Plant water sources were estimated by two or three compartment linear mixing models using hydrogen and oxygen isotope (δD and δ18O) values of different components such as plant xylem water, precipitation and river water as well as soil water on the Tibetan Plateau in the summer of 2005. Four dominant species (Quercus aquifolioides, Pinus tabulaeformis, Salix rehderiana and Nitraria tangutorum) in three typical ecosystems (forest, shrub and desert) were investigated in this study. Stable isotope ratios of the summer precipitations and the soil water presented variations in spatial and temporal scales. δ18O values of N. tangutorum xylem water were constant in the whole growth season and very similar to those of deep soil water. Water sources for all of the plants came from both precipitations and soil water. Plants switched rapidly among different water sources when environmental water conditions changed. Rainwater had different contributions to the plants, which was in fluenced by amounts of precipitation. The percentage of plant xylem water derived from rainwater rose with an increase in precipitation. Water sources for broad-leaved and coniferous species were different although they grew in the same environmental conditions. For example, the broad-leaved species Q. aquifolioides used mainly the water from deep soil, while 92.5% of xylem water of the coniferous species P. tabulaeformis was derived from rainwater during the growth season. The study will be helpful for us to fully understand responses of species on the Tibetan Plateau to changes in precipitation patterns, and to assess accurately changes of vegetation distribution in the future.
The content characteristics of 16 elements(Al,Ca,Cr,Cu,Fe,K,Li,Mg,Mn,Mo,Na,Ni,P,Pb,Sr,and Zn) in 23 plant species collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region were investigated using ICP-OES.Results show that the average contents of Ca,K,Mg,Fe and P were higher than 1,000 mg/kg,those of Al,Na,Zn and Cr ranged between 10-1,000 mg/kg and those of Cu,Li,Pb and Mo were less than 10 mg/kg.The levels of Al,Ca,K,Mg and Na were within the scope of the reported terrestrial plant element content,those of Sr,Fe and Cr were higher than the average of the terrestrial plants and the maximum content of Mn was higher than the upper limit of the reported Mn content.The main character of the element content was of the Ca>K type,however,in terms of Cyperaceae species the element content character was K>Ca type.The contents of Ca,Li,Mg and Sr in Gramineae and Cyperaceae species were higher than those in other species and the contents of Ca,K,Mg,Fe,P,Al and Na in all collected plants were higher than those of other elements.Zn had weak variability with the lowest coefficient(i.e.,7.81%),while other elements had strong variability.The ratio of maximum content to minimum content indicated Ca and K had less change than other elements in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region.Element content of alpine vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region mainly shows a positive correlation,among which the correlation coefficient between Al and Pb,Al and Fe,Mo and Cr,Pb and Fe,Sr and Li were higher than 0.9,and negative correlation had no statistical significance.The correlation between Al and Fe,Mg,Mn in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region were consistent with that reported in Kunlun Mountains.
