Stable isotopes of pedogenic carbonates as indicators of paleoecology in the Plio-Pleistocene (upper Bed I), western margin of the Olduvai Basin, Tanzania

Paleosol carbonates from trenches excavated as part of a landscape-scale project in Bed I of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, were analyzed for stable carbon and oxygen isotopic composition. The approximately 60,000-year interval ( approximately 1.845-1.785 Ma) above Tuff IB records evidence for lake and fluvial sequences, volcanic eruptions, eolian and pedogenic processes, and the development of a fluvial plain in the western margin of the basin. Significant temporal variation in the carbonate delta(18)O values records variation of local precipitation and supports the shifts in climatic conditions interpreted from the lithologic record. During this period, carbonate delta(13)C values varied between depositional facies indicating that the paleolandscape supported a local biomass of about 40-60% C(4) plants within a mosaic of grassy woodlands and wooded grasslands. The lithologic and stable isotope record in this small lake basin indicates the area was much wetter, with more woody C(3) plants, during this interval than is the semi-arid area today. The record also reflects the variation in climatic conditions (wet/dry) documented by other global climate proxies for this time.     

Paleogeographic variations of pedogenic carbonate delta13C values from Koobi Fora, Kenya: implications for floral compositions of Plio-Pleistocene hominin environments

Plio-Pleistocene East African grassland expansion and faunal macroevolution, including that of our own lineage, are attributed to global climate change. To further understand environmental factors of early hominin evolution, we reconstruct the paleogeographic distribution of vegetation (C(3)-C(4) pathways) by stable carbon isotope (delta(13)C) analysis of pedogenic carbonates from the Plio-Pleistocene Koobi Fora region, northeast Lake Turkana Basin, Kenya. We analyzed 202 nodules (530 measurements) from ten paleontological/archaeological collecting areas spanning environments over a 50-km(2) area. We compared results across subregions in evolving fluviolacustrine depositional environments in the Koobi Fora Formation from 2.0-1.5 Ma, a stratigraphic interval that temporally brackets grassland ascendancy in East Africa. Significant differences in delta(13)C values between subregions are explained by paleogeographic controls on floral composition and distribution. Our results indicate grassland expansion between 2.0 and 1.75 Ma, coincident with major shifts in basin-wide sedimentation and hydrology. Hypotheses may be correct in linking Plio-Pleistocene hominin evolution to environmental changes from global climate; however, based on our results, we interpret complexity from proximate forces that mitigated basin evolution. An approximately 2.5 Ma tectonic event in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya exerted strong effects on paleography in the Turkana Basin from 2.0-1.5 Ma, contributing to the shift from a closed, lacustrine basin to one dominated by open, fluvial conditions. We propose basin transformation decreased residence time for Omo River water and expanded subaerial floodplain landscapes, ultimately leading to reduced proportions of wooded floras and the establishment of habitats suitable for grassland communities.     

Paleolandscape variation and early pleistocene hominid activities: members 1 and 7, Olorgesailie formation, Kenya.

Paleolandscape research tests for variation in the spatial distribution of hominid artefacts and establishes the association of hominid activities with paleoenvironmental features over distances of 100s to 1000s of meters. This approach requires (1) precise definition of narrow stratigraphic intervals based on sedimentary criteria that can be documented over a broad area, and (2) excavation of these intervals in order to establish taphonomic and paleoenvironmental contexts. In this report, excavations of three target intervals within the early Pleistocene deposits (992 to 780 ka) of the Olorgesailie basin are described. Assessment of time-averaging and paleolandscape structure shows that each target interval represents a relatively brief period (相似文献   

多年放牧对不同类型草原植被及土壤碳同位素的影响

放牧是草原牧区常见的人类活动,多年放牧对草原植被及土壤的碳过程产生较大的影响.本研究采集不同类型草原多年放牧前后植被及土壤样品,对室内碳同位素进行分析,研究了不同草原生态系统Δ¹³C(碳同位素分馏值)差异及其影响因素.结果表明: 放牧强度对植被Δ¹³C值的影响显著,0～5 cm表层土壤Δ¹³C值在放牧前后变化显著,而对深层土壤(>5 cm)影响不显著.多年放牧后大部分植被Δ¹³C值显著升高,高海拔地区升高的幅度较大.可见,放牧行为对不同草地生态系统类型、不同土壤深度以及不同海拔生态系统碳过程产生的影响差异显著.针对不同类型的草原,放牧应采取多样化的管理方式.     

Reconstructing Mid-Pleistocene paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Golan Heights using the δ(13)C values of modern vegetation and soil organic carbon of paleosols

The Golan Heights borders the Upper Jordan Valley on its eastern side and likely served as a prime foraging area for hominin groups that inhabited the Upper Jordan Valley during the Mid-Pleistocene. This study tests the hypothesis that Mid-Pleistocene climate in the Golan region was similar to that of the present day. Carbon isotope composition of present day plant communities and soil organic carbon from the Golan were compared to those of paleosols from Nahal Orvim to reconstruct Mid-Pleistocene paleoclimatic conditions. After correcting the paleosol values for recent changes in atmospheric carbon isotope values and potential biodegradation, the isotopic results show a strong similarity to those of present day local plants and soils. These results indicate that during the Mid-Pleistocene, the Golan was dominated by C₃ vegetation, shared similar climatic conditions with the present day, and displayed long-term environmental stability. The span of time of paleosol formation is unknown and might cover multiple climatic episodes; thus, although short climatic fluctuations may have occurred, their impact was not substantial enough to be detected in the Nahal Orvim paleosols. This study concludes that the Golan slopes provided hominins and large grazers with a reliable and highly nutritious foraging area that complemented the Jordan Valley riparian ecosystem.     

Pedogenic carbonate stable isotopic evidence for wooded habitat preference of early Pleistocene tool makers in the Turkana Basin

The origin and evolution of early Pleistocene hominin lithic technologies in Africa occurred within the context of savanna grassland ecosystems. The Nachukui Formation of the Turkana Basin in northern Kenya, containing Oldowan and Acheulean tool assemblages and fossil evidence for early members of Homo and Paranthropus, provides an extensive spatial and temporal paleosol record of early Pleistocene savanna flora. Here we present new carbon isotopic (δ¹³C_VPDB) values of pedogenic carbonates (68 nodules, 193 analyses) from the Nachukui Formation in order to characterize past vegetation structure and change through time. We compared three members (Kalochoro, Kaitio, and Natoo) at five locations spanning 2.4–1.4 Ma and sampled in proximity to hominin archaeological and paleontological sites. Our results indicate diverse habitats showing a mosaic pattern of vegetation cover at each location yet demonstrate grassland expansion through time influenced by paleogeography. Kalochoro floodplains occurred adjacent to large river systems, and paleosols show evidence of C₃ woodlands averaging 46–50% woody cover. Kaitio habitats were located along smaller rivers and lake margins. Paleosols yielded evidence for reduced portions of woody vegetation averaging 34–37% woody cover. Natoo environments had the highest percentage of grasslands averaging 21% woody cover near a diminishing Lake Turkana precursor. We also compared paleosol δ¹³C_VPDB values of lithic archaeological sites with paleosol δ¹³C_VPDB values of all environments available to hominins at 2.4–1.4 Ma in the Nachukui and Koobi Fora Formations. Grassy environments became more widespread during this interval; woody canopy cover mean percentages steadily decreased by 12%. However, significantly more wooded savanna habitats were present in the vicinity of lithic archaeological sites and did not mirror the basin-wide trend of grassland spread. Hominin lithic archaeological sites consistently demonstrated woody cover circa 40% throughout our study interval and were 4–12% more woody than coeval basin environs. We propose that Turkana Basin early tool makers may have preferred a more wooded portion of the savanna ecosystem to reduce heat stress and to gain differential access to potable water, raw materials, animal carcasses, and edible plants.     

13C natural abundance variations in carbonates and organic carbon from boreal forest wetlands

¹³C natural abundance variations were measured in peat soil and vegetation from two contrasting boreal forest wetlands: an upland watershed basin and a permanently saturated lowland mire. Evidence of methane oxidation was shown in the permanently saturated wetland with δ¹³C values as low as -97 ‰ in carbonate minerals found in floating peat mats. It is postulated that¹³C depleted CH₄ is oxidized in the mat and reacts with calcium ions to form calcite (identified through x-ray diffraction). Methane flux measurements during the summer of 1992 showed much lower fluxes in areas with floating peat mats relative to open water. Secondary carbonates in the basin peat have isotope compositions close to the δ¹³C values of the peat organic carbon (-25 ‰), indicating their origin from fermentation and possibly from sulfate-reduction. In the upland basin peat deposits, the δ¹³C_PDB values of organic C were constant with depth, while the permanently saturated mire had localities of¹³C enrichment in deeper layers of the peat. The¹³C enrichment may reflect areas of intense CH₄ production in which¹³C enriched residual substrate is left behind during the production of highly¹³C depleted CH₄.     

Stable carbon isotope analysis of soil organic matter illustrates vegetation change at the grassland/woodland boundary in southeastern Arizona,USA

In southeastern Arizona, Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC. and Quercus emoryi Torr. are the dominant woody species at grassland/woodland boundaries. The stability of the grassland/woodland boundary in this region has been questioned, although there is no direct evidence to confirm that woodland is encroaching into grassland or vice versa. We used stable carbon isotope analysis of soil organic matter to investigate the direction and magnitude of vegetation change along this ecotone. ¹³C values of soil organic matter and roots along the ecotone indicated that both dominant woody species (C₃) are recent components of former grasslands (C₄), consistent with other reports of recent increases in woody plant abundance in grasslands and savannas throughout the world. Data on root biomass and soil organic matter suggest that this increase in woody plant abundance in grasslands and savannas may increase carbon storage in these ecosystems, with implications for the global carbon cycle.     

Minor stable carbon isotope fractionation between respired carbon dioxide and bulk soil organic matter during laboratory incubation of topsoil

A common assumption in paleoenvironmental reconstructions using soils is that the carbon isotope composition of soil-respired CO₂ is equivalent to the carbon isotope composition of bulk soil organic matter (SOM). However, the occurrence of a non-zero per mil carbon isotope enrichment factor between CO₂ and SOM (\(\varepsilon_{{{\text{CO}}_{ 2} - {\text{SOM}}}}\)) during soil respiration is the most widely accepted explanation for the down-profile increase in SOM δ¹³C values commonly observed in well-drained soils. In order to shed light on this apparent discrepancy, we incubated soil samples collected from the top 2 cm of soils with pure C₃ vegetation and compared the δ¹³C values of soil-respired CO₂ to the δ¹³C values of bulk SOM. Our results show near-zero \(\varepsilon_{{{\text{CO}}_{ 2} - {\text{SOM}}}}\) values (?0.3 to 0.4 ‰), supporting the use of paleosol organic matter as a proxy for paleo soil-respired CO₂. Significantly more negative \(\varepsilon_{{{\text{CO}}_{ 2} - {\text{SOM}}}}\) values are required to explain the typical δ¹³C profiles of SOM in well-drained soils. Therefore our results also suggest that typical SOM δ¹³C profiles result from either (1) a process other than carbon isotope fractionation between CO₂ and SOM during soil respiration or (2) \(\varepsilon_{{{\text{CO}}_{ 2} - {\text{SOM}}}}\) values that become increasingly negative as SOM matures.     

Desert grassland dynamics estimated from carbon isotopes in grass phytoliths and soil organic matter

Abstract. We document the potential for using carbon isotopes in both soil organic matter (SOM) and grass phytoliths in soil to increase the temporal and taxonomic resolutions of long term vegetation dynamics. Carbon isotope values from both SOM and phytoliths are expected to describe both the age of material through ¹⁴C dating, and the photosynthetic pathway of the source plant material through ratios of ¹²C/¹³C. Taxonomic resolution is increased because the phytoliths examined are specific to grasses, whereas the SOM reflects the contribution of all the vegetation. Temporal resolution is increased because phytoliths are less mobile in the soil profile than SOM, and can therefore provide older dates from the same soil depth. Our results, from a desert grassland site in southwestern North America, largely confirm these expectations, and show that C₄ species have dominated the grass composition for the last 8000 yr, C₃ non‐grass vegetation increased about 100–350 yrBP, and no significant C₃ grass or non‐grass vegetation existed between 350–2000 yr BP.     

Biomass carbon storage and net primary production in different habitats of Hunshandake Sandland, China

Terrestrial ecosystems are playing important roles in global carbon cycling. However, the information is still limited with regard to the semi-arid sandland or desert area, compared with the thorough studies on forest and grassland. We here estimated the biomass carbon storage, net primary production (NPP) and rain use efficiency (RUE) of Hunshandake Sandland, a semi-arid sandy region in Inner Mongolia covered with vegetation of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.) sparse forest grassland. Five main habitats, i.e. fixed dunes, semi-fixed dunes, shifting dunes, lowland, and wetland, were compared to analyze the patterns of carbon storage and NPP distribution. The average biomass (9.19 Mg C ha^?1) and NPP (4.79 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1) of the sparse forest grassland were respectively 82% and 54% higher than the mean level of the surrounding temperate grassland. Governed by the same climate, sparse forest grassland ecosystem had RUE almost twice that of surrounding grassland. The ratio of below to aboveground biomass was 3.5: 1 in the sandland, indicating that most of the vegetational carbon was stored in belowground pool. Although trees were functionally critical in maintaining the integrity of sparse forest grassland, they accounted for only 10.6% and 1.2% of the biomass and NPP, respectively. The sparse forest grassland in Hunshandake Sandland should be recognized as a temperate savanna ecosystem which is distinctively different from typical temperate grassland in the same region as evidenced by the higher NPP and vegetation carbon storage. Well designed management and restoration efforts can potentially sustain ecosystem services in both forage production and carbon sequestration.     

Biomass carbon storage and net primary production in different habitats of Hunshandake Sandland, China

Terrestrial ecosystems are playing important roles in global carbon cycling. However, the information is still limited with regard to the semi-arid sandland or desert area, compared with the thorough studies on forest and grassland. We here estimated the biomass carbon storage, net primary production (NPP) and rain use efficiency (RUE) of Hunshandake Sandland, a semi-arid sandy region in Inner Mongolia covered with vegetation of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.) sparse forest grassland. Five main habitats, i.e. fixed dunes, semi-fixed dunes, shifting dunes, lowland, and wetland, were compared to analyze the patterns of carbon storage and NPP distribution. The average biomass (9.19 Mg C ha^?1) and NPP (4.79 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1) of the sparse forest grassland were respectively 82% and 54% higher than the mean level of the surrounding temperate grassland. Governed by the same climate, sparse forest grassland ecosystem had RUE almost twice that of surrounding grassland. The ratio of below to aboveground biomass was 3.5: 1 in the sandland, indicating that most of the vegetational carbon was stored in belowground pool. Although trees were functionally critical in maintaining the integrity of sparse forest grassland, they accounted for only 10.6% and 1.2% of the biomass and NPP, respectively. The sparse forest grassland in Hunshandake Sandland should be recognized as a temperate savanna ecosystem which is distinctively different from typical temperate grassland in the same region as evidenced by the higher NPP and vegetation carbon storage. Well designed management and restoration efforts can potentially sustain ecosystem services in both forage production and carbon sequestration.     

Can soil organic carbon isotopes be used to describe grass-tree dynamics at a savanna-grassland ecotone and within the savanna?

Abstract. We evaluated the use of soil organic carbon (SOC) isotopes to describe grass-tree dynamics at locations at the savanna-C₄ grassland ecotone and within a temperate semiarid Quercus savanna in southeastern Arizona, USA. SOC will not describe grass-tree dynamics at locations within the savanna because isotope composition near the soil surface does not correspond with the overlying vegetation and recent C₃ carbon has been deposited at deep soil depths with no C₄analog. In contrast, SOC can describe grass-tree dynamics at the savanna-grassland ecotone because isotope composition near the soil surface corresponds with overlying vegetation and significant deep soil deposition of C₃ carbon was not apparent. At the ecotone, trees became established in the last 700–1700 years. There is no evidence to suggest an unstable grass-tree mixture at the ecotone since that time.     

Influence of soil properties on coastal sandplain grassland establishment on former agricultural fields

The decline in species‐rich grasslands across the United States has increased the importance of conservation and restoration efforts to preserve the biodiversity supported by these habitats. Abandoned agricultural fields often provide practical locations for the reestablishment of species‐rich grasslands. However, these fields often retain legacies of agriculture both in their soils, which may have higher pH and nitrogen (N) contents than soils that were never farmed, and in their plant communities, which are dominated by non‐native species and poor in native seed stock. We considered methods of reversing these legacies to create native‐species‐rich grassland on former agricultural land. We tested seeding and tilling combined with additions of sulfur (S), carbon (C), N or water to establish diverse sandplain grassland vegetation on an old field on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. We measured soil pH, extractable nitrate and ammonium, and total and native species richness and native species cover for 5 years after treatment. S additions lowered pH to values typical of never‐tilled sandplain ecosystems and increased native species cover, but had no effect on species richness. C, N, and water additions had no significant effects on the soil or vegetation. Seeding and tilling were more effective at restoring native species richness than any soil amendments and indicated a greater importance of biotic factors compared with soil conditions in promoting sandplain vegetation establishment. S amendment accelerated establishment of native species cover for several years but the effect of S additions compared with seeding and tilling alone declined over time.     

Carbon isotopic record of terrestrial ecosystems spanning the Late Miocene extinction of Oreopithecus bambolii, Baccinello Basin (Tuscany, Italy)

Oreopithecus bambolii is a Late Miocene hominoid with an extensive fossil record in the Baccinello Basin (Tuscany, Italy), and was the only western European hominoid to survive a major extinction event ca. 9.6 Ma (millions of years ago). Oreopithecus lived in the insular Tusco-Sardinian paleobioprovince, where it evolved many unique anatomical specializations that make it important for understanding the mechanisms and history of Late Miocene hominoid evolution. The eventual extinction of Oreopithecus and its associated fauna ca. 6.5 Ma has generally been attributed to interaction with species that arrived from continental Europe following tectonic collision of the Tusco-Sardinian province with mainland Italy, but palynological, paleontological, and sedimentological records indicate an environmental shift toward more variable climate across the extinction event.To explore the possibility of environmental change as a contributing factor in the extinction of Oreopithecus, we developed a stable carbon and oxygen isotope record from organic matter in paleosols from the Baccinello Basin. These data show very low temporal and spatial variability (indicating plant ecosystem stability through time and space) and provide no evidence for ecologically significant changes in floral composition spanning the extinction event, suggesting that environmental change was not an underlying cause for the extinction of Oreopithecus and its associated fauna. The carbon isotope values fall entirely within the range of isotopic variability for modern plants following the C₃ photosynthetic pathway (trees, shrubs, cool-season grasses), indicating that C₄ vegetation (warm-season grasses) was not an important component of biomass. When corrected for temporal variation in the carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the paleosol carbon isotope values are consistent with predicted values based on modern plants and the Baccinello palynoflora, supporting the reliability of paleosol isotopic records as paleoecological proxies.     

呼伦贝尔草原辉河湿地不同淹水状态的土壤碳氮磷特征比较

碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)生态化学计量比是生态系统过程及其功能的重要特征。为了比较不同淹水状态下草原区河岸湿地土壤生态化学计量特征差异,探讨用土壤生态化学计量特征来表征草原河岸湿地的退化状态,以呼伦贝尔草原辉河河岸湿地为研究对象,分别选择完全退化和未退化河岸湿地,从中选取常年淹水区域(W)、年际干湿交替区域(WD)以及河岸带边缘多年未曾淹没的干燥区域(D)为观测样地,对比研究退化与未退化草原河岸湿地土壤C、N、P化学计量比在不同淹水状态下的表征。结果表明:(1)随着淹水状态的改变,不论是退化河岸湿地还是未退化河岸湿地,不同淹水状态下的土壤C/N、C/P、N/P均差异显著(P0.05);(2)退化河岸湿地的C/N、C/P和N/P的平均值分别为9.05、273.08和28.25,与未退化河岸湿地相比(7.85、95.48、11.41)值显著升高;(3)相关性分析结果显示,土壤总磷与有机碳、全氮显著正相关,与C/N、C/P、N/P负相关,这可能是限制退化河岸湿地土壤养分元素循环的主要因素。研究结果表明:呼伦贝尔草原辉河河岸湿地不同淹水状态的土壤碳、氮、磷特征差异明显(P0.05),尤其是土壤C/P和N/P。与未退化河岸湿地相比,退化河岸湿地的C/N、C/P、N/P均明显高于未退化河岸湿地(P0.05),因此可以将土壤碳、氮、磷化学计量比特征作为草原区河岸湿地退化的评价指标。     

Widespread decreases in topsoil inorganic carbon stocks across China's grasslands during 1980s–2000s

Soil carbon (C) stocks consist of inorganic and organic components, ~1.7 times larger than the total of the C stored in vegetation and the atmosphere together. Significant soil C losses could thus offset any C sink in vegetation, creating a positive feedback to climate change. However, compared with the susceptible sensitivity of organic matter decay to climate warming, soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks are often assumed to be relatively stable. Here, we evaluated SIC changes across China's grasslands over the last two decades using data from a recent regional soil survey during 2001–2005 and historical national soil inventory during the 1980s. Our results showed that SIC stocks in the top 10 cm decreased significantly between the two sampling periods, with a mean rate of 26.8 (95% confidence interval: 15.8–41.7) g C m^?2 yr^?1. The larger decreases in SIC stocks were observed in those regions with stronger soil acidification and richer soil carbonates. The lost SIC could be released to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, redistributed to the deeper soil layer, and transferred to the nearby regions. The fraction of soil carbonates entering into the atmosphere may diminish the strength of terrestrial C sequestration and amplify the positive C‐climate feedback.     

黄土高原北部草地的恢复与重建对土壤有机碳的影响

草地的恢复与重建是黄土高原生态建设的重要内容,探讨草地恢复过程中土壤有机碳密度（SOCD）的变化规律对于合理评价北方水蚀风蚀交错带地区生态恢复的环境效应及其对土壤碳固存潜力的影响具有重要的理论价值。以黄土高原北部水蚀风蚀交错带地区不同生长年限的紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa）人工草地及其退化后形成的次生草地为主要研究对象,探讨了SOCD的动态变化特征。结果表明,研究区0-100cm土体的SOCD普遍较低,变化范围为1.18-2.81kgCm^-2,略高于地球上荒漠带的水平（1.4kgCm^-2）,显著低于黄土高原中部（4.46-9.95kgCm^-2）与全国（11.52-12.04kgCm^-2）的平均水平。但是当土地利用方式由农田转变为人工草地以后,以及随着人工草地向长芒草（Stipabungeana）次生天然草地的自然演替,SOCD均有不同程度的增加,增加幅度最大可达72%,土壤表现为明显的碳汇。不同土地利用方式0-100cmSOCD的变化顺序为：灌木林地（2.11kgCm^-2）〉次生天然草地（1.95kgCm^-2）〉人工草地（1.91kgCm^-2）〉弃耕地（1.69kgCm^-2）〉农田（1.68kgCm^-2）,但统计差异不显著,意味着植被恢复对土壤碳固存的影响相对较小,该地区土壤固存CO2的潜力并不大,发育较好的次生天然草地0-100cm土体SOCD平均仅为2.20kgCm^-2。对SOCD垂直变化的分析结果表明表层SOC主要固存于表层0-20cm土壤,而且与0-100cm土体的SOCD具有显著的线性相关性,由表层观测值可以有效估计0-100cm土体的SOCD,估计误差为9.9%（0.18kgCm^-2）。     

Past vegetation changes in the Brazilian Pantanal arboreal–grassy savanna ecotone by using carbon isotopes in the soil organic matter

Measurements of the organic carbon inventory, its stable isotopic composition and radiocarbon content were used to deduce vegetation history from two soil profiles in arboreal and grassy savanna ecotones in the Brazilian Pantanal. The Pantanal is a large floodplain area with grass-dominated lowlands subject to seasonal flooding, and arboreal savanna uplands which are only rarely flooded. Organic carbon inventories were lower in the grassy savanna site than in the upland arboreal savanna site, with carbon decreasing exponentially with depth from the surface in both profiles. Changes in ¹³C of soil organic matter (SOM) with depth differed markedly between the two sites. Differences in surface SOM ¹³C values reflect the change from C₃ to C₄ plants between the sites, as confirmed by measurements of ¹³C of vegetation and the soil surface along a transect between the upland closed-canopy forest and lowland grassy savanna. Changes of ¹³C in SOM with depth at both sites are larger than the 3–4 per mil increases expected from fractionation associated with organic matter decomposition. We interpret these as recording past changes in the relative abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants at these sites. Mass balances with ¹⁴C and ¹³C suggest that past vegetational changes from C₃ to C₄ plants in the grassy savanna, and in the deeper part of the arboreal savanna, occurred between 4600 and 11 400 BP, when major climatic changes were also observed in several places of the South American Continent. The change from C₄ to C₃, observed only in the upper part of the arboreal savanna, was much more recent (1400 BP), and was probably caused by a local change in the flooding regime.     

黄土区小流域植被类型对沟坡地土壤水分循环的影响

沟坡作为黄土丘陵区小流域水土流失最为活跃的区域,探究不同下垫面植被类型下的土壤水分循环特征对于沟坡地植被恢复具有重要意义。基于氢氧同位素示踪技术,通过野外水样采集和室内同位素分析旨在揭示植被类型对沟坡地土壤水分循环的影响机制。结果表明:(1)各水体氢氧同位素均遵循:降水刺槐林地土壤水草地土壤水地表水地下水,降水的变异系数最大,地表水和地下水的变异系数较小。(2)草地土壤水主要以降水补给为主,所占比例为59.12%,刺槐林地土壤水则以深层土壤水的上升补给为主,所占比例为60.97%。短阵性暴雨条件下,草地土壤水运移速率较刺槐林地高约1 cm/d,且主要发生在0—50 cm土层。(3)土壤水的垂向运移为地下水的主要补给形式,草地土壤水对地下水的补给比例为51.64%,约比刺槐林地高0.52%。表明植被类型对土壤水分循环特征具有一定的影响,刺槐林对深层土壤水分利用强度较大,可能加剧深层土壤干层化,而草地更有利于降水入渗以及地下水补给,该研究可为小流域沟坡的生态修复和综合治理提供科学依据。