Terrain can influence vegetation composition, diversity, and biogeochemical cycling in grassland ecosystems. Solar radiation, soil temperature, and moisture distribution are dependent on terrain, which, in turn, can affect plant community structure, rate of litter mass decomposition, and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus release. A litter decomposition experiment was conducted over 12 mo at a site representing typical steppe grasslands to better understand the effects of terrain on biogeochemical cycling. The study site had both northeast (shaded) and southwest (sunny) facing aspects with each aspect having three slopes: 15°, 30°, 45°. Litterbags were used for collection of plant community litter from each location. The results indicated that slope and aspect both have significant effects on decomposition rate of litter mass and release rate of C, N, and P. The most rapid decomposition rate of litter mass was on 45° sunny slopes (k value 1.82 × 10^‒3 d⁻¹). The most rapid release of C was on 30° shaded slopes with release rate of 4.54 g C yr^‒1. The release rate of N decreased with increasing slope steepness but was more rapid on shaded compared with sunny slopes. The most rapid release of P (10.51 mg P yr^‒1) occurred on 45° shaded slopes. The total effects of solar radiation and soil temperature on litter mass decomposition were larger, with 0.91 and 0.93, respectively. Soil temperature, litter functional diversity, and initial C/N had positive effects on the litter C release. The release of litter N was mainly promoted by soil temperature. Soil moisture appeared to promote the release of litter P. Overall, terrain influenced litter mass decomposition and C, N, and P release by its effect on the distribution of solar radiation, soil temperature and moisture, and through modification of functional diversity, initial C/N ratios, and water content of litter in typical steppe.

地形可以影响草地生态系统中的植被组成，多样性和生物地球化学循环。太阳辐射，土壤温度和水分分布取决于地形，而地形又会影响植物群落结构，凋落物质量分解率以及碳，氮和磷的释放。在代表典型草原草原的地点进行了12个月的垃圾分解实验，以更好地了解地形对生物地球化学循环的影响。研究地点具有面向东北（阴影）和面向西南（晴天）的各个方面，每个方面都具有三个坡度：15°，30°，45°。使用垃圾袋从每个地点收集植物群落的垃圾。结果表明，坡度和坡向均对凋落物分解速率和碳释放速率有显着影响，^‒3 d ^-1）。C的最快释放是在30°阴影的斜坡上，释放速率为4.54 g C yr ^‒1。氮的释放速率随坡度的增加而降低，但与晴天坡相比，在阴影下释放速度更快。最快释放P（10.51 mg P yr ^‒1）发生在45°阴影的斜坡上。太阳辐射和土壤温度对凋落物质量分解的总影响较大，分别为0.91和0.93。土壤温度，凋落物功能多样性和初始C / N对凋落物C的释放具有积极影响。凋落物N的释放主要是由土壤温度促进的。土壤水分似乎促进了凋落物P的释放。总体而言，地形影响着凋落物质量分解以及C，N和P的释放，原因是它影响太阳辐射的分布，土壤温度和水分，并通过改变功能多样性来改变初始C。 / N比，以及典型草原凋落物的含水量。