Dissolved Organic Carbon in Headwater Streams and Riparian Soil Organic Carbon along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Wuyi Mountains, China

Researchers found that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in headwater streams of the Wuyi Mountains, China, decrease with altitude, contrary to typical global trends. Unlike other biomes where stream DOC correlates positively with soil organic carbon (SOC), this study revealed a negative relationship along an altitudinal gradient spanning subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests to alpine meadows. The findings suggest that higher precipitation and increased clay plus silt content at higher elevations contribute to lower DOC concentrations, likely through dilution effects or adsorption processes. These results highlight the need for cautious upscaling and downscaling when modeling carbon flux responses to climate change in forested watersheds.

Huang, W., McDowell, W. H., Zou, X., Ruan, H., Wang, J., & Li, L. (2013). Dissolved Organic Carbon in Headwater Streams and Riparian Soil Organic Carbon along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Wuyi Mountains, China. PLoS ONE, 8(11), e78973. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0078973