Carbon isotope and C/N ratios of suspended matter in rivers: an indicator of seasonal change in C4/C3 vegetation |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK;2. Institute of Image Communication and Network Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, China;3. Department of Computer Science, Shanghai Jiaotong University, China;1. Geography Department, Brandon University, 270 18th St, Brandon, MB R7A 6A9, Canada;2. Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Program, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada;3. Environmental Science Program and Quesnel River Research Centre, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada;4. Geography Program and Quesnel River Research Centre, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada;5. Department of Soil Science and Watershed Systems Research Program, University of Manitoba, 13 Freedman Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada;1. Key Laboratory of Continental Collision and Plateau Uplift, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;3. CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;4. Key Laboratory of Western China''s Environmental Systems, Ministry of Education of China, Lanzhou 730000, China |
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| Abstract: | A combination of δ 13C values with C/N ratios in suspended matter has been used to examine the seasonal relationship between C4 and C3 vegetation along the Loess Plateau, NW China. The C isotopic composition of suspended organic matter in rivers, together with C/N ratios can differentiate between soil and plant material, and can be used to estimate the relative contributions of soil organic C and plant litter to the suspended matter. The relationship between C isotopic composition and C/N ratios indicates that the samples are a mixture of two end members: (1) modern soils with relatively constant δ 13C values, low C content and low C/N ratios; (2) plant litter with varying δ 13C values, high C content and high C/N ratios. The results reflect the seasonal distribution of C4/C3 vegetation within the area studied, as part of the Loess Plateau. The abundance of C4 grasses is about 20% for the current summer vegetation ecosystem in the eastern part of the Loess Plateau. Hence, the use of δ 13C values and C/N ratios of suspended matter in rivers and modern soil may be useful for reflecting seasonal distribution of C4/C3 vegetation in catchments. This could be a useful tool for distinguishing between catchments for GIS studies, and long term planning for ecological management of catchment areas. |
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