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Aims <p>Small burrowing mammals, such as the plateau pika, significantly influence soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and ecosystem functioning in alpine grasslands. However, the effects of bioturbation on SOC storage and stability across grassland types remain underexplored.</p> Methods <p>This study investigates the effects of pika bioturbation on SOC fractions, microbial respiration, and carbon pool stability in two alpine grassland ecosystems: graminoid- and forb-dominated grasslands.</p> Results <p>We found that pika bioturbation reduces SOC content, particularly particulate organic carbon (POC), due to dilution and accelerated decomposition, which surpasses the compensatory effect of plant carbon input. Simultaneously, bioturbation increased levels of easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC). However, this increased EOC also lowered microbial carbon-use efficiency, as indicated by higher microbial metabolic quotient (qCO<sub>2</sub>) and lower microbial biomass carbon (qMB). This suggests that pika bioturbation accelerates carbon cycling but reduces SOC stability, manifested in new bare patches with higher particulate organic carbon/mineral-associated organic carbon (POC/MAOC) ratio and carbon mineralization efficiency (CME). Furthermore, Forb-dominated ecosystems, with lower SOC:total nitrogen (C:N) ratios in litter, suggested a more favorable nutrient base post-disturbance, promoting faster nutrient cycling and recovery.</p> Conclusions <p>Overall, while pika bioturbation promotes nutrient cycling and supports vegetation recovery, it compromises SOC stability by favoring labile carbon forms and accelerating decomposition, thereby intensifying soil CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. These findings emphasize the importance of considering vegetation types when assessing the ecological impacts of bioturbation.</p>

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Effects of plateau pika bioturbation on microbial respiration and carbon pool stability in alpine ecosystems

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月18日

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  • Xiaozheng Wang,
  • Jiena Li,
  • Yimo Wang,
  • Zhenggang Guo,
  • Xiaopan Pang

摘要

Aims

Small burrowing mammals, such as the plateau pika, significantly influence soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and ecosystem functioning in alpine grasslands. However, the effects of bioturbation on SOC storage and stability across grassland types remain underexplored.

Methods

This study investigates the effects of pika bioturbation on SOC fractions, microbial respiration, and carbon pool stability in two alpine grassland ecosystems: graminoid- and forb-dominated grasslands.

Results

We found that pika bioturbation reduces SOC content, particularly particulate organic carbon (POC), due to dilution and accelerated decomposition, which surpasses the compensatory effect of plant carbon input. Simultaneously, bioturbation increased levels of easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC). However, this increased EOC also lowered microbial carbon-use efficiency, as indicated by higher microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2) and lower microbial biomass carbon (qMB). This suggests that pika bioturbation accelerates carbon cycling but reduces SOC stability, manifested in new bare patches with higher particulate organic carbon/mineral-associated organic carbon (POC/MAOC) ratio and carbon mineralization efficiency (CME). Furthermore, Forb-dominated ecosystems, with lower SOC:total nitrogen (C:N) ratios in litter, suggested a more favorable nutrient base post-disturbance, promoting faster nutrient cycling and recovery.

Conclusions

Overall, while pika bioturbation promotes nutrient cycling and supports vegetation recovery, it compromises SOC stability by favoring labile carbon forms and accelerating decomposition, thereby intensifying soil CO2 emissions. These findings emphasize the importance of considering vegetation types when assessing the ecological impacts of bioturbation.