Work

Draining Effects on Recent Accumulation Rates of C and N in Zoige Alpine Peatland in the Tibetan Plateau

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Peatlands play an essential role in the global carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. In order to ascertain the draining effects on recent accumulation rates of C (RERCA) and N (RERNA) in the Zoige peatland in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the core samples of peat growth, C and N accumulation for both natural and drained peatlands were measured using 210Pb and 137Cs dating methods. As a result, RERCA and RERNA showed an increasing trend from the bottom to the surface of the peatland, which was in accordance with the peat accumulation rates. However, the average RERCA in permanently flooded and seasonally flooded peatlands were 1.5–2.5 times that of drainage peatlands, and the average of RERNA were 1.2–1.7 times. Our findings indicate that the Zoige peatland is still in the stage of peat development with a large carbon sequestration capacity, and drainage from human activities leads to the decreasing of RERCA and RERNA, which will contribute to the selection of the effective ways to slow down the anthropogenic effects on the degradation of the Zoige peatland.

Source: Water

DOI: 10.3390/w10050576

Authors: Chunyi Li, Yilan Huang, Huanhuan Guo, Lijuan Cui, Wei Li

Institutions: Institute of Wetland Research, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University

Language: English

Topic: Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Climate action, Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137