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Research Progress on Carbon Fixation in Desert Topsoils

  • LI Ke ,
  • ZHANG Hongxun
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  • College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Received date: 2014-02-21

  Revised date: 2014-03-17

  Online published: 2014-07-16

Abstract

Phototrophic organisms play an important role in biogeochemical cycles of elements in desert soil ecosystems, where the ecological environment is fragile. Algae and moss are ubiquitous and can take photosynthesis in desert ecosystems. They can improve the physical properties of soil to protect the soil, and some of them have the ability of nitrogen fixation to increase soil nitrogen storage. More importantly, these phototrophic organisms are the main contributors of soil carbon storage, because they can fix carbon dioxide. The study of carbon dioxide fixation ability of desert ecosystem is an important part of the study of global climate change. The amount of fixed carbon is not only affected by the natural conditions but also closely related to the composition and abundance of phototrophic microorganisms (mainly algae and moss). The photosynthesis rate is usually low when there are only filamentous cyanobacteria in the topsoils, and the photosynthesis rate will increase when green algae and moss inhabit the topsoils. This article is to summarize the composition of phototrophic organisms in desert topsoils and the influencing factors and review and forecast the analysis methods of carbon fixation.

Cite this article

LI Ke , ZHANG Hongxun . Research Progress on Carbon Fixation in Desert Topsoils[J]. Science & Technology Review, 2014 , 32(19) : 77 -83 . DOI: 10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2014.19.013

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