Carbon density and its spatial distribution in the Potentilla fruticosa dominated alpine shrub in Qinghai,China

Aims Shrub recovery is recognized as an important cause of the increase of carbon stocks in China, and yet there are great uncertainties in the carbon sink capacities of shrubs. Our objectives were to estimate carbon density and its spatial distribution in alpine shrubs.
Methods Eight sites in Potentilla fruticosa dominated shrublands across Qinghai, China were investigated. Plant biomass and carbon content in leaves, branches and stems, and roots were measured to analyze the biomass allocation and carbon density.
Important findings Mean carbon densities in biological carbon, litter, soil and whole ecosystem of P. fruticosa shrublands were 5088.54, 542.1, 35903.76 and 41534.4 kg·hm^-2, respectively. Carbon density in the shrub layer was more than 68% of the biological carbon density of the whole ecosystem and was mainly distributed in roots (49.5%-56.1%). Carbon density of the herbaceous layer was 22.5% of the biological carbon density of the whole ecosystem and was also mainly distributed in roots (59.6%-75.1%). The biological carbon density of P. fruticosa shrublands (5.08 t·hm^-2) was lower than the average carbon density of shrub communities in China (10. 88 t·hm^-2). Soil carbon density contributed the largest proportion (85.8%) of total carbon density in P. fruticosa shrublands.     

Biomass allocation and carbon density of Sophora moorcroftiana shrublands in the middle reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River,Xizang, China

Aims The expansion of shrublands is considered as one of the key reasons leading to the increase of carbon density in terrestrial ecosystems in China. In the present study, our aims were to explore the biomass allocation and carbon density of Sophora moorcroftiana shrublands in Xizang.
Methods We sampled the biomass of S. moorcroftiana shrubs from 18 sites in the middle reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River, Xizang. Using concentrations of different organs, we estimated the carbon density of different layers in S. moorcroftiana shrublands.
Important findings The plant cover rather than biomass volume (the product of cover and height) provided the best fit for aboveground biomass. The average of the total biomass was 5.71 Mg·hm^-2, ranging from 2.32 to 8.96 Mg·hm^-2. The average biomass of shrub layer, the main component of shrub ecosystem, was 4.08 Mg·hm^-2, accounting for 71% of the total biomass. The belowground biomass of shrub and herb layers was 2.08 and 0.86 Mg·hm^-2, respectively, which was higher than the corresponding aboveground biomass. The average biomass carbon density was 2.48 Mg·hm^-2. Shrub vegetation in the eastern part of the middle reaches has lower carbon density than that in the western part. The relatively high biomass allocation to roots to increase water and nutrient undertake as well as physical support for plants is an important strategy of S. moorcroftiana to cope with the arid environment on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Moreover, the lower carbon density in the eastern part of the middle reaches might be due to the dry environment resulted from high temperature and evapotranspiration and enhanced human activities at low altitudes. The continuous decrease of evapotranspiration under scenarios of future climate change may lead to increase in carbon density in S. moorcroftiana shrublands.     

Carbon storage of the forests and its spatial pattern in Nei Mongol,China

Aims
Forest carbon storage in Nei Mongol plays a significant role in national terrestrial carbon budget due to its large area in China. Our objectives were to estimate the carbon storage in the forest ecosystems in Nei Mongol and to quantify its spatial pattern.
Methods
Field survey and sampling were conducted at 137 sites that distributed evenly across the forest types in the study region. At each site, the ecosystem carbon density was estimated thorough sampling and measuring different pools of soil (0-100 cm) and vegetation, including biomass of tree, grass, shrub, and litter. Regional carbon storage was calculated with the estimated carbon density for each forest type.
Important findings
Carbon storage of vegetation layer in forests in Nei Mongol was 787.8 Tg C, with the biomass of tree, litter, herbaceous and shrub accounting for 93.5%, 3.0%, 2.7% and 0.8%, respectively. Carbon density of vegetation layer was 40.4 t·hm^-2, with 35.6 t·hm^-2 in trees, 2.9 t·hm^-2 in litter, 1.2 t·hm^-2 in herbaceous and 0.6 t·hm^-2 in shrubs. In comparison, carbon storage of soil layer in forests in Nei Mongol was 2449.6 Tg C, with 79.8% distributed in the first 30 cm. Carbon density of soil layer was 144.4 t·hm^-2. Carbon storage of forest ecosystem in Nei Mongol was 3237.4 Tg C, with vegetation and soil accounting for 24.3% and 75.7%, respectively. Carbon density of forest ecosystems in Nei Mongol was 184.5 t·hm^-2. Carbon density of soil layer was positively correlated with that of vegetation layer. Spatially, both carbon storage and carbon density were higher in the eastern area, where the climate is more humid. Forest reserves and artificial afforestations can significantly improve the capacity of regional carbon sink.     

Estimation of biomass allocation and carbon density of Rhododendron simsii shrubland in the subtropical mountainous areas of China

Aims As an important potential carbon sink, shrubland ecosystem plays a vital role in global carbon balance and climate regulation. Our objectives were to derive appropriate regression models for shrub biomass estimation, and to reveal the biomass allocation pattern and carbon density in Rhododendron simsii shrubland.
Methods We conducted investigations in 27 plots, and developed biomass regression models for shrub species to estimate shrub biomass. The biomass of herb and litterfall were obtained through harvesting. Plant samples were collected from each plot to measure carbon content in different organs.
Important findings The results showed that the power and linear models were the most appropriate equation forms. The D and D²H (where D was the basal diameter (cm) and H was the shrub height (m)) were good predictors for organ biomass and total biomass of shrubs. All of the biomass models reached extremely significant level, and could be used to estimate shrub biomass with high accuracy. It was more difficult to predict leaf and annual branch biomass than stem biomass, because leaf and annual branch were susceptible to herbivores and inter-plant competition. The mean biomass of the shrub layer was 20.78 Mg·hm^-2, in which Rhododendron simsii and Symplocos paniculata biomass accounted for 93.63%. Influenced by both environment and species characteristics, the biomass of the shrub layer organs was in the order of stem > root > leaf > annual branch. The root:shoot ratio of the shrub layer was 0.32, which was less than other shrubs in subtropical regions. The relative higher aboveground biomass allocation reflected the adaptation of plants to the warm and humid environment for more photosynthesis. The mean total community biomass was 26.26 Mg·hm^-2, in which shrub layer, herb layer and litter layer accounted for 79.14%, 7.62% and 13.25%, respectively. Litter biomass was relatively high, which suggested that this community had high nutrient return. There were significant correlations among aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and total biomass of shrub layer and herb layer. The mean biomass carbon density of the community was 11.70 Mg·hm^-2 and the carbon content ratio was 44.55%. The carbon density was usually obtained using the conversion coefficient of 0.5 in previous studies, which could overestimate carbon density by 12.22%.     

Storage of carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus in temperate shrubland ecosystems across Northern China

Aims Studying storage of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in ecosystems is of significance in understanding carbon and nutrient cycling. Previous researches in ecosystem C, N and P storage have biased towards forests and grasslands. Shrubland ecosystems encompass a wide gradient in precipitation and soil conditions, providing a unique opportunity to explore the patterns of ecosystem C, N and P storage in relation to climate and soil properties.
Methods We estimated densities and storage of organic C, N and P of shrubland ecosystems in Northern China based on data from 433 shrubland sites.
Important findings The main results are summarized as follows: the average organic C, N and P densities in temperate shrubland ecosystems across Northern China were 69.8 Mg·hm^-2, 7.3 Mg·hm^-2 and 4.2 Mg·hm^-2, respectively. The average plant C, N and P densities were 5.1 Mg·hm^-2, 11.5 × 10^-2 Mg·hm^-2 and 8.6 × 10^-3 Mg·hm^-2, respectively, and were significantly correlated with precipitation and soil nutrient concentrations. The average litter C, N and P densities were 1.4 Mg·hm^-2, 3.8 ×10^-2 Mg·hm^-2, 2.5 ×10^-3 Mg·hm^-2 and were significantly correlated with temperature and precipitation. The average soil organic C, N and P densities in the top 1 m were 64.0 Mg·hm^-2, 7.1 Mg·hm^-2 and 4.2 Mg·hm^-2, respectively and the former two were significantly correlated with temperature and precipitation. The total organic C, N and P storage of shrublands in Northern China were 1.7 Pg, 164.9 Tg and 124.8 Tg, respectively. The plant C, N and P storage were 128.4 Tg, 3.1 Tg and 0.2 Tg, respectively. The litter C, N and P storage were 8.4 Tg, 0.45 Tg, 0.027 Tg, respectively. Soil is the largest C, N and P pool in the studied area. The soil organic C, N and P storage in the top 1 meter were 1.6 Pg, 161.3 Tg and 124.6 Tg, respectively.     

Responses of growth and litterfall production to nitrogen addition treatments from common shrublands in Mt. Dongling,Beijing, China

Aims The shrublands of northern China have poor soil and nitrogen (N) deposition has greatly increased the local soil available N for decades. Shrub growth is one of important components of C sequestration in shrublands and litterfall acts as a vital link between plants and soil. Both are key factors in nutrient and energy cycling of terrestrial ecosystems, which greatly affected by nitrogen (N) addition (adding N fertilizer to the surface soil directly). However, the effects and significance of N addition on C sequestration and litterfall in shrublands remain unclear. Thus, a study was designed to investigate how N deposition and related treatments affected shrublands growth related to C sequestration and litterfall production of Vitex negundo var. heterophylla and Spiraea salicifolia in Mt. Dongling region of China.
Methods A N enrichment experiment has been conducted for V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands in Mt. Dongling, Beijing, including four N addition treatment levels (control (N₀, 0 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1), low N (N₁, 20 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1), medium N (N₂, 50 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1) and high N (N₃, 100 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1)). Basal diameter and plant height of shrub were measured from 2012-2013 within all treatments, and allometric models for different species of shrub’s live branch, leaf and root biomass were developed based on independent variables of basal diameter and plant height, which will be used to calculate biomass increment of shrub layer. Litterfall (litterfall sometimes is named litter, referring to the collective name for all organic matter produced by the aboveground part of plants and returned to the surface, and mainly includes leaves, bark, dead twigs, flowers and fruits.) also was investigated from 2012-2013 within all treatments.
Important findings The results showed 1) mean basal diameter of shrubs in the V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands were increased by 1.69%, 2.78%, 2.51%, 1.80% and 1.38%, 1.37%, 1.59%, 2.05% every year; 2) The height growth rate (the shrub height relative growth rate is defined with the percentage increase of plant height) of shrubs in the V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands were 8.36%, 8.48%, 9.49%, 9.83% and 2.12%, 2.86%, 2.36%, 2.52% every year, respectively. Thee results indicated that N deposition stimulated growth of shrub layer both in V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands, but did not reach statistical significance among all nitrogen treatments. The above-ground biomass increment of shrub layer in the V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands were 0.19, 0.23, 0.14, 0.15 and 0.027, 0.025, 0.032, 0.041 t C·hm^-2·a^-1 respectively, which demonstrated that short-term N addition had no significant effects on the accumulation of C storage of the two shrublands. The litter production of the V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia communities in 2013 were 135.7 and 129.6 g·m^-2 under natural conditions, respectively. Nitrogen addition promoted annual production of total litterfall and different components of litterfall to a certain extent, but did not reach statistical significance among all nitrogen treatments. Above results indicated that short-term fertilization, together with extremely low soil moisture content and other related factors, lead to inefficient use of soil available nitrogen and slow response of shrublands to N addition treatments.     

Effects of nitrogen addition on soil respiration in shrublands in Mt. Dongling,Beijing, China

Aims Soil respiration from terrestrial ecosystems is an important component of terrestrial carbon budgets. Compared to forests, natural or semi-natural shrublands are mostly distributed in nutrient-poor sites, and usually considered to be relatively vulnerable to environmental changes. Increased nitrogen (N) input to ecosystems may remarkably influence soil respiration in shrublands. So far the effects of N deposition on shrubland soil respiration are poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the soil respiration of Vitex negundo var. heterophylla and Spiraea salicifolia shrublands and their response to N deposition. Methods We carried out a N enrichment experiment in V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands in Mt. Dongling, Beijing, with four N addition levels (N₀, control, 0; N₁, low N, 20 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1; N₂, medium N, 50 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1 and N₃, high N, 100 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1). Respiration was measured from 2012-2013 within all treatments.Important findings Under natural conditions, annual total and heterotrophic respiration were 5.91 and 4.23, 5.76 and 3.53 t C·hm^-2·a^-1 for the V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands, respectively and both were not affected by short-term N addition. In both shrubland types, soil respiration rate exhibited significant exponential relationships with soil temperature. Temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of total soil respiration in V. negundo var. heterophylla and S. salicifolia shrublands ranged from 1.44 to 1.58 and 1.43 to 1.98, and Q₁₀ of heterotrophic soil respiration ranged from 1.38 to 2.11 and 1.49 to 1.88, respectively. Short-term N addition decreased only autotrophic respiration rate during the growing season, but had no significant effects on total and heterotrophic soil respiration in V. negundo var. heterophylla shrubland. In contrast, N addition enhanced the heterotrophic soil respiration rate and did not influence autotrophic and total soil respiration in S. salicifolia shrubland.     

Litter standing crop of shrubland ecosystems in southern China

Aims Litter is an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, which plays significant roles in carbon and nutrient cycles. Quantifying regional-scale pattern of litter standing crop would improve our understanding in the mechanism of the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle, also with help in predicting the responses of carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems to future climate change. Our objective was to examine variation in litter standing crop of shrublands along the environmental gradients in southern China.
Methods During 2011-2014, we investigated the litter standing crop at 453 shrublands sites by the stratified random sampling, reflecting climatic and soil attributes across southern China.
Important findings We found that the mean value of litter standing crop in these shrubland ecosystems across southern China was 0.32 kg·m^-2. It was 68% of forest litter standing crop (0.47 kg·m^-2) and was five times higher than that in grasslands (0.06 kg·m^-2) in China. Litter standing crop increased with latitude. Our results showed that litter standing crop was negatively correlated with mean annual temperature, soil total P and soil pH, but not significantly correlated with other environmental variables, including mean annual precipitation, soil carbon, nitrogen and soil organic matter. The conversion coefficient of carbon in litter standing crop was 0.41, which is significantly lower than that of vegetation in shrublands (0.50), resulting in an overestimate in carbon storage of litter standing crop in shrubland up to 22% by applying wrong conversion coefficient. We concluded that litter standing crop of shrublands is an important component in terrestrial ecosystems. Mean annual temperature was the most important environmental variable, accounting for the variation in litter standing crop of shrublands in southern China. To our best of knowledge, this is the first study to quantify variation in litter standing crop of shrublands at the regional scale. Therefore, our study will have important implications for assessing the carbon budget of terrestrial ecosystems in China.     

Carbon storage and its distribution of forest ecosystems in Zhejiang Province,China

Aims
The concentration of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has considerably increased over last century and is set to rise further. Forest ecosystems play a key role in reducing CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere and mitigating global climate change. Our objective is to understand carbon storage and its distribution in forest ecosystems in Zhejiang Province, China.
Methods
By using the 8th forest resource inventory data and 2011-2012 field investigation data, we estimated carbon storage, density and its distribution in forest ecosystems of Zhejiang Province.
Important findings
The carbon storage of forest ecosystems in Zhejiang Province was 602.73 Tg, of which 122.88 Tg in tree layer, 16.73 Tg in shrub-herb layer, 11.36 Tg in litter layer and 451.76 Tg in soil layer accounting for 20.39%, 2.78%, 1.88% and 74.95% of the total carbon storage, respectively. The carbon storage of mixed broadleaved forests was 138.03 Tg which ranked the largest (22.90%) among all forest types. The young and middle aged forests which accounted for 70.66% of the total carbon storage were the main body of carbon storage in Zhejiang Province. The carbon density of forest ecosystems in Zhejiang Province was 120.80 t·hm^-2 and that in tree layer, shrub-herb layer, litter layer and soil layer were 24.65 t·hm^-2, 3.36 t·hm^-2, 2.28 t·hm^-2 and 90.51 t·hm^-2, respectively. The significant relationship between soil organic carbon storage and forest ecosystem carbon storage indicated that soil carbon played an important role in shaping forest ecosystem carbon density. Carbon density of tree layer increased with age in natural forests, but decreased in the order over-mature > near-mature > mature > middle-aged > young forest in plantations. The proportions of young and middle aged forests were larger than any other age classes. Thereby, the carbon storage of forest ecosystems in Zhejiang Province could be increased through a proper forest management.     

Present status and rate of carbon sequestration of forest vegetation in Jilin Province,Northeast China

Aims
Forests represent the most important component of the terrestrial biological carbon pool and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. The regional scale estimation of carbon budgets of forest ecosystems, however, have high uncertainties because of the different data sources, estimation methods and so on. Our objective was to accurately estimate the carbon storage, density and sequestration rate in forest vegetation in Jilin Province of China, in order to understand the role of the carbon sink and to better manage forest ecosystems.
Methods
Vegetation survey data were used to determine forest distribution, size of area and vegetation types regionally. In our study, 561 plots were investigated to build volume-biomass models; 288 plots of shrubs and herbs were harvested to calculate the biomass of understory vegetation, and samples of trees, shrubs and herbs were collected to analyze carbon content. Carbon storage, density and sequestration rate were estimated by two forest inventory data (2009 and 2014), combined with volume-biomass models, the average biomass of understory vegetation and carbon content of vegetation. Finally, the distribution patterns of carbon pools were presented using ArcGIS soft ware.
Important findings
Understory vegetation biomass overall was less than 3% of the tree layer biomass, varying greatly among different forest types and even among the similar types. The carbon content of trees was between 45.80%-52.97%, and that of the coniferous forests was higher than that of the broadleaf forests. The carbon content of shrub and herb layers was about 39.79%-47.25% and 40%, respectively. Therefore, the vegetation carbon conversion coefficient was 0.47 or 0.48 in Jilin Province, and the conventional use of 0.50 or 0.45 would cause deviation of ±5.26%. The vegetation carbon pool of Jilin Province was at the upper range of regional carbon pool and had higher capacity of carbon sequestration. The value in 2009 and 2014 was 471.29 Tg C and 505.76 Tg C, respectively, and the total increase was 34.47 Tg C with average annual growth of 6.89 Tg C·a^-1. The corresponding carbon sequestration rate was 0.92 t·hm^-2·a^-1. The carbon density rose from 64.58 t·hm^-2 in 2009 to 66.68 t·hm^-2 in 2014, with an average increase of 2.10 t·hm^-2. In addition, the carbon storage of the Quercus mongolica forests and broadleaved mixed forests, accounted for 90.34% of that of all forests. The carbon increment followed the order of young > over-mature > near mature > middle-aged > mature forests. The carbon sequestration rate of followed the order of over-mature > young > near mature > middle-aged > mature forests. Both the carbon increment and the carbon sequestration rate of mature forests were negative. Furthermore, spatially the carbon storage and density were higher in the east than in the west of Jilin province, while the carbon increment was higher in northeast and middle east than in the west. The carbon sequestration rate was higher in Tonghua and Baishan in the south, followed by Jinlin in the middle and Yanbian in the east, while Baicheng and Songyuan, etc. in west showed negative values.     

Carbon storage,spatial distribution and the influence factors in Tianshan forests

Aims
Accurate estimation of carbon density and storage is among the key challenges in evaluating ecosystem carbon sink potentials for reducing atmospheric CO₂ concentration. It is also important for developing future conservation strategies and sustainable practices. Our objectives were to estimate the ecosystem carbon density and storage of Picea schrenkiana forests in Tianshan region of Xinjiang, and to analyze the spatial distribution and influencing factors.
Methods
Based on field measurements, the forest resource inventories, and laboratory analyses, we studied the carbon storage, its spatial distribution, and the potential influencing factors in Picea schrenkiana forest of Tianshan. Field surveys of 70 sites, with 800 m² (28.3 m × 28.3 m) for plot size, was conducted in 2011 for quantifying arbor biomass (leaf, branch, trunk and root), grass and litterfall biomass, soil bulk density, and other laboratory analyses of vegetation carbon content, soil organic carbon content, etc.
Important findings
The carbon content of the leaf, branch, trunk and root of Picea schrenkiana is varied from 46.56% to 52.22%. The vegetation carbon content of arbor and the herbatious/litterfall layer was 49% and 42%, respectively. The forest biomass of Picea schrenkiana was 187.98 Mg·hm^-2, with 98.93% found in the arbor layer. The biomass in all layers was in the order of trunk (109.81 Mg·hm^-2) > root (39.79 Mg·hm^-2) > branch (23.62 Mg·hm^-2) > leaf (12.76 Mg·hm^-2). From the age-group point of view, the highest and the lowest biomass was found at the mature forest (228.74 Mg·hm^-2) and young forest (146.77 Mg·hm^-2), respectively. The carbon density and storage were 544.57 Mg·hm^-2 and 290.84 Tg C, with vegetation portion of 92.57 Mg·hm^-2 and 53.14 Tg C, and soil portion of 452.00 Mg·hm^-2 and 237.70 Tg C, respectively. The spatial distribution of carbon density and storage appeared higher in the western areas than those in the eastern regions. In the western Tianshan Mountains (e.g., Ili district), carbon density was the highest, whereas the central Tianshan Mountains (e.g., Manas County, Fukang City, Qitai County) also had high carbon density. In the eastern Tianshan Mountains (e.g., Hami City), it was low. This distribution seemed consistent with the changes in environmental conditions. The primary causes of carbon density difference might be a combined effects of multiple environmental factors such as terrain, precipitation, temperature, and soil.     

Research on characteristics of biomass distribution in urban forests of Shanghai metropolis based on remote sensing and spatial analysis

Aims
Monitoring and quantifying the biomass and its distribution in urban trees and forests are crucial to understanding the role of vegetation in an urban environment. In this paper, an estimation method for biomass of urban forests was developed for the Shanghai metropolis, China, based on spatial analysis and a wide variety of data from field inventory and remote sensing.
Methods
An optimal regression model between forest biomass and auxiliary variables was established by stepwise regression analysis. The residual value of regression model was computed for each of the sites sampled and interpolated by Inverse-distance weighting (IDW) to predict residual errors of other sites not subjected to sampling. Forest biomass in the study area was estimated by combining the regression model based on remote sensing image data and residual errors of spatial distribution map. According to the distribution of plantations and management practices, a total of 93 sample plots were established between June 2011 and June 2012 in the Shanghai metropolis. To determine a suitable model, several spectral vegetation indices relating to forest biomass and structure such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), ratio vegetation index (RVI), difference vegetation index (DVI), soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and modified soil-adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), and new images synthesized through band combinations such as the sum of TM2, TM3 and TM4 (denoted Band 234), and the sum of TM3, TM4 and TM5 (denoted Band 345) were used as alternative auxiliary parameters .
Important findings
The biomass density in urban forests of the Shanghai metropolis varied from 15 to 120 t·hm^-2. The higher densities of forest biomass concentrated mostly in the urban areas, e.g. in districts of Jing’an and Huangpu, mostly ranging from 35 to 70 t·hm^-2. Suburban localities such as the districts of Jiading and Qingpu had lower biomass densities at around 15 to 50 t·hm^-2. The biomass density of Cinnamomum camphora trees across the Shanghai metropolis varied between 20 and 110 t·hm^-2. The spatial biomass distribution of urban forests displayed a tendency of higher densities in northeastern areas and lower densities in southwestern areas. The total biomass was 3.57 million tons (Tg) for urban forests and 1.33 Tg for C. camphora trees. The overall forest biomass was also found to be distributed mostly in the suburban areas with a fraction of 93.9%, whereas the urban areas shared a fraction of only 6.1%. In terms of the areas, the suburban and urban forests accounted for 95.44% and 4.56%, respectively, of the total areas in the Shanghai metropolis. Among all the administrative districts, the Chongming county and the new district of Pudong had the highest and the second highest biomass, accounting for 20.1% and 19.18% of the total forest biomass, respectively. In contrast, the Jing’an district accounted for only 0.11% of the total forest biomass. The root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and mean relative error (MRE) of the model for estimating urban forest biomass in this study were 8.39, 6.86 and 24.22%, respectively, decreasing by 57.69%, 55.43% and 64.00% compared to the original simple regression model and by 62.21%, 58.50%, 65.40% compared to the spatial analysis method. Our results indicated that a more efficient way to estimate urban forest biomass in the Shanghai metropolis might be achieved by combining spatial analysis with regression analysis. In fact, the estimated results based on the proposed model are also more comparable to the up-scaled forest inventory data at a city scale than the results obtained using regression analysis or spatial analysis alone.     

内蒙古森林生态系统碳储量及其空间分布

内蒙古森林面积居全国第一位, 林木蓄积量居第五位, 准确地估算该区域森林碳储量对于评估中国森林碳储量以及制定森林资源管理措施均具有重要意义。该研究基于内蒙古森林资源野外样方调查和室内分析, 评估了内蒙古森林生态系统的固碳现状, 估算了内蒙古森林生态系统不同林型和不同碳库(乔木、灌木、草本、凋落物和土壤碳库)的碳密度大小, 揭示了其空间分布特征。在此基础上估算了内蒙古森林碳储量大小及空间格局。结果表明: 1)内蒙古森林植被层碳储量为787.8 Tg C, 乔木层、凋落物层、草本层和灌木层分别占植被层总碳储量的93.5%、3.0%、2.7%和0.8%。内蒙古森林植被层平均碳密度为40.4 t·hm^-2, 其中, 乔木层、凋落物层、草本层和灌木层的碳密度分别为35.6 t·hm^-2、2.9 t·hm^-2、1.2 t·hm^-2和0.6 t·hm^-2。2)内蒙古森林土壤层(0-100 cm)碳储量为2449.6 Tg C, 其中0-30 cm的土壤碳储量最高, 占总碳储量的79.8%。0-10 cm、10-20 cm和20-30 cm的土壤碳储量分别占0-30 cm土壤碳储量的38.8%、34.1%和27.1%。内蒙古森林土壤平均碳密度为144.4 t·hm^-2。黑桦(Betula davurica)林土壤碳密度最高, 云杉(Picea asperata)林最小。土壤碳密度随土壤深度的增加而降低。3)内蒙古森林生态系统碳储量为3237.4 Tg C, 植被层和土壤层碳储量分别占森林生态系统碳储量的24.3%和75.7%。落叶松(Larix gmelinii)林总碳储量最高, 其次为白桦(Betula platyphylla)林、夏栎(Quercus robur)林、黑桦林、榆树(Ulmus pumila)疏林和山杨(Populus davidiana)林。内蒙古森林生态系统平均碳密度为184.5 t·hm^-2。土壤碳密度与植被碳密度呈显著正相关关系。4)内蒙古森林生态系统碳储量和碳密度的空间分布总体上为东部地区高、西部地区低的趋势。在降水量充沛的东部地区和降水偏少的中西部地区, 有针对性地开展森林保护区建设和人工造林, 可显著提升区域的碳汇能力。     

Effects of nitrogen addition on soil respiration of Rhododendron simsii shrubland in the subtropical mountainous areas of China

Aims As the second largest C flux between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems, soil respiration plays a vital role in regulating atmosphere CO₂ concentration. Therefore, understanding the response of soil respiration to the increasing nitrogen deposition is urgently needed for prediction of future climate change. However, it is still unclear how nitrogen deposition influences soil respiration of shrubland in subtropical China. Our objectives were to explore the effects of different levels of nitrogen fertilization on soil respiration, root biomass increment, and litter biomass, and to analyze the relationships between soil respiration and soil temperature and moisture.
Methods From January 2013 to September 2014, we conducted a short-term simulated nitrogen deposition experiment in the Rhododendron simsii shrubland of Dawei Mountain, located in Hunan Province, southern China. Four levels of nitrogen addition treatments (each level with three replicates) were established: control (CK, no nitrogen addition), low nitrogen addition (LN, 2 g·m^-2·a^-1), medium nitrogen addition (MN, 5 g·m^-2·a^-1) and high nitrogen addition (HN, 10 g·m^-2·a^-1). Soil respiration was measured by LI-8100 soil CO₂ efflux system. At the same time, we measured root biomass increment and litter biomass in each plot.
Important findings Soil respiration exhibited a strong seasonal pattern, with the highest rates found in summer and the lowest rates in winter. Annual accumulative soil respiration rate in the CK, LN, MN and HN was (2.37 ± 0.39), (2.79 ± 0.42), (2.26 ± 0.38) and (2.30 ± 0.36) kg CO₂·m^-2, respectively. Annual mean soil respiration rate in the CK, LN, MN and HN was (1.71 ± 0.28), (2.01 ± 0.30), (1.63 ± 0.27) and (1.66 ± 0.26) μmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1, respectively, and it was 17.25% higher in the LN treatment compared with CK (p = 0.06). The root biomass increment was increased by LN, MN, and HN treatments by 18.36%, 36.49% and 61.63%, respectively, compared to CK. The litter biomass was increased by LN, MN, and HN treatments by 35.87%, 22.17% and 15.35%, respectively, compared with CK. Soil respiration exhibited a significant exponential relationship with soil temperature (p < 0.01, R² is 0.77 to 0.82) and a significant linear relationship with soil moisture at the depth of 5 cm (p < 0.05, R² is 0.10 to 0.15). The temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) value of CK, LN, MN and HN plots was 3.96, 3.60, 3.71 and 3.51, respectively. These results suggested that nitrogen addition promoted plant growth and decreased the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration. The increase of root biomass under N addition may be an important reason for the change of soil respiration in the study area.     

Leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentration and the empirical regulations in dominant woody plants of shrublands across southern China

Aims Understanding the changes in N and P concentration in plant organs along the environmental gradients can provide meaningful information to reveal the underline mechanisms for the geochemical cycles and adaptation strategies of plants to the changing environment. In this paper, we aimed to answer: (1) How did the N and P concentration in leaves of evergreen and deciduous woody plants change along the environmental gradients? (2) What were the main factors regulating the N and P concentration in leaves of woody plants in the shrublands across southern China?
Methods Using a stratified random sampling method, we sampled 193 dominant woody plants in 462 sites of 12 provinces in southern China. Leaf samples of dominant woody plants, including 91 evergreen and 102 deciduous shrubs, and soil samples at each site were collected. N and P concentration of the leaves and soils were measured after lapping and sieving. Kruskal-Wallis and Nemenyi tests were applied to quantify the difference among the organs and life-forms. For each life-form, the binary linear regression was used to estimate the relationships between leaf log [N] and log [P] concentration and mean annual air temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP) and log soil total [N], [P]. The effects of climate, soil and plant life-form on leaf chemical traits were modeled through the general linear models (GLMs) and F-tests.
Important findings 1) The geometric means of leaf N and P concentrations of the dominant woody plants were 16.57 mg·g^-1 and 1.02 mg·g^-1, respectively. The N and P concentration in leaves (17.91 mg·g^-1, 1.14 mg·g^-1) of deciduous woody plants was higher than those of evergreen woody plants (15.19 mg·g^-1, 0.89 mg·g^-1). The dependent of leaf P concentration on environmental (climate and soil) appeared more variable than N concentration. 2) Leaf N and P in evergreen woody plants decreased with MAT and but increased with MAP, whereas those in deciduous woody plants showed opposite trends. With increase in MAP, leaf P concentration decreased for both evergreen and deciduous woody plants. 3) Soil N concentration had no significant effect on both evergreen and deciduous woody plants. However, leaf P concentration of the tow increased significantly with soil P concentration. (4) GLMs showed that plant growth form explained 7.6% and 14.4% of variation in leaf N and P, respectively. MAP and soil P concentration contributed 0.8% and 16.4% of the variation in leaf P, respectively. These results suggested that leaf N was mainly influenced by plant growth form, while leaf P concentration was driven by soil, plant life-form, and climate at our study sites.     

Temporal and spatial variation characteristics of China shrubland net primary production and its response to climate change from 2001 to 2013

Aims Net primary production (NPP) is the input to terrestrial ecosystem carbon pool. Climate and land use change affect NPP significantly. Shrublands occupy more than 20% of the terrestrial area of China, and their NPP is comparable to those of the forests. Our objective was to estimate China shrubland NPP from 2001 to 2013, and to analyze its variation and response to climate change.Methods We used a Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model to estimate the NPP of six shrubland types in China from 2001 to 2013. Furthermore, we used Theil-Sen slope combined with Mann-kendall test to analyze its spatial variation and a linear regression of one-variable model to analyze its inter- and intra-annual variation. Finally, a multi-factor linear regression model was used to analyze its response to climate change.Important findings We found the annual mean NPP of China shrubland was 281.82 g•m^-2•a^-1. The subtropical evergreen shrubland has the maximum NPP of 420.47 g•m^-2•a^-1, while the high cold desert shrubland has the minimum NPP of 52.65 g•m^-2•a^-1. The countrywide shrublands NPP increased at the rate of 1.23 g•m^-2•a^-1, the relative change rate was 5.99%. The temperate deciduous shrubland NPP increased the fastest with a speed of 3.05 g•m^-2•a^-1 and subalpine evergreen shrubland had a decreasing trend with a speed of -0.73 g•m^-2•a^-1. Moreover, the other four shrublands NPP had a growing trend, only subalpine deciduous shrubland NPP did not change significantly. The response of NPP to climate change of different seasons varies to different shrubland types. In general, the NPP variation was mainly affected by precipitation, and the spring warming also contributed to it. The increase of countrywide shrubland NPP may promote its contribution to the regional ecosystem function.     

Biomass estimation models and allocation patterns of 14 shrub species in Mountain Luya,Shanxi, China

Aims Shrub species have evolved specific strategies to regulate biomass allocation among various organs or between above- and belowground biomass and shrub biomass model is an important approach to estimate biomass allocation among different shrub species. This study was designed to establish the optimal estimation models for each organ (leaf, stem, and root), aboveground and total biomass of 14 common shrub species in Mountain Luya, Shanxi Province, China. Furthermore, we explored biomass allocation characteristics of these shrub species by using the index of leaf biomass fraction (leaf to total biomass), stem biomass fraction (stem to total biomass), root biomass fraction (root to total biomass), and root to shoot mass ratio (R/S) (belowground to aboveground biomass).
Methods We used plant height, basal diameter, canopy diameter and their combination as variables to establish the optimal biomass estimation models for each shrub species. In addition, we used the ratios of leaf, stem, root to total biomass, and belowground to aboveground biomass to explore the difference of biomass allocation patterns of 14 shrub species.
Important findings Most of biomass estimation models could be well expressed by the exponential and linear functions. Biomass for shorter shrub species with more stems could be better estimated by canopy area; biomass for taller shrub species with less stems could be better estimated by the sum of the square of total base diameter multiply stem height; and biomass for the rest shrub species could be better estimated by canopy volume. The averaged value for these shrub species was 0.61, 0.17, 0.48, and 0.35 for R/S, leaf biomass fraction, stem biomass fraction, and root biomass fraction, respectively. Except for leaf biomass fraction, R/S, stem biomass fraction, and root biomass fraction for shrubs with thorn was significantly greater than that for shrubs without thorn.     

Effects of nitrogen addition on photosynthetic characteristics of Leymus chinensis in the temperate grassland of Nei Mongol,China

Aims The increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition due to human activity and climate change greatly causes grassland ecosystems shifting from being naturally N-limited to N-eutrophic or N-saturated, and further affecting the growth of grass species. The aims of this study are: 1) to evaluate the effects of different N addition levels on morphology and photosynthetic characteristics of Leymus chinensis; 2) to determine the critical N level to facilitate L. chinensis growth.
Methods We conducted a different N addition levels experiment in dominant species in the temperate steppe of Nei Mongol. The aboveground biomass, morphological and leaf physiological traits, pigment contents, chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters and biochemical parameters of L. chinensis were investigated.
Important findings Our results showed that aboveground biomass first increased and then decreased with the increased N, having the highest values at the 10 g N·m^-2·a^?1 treatment, but the 25 g N·m^-2·a^?1 still significantly increased the aboveground biomass relative to 0 g N·m^-2·a^?1. Leymus chinensis accommodate low N situation through allocating less N to carboxylation system and decreasing leaf mass per area (LMA) in order to get more light energy. Moderate N addition captured more light energy through increasing total chlorophyll (Chl) contents and decreasing the ratio of Chl a/b. Moderate N addition increased LMA, carboxylation efficiency, maximum carboxylation rate (V_cmax), maximum electron transport rate (J_max) and decreased J_max/V_cmax, thus allocating more N to carboxylation system to enhance carboxylation capability. Moreover, the photochemical activity of PSII was increased through higher effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, electron transport rate and photochemical quenching coefficient. Excessive N addition had negative effects on physiological variables of L. chinensis due to lower carboxylation capability and photochemical activity of PSII, further leading to decreased net photosynthetic rate, whereas increased non-photochemical quenching coefficient and carotenoids played the role in the dissipation of excess excitation energy. Overall, moderate N addition facilitated the photosynthetic characteristics of dominant species, but excessive N addition inhibited photosynthetic characteristics. The most appropriate N addition for the growth of L. chinensis was 5-10 g N·m^-2·a^?1 in the temperate steppe of Nei Mongol, China.     

Current stocks and rate of sequestration of forest carbon in Gansu Province,China

Aims
Carbon sequestration is the basic function and most primary service of forest ecosystems, and plays a vital role in mitigating the global climate change. However, carbon storage and allocation in forest ecosystems have been less studied at regional scales than at forest stand levels, and the results are subject to uncertainty due to inconsistent methodologies. In this study we aim to obtain relatively accurate estimates of forest carbon stocks and sequestration rate at a provincial scale (regional) based on plot surveys of plants and soils.
Methods
In consideration of the areas and distributions of major forest types, 212 sampling plots, covering different age classes and origins (natural forests vs. planted forests), were surveyed in Gansu Province in northern China. Field investigations were conducted for vegetation layers (trees, shrubs, herbs and litter), soil profiles, and sampling of both plant materials and soils for laboratory analyses. Regional carbon stocks were calculated by up-scaling the carbon densities of all forest types with their corresponding areas. Carbon sequestration rate was estimated by referencing the reports of national forest inventory data for different periods.
Important findings Forest carbon stocks at the provincial scale were estimated at 612.43 Tg C, including 179.04 Tg C in biomass and 433.39 Tg C in soil organic materials. Specifically, natural forests stored 501.42 Tg C, approximately 4.52 times than that of the plantations. Biomass carbon density in both natural forests and plantations showed an increasing trend with stand age classes, and was greater in natural forests than in plantations within the same age classes. Soil carbon density also increased with stand age classes in natural forests, but the highest value occurred at the pre-mature stage in plantations. The weighted average of regional biomass carbon density was at 72.43 Mg C·hm^-2, with the average value of 90.52 Mg C·hm^-2 in natural forests and 33.79 Mg C·hm^-2 in plantations, respectively. In 1996, vegetation stored 132.47 Tg C in natural forests and 12.81 Tg C in plantations, respectively, and the values increased to 152.41 and 26.63 Tg C in 2011, with the mean carbon sequestration rates of 1.33 and 0.92 Tg C·a^-1. Given that young and middle-aged forests account for a large proportion (62.28%) of the total forest areas, the region is expected to have substantial potential of carbon sequestration.     

Associations between litterfall dynamics and micro-climate in forests of Putuoshan Island,Zhejiang, China

Aims Seasonal litterfall production plays an important role in the carbon and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. This study examines the effects of micro-environmental factors on seasonal litterfall dynamics in the forests of Putuoshan Island, Zhejiang Province of eastern China.
Methods The study covers five forest types, including Liquidambar formosana forest, Cinnamomum japonicum and Machilus thunbergii forest, Pinus massoniana forest, Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest, and Distylium gracile forest, in Putuoshan Island. We collected micro-meteorological data, and measured monthly litterfall in stands of the five forest types over one year. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was performed to determine the effects of micro-climatic factors on litterfall production．
Important findings The average annual litterfall production ranged from 3.45 to 5.36 t·hm^-2·a^-1 across five types of forests, albeit no effect of forest types on the litterfall production. The partitioning of litterfall components differed among the five forest types. The seasonal litterfall production exhibited two contrasting patterns, i.e. double climax curve and triple peaks, and varied significantly among the five forest types. Moreover, the peak in the litterfall production mostly occurred in the windy months of the year, such as in April, July and December, which was consistent with the dynamics of wind speed. RDA results showed that components of litterfall production in different months were controlled by different micro-climatic factors. The total, leaves, fruits, and miscellaneous litterfall productions were directly and positively affected by air temperature. Twig litterfall production was positively affected by the overstory wind velocity. Flower litterfall production was negatively affected by air humidity. In summary, forest types had no effects on litterfall production. However, variations in litterfall productions were explained by air temperature, air humidity, and overstory wind velocity in the forests studied.