The change of freeze-thaw pattern of the Tibetan Plateau under climate warming is bound to have a profound impact on the soil process of alpine grassland ecosystem;however,the research on the impact of the freeze-thaw action on nitrogen processes of the alpine grassland ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau has not yet attracted much attention.In this study,the impact of the freezing strength on the soil nitrogen components of alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau was studied through laboratory freeze-thaw simulation experiments.The 0–10 cm topsoil was collected from the alpine marsh meadow and alpine meadow in the permafrost region of Beilu River.In the experiment,the soil samples were cultivated at –10°C,–7°C,–5°C,–3°C and –1°C,respectively for three days and then thawed at 2°C for one day.The results showed that after the freeze-thaw process,the soil microbial biomass nitrogen significantly decreased while the dissolved organic nitrogen and inorganic nitrogen significantly increased.When the freezing temperature was below –7°C,there was no significant difference between the content of nitrogen components,which implied a change of each nitrogen component might have a response threshold toward the freezing temperature.As the freeze-thaw process can lead to the risk of nitrogen loss in the alpine grassland ecosystem,more attention should be paid to the response of the soil nitrogen cycle of alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau to the freeze-thaw process.
The content characteristics of 16 elements(Al,Ca,Cr,Cu,Fe,K,Li,Mg,Mn,Mo,Na,Ni,P,Pb,Sr,and Zn) in 23 plant species collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region were investigated using ICP-OES.Results show that the average contents of Ca,K,Mg,Fe and P were higher than 1,000 mg/kg,those of Al,Na,Zn and Cr ranged between 10-1,000 mg/kg and those of Cu,Li,Pb and Mo were less than 10 mg/kg.The levels of Al,Ca,K,Mg and Na were within the scope of the reported terrestrial plant element content,those of Sr,Fe and Cr were higher than the average of the terrestrial plants and the maximum content of Mn was higher than the upper limit of the reported Mn content.The main character of the element content was of the Ca>K type,however,in terms of Cyperaceae species the element content character was K>Ca type.The contents of Ca,Li,Mg and Sr in Gramineae and Cyperaceae species were higher than those in other species and the contents of Ca,K,Mg,Fe,P,Al and Na in all collected plants were higher than those of other elements.Zn had weak variability with the lowest coefficient(i.e.,7.81%),while other elements had strong variability.The ratio of maximum content to minimum content indicated Ca and K had less change than other elements in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region.Element content of alpine vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region mainly shows a positive correlation,among which the correlation coefficient between Al and Pb,Al and Fe,Mo and Cr,Pb and Fe,Sr and Li were higher than 0.9,and negative correlation had no statistical significance.The correlation between Al and Fe,Mg,Mn in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region were consistent with that reported in Kunlun Mountains.
