Lv_Plant-derived organic carbon mainly contributes to soil organic carbon as the community succeeds after glacier retreat_dataset

Understanding plant community succession and soil development and their relationships after glacier retreat is crucial for predicting the contribution of newly formed periglacial regions to local and global biodiversity as well as climate regulation. Based on field surveys of subtropical mountain glaciers on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, we find that peak plant diversity is found, and higher plant diversity causes higher soil organic carbon over glacier retreat durations. Plant-derived organic carbon contributes more to the increase in SOC compared with microbe-derived organic carbon. This stored SOC may face the risk of being rapidly decomposed and released by microorganisms under future warming. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the protection of these newly formed fragile ecosystems.

明晰冰川退缩后植物群落演替、土壤发育过程及其相互关系，对于预判新近形成的冰缘区域对本地及全球生物多样性的贡献，以及其在气候调节中的作用至关重要。本研究基于青藏高原亚热带山地冰川的野外调查，发现随着冰川退缩进程，植物多样性会达到峰值，且更高的植物多样性会带来更高的土壤有机碳（Soil Organic Carbon, SOC）储量。相较于微生物源有机碳，植物源有机碳对SOC储量增长的贡献更为显著。在未来气候变暖背景下，这些固存的土壤有机碳可能面临被微生物快速分解释放的风险。因此，亟需加强对这些新近形成的脆弱生态系统的保护力度。