Changes of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage of different years in a bare patch of plateau pika in eastern Qinghai Province

Soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage are efficiency indices for evaluating grassland stabilization and health. However, current studies on the effect of bioturbation on soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage in grasslands lack the change process under bioturbation and the overall effect of bioturbation. This study was conducted in Haiyan, Gonghe, and Gangcha Counties, using pertinent and random sampling in a plateau-pika (Ochotona curzoniae) disturbed area to analyze the differences in soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage between vegetated surfaces and new, old, and abandoned bare patches of plateau pika. It also analyzed the influence of different years of bare patches of plateau pika on the changes in soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage in the plateau pika disturbed area. Results showed that soil total carbon and phosphorus concentrations were significantly lower in the plateau pika new bare patch than in the vegetated surface (P < 0.05), and soil total and nitrogen storage were significantly higher in the vegetated surface than in the plateau pika new, old, and abandoned bare patches (P < 0.05). However, soil total nitrogen concentration, bulk density, and total phosphorus storage did not differ between the different years of the bare patches of plateau pika. Soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations and storage in the new bare patch significantly influenced soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations and storage in the disturbed area (P < 0.01). The soil bulk density in the vegetated surface significantly impacted soil bulk density in the disturbed area (P < 0.01). Furthermore, soil water content and organic carbon concentration significantly affected soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage in the vegetated surface. Ammonia nitrogen concentration significantly affected soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage in new plateau pika bare patches. Soil total potassium concentration significantly affected soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage in old plateau pika bare patches (P < 0.05). This study determined that the new plateau pika bare patches had the greatest influence on the soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storage in alpine meadows. Therefore, the restoration of new plateau pika bare patches should be emphasized by the government of the patchy alpine meadows caused by plateau pikas.