Latitudinal and Altitudinal Patterns and Influencing Factors of Soil Humus Carbon in the Low-Latitude Plateau Regions

• Published in: Forests 2023-02, Vol.14 (2), p.344
• Main Authors: Zhou, Hong, Yan, Youjin, Dai, Quanhou, He, Zhongjun, Yi, Xingsong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Altitude; Altitudes; Carbon cycle; Carbon sequestration; Climate change; Cold; Composition; Decomposing organic matter; Decomposition; Ecosystems; Environmental aspects; Enzymes; Forest soils; Fulvic acids; Global warming; High altitude; High-altitude environments; Humic acids; Humus; Latitude; Low altitude; mean annual temperature; Moisture content; Moisture effects; Nitrogen; Organic carbon; Organic matter; Organic soils; Plateaus; Soil chemistry; Soil layers; Soil moisture; soil moisture content; Soil organic matter; Soil pH; Soil surfaces; Soil temperature; Surface layers; the composition of soil organic matter; Topography; Vegetation; Water content
• ISSN: 1999-4907; 1999-4907
• DOI: 10.3390/f14020344

The composition of forest soil organic matter is an important part of the global carbon cycle, which is effective by temperature and moisture. As we all know, the temperature and moisture in the low-latitude plateau regions are very sensitive to changes in latitude and altitude. However, the composition of soil organic matter response to changes in latitude and altitude in the low-latitude plateau regions is unknown. In this study, the effects of latitude (21–29° N) and altitude (500–4000 m) on soil organic carbon (SOC) and humic acid carbon (HAC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), and humin carbon (HMC) in forest surface soil (0–10 cm) were investigated. The results showed that the contents of soil organic carbon and humus increased with the increase in altitude and latitude. The effect of altitude on the composition of organic matter was significant only at 23° N to 25° N. The composition of organic matter is not only regulated by mean annual temperature (MAT) and soil moisture content (SMC) but also affected by soil pH, carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and powder. The soil surface layer (0–10 cm) carbon sequestration capacity in high-latitude and high-altitude areas is stronger than that in low-latitude and low-altitude areas. As a consequence, in today’s response to global climate change, the high carbon sequestration capacity of high latitude and high altitude areas should be given attention and protection.