Soil freeze-thaw stimulates nitrous oxide emissions from alpine meadows

The rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere lead to global warming, which is a major challenge for sustainable development. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau with widespread distribution of seasonal frozen soil is very sensitive to global warming. Soil freeze-thaw is a common natural phenomenon in the plateau, which can not only change the water and heat conditions, and the physical and chemical properties of soil, but also influence greatly the biosphere-atmosphere exchanges of greenhouse gases.