%0 Journal Article
%T Alpine Vegetation Patterns on a Small Hillside Near Permafrost Lower Limit in the Qilian Mountians, Northwest China
%A Rensheng Chen
%A Ersi Kang Xibin Ji
%A Yong Yang
%A Wenwu Qing
%A Zhihui Zhang
%J Online Journal of Earth Sciences
%D 2012
%I 
%X Using sample plot and transect methods, alpine vegetation distribution features, such as types, heights and coverage etc., are investigated and 102 soil samples at 20cm depths are acquired for nutrients test on or near a small hillside, in the alpine meadow regions near permafrost lower limit, Qilian Mountains, Northwest China, to know about the responses of the vegetation pattern to its niches. The results show that, the vegetation types, vegetation coverage and soil nutrients contents at 20cm depth, such as C, N, P and K, are different at the different sampling points because of its different slope and aspect, on the small hillside. From the mountaintop to the valley of the hillside, where the ground changed from permafrost to seasonal frozen soil, the vegetation coverage, vegetation heights and the content of the soil nutrients components at 20cm depth reduced along with the hillside slope rising. The content of organic C, total N, ratio of C to N and ratio of C to P, are all negative linear with aspect of the sampling points on this small hillside. When the turfs of the alpine meadow were removed, the land surface was inhabited by some low-grade vegetations rapidly and the vegetation coverage and all the soil nutrients content at 20cm depth were much lower than those at the undisturbed area. The soil nutrients content at 20cm depths in these alpine meadow regions is very high. The atmospheric CO2 concentration near land surfaces in these regions was also much higher than the global averaged value.
%U http://www.medwellonline.net/abstract/?doi=ojesci.2007.1.8