Articles | Volume 12, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-1121-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-1121-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
06 Nov 2026
Original research article |
| 06 Nov 2026
| 06 Nov 2026
Alpine wetland degradation reshapes the balance between hydrolytic and reductive soil nitrogen cycling enzyme potentials on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau
Wenhua Chang
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Weiwei Ma
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jianfang Wang
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Liangcui Song
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jianan Du
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Wanpeng He
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Guang Li
College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
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Short summary
Alpine wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are degrading, threatening soil nutrient cycles. In a three-year Gahai Wetland, we built a nitrogen cycling functional potential index to measure how soil nitrogen cycle enzymes respond to degradation levels. Rather than simply slowing nitrogen cycling, soil drying and carbon loss reorganized the functional potentials of different enzyme pathways, alongside yearly rainfall shifts. These insights will help guide wetland restoration in a drier climate.
Alpine wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are degrading, threatening soil nutrient cycles. In...
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