南亚热带森林土壤有机碳组分对模拟酸雨的早期响应

应用人工模拟酸雨控制实验,探讨鼎湖山国家级自然保护区三种南亚热带主要植被类型(季风常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和马尾松林)的土壤有机碳组分,包括土壤总有机碳(TOC)、土壤易氧化有机碳(ROC)、土壤不易氧化有机碳(NROC),在不同模拟酸雨处理梯度:对照CK(pH4.5的天然湖水)、pH4.0、pH3.5、pH3.0处理下的响应特征。结果表明:上层土壤(0~20cm)易氧化有机碳、不易氧化有机碳和总有机碳含量与森林类型密切相关,大小顺序均表现为混交林阔叶林马尾松林。经25个月模拟酸雨处理,鼎湖山森林土壤酸化有加剧的趋势;CK、pH4.0、pH3.5、pH3.0四个处理下土壤上层剖面易氧化有机碳含量分别为阔叶林(7.14、8.29、8.74、9.84g·kg-1)、混交林(8.58、8.53、10.28、10.36g·kg-1)和马尾松林(3.90、4.49、4.74、5.48g·kg-1),三个林型土壤易氧化有机碳含量呈现随模拟酸雨强度增加而升高的趋势;森林土壤总有机碳和不易氧化有机碳含量变化缓慢,在各酸梯度处理下差异不显著(P0.05)。研究结果显示,长期的酸雨作用使土壤酸化不断加剧,易氧化有机碳对酸雨的响应更敏感,但其在酸雨下积累的趋势不利于土壤总有机碳的存埋,但关于酸雨对土壤总有机碳的影响仍然需要长期的实验监测。     

模拟酸雨对鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林土壤呼吸的初期影响

通过在鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林(季风林)进行野外模拟酸雨试验,对不同酸雨强度处理下的林地土壤呼吸速率进行原位测定,探讨酸雨对南亚热带森林土壤呼吸的初期影响。结果表明:在两年的测定周期内,4个酸雨水平:CK(pH值4.5左右的天然湖水)、T1(pH值4.0)、T2(pH值3.5)和T3(pH值3.0)处理下的年平均土壤呼吸速率分别为(3.07±0.08)、(3.06±0.17)、(2.78±0.29)和(2.56±0.08)μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1),其中T3处理显著低于CK和T1处理(P0.05),说明模拟酸雨抑制了季风林土壤呼吸。这种抑制作用大体上随处理时间的延长而逐渐显著,处理间的差异只在测定周期的第二年达到显著水平,且抑制作用的差异显著性只出现在湿季(P0.05)。模拟酸雨对土壤呼吸的抑制作用可能与其胁迫下土壤酸化而导致土壤微生物异养呼吸及凋落物CO_2释放量下降有关。表现为模拟酸雨导致土壤pH值降低,使得土壤酸化加剧;降低了土壤微生物量碳、氮含量,抑制了微生物活性;提高了凋落物质量残留率,抑制了凋落物分解。还与土壤呼吸结果相对应,上述指标对模拟酸雨的响应也大体上随处理时间的延长而逐渐显著。另外,土壤呼吸温度敏感系数Q_(10)值随处理pH值降低有下降的趋势,表明酸雨处理在一定程度上降低了土壤呼吸的温度敏感性。     

南亚热带两种优势树种叶凋落物分解对模拟酸雨的响应

通过对模拟酸雨处理下鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林优势树种锥栗(Castanopsis chinensis)和木荷(Schima superba)叶凋落物分解的研究,试图探讨南亚热带区域日益严重的酸雨对森林凋落物分解的影响规律以及可能的机制。试验应用分解袋法进行,并设计4个模拟酸雨强度处理:CK(p H值4.5左右的天然湖水)、T1(p H值4.0)、T2(p H值3.5)和T3(p H值3.0)。21个月的分解结果表明,模拟酸雨抑制了两种优势树种叶凋落物的分解。CK、T1、T2和T3 4个处理下的分解速率常数k值分别为:锥栗(1.18、0.93、0.94和0.86)和木荷(1.10、0.97、0.88和0.94),与CK相比,k值在T1、T2和T3均有下降的趋势。同时,模拟酸雨下两种优势树种叶凋落物的质量残留率均为:T3T2T1CK。酸雨对凋落物分解的抑制作用可能与酸雨胁迫下土壤酸化从而导致土壤微生物活性下降有关。     

南亚热带森林土壤碳库稳定性与碳库管理指数对模拟酸雨的响应

通过对土壤总有机碳(SOC)、易氧化有机碳(ROC_(333)、ROC_(167)、ROC_(33))、颗粒有机碳(POC)、微生物量碳(SMBC)、溶解性有机碳(DOC)的测定,探讨模拟酸雨(pH 3.0、pH 3.5、pH 4.0、对照CK)对鼎湖山三个不同演替阶段森林(季风常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林、马尾松针叶林)土壤碳库稳定性及碳库管理指数的影响。结果表明:模拟酸雨增加了总有机碳的含量和各组分活性有机碳的含量(P0.05),但酸雨在一定程度上抑制了土壤中微生物量与活性。土壤中各组分活性有机碳与总有机碳呈显著相关,其中ROC_(333)和POC的含量与SOC关系最为密切,相关系数分别为0.853、0.846;碳库管理指数(CMI)结果表明,碳库活度(L)及碳库活度指数(LI)随森林的正向演替有下降的趋势,CPI与CMI呈现相反的趋势。在土壤有机碳及部分活性碳组分增加,碳库活性降低的前提下,土壤碳库稳定性增加。从各项指标的变化幅度可以得出:南亚热带森林土壤随森林群落正向演替而对模拟酸雨响应有更加敏感的趋势,各指标间的敏感性表现为CMIR_(333)POCSMBCR_(167)R_(33)LIDOCCPISOC。     

Effects of precipitation increase on soil respiration: a three-year field experiment in subtropical forests in china

Background

The aim of this study was to determine response patterns and mechanisms of soil respiration to precipitation increases in subtropical regions.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Field plots in three typical forests [i.e. pine forest (PF), broadleaf forest (BF), and pine and broadleaf mixed forest (MF)] in subtropical China were exposed under either Double Precipitation (DP) treatment or Ambient Precipitation (AP). Soil respiration, soil temperature, soil moisture, soil microbial biomass and fine root biomass were measured over three years. We tested whether precipitation treatments influenced the relationship of soil respiration rate (R) with soil temperature (T) and soil moisture (M) using R = (a+cM)exp(bT), where a is a parameter related to basal soil respiration; b and c are parameters related to the soil temperature and moisture sensitivities of soil respiration, respectively. We found that the DP treatment only slightly increased mean annual soil respiration in the PF (15.4%) and did not significantly change soil respiration in the MF and the BF. In the BF, the increase in soil respiration was related to the enhancements of both soil fine root biomass and microbial biomass. The DP treatment did not change model parameters, but increased soil moisture, resulting in a slight increase in soil respiration. In the MF and the BF, the DP treatment decreased soil temperature sensitivity b but increased basal soil respiration a, resulting in no significant change in soil respiration.

Conclusion/Significance

Our results indicate that precipitation increasing in subtropical regions in China may have limited effects on soil respiration.     

Litterfall Production Along Successional and Altitudinal Gradients of Subtropical Monsoon Evergreen Broadleaved Forests in Guangdong, China

Evaluation of litterfall production is important for understanding nutrient cycling, forest growth, successional pathways, and interactions with environmental variables in forest ecosystems. Litterfall was intensively studied during the period of 1982–2001 in two subtropical monsoon vegetation gradients in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Guangdong Province, China. The two gradients include: (1) a successional gradient composed of pine forest (PF), mixed pine and broadleaved forest (MF) and monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest (BF), and (2) an altitudinal gradient composed of Baiyunci ravine rain forest (BRF), Qingyunci ravine rain forest (QRF), BF and mountainous evergreen broadleaved forest (MMF). Mean annual litterfall production was 356, 861 and 849 g m⁻² for PF, MF and BF of the successional gradient, and 1016, 1061, 849 and 489 g m⁻² for BRF, QRF, BF and MMF of the altitudinal gradient, respectively. As expected, mean annual litterfall of the pioneer forest PF was the lowest, but rapidly increased over the observation period while those in other forests were relatively stable, confirming that forest litterfall production is closely related to successional stages and growth patterns. Leaf proportions of total litterfall in PF, MF, BF, BRF, QRF and MMF were 76.4%, 68.4%, 56.8%, 55.7%, 57.6% and 69.2%, respectively, which were consistent with the results from studies in other evergreen broadleaved forests. Our analysis on litterfall monthly distributions indicated that litterfall production was much higher during the period of April to September compared to other months for all studied forest types. Although there were significant impacts of some climate variables (maximum and effective temperatures) on litterfall production in some of the studied forests, the mechanisms of how climate factors (temperature and rainfall) interactively affect litterfall await further study.     

Effects of precipitation on soil organic carbon fractions in three subtropical forests in southern China

Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of precipitation changes on soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions in subtropical forests where the precipitation pattern has been altered for decades.Methods We conducted field manipulations of precipitation, including ambient precipitation as a control (CK), double precipitation (DP) and no precipitation (NP), for 3 years in three forests with different stand ages (broadleaf forest [BF], mixed forest [MF] and pine forest [PF]) in subtropical China. At the end of the experiment, soil samples were collected to assay SOC content, readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC) and non-readily oxidizable organic carbon (NROC), as well as soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), pH and total nitrogen content. Samples from the forest floors were also collected to analyze carbon (C) functional groups (i.e. alkyl C, aromatic C, O-alkyl C and carbonyl C). Furthermore, fine root biomass was measured periodically throughout the experiment.Important findings Among the forests, ROC content did not exhibit any notable differences, while NROC content increased significantly with the stand age. This finding implied that the SOC accumulation observed in these forests resulted from the accumulation of NROC in the soil, a mechanism for SOC accumulation in the mature forests of southern China. Moreover, NP treatment led to significant reductions in both ROC and NROC content and therefore reduced the total SOC content in all of the studied forests. Such decreases may be due to the lower plant-derived C inputs (C quantity) and to the changes in SOC components (C quality) indicated by C functional groups analyses under NP treatment. DP treatment in all the forests also tended to decrease the SOC content, although the decreases were not statistically significant with the exception of SOC and ROC content in PF. This finding indicated that soils in MF and in BF may be more resistant to precipitation increases, possibly due to less water limitations under natural conditions in the two forests. Our results therefore highlight the different responses of SOC and its fractions to precipitation changes among the forests and suggest that further studies are needed to improve our understanding of SOC dynamics in such an important C sink region.     

模拟酸雨对我国亚热带毛竹林土壤呼吸及微生物多样性的影响

酸沉降造成的土壤持续酸化对毛竹林生态系统碳循环具有重要的影响,为量化酸沉降我国亚热带毛竹林土壤的影响,于2016年在浙江省杭州临安天目山国家级自然保护区毛竹林持续开展了2年野外模拟酸雨淋溶土壤实验,设置pH 4.0(T1)和pH 2.0(T2)两个模拟酸雨处理,以pH 5.8天然湖水为对照(CK),分析酸雨作用下土壤CO₂排放及土壤微生物多样性的变化趋势,并明确毛竹林土壤呼吸、土壤微生物及土壤理化性质三者之间的关系。结果表明:土壤呼吸速率在酸雨作用下经过缓冲期后呈现先促进后抑制的变化,作用强度表现为:T2>T1。不同处理的土壤呼吸对温度的敏感性由高到低依次是:T2、CK、T1。PCR-DGGE分析表明,模拟酸雨改变了土壤微生物菌群结构,T2处理抑制了土壤细菌的多样性和丰富度,而T1处理对土壤真菌多样性和丰富度具有促进作用。土壤pH值、有效钾、可溶有机碳、微生物量碳、碱解氮和有效磷对土壤微生物群落结构及土壤呼吸具有显著的影响(P<0.05)。综上所述,模拟酸雨能够显著抑制毛竹林的土壤呼吸,并改变土壤微生物群落结构及多样性,这些结果为进一步研究毛竹林土壤生...     

南亚热带森林演替过程中土壤线虫群落结构变化

森林演替会通过改变植物群落组成和土壤环境影响土壤生物群落, 反过来, 土壤生物群落的变化也会对生态系统的演替产生反馈作用, 但迄今南亚热带森林演替过程中土壤生物群落的变化特征尚不清晰。本研究以广东省鼎湖山的南亚热带森林演替序列(马尾松(Pinus massoniana)林-针阔叶混交林-季风常绿阔叶林)为对象, 研究了森林演替过程中土壤线虫多样性和群落结构的动态变化及其影响因素。通过采集不同演替阶段的土壤样品, 分析和比对了不同演替阶段土壤线虫的多度、多样性、群落组成、土壤线虫生态指数以及土壤理化性质的差异。结果表明: (1)在南亚热带森林演替过程中, 针阔叶混交林和季风常绿阔叶林土壤线虫的α多样性显著高于马尾松林, 但土壤线虫总数和各营养类群多度及其相对丰度并无显著变化; (2)针阔叶混交林中土壤线虫富集指数显著高于马尾松林, 表明其土壤养分状况要好于马尾松林, 而季风常绿阔叶林土壤线虫结构指数较高, 表明其受干扰程度较低; (3)针阔叶混交林的土壤含水量和土壤理化性质(除土壤总磷含量)已达到季风常绿阔叶林的水平, 但两者的土壤pH值均显著低于马尾松林, 而土壤pH值和土壤含水量是影响土壤线虫群落动态变化的主要因素。综上所述, 南亚热带森林中土壤线虫多度、多样性和群落结构对森林演替的响应略有不同, 演替过程中土壤环境因素的趋同是导致针阔叶混交林和季风常绿阔叶林中土壤线虫多样性和群落特征相似的主要原因。     

鼎湖山不同演替阶段森林土壤水分时空变异研究

土壤水分作为森林生态系统水分蓄库的主体,森林土壤水分储量及其时空动态与变异对揭示区域植被恢复与气候变化背景下的森林生态系统水文过程响应与服务功能变化机制具有重要意义。本研究以南亚热带地区典型森林植被演替序列马尾松人工林（Pinus massoniana coniferous forest,PF）-马尾松针阔叶混交林（mixed Pinus massoniana/broad-leaved forest,MF）-季风常绿阔叶林（monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest,MEBF）为研究对象,依托中国生态系统研究网络森林样地建设与监测统一规范对鼎湖山森林生态系统定位站站区内分布的上述森林类型土壤水分的长期定位观测（2005-2015年）,通过分析各演替阶段森林土壤不同土层（0-15、15-30、30-45、45-60、60-75和75-90 cm）土壤体积含水量观测数据,探究该区域森林植被恢复过程中的土壤水分变化及其时空变异。结果表明：在雨热同期且干湿季明显的南亚热带地区,鼎湖山森林土壤储水量及其时间动态受降雨量的影响显著,森林土壤层对降雨具有强烈的调蓄和稳定作用,伴随PF→MF→MEBF自然演替进程,调蓄水分能力逐步增强。林型间,由初期阶段PF到顶级群落MEBF,森林土壤水分储量逐渐提高,且演替后期林型相对于早期林型,土壤储水量均呈现为较小的年际与年内变幅。干、湿季而言,干季时林型间的土壤储水量差异大于湿季,干季时MEBF和MF土壤含水量分别是PF的1.33倍和1.11倍。从土壤含水量的干、湿季期间变异来看,不同林型各土层土壤含水量的变异系数大小均表现为干季大于湿季;垂直剖面方向上,突出表现为无论干湿季MEBF各层土壤含水量变异均比其他两种林型较为缓和,充分体现了MEBF优越的土壤水分时空调配能力。整体上,伴随PF→MF→MEBF自然演替进程,土壤水分储量及其稳定性逐步提升。     

酸雨对中国陆地生态系统土壤呼吸影响的整合分析

通过整合分析(Meta-analysis)国内外公开发表的81篇模拟酸雨实验论文的2683条有效观测数据,量化了酸雨对中国3个主要陆地生态系统(森林、草地和农田)土壤呼吸(Rs)及其组分(自养呼吸(Ra)、异养呼吸(Rh))的影响。结果表明,酸雨显著降低了Rs(-9.6%)、Rh(-7.7%)和Ra(-11.7%);酸雨pH越低,Rs及其组分的降幅越大;野外实验对Rh和Ra的负效应大于温室实验。酸雨对Rs的负效应在农田最大(-14.7%),草地次之(-10.8%),森林最小(-8.0%);森林Rh、Ra对酸雨的响应与Rs一致,不同林型间差异不显著;草地Rh和Ra在酸雨处理下分别显著降低和增加。Rs、Rh与土壤pH显著正相关,与土壤有机碳(SOC)显著负相关;Rh和Ra分别与地上和地下生物量显著正相关。酸雨对Rs和Ra的负效应随纬度的增加而减弱,随年平均温的升高而增强,对Rs的正效应随年平均降水的降低而增强。研究表明,酸雨不仅降低了土壤pH,抑制了植物生长,减少了植物向土壤的碳输入,还降低了微生物活性,减少了Rh,导致SOC分解降低,因而未显著改变土壤碳库。研究结果将为全球变化背景下我国...     

模拟酸雨对南亚热带典型森林土壤N2O排放的影响

基于长期模拟酸雨森林样地,利用箱式法同步测定了不同酸雨强度处理下森林土壤N2O排放通量,研究了模拟酸雨对我国南亚热带针阔叶混交林和季风常绿阔叶林两种代表性森林土壤N2O排放的影响.结果 表明:连续5年(2014-2018年)观测周期内,两种林型土壤N2O排放通量在各模拟酸雨处理下均表现出明显的季节变化特征,湿季排放通量...     

南亚热带森林土壤微生物量碳对氮沉降的响应

研究了鼎湖山自然保护区3种森林生态系统土壤微生物量碳对氮沉降增加的响应.选取南亚热带代表性森林类型马尾松林、混交林和季风常绿阔叶林(季风林)建立野外模拟氮沉降试验样地.2003年7月开始每月进行氮处理.这些处理分别为对照、低氮处理、中氮处理和高氮处理,即0、50、100 kg N hm-2 a-1 和150 kg N hm-2 a-1.在2004年11月和2006年6月用氯仿熏蒸浸提法分别测定土壤微生物量碳和土壤可浸提有机碳.土壤微生物量碳和可浸提有机碳含量均表现为2006年6月高于2004年11月;季风林高于马尾松林和混交林.随着氮沉降增加季风林土壤微生物量碳减少,但可浸提有机碳含量则增加,且此趋势在高氮处理下表现明显.然而,氮沉降增加对马尾松林和混交林土壤微生物量碳和可浸提有机碳含量的影响不显著.以上结果表明,氮沉降增加可能提高季风林土壤有机碳的固持能力.     

鼎湖山针阔叶混交林凋落物CO2释放对模拟酸雨的响应

该研究2011年1月开始在鼎湖山针阔叶混交林(混交林)进行模拟酸雨实验,设置4个不同处理水平,即对照(CK)(pH为4.5左右的天然湖水)、T_1(pH=4.0)、T_2(pH=3.25)和T_3(pH=2.5)。2013年1—12月对不同酸雨强度处理下的森林凋落物CO_2释放速率进行为期1 a的连续观测,探讨酸雨对混交林凋落物C排放的影响。结果表明:凋落物CO2释放通量在对照样方为(1 507.41±155.19) g CO_2·m~(-2)·a~(-1),其中湿季和旱季分别占年通量的68.7%和31.3%。模拟酸雨抑制了森林凋落物CO_2释放,与CK相比,T_2和T_3处理下的CO_2释放通量分别显著降低15.4%和42.7%(P0.05);且这种抑制作用具有季节差异性,处理间的显著差异只出现在湿季。凋落物CO_2释放速率与土壤温度和土壤湿度分别呈显著指数相关和显著直线相关,同时,酸雨处理降低了凋落物CO_2释放的温度敏感性。混交林凋落物CO_2释放在模拟酸雨下的抑制效应与土壤累积酸化而导致的土壤微生物活性变化有关,表现为模拟酸雨作用下土壤pH值和微生物量碳显著下降。上述结果说明酸雨是影响混交林土壤碳循环的重要因子之一。     

南亚热带森林演替过程中小气候的改变及对气候变化的响应

区域水热格局变化和系统演替深刻影响森林内部小气候,不同演替阶段森林内部水热环境对气候变化的响应和反馈作用有待进一步认识和评估。以南亚热带地区的3种不同演替阶段代表性森林生态系统统(人工恢复的马尾松针叶林(Pinus massoniana coniferous forest,PF)、马尾松针阔叶混交林(mixed Pinus massoniana/broad-leaved forest,MF)和季风常绿阔叶林(monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest,MEBF))为研究对象,通过分析其林内小气候林型间差异以及时间序列上的动态变化,探讨森林系统内部水热环境的改变机理。结果表明:演替驱动下,随着PF→MF→MEBF的正向发展,林内温度条件如气温、土壤温度逐渐降低,林内相对湿度、土壤层及凋落物含水量等水分状况逐步升高。不同林型在"雨热同期"的南亚热带地区其"降温效应"有差,演替初期的PF干、湿季"降温效应"分别为7.9%和3.6%,中期MF分别为11.6%和6.4%,顶级群落MEBF干、湿季"降温效应"可达15.7%和10.5%。总体上,随演替"降温增湿"效应越来越显著,且"降温"表现为干季更明显,而"增湿"表现为湿季明显。此外,演替驱动下后期森林对高温及土壤温度的调节作用更为突出。时间序列上,区域降水趋于"极端化"的格局影响下,森林生态系统的水分固持能力下降。主要表现为:自1984年以来,3种林型0—50cm土壤含水量均呈显著降低的趋势(P0.001),且湿季土壤含水量下降速率高于干季,林型间在全年及湿季均为MFMEBFPF,干季为MEBFMFPF。虽然研究期间3种林型林内气温、土壤温度无明显趋势性变化,但顶级群落MEBF林内相对湿度(P=0.021)、凋落物自然状态下含水量(P=0.003)在年际尺度上均呈现显著下降的趋势。与土壤含水量干、湿季下降速率的格局一致,二者也均为湿季大于干季。研究认为,成熟森林可能在当前南亚热带区域气候变化及水热格局改变背景影响下更为敏感和脆弱。     

酸雨对毛竹入侵阔叶林缓冲区根系形态及分布格局的影响

为明确亚热带毛竹与阔叶树根系对酸雨的适应策略,于2017—2018年在浙江省杭州临安天目山国家级自然保护区毛竹入侵阔叶林过渡区开展酸雨模拟试验,选取T1(pH=4.0)、T2(pH=2.5)、CK(pH=5.5)3个模拟酸雨梯度,分析不同强度酸雨作用下毛竹与阔叶树的根系变化。结果表明:T1对阔叶树根系形态指标具有显著的抑制作用(P<0.05),导致阔叶树根系的总根长、总表面积、总体积及和细根比根长分别下降了39.9%,39.4%,42.3%和16.2%;T2对毛竹和阔叶树根系指标均有显著的抑制作用(P<0.05),导致毛竹的根系总根长、总表面积、总体积及细根比根长分别下降了41.5%,42.9%,46.4%和15.1%,阔叶树根系分别下降了60.2%,63.3%,61.8%和20.5%。随着酸雨强度的增加,林内根系生物量密度减少,毛竹将更多的根系置于土壤表层。在水平方向上阔叶树根系则随离树距离的增加而逐渐减少,毛竹2—5 mm径级根系生物量在离竹20 cm,离树40 cm和20 cm之间差异显著(P<0.05)。pH、有机质、可溶有机碳、碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾对毛竹的...     

鼎湖山主要森林土壤CO2排放和CH4吸收特征

研究了鼎湖山生物圈保护区马尾松林、混交林和季风常绿阔叶林(季风林)在2000~2001年期间土壤CO2排放和CH4吸收特征。季风林、混交林和马尾松林土壤CO2排放速率在研究期间的平均值分别为(kgCO2-C·hm-2·d-1):18.6±2.6,20.5±3.7和17.8±3.8,土壤CH4吸收速率则分别为(gCH4-C·hm-2·d-1):-5.5±1.8,-3.3±1.6和-7.7±1.8。土壤CO2排放速率和土壤CH4吸收速率在三种森林类型中均表现明显的季节性变化,且其季节性变化根据森林类型和年份不同而异。总的来说,土壤CO2排放速率在所有森林中均呈现夏季最高而冬季最低的变化,土壤CH4吸收速率的季节性变化则相反,基本上表现为冬季最高而夏季最低的变化。三种森林土壤的CO2排放速率和CH4吸收速率在两观测年间的差异均不显著。土壤CO2排放速率在不同森林类型间的差异也不显著,但土壤CH4吸收速率在马尾松林显著高于混交林。在两观测年中,土壤CO2排放速率与土壤CH4吸收速率之间在季风林呈现显著的负相关关系,在混交林和马尾松林中它们之间也趋向呈负相关关系,但未达显著水平。土壤CO2排放速率与土壤温度之间在季风林呈现显著的指数正相关关系,但在其余森林(混交林和马尾松林)中它们之间的关系则不明显。     

13C and 15N isotopic signatures of plant-soil continuum along a successional gradient in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve

Aims The optimal patterns of plant community for water use and nutrient utilization, the responses of soil carbon and nitrogen turnover processes to forest succession, and the mechanisms of soil organic carbon accumulation, are three critical issues in forest ecosystem study. It is difficult to accurately detect these ecological processes with conventional methodologies in the short term, yet the application of ¹³C and ¹⁵N natural abundance technique may yield important information about these processes.Methods This study was conducted in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve. We investigated the natural isotopic abundance of both ¹³C and ¹⁵N of plant-soil continuum along a successional gradient from Pinus massoniana forest (PF) to coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest (MF), and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (BF). We also analyzed the correlations of foliar stable carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) and stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) with foliar elemental contents and the variations of soil δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N along soil profiles at different successional stages.Important findings A significant positive correlation between foliar δ¹³C and foliar C:N was observed. In both litter and soil, the δ¹³C values tended to decrease along the forest succession, with the order as PF > MF > BF. Foliar δ¹⁵N was positively correlated with foliar N content. The δ¹⁵N values of litter and upper soil (0-10 cm) increased with successional status. Both soil δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values increased with increasing soil depth at all three forests. Our results imply that 1) trade-off between water use efficiency and nitrogen use efficiency did not necessarily exist in subtropical forests of China; 2) the application of isotopic technique could assist understanding of the mechanisms of soil carbon accumulation in subtropical forests, especially in old-grow forests; 3) the ¹⁵N natural abundance of plant-soil continuum could be a potential indicator of soil nitrogen availability and ecosystem nitrogen saturation status.     

鼎湖山森林演替序列植物-土壤碳氮同位素特征

植物群落对水分利用和养分利用的优化策略, 土壤碳周转和氮循环过程对演替变化如何响应, 森林土壤有机碳积累机制等都是森林生态学需要解决的关键问题。然而, 这些生态学过程的变化在短时间内通过传统的研究手段难以被精确观测, 碳氮同位素(¹³C、¹⁵N)技术的应用或许能提供更多有价值的信息。该文通过对鼎湖山森林演替序列代表性群落——马尾松(Pinus massoniana)针叶林(PF)、针阔叶混交林(MF)和季风常绿阔叶林(BF)植物-土壤碳氮同位素自然丰度的测定, 分析了叶片稳定碳同位素比率(δ¹³C)和稳定氮同位素比率(δ¹⁵N)与其叶片元素含量的关系, 以及叶片-凋落物-土壤δ¹³C、δ¹⁵N在演替水平和垂直方向上的变化特征。结果显示: 1)主要优势树种叶片δ¹³C与其C:N极显著正相关(p < 0.01), 凋落物和各层土壤δ¹³C均表现为PF > MF > BF, 沿演替方向逐渐降低; 2)叶片δ¹⁵N与叶片N含量正相关(p = 0.05), 凋落物和表层土壤(0-10 cm) δ¹⁵N沿演替方向逐渐增大; 3)不同演替阶段土壤δ¹³C、δ¹⁵N均沿垂直剖面呈现增大的趋势。结果表明: 南亚热带地区植物群落的发展并不一定受水分利用和氮素利用的补偿制约; δ¹³C自然丰度法的应用有助于森林土壤有机碳积累机制, 尤其有助于成熟森林土壤“碳汇”机制的阐释; 植物-土壤δ¹⁵N值可作为评估土壤氮素有效性和生态系统“氮饱和”状态的潜在指标。     

Increasing phosphorus limitation along three successional forests in southern China

Background and Aims

Phosphorus (P) is commonly one of most limiting nutrients in tropical and subtropical forests, but whether P limitation would be exacerbated during forest succession remains unclear.

Methods

Soil phosphatase activity is often used as an indicator of P limitation. Here we examined soil acid phosphatase activity (APA) underneath tree species in pine forest (PF), mixed pine and broadleaf forest (MF) and monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (MEBF) which represented the early, middle and late successional stages of subtropical forests in China, respectively. We also analyzed other indicators of P status (soil available P and N and P stoichiometry of the tree species).

Results

APA or APA per unit soil organic carbon under tree species was relatively low in the early successional forest. Different from PF and MF, soil available P beneath the tree species was lower than in the bulk soils in MEBF. Soil APA was closely related to N:P ratios of tree species across all three forests.

Conclusions

Our results imply that P limitation increases during forest succession at our site. The dominant tree species with low soil APAs in MEBF are likely more P-limited than other tree species.