Density and spatial distribution of organic carbon in the topsoil of eastern Qinghai

LIU Qing-Yu; MA Ying; CHENG Li; SHEN Xiao; ZHANG Ya-Feng; MIAO Guo-Wen; HUANG Qiang; HAN Si-Qi

doi:10.11720/wtyht.2023.1287

2023 Vol. 47, No. 4

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Article navigation > Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration > 2023 > 47(4): 1098-1108

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LIU Qing-Yu, MA Ying, CHENG Li, SHEN Xiao, ZHANG Ya-Feng, MIAO Guo-Wen, HUANG Qiang, HAN Si-Qi. 2023. Density and spatial distribution of organic carbon in the topsoil of eastern Qinghai. Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, 47(4): 1098-1108. doi: 10.11720/wtyht.2023.1287

Citation:

LIU Qing-Yu, MA Ying, CHENG Li, SHEN Xiao, ZHANG Ya-Feng, MIAO Guo-Wen, HUANG Qiang, HAN Si-Qi. 2023. Density and spatial distribution of organic carbon in the topsoil of eastern Qinghai. Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, 47(4): 1098-1108. doi: 10.11720/wtyht.2023.1287

Density and spatial distribution of organic carbon in the topsoil of eastern Qinghai

1. The Fifth Geological Exploration Institute of Qinghai Province, Xining 810099, China;
2. Qinghai Geology and Mineral Testing Application Center, Xining 810000, China

Received Date: 04 June 2022

Revised Date: 03 November 2022

Publish Date: 11 October 2023

Abstract

Abstract

This study integrated the data of both the multi-purpose regional geochemical survey and land quality geochemical survey covering an area of 33 092 km² in eastern Qinghai. Based on these data, the total organic carbon storage of topsoil in the study area was estimated to be 171.16 Mt, with an average organic carbon density of 5 172.14 t/km². Moreover, this study analyzed the spatial distribution and main influencing factors of organic carbon in topsoil. As indicated by the results, the average density of organic carbon in topsoil is significantly high in high and middle-low mountains, grassland and meadow soils, soil parent materials of eluvial-slope deposits, forest grasslands, and alpine sparse vegetation areas, grassland and forest and is the lowest in deserts, aeolian sandy soil, and soil parent material areas of aeolian sands. This finding means that factors including topography (altitude), soil parent materials, climate, and vegetation affect the density and distribution of organic carbon in topsoil. Compared with the organic carbon storage revealed by the second general detailed soil survey in Qinghai, 53.21 Mt of organic carbon has been released from the topsoil of eastern Qinghai in the past 20 years. This result indicates that the soil organic carbon has decreased to a certain extent under the influence of human production activities such as long-term cultivation, overcutting, and overgrazing.
- soil organic carbon density /
- distribution characteristics /
- topsoil /
- soil type /
- eastern Qinghai