关键词: 海拔高度, 土壤特性, 青藏高原, 理化指标

Abstract: Altitude affects the vertical distribution of plant and plant has close relationship with the habitat soil.In order to explore the relationship of altitude with the characteristics of the soil and illustrate the it’s influencing process on the ecological structure and function,the soil nutrient contents such as pH,available N,available P,organic matter,total S,available Ca,Mg,K,and Na were studied from various altitudes from 2800 to 4100 m of alpine rangeland on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.The results indicate that the contents of soil organic matter,total S,available N,P,Ca,and Mg,and soil pH were significantly correlated to altitude.The contents of soil organic matter,total S,available N,P,and Mg firstly reduced to the lowest values at altitude from 3200 to 3400 m,and then gradually increased along with increased sampling altitude.But the soil available Ca content and pH decreased gradually along with altitude increasing.Available K and Na showed no obvious tendency along with altitude.In general,the nutrients in organic or other stable forms in soil showed notable relationship with the altitude but not between the soluble or erosive matters and altitude.Except for the easily erosive matter,many nutrients did not lack in the soil of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,which suggest the climate could be the most important restrictive factor to the productivity of alpine rangeland.

Key words: Altitude, Soil characteristics, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Physicochemical index