Forms and accumulation of soil P in a subalpine peatland of Mt. Changbai in Northeast China

Forms and accumulation of soil phosphorus (P) were measured in a subalpine quaking peatland on Mt. Changbai in China that is located 1 km from the North Korea border. Peat cores were collected from four sites and radiometrically dated to determine long-term (210Pb-based) rates of peat and P accumulation. Soil P forms at different depths in four peat cores were determined by a modified Hedley fraction method. In the minerotrophic fens (fen-W, fen-S, and fen-E), total P (Pt), organic P (Po), NaOH extractable Po (NaOH-Po) and Residual-P ranged from 809 ± 192 to 1214 ± 530, 455 ± 121 to 736 ± 373, 282 ± 100 to 462 ± 247, and 152 ± 36 to 325 ± 118 mg P kg− 1, respectively. In an ombrotrophic bog (bog-N), the corresponding values were 705 ± 163, 387 ± 125, 204 ± 103, and 101 ± 15 mg P kg− 1 respectively. Many of those were higher in the fens than in the bog. Significantly different accumulation rates of peat were determined for the fens (0.063 to 0.081 g DM cm− 2 yr− 1) and bog (0.038 g DM cm− 2 yr− 1). Compared with other peatlands, the accumulation of Pt in the Yuanchi peatland (0.69 ± 0.4 to 2.04 ± 0.6 g P m− 2 yr− 1) was higher, suggesting that the volcanic parent material had an influence on P accumulation.

► High rate of peat accumulation in the Yuanchi peatland was found.
► High values of organic phosphorus forms exist in the minerotrophic fens.
► Higher accumulation of total phosphorus influenced by volcanic ash was found.