Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Abstract Peatlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) represent one of the world’s largest reservoirs of soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), but their future stability is uncertain. This study utilizes high-resolution multi-core records of C and N contents, stable isotopes, and infrared spec...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02168-6 |
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| author | Tingwan Yang Jingjing Sun Yuefeng Li Meng Wang Hongkai Li Shengzhong Wang Zhengyu Xia Zicheng Yu |
| author_facet | Tingwan Yang Jingjing Sun Yuefeng Li Meng Wang Hongkai Li Shengzhong Wang Zhengyu Xia Zicheng Yu |
| author_sort | Tingwan Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Peatlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) represent one of the world’s largest reservoirs of soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), but their future stability is uncertain. This study utilizes high-resolution multi-core records of C and N contents, stable isotopes, and infrared spectroscopy to reconstruct water table depths and their impacts on C and N accumulation and decomposition over the past 2.7 kyr in a slope peatland from the central QTP. Our paleo records reveal that increased decomposition in the surface oxic layer has led to decreased C and N accumulation rates over the last millennium, primarily due to water-table drawdown driven by climate warming and drying. Supporting evidence from nearby records suggests that this trend of surface drying may be widespread across QTP peatlands. Despite this, QTP peatlands retain some of the highest 1-m C and N densities globally, with values of 54.1 ± 18.9 kg C m-2 and 3.2 ± 1.5 kg N m-2. These findings highlight the vulnerability of substantial C and N reservoirs and sequestration capabilities in QTP peatlands to continued water table declines in a warming and drying climate. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dc923ea2abb34d20ab7dac02ecfa1a82 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-dc923ea2abb34d20ab7dac02ecfa1a822025-08-20T01:57:48ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-03-016111010.1038/s43247-025-02168-6Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan PlateauTingwan Yang0Jingjing Sun1Yuefeng Li2Meng Wang3Hongkai Li4Shengzhong Wang5Zhengyu Xia6Zicheng Yu7Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityKey Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal UniversityAbstract Peatlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) represent one of the world’s largest reservoirs of soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), but their future stability is uncertain. This study utilizes high-resolution multi-core records of C and N contents, stable isotopes, and infrared spectroscopy to reconstruct water table depths and their impacts on C and N accumulation and decomposition over the past 2.7 kyr in a slope peatland from the central QTP. Our paleo records reveal that increased decomposition in the surface oxic layer has led to decreased C and N accumulation rates over the last millennium, primarily due to water-table drawdown driven by climate warming and drying. Supporting evidence from nearby records suggests that this trend of surface drying may be widespread across QTP peatlands. Despite this, QTP peatlands retain some of the highest 1-m C and N densities globally, with values of 54.1 ± 18.9 kg C m-2 and 3.2 ± 1.5 kg N m-2. These findings highlight the vulnerability of substantial C and N reservoirs and sequestration capabilities in QTP peatlands to continued water table declines in a warming and drying climate.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02168-6 |
| spellingShingle | Tingwan Yang Jingjing Sun Yuefeng Li Meng Wang Hongkai Li Shengzhong Wang Zhengyu Xia Zicheng Yu Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full | Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau |
| title_short | Impact of climate-induced water-table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a Kobresia-dominated peatland on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau |
| title_sort | impact of climate induced water table drawdown on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in a kobresia dominated peatland on the central qinghai tibetan plateau |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02168-6 |
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