关帝山华北落叶松人工林细根生物量空间分布及季节变化

利用根钻法研究了山西关帝山华北落叶松（Larix principis—rupprechtii Mayr）人工林细根生物量的空间分布和季节变化特征。结果表明,华北落叶松不同径级细根生物量随土层深度的增加而逐渐减少,土壤表层（0—10cm）中各径级细根的生物量最高,Ⅰ级细根（根直径0～1mm）的生物量在不同土层深度间差异显著（P〈0．05）;距树干不同水平距离处各径级的细根生物量差异均未达到显著水平（P〉0．05）。在0～10cm土层中,各径级细根生物量的季节变化差异显著（P〈0．05）,均表现为单峰型,峰值出现在9月份;在10～20cm和20-30cm土层中,Ⅰ级和Ⅱ级（根直径1～2mm）细根生物量季节变化差异显著,Ⅲ级细根（根直径2～5mm）和Ⅰ级死根（根直径0～2mm）生物量季节变化差异不显著。     

拉萨河谷杨树人工林细根的生产力及其周转

通过土钻取样和分解袋法对拉萨河谷杨树人工林细根的生长和周转进行了测定.结果表明,在该地区杨树人工林生态系统中,约80%的细根集中分布在0～30cm土壤表层中;接近树木一侧的活(死)细根生物量均高于外侧,但二者未达到显著的差异;在生长季期间,活细根生物量平均为2.576 t · hm-2,死细根生物量平均为1.566 t · hm-2,生长高峰出现在生长季初期.经估算,拉萨河谷杨树人工林细根年生长量为3.030 t · hm-2,年周转率为1.18次;但受高原低温的影响,细根分解缓慢,分解系数k平均为0.0007～0.0008.细根的这种生长特征是杨树对高原地区短暂生长季节和雨热同季气候条件的一种适应性表现.     

川西亚高山岷江冷杉原始林细根生物量、生产力和周转

原始林在全球碳收支中具有重要的意义,其细根在地下碳循环过程中发挥着重要作用。本研究采用连续土钻法对川西亚高山岷江冷杉原始林0~30 cm土层细根(≤2 mm)生物量及其季节动态进行了测定,并采用决策矩阵法对细根生产量和周转速率进行了估算。结果表明:岷江冷杉原始林0~30 cm土层活细根生物量和年生产量分别为286.89g·m-2和168.94 g·m-2·a-1,平均细根周转速率为0.56 a-1;细根生物量、生产量和死亡量在生长期内具有明显的动态特征;活细根生物量和生产量总体呈现单峰曲线特征,以9月最大;死细根生物量和死细根/活细根生物量在生长期内总体呈"U型"变化趋势,而死亡量总体呈增加的趋势;土层深度是影响细根动态的重要因素,活细根生物量、死细根生物量、生产量和周转速率随着土层深度的增加呈现下降的变化趋势,而死细根/活细根生物量略有增加。     

三峡库区马尾松人工林细根生产和周转

2011年3-12月,采用连续根钻法和分解袋法,研究了三峡库区20年生马尾松人工林细根的季节动态,计算了细根的年生产量和周转率.结果表明:三峡库区马尾松人工林细根(＜2 mm)年均生物量为146.98 g·m-2,其中活细根年均生物量(102.92 g·m-2)远大于死细根生物量(44.06 g·m-2);不同径级细根现存量的时间动态不同,＜1 mm根系季节动态较为明显,整体呈单峰型曲线;马尾松人工林细根(＜2 mm)的年生产量为104.12 g·m-2·a-1,年周转率为1.05 a-1,其中＜1 mm和1～2 mm的年生产量分别为58.35和45.77 g·m-2·a-1,周转率为1.41和0.69 a-1.     

贵州中部喀斯特山地不同植被生态系统细根生态特征及养分储量

为了解喀斯特生态系统退化过程中树木细根生物量和土壤养分的变化,选择贵州中部喀斯特山地乔木林、灌木林和灌草丛3种植被生态系统,比较分析不同深度(0～5 cm、5～10 cm和10～15 cm)土壤细根数量及其养分情况.结果表明:树木细根主要分布在0～10 cm土层,并随土层加深而减少.在0～10 cm土层中,乔木林、灌木林和灌草丛的活细根生物量分别占0～15 cm总细根生物量的42.78%、56.75%和53.38%,总活细根生物量的83.36%、86.91%和93.79%.不同植被下优势种植物细根生物量存在差异.0～5 cm土层乔木林活细根氮素和磷素储量均显著高于灌草丛和灌木林(P0.05),但灌木林和灌草丛间没有差异;5～10 cm土层乔木林活细根氮和磷储量显著高于灌草丛和灌木林(P0.05),灌木林下又显著高于灌草丛下(P0.05).0～10 cm土层的活细根生物量与植株地上部分生物量呈正相关,植物叶片氮、磷养分含量与细根比根长呈显著的负相关,说明细根的养分储量对地上生物量的建成和生态系统功能的发挥具有重要作用.     

华西雨屏区香樟人工林土壤表层细根生物量和碳储量

2010年11月-2011年12月, 研究了华西雨屏区31年生香樟人工林土壤表层(0～30 cm)细根生物量及碳储量.结果表明: 香樟人工林土壤0～30 cm层细根总生物量(活根+死根)和碳储量的平均值分别为1592.29 kg·hm^-2和660.68 kg C·hm^-2,其中活细根贡献率分别为91.1%和91.8%.随着土壤深度的增加,香樟1～5级活细根和死细根的生物量及碳储量均显著减少;随着根序等级的升高,香樟活细根生物量及碳储量显著增加.香樟细根总生物量及碳储量均在秋季最高、冬季最低,死细根生物量及碳储量为冬季最高、夏季最低;1级根和2级根生物量及碳储量均在夏季最高、冬季最低,而3~5级根则为秋季最高、冬季最低.土壤养分和水分的空间异质性是导致细根生物量和碳储量变化的主要原因.     

长白山阔叶红松林表层土壤木本植物细根生物量及其空间分布

2008年在长白山北坡原始阔叶红松林内选择3块50 m×50 m样地,采用地统计学方法对表层土壤中木本植物细根生物量及其分布特征进行了定量研究.结果表明：3块样地0～20 cm土层中木本植物活细根生物量分别为3.195、1.930和2.058 t·hm^-2,死细根生物量分别为0.971、0.581和0.790 t·hm^-2,0～10 cm土层中,死、活细根生物量之间无显著相关关系,而10～20 cm土层中,二者呈显著正相关关系(r=0.352,P<0.05）,死、活细根生物量的实际变异函数大多符合球状理论模型.空间自相关引起的空间异质性占总空间异质性的百分比平均大于70%,各样地活、死细根生物量变程分别为5.2、14.6、9.8 m和4.3、20.4、20.1 m.采用贝叶斯统计方法对3块样地活细根生物量空间自相关范围进行估计的结果与地统计学方法的统计结果一致.     

三工河流域两种琵琶柴群落细根生物量、分解与周转

细根对植物群落功能的发挥和土壤碳库及全球碳循环具有重要意义。利用连续土钻取样法和分解袋法,于2010年5—10月整个生长季节内,对三工河流域两处长势不同的琵琶柴群落的细根(φ2mm)生物量、分解与周转规律及其与土壤环境的关系进行研究。结果表明,群落1和群落2土壤容重、土壤含水量、pH和电导率等土壤因子差异显著。两群落的细根生物量表现出相同的季节和垂直变化趋势,即在5—8月逐渐增加,8月达到最大值,9—10月份逐渐下降。平均月细根生物量分别为51.55g/m2和133.93 g/m2。群落1的活细根和死细根分别占总细根生物量的69.68%和30.32%,群落2活细根和死细根分别占总细根生物量的72.61%和27.39%。在垂直变化上,随土壤深度增加细根生物量先增加后逐渐降低,其中10—20cm土壤层次细根生物量比例最大,群落1和群落2分别占46.48%和29.15%。群落1和群落2的细根年分解率分别为34.82%、42.91%。达到半分解和95%分解时,群落1需要630 d和2933 d,群落2需要467 d和2238 d。群落1和群落2的细根净生产力分别为50.67 g/m2和178.15 g/m2,细根年周转率分别为1.41次、1.69次。逐步回归分析结果显示细根动态受土壤水分、pH值、电导度等土壤因子的显著影响,琵琶柴细根具有相对较低的分解速率和较高的周转速率。     

武夷山不同海拔高度植被细根生物量及形态特征

以福建武夷山不同海拔高度4种植物群落为对象,采用挖掘法获取土壤细根样品,用WinRHIZO根系分析仪分析细根形态,分别测定了不同海拔高度不同土层(0-10、10-25 cm)土壤细根现存生物量及各形态指标的变化特征.结果表明:0～10 cm土壤活细根生物量、活细根根长密度、活细根表面积密度、活细根体积密度均是常绿阔叶林<矮林<针叶林<高山草甸,各群落间呈现极显著差异(P<0.01);不同海拔高度植被,活细根和死细根的生物量、根长密度、细根表面积密度、细根体积密度均指标均是0～10>10～25 cm;4种植被在0～10、10～25 cm土层中≤2.0 mm径级的活细根、死细根对细根总长度、总表面积的贡献最大;土壤细根生物量及细根的主要形态指标总体趋势是高海拔显著大于低海拔;同时表明了土壤含水率是影响活细根各指标垂直变化的主要因子.     

格氏栲天然林与人工林细根生物量、季节动态及净生产力

通过对福建三明格氏栲天然林及在其采伐迹地上营造的33年生格氏栲人工林和杉木人工林细根分布、季节动态与净生产力进行的为期3a(1999～2001)的研究,结果表明,格氏栲天然林、格氏栲和杉木人工林活细根生物量分别为4.944t/hm2、3.198t/hm2和1.485t/hm2,死细根生物量分别为3.563t/hm2、2.749t/hm2和1.287t/hm2;死细根生物量占总细根生物量的比例分别为41.9%、46.2%和46.4%;<0.5mm细根生物量占总细根生物量的比例分别为31.2%、29.4%和69.9%。3种林分活细根生物量和死细根生物量季节间差异显著(P<0.05),但年份间差异则不显著(P>0.05);活细根生物量最大值均出现在3月份,最小值一般出现在5～7月份或11～翌年1月份间。0～10cm表土层格氏栲天然林活细根生物量高达295.65g/m2,分别是格氏栲人工林和杉木人工林的2.4倍和8.1倍;该层格氏栲天然林活细根生物量占全部活细根生物量的59.8%,均高于格氏栲人工林(39.07%)和杉木人工林(24.51%)。格氏栲天然林、格氏栲人工林和杉木人工林细根分解1a后的干重损失率分别为68.34%～80.13%、63.51%～77.95%和47.69%～60.78%;年均分解量分别为8.747、5.143和2.503t/hm2;死亡量分别为8.632、5.148和2.492t/hm2;年均净生产量分别为8.797、5.425和2.513t/hm2,年周转速率分别为1.78、1     

Assessing fine-root biomass and production in a Scots pine stand – comparison of soil core and root ingrowth core methods

Soil core and root ingrowth core methods for assessing fine-root (< 2 mm) biomass and production were compared in a 38-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L) stand in eastern Finland. 140 soil cores and 114 ingrowth cores were taken from two mineral soil layers (0–10 cm and 10–30 cm) during 1985–1988. Seasonal changes in root biomass (including both Scots pine and understorey roots) and necromass were used for calculating fine-root production. The Scots pine fine-root biomass averaged annually 143 g/m² and 217 g/m² in the upper mineral soil layer, and 118 g/m² and 66 g/m² in the lower layer of soil cores and ingrowth cores, respectively. The fine-root necromass averaged annually 601 g/m² and 311 g/m² in the upper mineral soil layer, and 196 g/m² and 159 g/m² in the lower layer of soil cores and ingrowth cores, respectively. The annual fine-root production in a Scots pine stand in the 30 cm thick mineral soil layer, varied between 370–1630 g/m² in soil cores and between 210 – 490 g/m² in ingrowth cores during three years. The annual production calculated for Scots pine fine roots, varied between 330–950 g/m² in soil cores and between 110 – 610 g/m² in ingrowth cores. The horizontal and vertical variation in fine-root biomass was smaller in soil cores than in ingrowth cores. Roots in soil cores were in the natural dynamic state, while the roots in the ingrowth cores were still expanding both horizontally and vertically. The annual production of fine-root biomass in the Scots pine stand was less in root ingrowth cores than in soil cores. During the third year, the fine-root biomass production of Scots pine, when calculated by the ingrowth core method, was similar to that calculated by the soil core method. Both techniques have sources of error. In this research the sampling interval in the soil core method was 6–8 weeks, and thus root growth and death between sampling dates could not be accurately estimated. In the ingrowth core method, fine roots were still growing into the mesh bags. In Finnish conditions, after more than three growing seasons, roots in the ingrowth cores can be compared with those in the surrounding soil. The soil core method can be used for studying both the annual and seasonal biomass variations. For estimation of production, sampling should be done at short intervals. The ingrowth core method is more suitable for estimating the potential of annual fine-root production between different site types.     

Responses of fine roots and soil N availability to short-term nitrogen fertilization in a broad-leaved Korean pine mixed forest in northeastern China

Knowledge of the responses of soil nitrogen (N) availability, fine root mass, production and turnover rates to atmospheric N deposition is crucial for understanding fine root dynamics and functioning in forest ecosystems. Fine root biomass and necromass, production and turnover rates, and soil nitrate-N and ammonium-N in relation to N fertilization (50 kg N ha(-1) year(-1)) were investigated in a temperate forest over the growing season of 2010, using sequential soil cores and ingrowth cores methods. N fertilization increased soil nitrate-N by 16% (P<0.001) and ammonium-N by 6% (P<0.01) compared to control plots. Fine root biomass and necromass in 0-20 cm soil were 13% (4.61 vs. 5.23 Mg ha(-1), P<0.001) and 34% (1.39 vs. 1.86 Mg ha(-1), P<0.001) less in N fertilization plots than those in control plots. The fine root mass was significantly negatively correlated with soil N availability and nitrate-N contents, especially in 0-10 cm soil layer. Both fine root production and turnover rates increased with N fertilization, indicating a rapid underground carbon cycling in environment with high nitrogen levels. Although high N supply has been widely recognized to promote aboveground growth rates, the present study suggests that high levels of nitrogen supply may reduce the pool size of the underground carbon. Hence, we conclude that high levels of atmospheric N deposition will stimulate the belowground carbon cycling, leading to changes in the carbon balance between aboveground and underground storage. The implications of the present study suggest that carbon model and prediction need to take the effects of nitrogen deposition on underground system into account.     

Fine-root turnover rates of European forests revisited: an analysis of data from sequential coring and ingrowth cores

Background and Aims

Forest trees directly contribute to carbon cycling in forest soils through the turnover of their fine roots. In this study we aimed to calculate root turnover rates of common European forest tree species and to compare them with most frequently published values.

Methods

We compiled available European data and applied various turnover rate calculation methods to the resulting database. We used Decision Matrix and Maximum-Minimum formula as suggested in the literature.

Results

Mean turnover rates obtained by the combination of sequential coring and Decision Matrix were 0.86 yr^?1 for Fagus sylvatica and 0.88 yr^?1 for Picea abies when maximum biomass data were used for the calculation, and 1.11 yr^?1 for both species when mean biomass data were used. Using mean biomass rather than maximum resulted in about 30 % higher values of root turnover. Using the Decision Matrix to calculate turnover rate doubled the rates when compared to the Maximum-Minimum formula. The Decision Matrix, however, makes use of more input information than the Maximum-Minimum formula.

Conclusions

We propose that calculations using the Decision Matrix with mean biomass give the most reliable estimates of root turnover rates in European forests and should preferentially be used in models and C reporting.     

黄土高原4种植被类型的细根生物量和年生产量

细根(≤2 mm)在陆地生态系统净初级生产力的分配中占有重要地位,在碳循环和水土保持方面具有重要意义. 本文采用土钻法和内生长法,以黄土高原刺槐人工林、落叶灌木、退耕草地和沙蒿群落4种主要植被类型为对象,研究0～40 cm土层细根生物量、垂直分布和细根年生产量. 结果表明： 细根生物量与纬度呈线性负相关. 4种植被类型0～40 cm土层细根生物量的大小顺序为落叶灌木(220 g·m^-2)>刺槐人工林(163 g·m^-2)≈退耕草地(162 g·m^-2)>沙蒿群落(79 g·m^-2). 退耕草地直径≤1 mm细根生物量占直径≤2 mm总细根生物量的74.1%,在4种植被类型中最高;4种植被类型细根生物量随着土层深度的增加而减少,最大值均出现在0～10 cm土层. 退耕草地0～10 cm土层细根生物量占0～40 cm土层总细根生物量的44.1%,显著高于其他3种植被类型;细根年生产量与纬度呈线性负相关. 4种植被类型0～40 cm土层细根年生产量大小顺序为退耕草地(315 g·m^-2·a^-1)>落叶灌木(249 g·m^-2·a^-1)>刺槐人工林(219 g·m^-2·a^-1)>沙蒿群落(115 g·m^-2·a^-1),其中退耕草地显著高于其他3种植被类型. 退耕草地0～10 cm土层细根生产量占0～40 cm土层总细根生产量的40.4%,在4种植被类型中最高. 退耕草地细根周转时间为0.51 a,低于其他3种植被类型.     

Fine root dynamics and soil carbon accretion under thinned and un-thinned Cupressus lusitanica stands in, Southern Ethiopia

Background and aims

Forest management activities influences stand nutrient budgets, belowground carbon allocation and storage in the soil. A field experiment was carried out in Southern Ethiopia to investigate the effect of thinning on fine root dynamics and associated soil carbon accretion of 6-year old C. lusitanica stands.

Methods

Fine roots (≤2 mm in diameter) were sampled seasonally to a depth of 40 cm using sequential root coring method. Fine root biomass and necromass, vertical distribution, seasonal dynamics, annual turnover and soil carbon accretion were quantified.

Results

Fine root biomass and necromass showed vertical and temporal variations. More than 70 % of the fine root mass was concentrated in the top 20 cm soil depth. Fine root biomass showed significant seasonal variation with peaks at the end of the major rainy season and short rainy season. Thinning significantly increased fine root necromass, annual fine root production and turnover. Mean annual soil carbon accretion, through fine root necromass, in the thinned stand was 63 % higher than that in the un-thinned stand.

Conclusions

The temporal dynamics in fine roots is driven by the seasonality in precipitation. Thinning of C. lusitanica plantation would increase soil C accretion considerably through increased fine root necromass and turnover.     

Effect of aboveground intervention on fine root mass, production, and turnover rate in a Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis Blume) forest

Aims

Fine root is an important part of the forest carbon cycle. The growth of fine roots is usually affected by forest intervention. This study aims to investigate the fine root mass, production, and turnover in the disturbed forest.

Methods

The seasonal and vertical distributions of fine root (diameter ≤2 mm) were measured in a Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis Blume) forest. The biomass and necromass of roots with diameters ≤1 mm and 1-2 mm in 0-40 cm soil profiles were sampled by using a sequential soil coring method in the stands after clear cutting for 3 years, with the stands of the remaining intact trees as the control.

Results

The fine root biomass (FRB) and fine root necromass (FRN) varied during the growing season and reached their peak in August. Lower FRB and higher FRN were found in the clear cutting stands. The ratio between FRN and FRB increased after forest clear cutting compared with the control and was the highest in June. The root mass with diameter ≤1 mm was affected proportionately more than that of diameter 1-2 mm root. Clear cutting reduced FRB and increased FRN of roots both ≤1 mm and 1-2 mm in diameter along the soil depths. Compared with the control, the annual fine root production and the average turnover rate decreased by 30.7 % and 20.7 %, respectively, after clear cutting for 3 years. The decline of canopy cover contributed to the dramatic fluctuation of soil temperature and moisture from April to October. With redundancy discriminate analysis (RDA) analysis, the first axis was explained by soil temperature (positive) and moisture (negative) in the control stands. Aboveground stand structure, including canopy cover, sprout height, and basal area, influenced FRB and FRN primarily after forest clear cutting.

Conclusions

This study suggested that the reduction of fine root biomass, production, and turnover rate can be attributed to the complex changes that occur after forest intervention, including canopy damage, increased soil temperature, and degressive soil moisture.     

Comprehensive assessments of root biomass and production in a Kobresia humilis meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Alpine meadow covers ca. 700,000 km² with an extreme altitude range from 3200 m to 5200 m. It is the most widely distributed vegetation on the vast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Previous studies suggest that meadow ecosystems play the most important role in both uptake and storage of carbon in the plateau. The ecosystem has been considered currently as an active “CO₂ sink”, in which roots may contribute a very important part, because of the large root biomass, for storage and translocation of carbon to soil. To bridge the gap between the potential importance and few experimental data, root systems, root biomass, turnover rate, and net primary production were investigated in a Kobresia humilis meadow on the plateau during the growing season from May to September in 2008 and 2009. We hypothesized that BNPP/NPP of the alpine meadow would be more than 50%, and that small diameter roots sampled in ingrowth cores have a shorter lifespan than the lager diameter roots, moreover we expected that roots in surface soils would turn over more quickly than those in deeper soil layers. The mean root mass in the 0–20 cm soil layer, investigated by the sequential coring method, was 1995?±?479 g?m^?2 and 1595?±?254 g?m^?2 in growing season of 2008 and 2009, respectively. And the mean fine root biomass in ingrowth cores of the same soil layer was 119?±?37 g?m^?2 and 196?±?45 g?m^?2 in the 2 years. Annual total NPP was 12387 kg?ha^?1?year^?1, in which 53% was allocated to roots. In addition, fine roots accounted for 33% of belowground NPP and 18% of the total NPP, respectively. Root turnover rate was 0.52 year^?1 for bulk roots and 0.74 year^?1 for fine roots. Furthermore, roots turnover was faster in surface than in deeper soil layers. The results confirmed the important role of roots in carbon storage and turnover in the alpine meadow ecosystem. It also suggested the necessity of separating fine roots from the whole root system for a better understanding of root turnover rate and its response to environmental factors.     

中亚热带杉木人工林细根生物量空间变异与取样数量估算

林木细根生物量具有一定的空间异质性,因此采用合理的细根取样策略对精确估算细根生物量十分重要。通过在福建省三明杉木人工林林内采用土钻法随机选取100个取样点,分析不同细根类型(杉木、林下植被、总细根)生物量的空间变异特征,并对细根生物量所需的取样数量进行估计。结果表明:不同细根类型单位面积生物量随径级(0—1、1—2 mm)及土层深度的增加变异增大,所需的取样数量也相应增加。Shapiro-Wilk检验表明,仅0—2 mm杉木细根和总细根单位面积生物量符合正态分布,其余各个细根类型不同径级不同土层单位面积生物量均不符合正态分布,均呈明显的右偏分布。蒙特卡罗统计模拟分析表明:在置信水平为95%、精度为80%的条件下,直径为0—1 mm、1—2 mm和0—2 mm的细根,杉木采集95、96、32个样品可以满足测定单位面积生物量的需要,林下植被分别采集98、98、63个样品可以满足测定单位面积生物量的需要,而总细根分别采集93、93、18个样品可以满足测定单位面积生物量的需要。     

Measuring Fine Root Turnover in Forest Ecosystems

Development of direct and indirect methods for measuring root turnover and the status of knowledge on fine root turnover in forest ecosystems are discussed. While soil and ingrowth cores give estimates of standing root biomass and relative growth, respectively, minirhizotrons provide estimates of median root longevity (turnover time) i.e., the time by which 50% of the roots are dead. Advanced minirhizotron and carbon tracer studies combined with demographic statistical methods and new models hold the promise of improving our fundamental understanding of the factors controlling root turnover. Using minirhizotron data, fine root turnover (y⁻¹) can be estimated in two ways: as the ratio of annual root length production to average live root length observed and as the inverse of median root longevity. Fine root production and mortality can be estimated by combining data from minirhizotrons and soil cores, provided that these data are based on roots of the same diameter class (e.g., < 1 mm in diameter) and changes in the same time steps. Fluxes of carbon and nutrients via fine root mortality can then be estimated by multiplying the amount of carbon and nutrients in fine root biomass by fine root turnover. It is suggested that the minirhizotron method is suitable for estimating median fine root longevity. In comparison to the minirhizotron method, the radio carbon technique favor larger fine roots that are less dynamics. We need to reconcile and improve both methods to develop a more complete understanding of root turnover.     

Seasonal dynamics of fine root biomass,root length density,specific root length,and soil resource availability in a Larix gmelinii plantation

Fine root tumover is a major pathway for carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and is most likely sensitive to many global change factors.Despite the importance of fine root turnover in plant C allocation and nutrient cycling dynamics and the tremendous research efforts in the past,our understanding of it remains limited.This is because the dynamics processes associated with soil resources availability are still poorly understood.Soil moisture,temperature,and available nitrogen are the most important soil characteristics that impact fine root growth and mortality at both the individual root branch and at the ecosystem level.In temperate forest ecosystems,seasonal changes of soil resource availability will alter the pattern of carbon allocation to belowground.Therefore,fine root biomass,root length density(RLD)and specific root length(SRL)vary during the growing season.Studying seasonal changes of fine root biomass,RLD,and SRL associated with soil resource availability will help us understand the mechanistic controls of carbon to fine root longevity and turnover.The objective of this study was to understand whether seasonal variations of fine root biomass,RLD and SRL were associated with soil resource availability,such as moisture,temperature,and nitrogen,and to understand how these soil components impact fine root dynamics in Larix gmelinii plantation.We used a soil coring method to obtain fine root samples(≤2 mm in diameter)every month from Mav to October in 2002 from a 17-year-old L.gmelinii plantation in Maoershan Experiment Station,Northeast Forestry University,China.Seventy-two soil cores(inside diameter 60 mm;depth intervals:0-10 cm,10-20 cm,20-30 cm)were sampled randomly from three replicates 25 m×30 m plots to estimate fine root biomass(live and dead),and calculate RLD and SRL.Soil moisture,temperature,and nitrogen(ammonia and nitrates)at three depth intervals were also analyzed in these plots.Results showed that the average standing fine root biomass(live (32.2 g.m-2.a-1)in the middle(10-20 cm)and deep layer (20-30cm),respectively.Live and dead fine root biomass was the highest from May to July and in September,but lower in August and October.The live fine root biomass decreased and dead biomass increased during the growing soil layer.RLD and SRL in May were the highestthe other months,and RLD was the lowest in Septemberdynamics of fine root biomass,RLD,and SRL showed a close relationship with changes in soil moisture,temperature,and nitrogen availability.To a lesser extent,the temperature could be determined by regression analysis.Fine roots in the upper soil layer have a function of absorbing moisture and nutrients,while the main function of deeper soil may be moisture uptake rather than nutrient acquisition.Therefore,carbon allocation to roots in the upper soil layer and deeper soil layer was different.Multiple regression analysis showed that variation in soil resource availability could explain 71-73% of the seasonal variation of RLD and SRL and 58% of the variation in fine root biomass.These results suggested a greater metabolic activity of fine roots living in soil with higher resource availability,which resulted in an increased allocation of carbohydrate to these roots,but a lower allocation of carbohydrate to those in soil with lower resource availability.