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Phosphorus biogeochemical cycle research in mountainous ecosystems

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Abstract

Phosphorus (P), as a limiting nutrient, plays a crucial role in the mountainous ecosystem development. Its biogeochemical cycle in mountainous ecosystems determines the bioavailability and sustainable supply of P, and thus becomes a crucial process which needs to be fully understood and described for ecological and environmental conservation. However, most of research about P biogeochemical processes has been carried out in aquatic environment and agronomic field, but rare researches have been done in mountain ecosystem. In the present review, we summarize researches on P biogeochemical cycle concerning mountain ecosystem in recent decades, including rock weathering, the release, transformation and bioavailability of P, interactions between the P biological cycle and microbial and plant life, as well as the development of models. Based on the state of art, we propose the future work on this direction, including the integration of all these research, the development of a practical model to understand the P biogeochemical cycle and its bioavailability, and to provide a reference for ecological and environmental conservation of mountainous ecosystems and lowland aquatic systems.

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  1. Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Yan-hong Wu, Jun Zhou, Dong Yu, Shou-qin Sun, Ji Luo, Hai-jian Bing & Hong-yang Sun

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  1. Yan-hong Wu
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Wu, Yh., Zhou, J., Yu, D. et al. Phosphorus biogeochemical cycle research in mountainous ecosystems. J. Mt. Sci. 10, 43–53 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-013-2386-1

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