title: Rapid loss of phosphorus during early pedogenesis along a glacier retreat choronosequence, Gongga Mountain (SW China).
abstract: The loss of phosphorus (P) during the early pedogenesis stage is important at the ecosystem level, and it also plays an important role in the global P cycle. The seasonal variation of total P (Pt) and its fractions along a young soil chronosequence (Hailuogou chronosequence) on the eastern slope of Gongga Mountain, SW China, was investigated based on the modified Hedley fractionation technique to understand P loss during the early pedogenesis stage. The results showed that the mineral P (mainly apatite) was the dominant fraction of Pt in the C horizon of the soil, and the seasonal difference in Pt and its fractions was insignificant. In the A horizon, Pt concentrations decreased markedly compared with those in the C horizon, and as the age of the soil increased, the inorganic P (Pi) significantly decreased and the organic P (Po) prominently increased. Seasonally, the P fractions exhibited various distributions in the A horizon. The variation of Pt and its fractions revealed that the P loss was rapid along the 120-year soil chronosequence. The P stocks in soils (0-30 cm) started to decrease at the 52 year site. And the P stock depletion reached almost 17.6% at the 120-year site. The loss of P from the soil of the Hailuogou chronosequence was mainly attributed to weathering, plant uptake, and transport by runoff. About 36% P loss was transported into plant biomass P at the 120 year site. The data obtained indicated that the glacier retreat chronosequence could be used to elucidate the fast rate of P loss during the early pedogenic stage.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Process and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Process and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Process and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Haijian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bing
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Process and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Hongyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Process and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) , Chengdu , China ; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Jipeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Gongga Mountain; Hailuogou choronosequence; P loss; Pedogenesis; Phosphorus fractions