Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Vertical patterns of stable carbon isotope in soils and particle-size fractions of karst areas, Southwest China

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

Taking limestone soil and yellow soil, the two major soil types in karst areas as examples, analyzing stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C value) of soil organic matter (SOM) in bulk soils and particle-size fractions of four soil profiles under three vegetable forms, the following results are reached: in the limestone soil profile, soil organic carbon contents are all above 1.0%, the highest value is 7.1% in the surface soil; however, they are between 0.3% and 4.6% in the three yellow soil profiles. From the surface to the bottom of the soil profiles, the variation of δ13C value of soil organic carbon for limestone soil profile is only between −24.1‰ and −23.0‰, however, it’s between −24.8‰ and −21.1‰ for yellow soil profiles. The variation range of δ13C value of soil organic carbon associated with particle-size separates is slight for limestone soil but is considerable for yellow soil. The contrast research indicates that the changes between the contents and the δ13C value of soil organic carbon with depth are complex. The vertical patterns of stable carbon isotope in soil organic matter have a distinct regional characteristic in karst areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amelung W, Zech W, Zhang X, FoileR RF, Tiessen H, Knox E, Flach K-W (1998) Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur pools in particle-size fractions as influenced by climate. Soil Sci Soc Am J 62:172–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balesdent J, Mariotti A, Guillet B (1987) Natural 13C abundance as a tracer for soil organic matter dynamics studies. Soil Bio and Biochem 19:25–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balesdent J, Mariotti A (1996) Measurement of soil organic matter turnover using 13C natural abundance. In: Boutton TW, Yamasaki S (eds) Mass spectrometry of soils. Marcel-Dekker, New York, pp 83–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Benner R, Fogel ML, Sprague EK, Hodson RE (1987) Depletion of 13C in lignin and its implication for stable isotope studies. Nature 329:708–710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird MI, Kracht O, Derrien D, Zhou Y (2003) The effect of soil texture and roots on the carbon isotope composition of soil organic carbon. Aust J Soil Research 41:77–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boutton TW, Wong WW, Hachey DL, Lee LS, Cabrera MP, Klein PG (1983) Comparison of quartz and pyrex tubes for combustion of organic samples for stable carbon isotope analysis. Anal Chem 55:1832–1833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boutton TW, Archer SR, Nordt LC (1994) Climate, CO2, and plant abundance. Nature 372:625–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boutton TW, Archer SR, Midwood AJ, Zitzer SF, Bol R (1998) δ13C values of soil organic carbon and their use in documenting vegetation change in a subtropical savanna ecosystem. Geoderma 82:5–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canadell JG, Mooney HA, Baldocchi DD, Berry JA, Ehleringer JR, Field CB, Gower ST, Hollinger DY, Hunt JE, Jackson RB, Running SW, Shaver GR, Steffen W, Trumbore SE, Valentini R, Bond BY (2000) Carbon metabolism of the terrestrial biosphere: A multi-technique approach for improved understanding. Ecosystems 3:115–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cerling TE, Quade J, Wang Y, Bowman JR (1989) Carbon isotope in soils and paleosols as ecology and paleoecology indicators. Nature 341:138–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen QQ, Sun YM, Shen CD, Peng SL, Yi WX, Li ZA, Jiang MT (2002) Organic matter turnover rates and CO2 flux from organic matter decomposition of mountain soil profiles in the subtropical area, south China. Catena 49:217–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen QQ, Shen CD, Sun YM, Peng SL (2005) Mechanism of distribution of soil organic matter with depth due to evolution of soil profiles at the Dinghushan Natural Reserve. Acta Pedologica Sinica 42(1):1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Conway A (1978) Soil physical-chemical analysis. Institute of Soil Science, Nanjing. Technology Press, Shanghai,pp 76–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehleringer JR, Buchmann N, Flanagan LB (2000) Carbon isotope ratios in belowground carbon cycle processes. Ecol Appl 10(2):412–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerzabek MH, Haberhauer G, Kirchmann H (2001) Soil organic matter pools and carbon-13 natural abundances in particle-size fractions of a long-term agricultural field experiment receiving organic amendments. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:352–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregorich EG, Liang BC, Drury CF, Mackenzie AF, McGill WB (2000) Elucidation of the source and turnover of water soluble and microbial biomass carbon in agricultural soils. Soil Biol Biochem 32:581–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guggenberger G, Christensen BT, Zech W (1994) Land-use effects on the composition of organic matter in particle-size separates of soil: I. Lignin and carbohydrate signature. Eur J Soil Sci 45:449–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guggenberger G, Zech W, Haumaier L, Christensen BT (1995) Land-use effects on the composition of organic matter in particle-size separates of soil: II. CPMAS and solution 13C NMR analysis. Eur J Soil Sci 46:147–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jobbagy EG, Jackson RB (2000) The vertical distribution of soil organic carbon and its relation to climate and vegetation. Eco Appl 10(2):423–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladd JN, Foster RC, Nannipieri P, Oades JM (1996) Soil structure and biological activity. In: Stotzky G, Bollag JM (eds) Soil biochemistry, vol. 9. Dekker, New York, pp 23–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Zhao Q (2001) Organic carbon content and distribution in soils under different land uses in tropical and subtropical China. Plant & Soil 231:175–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lugo AE, Brown S (1993) Management of tropical soils as sink or sources of atmospheric carbon. Plant and Soil 149:27–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhi Y, Baldocchi DD, Jarvis PG (1999) The carbon balance of tropical, temperate and boreal forests. Plant Cell Environ 22:715–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Midwood AJ, Boutton TW (1998) Soil carbonate decomposition by acid has little effect on δ13C of organic matter. Soil Biol Biochem 30:1301–1307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Office of General Survey on Soil (1998) China Soil. Agricultural Publishing House of China, Beijing, pp 150–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostle NJ, Bol R, Petzke KJ, Jarvis SC (1999) Compound specific δ15N signatures: amino acids in grassland and arable soils. Soil Biol Biochem 31:1751–1755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raich JW, Potter CS (1995) Global patterns of carbon dioxide emissions from soils. Global Biogeochem Cycles 9:23–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roscoe R, Buurman P, Velthorst EJ (2000) Disruption of soil aggregates by varied amounts of ultrasonic energy in fractionation of organic matter of a clay Latosol: Carbon, nitrogen and 13C distribution in particle-size fractions. Eur J Soil Sci 51:445–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schimel DS, House JI, Hibbard KA, Bousquet P, Ciais P (2001) Recent patterns and mechanisms of carbon exchange by terrestrial ecosystems. Nature 414:169–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith SJ (1987) Soluble organic nitrogen losses associated with recovery of mineralized nitrogen. Soil Sci Soc Am J 5:1191–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wattel-Koekkoek EJW, van Genuchten PPL, Buurman P, van Lagen B (2001) Amount and composition of clay-associated soil organic matter in a range of kaolinitic and smectitic soils. Geoderma 99:27–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan DX (1997a) Rock desertification in the subtropical karst of South China. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie 108:81–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan DX (1997b) The carbon cycle in the karst. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie 108:91–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Zang X, van Heemst JDH, Dria KJ, Hatcher PG (2000) Encapsulation of protein in humic acid from a histosol as an explanation for the occurrence of organic nitrogen in soil and sediment. Org Geochem 31:679–695

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The project was supported by the Knowledge Innovation Programs of the Chinese Academy of Science (Contract No. KZCX3-SW-140 and KZCX2-105)

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 550002 , Guanshui Road 73, Guiyang, China

    Shufa Zhu & Congqiang Liu

  2. Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100039, Beijing, China

    Shufa Zhu

Authors
  1. Shufa Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Congqiang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Congqiang Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhu, S., Liu, C. Vertical patterns of stable carbon isotope in soils and particle-size fractions of karst areas, Southwest China. Environ Geol 50, 1119–1127 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0285-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0285-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation