Purpose

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is one of the main native soil faunas on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and plays a key role in the terrestrial ecosystem there. However, few studies have analysed the macroporosity of soils disturbed by plateau pikas in alpine meadows. The objective of this study was to examine the soil macropores in different parts of an alpine meadow in the Qinghai Lake watershed, namely, an original grassland, a new mound, an old mound, and a bald patch.

Materials and methods

In this investigation, soil cores were obtained from four different parts of an alpine meadow, namely, from under an original grassland, a new mound, an old mound, and a bald patch. A total of twelve soil cores (0–50 cm deep) were excavated, which included three replicates of each treatment. The soil architecture of each soil core was explored using X-ray computed tomography.

Results and discussion

The macroporosity decreased and then increased from the original grassland to the new mound, old mound, and bald patch. The soil macropores were most abundant up to a depth of 400 mm in the original grassland and up to a depth of 250 mm in the old mound and bald patch soils.

Conclusions

The macropores in the original grassland were attributed to well-developed root systems. The smaller and less continuous macropores in the new mound, old mound, and bald patch soils were mainly disturbed by plateau pikas. It was expected that water would move preferentially through the macropores in the original grassland, while surface flow would more readily occur in the new mound, old mound, and bald patch soils, thereby leading to soil erosion.

中文翻译：

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青藏高原东北部青海湖流域高原鼠兔扰动的高寒草甸X射线断层摄影获得的3-D土壤大孔网络

目的

高原鼠兔（Ochotona curzoniae）是青藏高原的主要原生动物区系之一，在该地区的陆地生态系统中起着关键作用。然而，很少有研究分析高寒草甸对高原鼠兔干扰的土壤的大孔隙度。本研究的目的是研究青海湖流域高寒草甸不同部位的土壤大孔，即原始草地，新土墩，旧土墩和秃头斑块。

材料和方法

在这项调查中，土壤核心是从高山草甸的四个不同部分获得的，即从原始草原，新土墩，旧土墩和秃头的土地下面。总共开挖了十二个土壤核心（0-50厘米深），每个处理包括三个重复样本。使用X射线计算机断层扫描技术研究了每个土壤核心的土壤结构。

结果和讨论

从原始草地到新丘，旧丘和秃头斑块，大孔隙度先减小然后增加。在原始草地中，土壤大孔最丰富，最深达400 mm；在老土丘和秃头斑块土壤中，最厚达250 mm。

结论

原始草地中的大孔是由于根系发达。新丘，旧丘和秃头斑块土壤中较小且较不连续的大孔主要受到高原鼠兔的干扰。预计水将优先流经原始草地的大孔，而在新土丘，旧土丘和秃头斑块的土壤中更容易发生地表水流，从而导致水土流失。