Changes of soil organic matter stability along altitudinal gradients in Tibetan alpine grassland

Background and aims Changes of soil organic matter (SOM) stability in alpine ecosystems can alter carbon release from the soil and consequently feed back to climate change. We sought to explore the altitudinal patterns of SOM stability and their relationships with climatic, vegetational and edaphic factors. Methods We combined a number of biological, thermal, chemical, molecular and isotopic indices to characterize SOM stability in two soil layers (0–10 and 10–30 cm) of alpine grassland along two altitudinal gradients of 3200–4200 m (Haibei) and 4400–5200 m (Damxung) on the Tibetan Plateau, respectively. Results There were significant altitudinal variations in SOM stability between the two transects. Greater biological, chemical and isotopic indices of SOM stability were observed in the middle altitude in Haibei, while opposite results were observed in Damxung. Except for a decreasing trend of SOM stability along altitudinal gradient in subsurface soils (10–30 cm) in Damxung, there was no significant altitudinal trend of thermal and molecular indices of SOM stability. The multiple indices of SOM stability were mutually associated and all showed greater SOM stability in subsurface soils than in surface soils across regions and altitudes. Conclusions Along the altitudinal gradient, SOM stability showed opposite unimodal patterns in Haibei and Damxung, and had higher values in subsurface soils than in surface soils of the alpine grassland. Climatic, vegetational and edaphic factors collectively control SOM stability rather than just temperature or precipitation.