical distribution patterns of plant biomass carbon （PBC） and soil organic carbon （SOC） in the study area, we investigated the carbon concentrations and its vertical dis- tribution in three different desert shrubland communities dominated by Reaumuria soongorica, Haloxylon ammoden- dron ＋ R. soongorica and Tamarix ramosissima ＋ R. soongorica, respectively. We analyzed vertical distribution of root biomass carbon and soil carbon contents by excavating soil profiles for each dominated community. The results show that SOC is considerably the larger carbon pool in the soil layers of 1.0-3.0 m （the mean value of three shrubland communities is 38.46%） and 3.0-5.0 m （the mean value is 40.24%）. In contrast, 70.74% of belowground biomass car- bon storage in 0-1.0 m layer, and its content decrease with increasing soil depth. The Haloxylon ammodendron ＋ R. soongorica shrubland community has the highest belowground biomass carbon among three selected communities. This study highlights the importance of SOC stored in deep soil layers （lower than 3.0 m from the surface） in arid shrubland communities in the global carbon balance. In addition, it provides the data support for revealing deep soil solid carbon potential, and offers scientific basis for the further research in the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystem.