Soil C, N and P stocks and stoichiometry under different vegetation on the surface of the Leshan Giant Buddha

Highlights

Leshan Giant Buddha is damaged seriously because of weathering and plant settlement

Amounts of soil organic C, N and P was accumulated in the surface of the Buddha

Soil organic C, N and P stocks under herbs are the most abundant

ŸSoil organic C, N and P mainly stocks in the shoulder, arm and the platform

Abstract

The accumulation of soil organic matter and nutrients are important pathways in effectively understanding the mechanisms of plant settlement and rock weathering, while the characteristics of soil organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) under different vegetation remains unclear. In this study, the stocks and stoichiometry of soil organic C, N and P were determined in different positions and types of vegetation on the surface of the Leshan Giant Buddha. We found that the total stocks of soil organic C, N and P were 1689.77, 134.6 and 29.48 kg, respectively, for the Buddha. The stocks of soil organic C, N and P under vascular plants were higher than those under other vegetation, with highest values observed under herb. Higher stocks per unit area (m²) of soil organic C, N and P were found on the left and right arms, shoulders, and two platforms. These results provide a full primary picture in understanding soil organic C, N and P accumulation and distribution on the surface of the Buddha, which could supply the fundamental data on weathering management of the Buddha and other similar open-air stone carvings.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Rock weathering / Soil organic matter / Plant settlement / Open-air stone carving

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the China Railway North-west Scientific Research Institute Co., Ltd. for providing the site survey opportunity for this research in the cultural relics repair project. We also thank the Institute of Ecological Forestry of Sichuan Agricultural University for the experimental equipment provided for this study. This work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31470636).

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2020 Higher Education Press