Biomass,Carbon, and Nitrogen Pools in Mexican Tropical Dry Forest Landscapes

Tropical dry forest is the most widely distributed land-cover type in the tropics. As the rate of land-use/land-cover change from forest to pasture or agriculture accelerates worldwide, it is becoming increasingly important to quantify the ecosystem biomass and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools of both intact forests and converted sites. In the central coastal region of México, we sampled total aboveground biomass (TAGB), and the N and C pools of two floodplain forests, three upland dry forests, and four pastures converted from dry forest. We also sampled belowground biomass and soil C and N pools in two sites of each land-cover type. The TAGB of floodplain forests was as high as 416 Mg ha^–1, whereas the TAGB of the dry forest ranged from 94 to 126 Mg ha^–1. The TAGB of pastures derived from dry forest ranged from 20 to 34 Mg ha^–1. Dead wood (standing and downed combined) comprised 27%–29% of the TABG of dry forest but only about 10% in floodplain forest. Root biomass averaged 32.0 Mg ha^–1 in floodplain forest, 17.1 Mg ha^–1 in dry forest, and 5.8 Mg ha^–1 in pasture. Although total root biomass was similar between sites within land-cover types, root distribution varied by depth and by size class. The highest proportion of root biomass occurred in the top 20 cm of soil in all sites. Total aboveground and root C pools, respectively, were 12 and 2.2 Mg ha^–1 in pasture and reached 180 and 12.9 Mg ha^–1 in floodplain forest. Total aboveground and root pools, respectively, were 149 and 47 kg ha^–1 in pasture and reached 2623 and 264 kg ha^–1 in floodplain forest. Soil organic C pools were greater in pastures than in dry forest, but soil N pools were similar when calculated for the same soil depths. Total ecosystem C pools were 306. The Mg ha^–1 in floodplain forest, 141 Mg ha^–1 in dry forest, and 124 Mg ha^–1 in pasture. Soil C comprised 37%–90% of the total ecosystem C, whereas soil N comprised 85%–98% of the total. The N pools lack of a consistent decrease in soil pools caused by land-use change suggests that C and N losses result from the burning of aboveground biomass. We estimate that in México, dry forest landscapes store approximately 2.3 Pg C, which is about equal to the C stored by the evergreen forests of that country (approximately 2.4 Pg C). Potential C emissions to the atmosphere from the burning of biomass in the dry tropical landscapes of México may amount to 708 Tg C, as compared with 569 Tg C from evergreen forests.     

Carbon dynamics in successional and afforested spruce stands in Thuringia and the Alps

Changes in the carbon stocks of stem biomass, organic layers and the upper 50 cm of the mineral soil during succession and afforestation of spruce (Picea abies) on former grassland were examined along six chronosequences in Thuringia and the Alps. Three chronosequences were established on calcareous and three on acidic bedrocks. Stand elevation and mean annual precipitation of the chronosequences were different. Maximum stand age was 93 years on acid and 112 years on calcareous bedrocks. Stem biomass increased with stand age and reached values of 250–400 t C ha^?1 in the oldest successional stands. On acidic bedrocks, the organic layers accumulated linearly during forest succession at a rate of 0.34 t C ha^?1 yr^?1. On calcareous bedrocks, a maximum carbon stock in the humus layers was reached at an age of 60 years. Total carbon stocks in stem biomass, organic layers and the mineral soil increased during forest development from 75 t C ha^?1 in the meadows to 350 t C ha^?1 in the oldest successional forest stands (2.75 t C ha^?1 yr^?1). Carbon sequestration occurred in stem biomass and in the organic layers (0.34 t C ha^?1 yr^?1on acid bedrock), while mineral soil carbon stocks declined. Mineral soil carbon stocks were larger in areas with higher precipitation. During forest succession, mineral soil carbon stocks of the upper 50 cm decreased until they reached approximately 80% of the meadow level and increased slightly thereafter. Carbon dynamics in soil layers were examined by a process model. Results showed that sustained input of meadow fine roots is the factor, which most likely reduces carbon losses in the upper 10 cm. Carbon losses in 10–20 cm depth were lower on acidic than on calcareous bedrocks. In this depth, continuous dissolved organic carbon inputs and low soil respiration rates could promote carbon sequestration following initial carbon loss. At least 80 years are necessary to regain former stock levels in the mineral soil. Despite the comparatively larger amount of carbon stored in the regrowing vegetation, afforestation projects under the Kyoto protocol should also aim at the preservation or increase of carbon in the mineral soil regarding its greater stability of compared with stocks in biomass and humus layers. If grassland afforestation is planned, suitable management options and a sufficient rotation length should be chosen to achieve these objectives. Maintenance of grass cover reduces the initial loss.     

Soil organic carbon changes in landscape units of Belgium between 1960 and 2000 with reference to 1990

The present study quantifies changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Belgium between 1960, 1990 and 2000 for 289 spatially explicit land units with unique soil association and land‐use type, termed landscape units (LSU). The SOC stocks are derived from multiple nonstandardized sets of field measurements up to a depth of 30 cm. Approximately half of the LSU show an increase in SOC between 1960 and 2000. The significant increases occur mainly in soils of grassland LSU in northern Belgium. Significant decreases are observed on loamy cropland soils. Although the largest SOC gains are observed for LSU under forest (22 t C ha^?1 for coniferous and 29 t C ha^?1 for broadleaf and mixed forest in the upper 30 cm of soil), significant changes are rare because of large variability. Because the number of available measurements is very high for agricultural land, most significant changes occur under cropland and grassland, but the corresponding average SOC change is smaller than for forests (9 t C ha^?1 increase for grassland and 1 t C ha^?1 decrease for cropland). The 1990 data for agricultural LSU show that the SOC changes between 1960 and 2000 are not linear. Most agricultural LSU show a higher SOC stock in 1990 than in 2000, especially in northern Belgium. The observed temporal and spatial patterns can be explained by a change in manure application intensity. SOC stock changes caused by land‐use change are estimated. The SOC change over time is derived from observed differences between SOC stocks in space. Because SOC stocks are continuously influenced by a number of external factors, mainly land‐use history and current land management and climate, this approach gives only an approximate estimate whose validity is limited to these conditions.     

Effects of forest conversion into grassland on soil aggregate structure and carbon storage in Panama: evidence from soil carbon fractionation and stable isotopes

Land-use and land-cover strongly influence soil properties such as the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC), aggregate structure and SOC turnover processes. We studied the effects of a vegetation shift from forest to grassland 90 years ago in soils derived from andesite material on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. We quantified the amount of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and determined the turnover of C in bulk soil, water stable aggregates (WSA) of different size classes (<53 μm, 53–250 μm, 250–2000 μm and 2000–8000 μm) and density fractions (free light fraction, intra-aggregate particulate organic matter and mineral associated soil organic C). Total SOC stocks (0–50 cm) under forest (84 Mg C ha⁻¹) and grassland (64 Mg C ha⁻¹) did not differ significantly. Our results revealed that vegetation type did not have an effect on aggregate structure and stability. The investigated soils at BCI did not show higher C and N concentrations in larger aggregates, indicating that organic material is not the major binding agent in these soils to form aggregates. Based on δ¹³C values and treating bulk soil as a single, homogenous C pool we estimated a mean residence time (MRT) of 69 years for the surface layer (0–5 cm). The MRT varied among the different SOC fractions and among depth. In 0–5 cm, MRT of intra-aggregate particulate organic matter (iPOM) was 29 years; whereas mineral associated soil organic C (mSOC) had a MRT of 124 years. These soils have substantial resilience to C and N losses because the >90% of C and N is associated with mSOC, which has a comparatively long MRT.     

Allocation of carbon in a mature eucalypt forest and some effects of soil phosphorus availability

Pools and annual fluxes of carbon (C) were estimated for a mature Eucalyptus pauciflora (snowgum) forest with and without phosphorus (P) fertilizer addition to determine the effect of soil P availability on allocation of C in the stand. Aboveground biomass was estimated from allometric equations relating stem and branch diameters of individual trees to their biomass. Biomass production was calculated from annual increments in tree diameters and measurements of litterfall. Maintenance and construction respiration were calculated for each component using equations given by Ryan (1991a). Total belowground C flux was estimated from measurements of annual soil CO₂ efflux less the C content of annual litterfall (assuming forest floor and soil C were at approximate steady state for the year that soil CO₂ efflux was measured). The total C content of the standing biomass of the unfertilized stand was 138 t ha^-1, with approximately 80% aboveground and 20% belowground. Forest floor C was 8.5 t ha^-1. Soil C content (0–1 m) was 369 t ha^-1 representing 70% of the total C pool in the ecosystem. Total gross annual C flux aboveground (biomass increment plus litterfall plus respiration) was 11.9 t ha^-1 and gross flux belowground (coarse root increment plus fine root production plus root respiration) was 5.1 t ha^-1. Total annual soil efflux was 7.1 t ha^-1, of which 2.5 t ha^-1 (35%) was contributed by litter decomposition.The short-term effect of changing the availability of P compared with C on allocation to aboveground versus belowground processes was estimated by comparing fertilized and unfertilized stands during the year after treatment. In the P-fertilized stand annual wood biomass increment increased by 30%, there was no evidence of change in canopy biomass, and belowground C allocation decreased by 19% relative to the unfertilized stand. Total annual C flux was 16.97 and 16.75 t ha^-1 yr^-1 and the ratio of below- to aboveground C allocation was 0.43 and 0.35 in the unfertilized and P-fertilized stands, respectively. Therefore, the major response of the forest stand to increased soil P availability appeared to be a shift in C allocation; with little change in total productivity. These results emphasise that both growth rate and allocation need to be estimated to predict changes in fluxes and storage of C in forests that may occur in response to disturbance or climate change.     

The effect of the presence of a forage legume on nitrogen and carbon levels in soils under Brachiaria pastures in the Atlantic forest region of the South of Bahia,Brazil

The impact of forest clearance, and its replacement by Brachiaria pastures, on soil carbon reserves has been studied at many sites in the Brazilian Amazonia, but to date there appear to be no reports of similar studies undertaken in the Atlantic forest region of Brazil. In this study performed in the extreme south of Bahia, the changes in C and N content of the soil were evaluated from the time of establishment of grass-only B. humidicola and mixed B. humidicola/Desmodium ovalifolium pastures through 9 years of grazing in comparison with the C and N contents of the adjacent secondary forest. The decline in the content of soil C derived from the forest (C3) vegetation and the accumulation of that derived from the Brachiaria (C4) were followed by determining the ¹³C natural abundance of the soil organic matter (SOM). The pastures were established in 1987, 10 years after deforestation, and it was estimated that until 1994 there was a loss in forest-derived C in the top 30 cm of soil of approximately 20% (9.1 Mg C ha^–1). After the establishment of the pastures, C derived from Brachiaria accumulated steadily such that at the final sampling (1997) it was estimated 13.9 Mg ha^–1 was derived from this source under the grass-only pasture (0–30 cm). Samples taken from all pastures and the forest in 1997 to a depth of 100 cm showed that below 40 cm depth there was no significant contribution of the Brachiaria-derived C and that total C reserves under the grass/legume and the grass-only pastures were slightly higher than under the forest (not significant at P=0.05). The more detailed sampling under the pastures showed that to a depth of 30 cm there was significantly (P<0.05) more C under the mixed pasture than the grass-only pasture. It was estimated that from the time of establishment the apparent rate of C accumulation (0–100 cm depth) under the grass/legume pastures (1.17 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1) was almost double that under the grass-only pastures (0.66 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1). The data indicated that newly incorporated SOM derived from the Brachiaria had a considerably higher C:N ratio than that present under the forest.     

Fate of soil‐applied black carbon: downward migration,leaching and soil respiration

Black carbon (BC) is an important pool of the global C cycle, because it cycles much more slowly than others and may even be managed for C sequestration. Using stable isotope techniques, we investigated the fate of BC applied to a savanna Oxisol in Colombia at rates of 0, 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha^?1, as well as its effect on non‐BC soil organic C. During the rainy seasons of 2005 and 2006, soil respiration was measured using soda lime traps, particulate and dissolved organic C (POC and DOC) moving by saturated flow was sampled continuously at 0.15 and 0.3 m, and soil was sampled to 2.0 m. Black C was found below the application depth of 0–0.1 m in the 0.15–0.3 m depth interval, with migration rates of 52.4±14.5, 51.8±18.5 and 378.7±196.9 kg C ha^?1 yr^?1 (±SE) where 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha^?1, respectively, had been applied. Over 2 years after application, 2.2% of BC applied at 23.2 t BC ha^?1 was lost by respiration, and an even smaller fraction of 1% was mobilized by percolating water. Carbon from BC moved to a greater extent as DOC than POC. The largest flux of BC from the field (20–53% of applied BC) was not accounted for by our measurements and is assumed to have occurred by surface runoff during intense rain events. Black C caused a 189% increase in aboveground biomass production measured 5 months after application (2.4–4.5 t additional dry biomass ha^?1 where BC was applied), and this resulted in greater amounts of non‐BC being respired, leached and found in soil for the duration of the experiment. These increases can be quantitatively explained by estimates of greater belowground net primary productivity with BC addition.     

Carbon Sequestration in Reclaimed Minesoils

Minesoils are drastically influenced by anthropogenic activities. They are characterized by low soil organic matter (SOM) content, low fertility, and poor physicochemical and biological properties, limiting their quality, capability, and functions. Reclamation of these soils has potential for resequestering some of the C lost and mitigating CO₂ emissions. Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rates in minesoils are high in the first 20 to 30 years after reclamation in the top 15 cm soil depth. In general, higher rates of SOC sequestration are observed for minesoils under pasture and grassland management than under forest land use. Observed rates of SOC sequestration are 0.3 to 1.85 Mg C ha^{? 1} yr^{? 1} for pastures and rangelands, and 0.2 to 1.64 Mg C ha^{? 1} yr^{? 1} for forest land use. Proper reclamation and postreclamation management may enhance SOC sequestration and add to the economic value of the mined sites. Management practices that may enhance SOC sequestration include increasing vegetative cover by deep-rooted perennial vegetation and afforestation, improving soil fertility, and alleviation of physical, chemical and biological limitations by fertilizers and soil amendments such as biosolids, manure, coal combustion by-products, and mulches. Soil and water conservation are important to SOC sequestration. The potential of SOC sequestration in minesoils of the US is estimated to be 1.28 Tg C yr^?1, compared to the emissions from coal combustion of 506 Tg C yr^{? 1}.     

Net changes of soil C stocks in two grassland soils 26 months after simulated pasture renovation including biochar addition

The use of deep‐rooting pasture species as a management practice can increase the allocation of plant carbon (C) below ground and enhance C storage. A 2‐year lysimeter trial was set up to compare changes in C stocks of soils under either deep‐ or shallow‐rooting pastures and investigate whether biochar addition below the top 10 cm could promote root growth at depth. For this i) soil ploughing at cultivation was simulated in a silt loam soil and in a sandy soil by inverting the 0 to 10 and 10‐ to 20‐cm‐depth soil layers, and a distinctive biochar (selected for each soil to overcome soil‐specific plant growth limitations) was mixed at 10 Mg ha^?1 in the buried layer, where appropriate and ii) three pasture types with contrasting root systems were grown. In the silt loam, soil inversion resulted in a general loss of C (2.0–8.1 Mg ha^?1), particularly in the buried horizon, under shallow‐rooting pastures only. The addition of a C‐rich biochar (equivalent to 7.6 Mg C ha^?1) to this soil resulted in a net C gain (21–40% over the non‐biochar treatment, P < 0.10) in the buried layer under all pastures; this overcame the loss of C in this horizon under shallow‐rooting pastures. In the sandy soil, all pastures were able to maintain soil C stocks at 10–20 cm depth over time, with minor gains of C (1.6–5.1 Mg ha^?1) for the profile. In this soil, the exposure of a skeletal‐ and nutrient‐depleted soil layer at the surface may have fostered root growth at depth. The addition of a nutrient‐rich biochar (equivalent to 3.6 Mg C ha^?1) to this soil had no apparent effect on C stocks. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms through which soil C stocks at depth are preserved.     

Variation in soil carbon stocks and their determinants across a precipitation gradient in West Africa

We examine the influence of climate, soil properties and vegetation characteristics on soil organic carbon (SOC) along a transect of West African ecosystems sampled across a precipitation gradient on contrasting soil types stretching from Ghana (15°N) to Mali (7°N). Our findings derive from a total of 1108 soil cores sampled over 14 permanent plots. The observed pattern in SOC stocks reflects the very different climatic conditions and contrasting soil properties existing along the latitudinal transect. The combined effects of these factors strongly influence vegetation structure. SOC stocks in the first 2 m of soil ranged from 20 Mg C ha^?1 for a Sahelian savanna in Mali to over 120 Mg C ha^?1 for a transitional forest in Ghana. The degree of interdependence between soil bulk density (SBD) and soil properties is highlighted by the strong negative relationships observed between SBD and SOC (r² > 0.84). A simple predictive function capable of encompassing the effect of climate, soil properties and vegetation type on SOC stocks showed that available water and sand content taken together could explain 0.84 and 0.86 of the total variability in SOC stocks observed to 0.3 and 1.0 m depth respectively. Used in combination with a suitable climatic parameter, sand content is a good predictor of SOC stored in highly weathered dry tropical ecosystems with arguably less confounding effects than provided by clay content. There was an increased contribution of resistant SOC to the total SOC pool for lower rainfall soils, this likely being the result of more frequent fire events in the grassier savannas of the more arid regions. This work provides new insights into the mechanisms determining the distribution of carbon storage in tropical soils and should contribute significantly to the development of robust predictive models of biogeochemical cycling and vegetation dynamics in tropical regions.     

Above- and belowground organic matter storage and production in a tropical pine plantation and a paired broadleaf secondary forest

The distribution of tree biomass and the allocation of organic matter production were measured in an 11-yr-old Pinus caribaea plantation and a paired broadleaf secondary forest growing under the same climatic conditions. The pine plantation had significantly more mass aboveground than the secondary forest (94.9 vs 35.6 t ha^-1 for biomass and 10.5 vs 5.0 t ha^{-1 for litter}), whereas the secondary forest had significantly more fine roots (⩽2 mm diameter) than the pine plantation (10.5 and 1.0 t ha^-1, respectively). Standing stock of dead fine roots was higher than aboveground litter in the secondary forest. In contrast, aboveground litter in pine was more than ten times higher than the dead root fraction. Both pine and secondary forests had similar total organic matter productions (19.2 and 19.4 t ha^-1 yr^-1, respectively) but structural allocation of that production was significantly different between the two forests; 44% of total production was allocated belowground in the secondary forest, whereas 94% was allocated aboveground in pine. The growth strategies represented by fast growth and large structural allocation aboveground, as for pine, and almost half the production allocated belowground, as for the secondary forest, illustrate equally successful, but contrasting growth strategies under the same climate, regardless of soil characteristics. The patterns of accumulation of organic matter in the soil profile indicated contrasting nutrient immobilization and mineralization sites and sources for soil organic matter formation.     

Changes in carbon storage in temperate humic loamy soils after forest clearing and continuous corn cropping in France

Soil samples from forest and agricultural sites in three areas of southwest France were collected to determine the effect of forest conversion to continuous intensive corn cropping with no organic matter management on soil organic carbon (C) content. Soils were humic loamy soils and site characteristics that may affect soil C were as uniform as possible (slope, elevation, texture, soil type, vegetation). Three areas were selected, with adjacent sites of various ages of cultivation (3 to 35 yr), and paired control forest sites. The ploughed horizon (0-Dt cm) and the Dt-50 cm layer were collected at each agricultural site. In forest sites, each 10 cm layer was collected systematically down to 1 meter depth. Carbon concentrations were converted to total content to a given depth as the product of concentration, depth of sample and bulk density, and expressed in units of kg m^-2. For each site and each sampled layer, the mineral mass of soil was calculated, in order to base comparisons on the same soil mass rather than the same depth. The pattern of C accumulation in forest soils showed an exponential decrease with depth. Results suggested that soil organic carbon declined rapidly during the first years of cultivation, and at a slower rate thereafter. This pattern of decrease can be fitted by a bi-exponential model assuming that initial soil organic carbon can be separated into two parts, a very labile pool reduced during the first rapid decline and more refractory fractions oxidizing at a slower rate. Sampling to shallow depths (0-Dt cm) resulted in over-estimation of the rate of carbon release in proportion to the initial amount of C, and in under-estimation of the total loss of C with age. The results for the 0–50 cm horizon indicated that losses of total carbon average about 50% in these soils, ranging in initial carbon content from 19 to 32.5 kg m^-2. Carbon release to the atmosphere averaged 0.8 kg m^-2 yr^-1 to 50 cm depth during the first 10 years of cultivation. The results demonstrate that temperate soils may also be an important source of atmospheric carbon, when they are initially high in carbon content and then cultivated intensively with no organic matter management.     

Variation in biomass and carbon storage by stand age in pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) planted ecosystem in Mt. Taiyue,Shanxi, China

Forest ecosystems play dominant roles in global carbon budget because of the large quantities stored in live biomass, detritus, and soil organic matter. Researchers in various countries have investigated regional and continental scale patterns of carbon (C) stocks in forest ecosystems; however, the relationship between stand age in different components (vegetation, forest floor detritus, and mineral soil) and C storage and sequestration remains poorly understood. In this paper, we assessed an age sequence of 18-, 20-, 25-, 38-, and 42-year-old Pinus tabulaeformis planted by analyzing the vertical distribution of different components biomass with similar site conditions on Mt. Taiyue, Shanxi, China. The results showed that biomass of P. tabulaeformis planted stands was ranged from 88.59 Mg ha^?1 for the 25-year-old stand to 231.05 Mg ha^?1 for the 42-year-old stand and the major biomass was in the stems. Biomass of the ground vegetation varied from 0.51 to 1.35 Mg C ha^?1 between the five stands. The forest floor biomass increased with increasing stand age. The mean C concentration of total tree was 49.94%, which was higher than C concentrations of ground vegetation and forest floor. Different organs of trees C concentration were between 54.14% and 47.74%. C concentrations stored in the mineral soil for each stand experienced decline with increasing soil depth, but were age-independent. Total C storage of five planted forests ranged from 122.15 to 229.85 Mg C ha^?1, of which 51.44–68.38% of C storage was in the soil and 28.46–45.21% in vegetation. The study provided not only with an estimation biomass of P. tabulaeformis planted forest in Mt. Taiyue, Shanxi, China, but also with accurately estimating forest C storage at ecosystem scale.     

Biometric Based Carbon Flux Measurements and Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) in a Temperate Deciduous Broad-Leaved Forest Beneath a Flux Tower

Biometric based carbon flux measurements were conducted over 5 years (1999–2003) in a temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest of the AsiaFlux network to estimate net ecosystem production (NEP). Biometric based NEP, as measured by the balance between net primary production (including NPP of canopy trees and of forest floor dwarf bamboo) and heterotrophic respiration (RH), clarified the contribution of various biological processes to the ecosystem carbon budget, and also showed where and how the forest is storing C. The mean NPP of the trees was 5.4 ± 1.07 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, including biomass increment (0.3 ± 0.82 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹), tree mortality (1.0 ± 0.61 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹), aboveground detritus production (2.3 ± 0.39 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) and belowground fine root production (1.8 ± 0.31 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). Annual biomass increment was rather small because of high tree mortality during the 5 years. Total NPP at the site was 6.5 ± 1.07 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, including the NPP of the forest floor community (1.1 ± 0.06 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). The soil surface CO₂ efflux (RS) was averaged across the 5 years of record using open-flow chambers. The mean estimated annual RS amounted to 7.1 ± 0.44 t C ha⁻¹, and the decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) was estimated at 3.9 ± 0.24 t C ha⁻¹. RH was estimated at 4.4 ± 0.32 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, which included decomposition of coarse woody debris. Biometric NEP in the forest was estimated at 2.1 ± 1.15 t C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, which agreed well with the eddy-covariance based net ecosystem exchange (NEE). The contribution of woody increment (Δbiomass + mortality) of the canopy trees to NEP was rather small, and thus the SOM pool played an important role in carbon storage in the temperate forest. These results suggested that the dense forest floor of dwarf bamboo might have a critical role in soil carbon sequestration in temperate East Asian deciduous forests.     

Effects of goat pastoralism on ecosystem carbon storage in semiarid thicket,Eastern Cape,South Africa

Abstract Intensive pastoralism with goats transforms semiarid thicket in the Eastern Cape, South Africa from a dense vegetation of tall shrubs to an open landscape dominated by ephemeral grasses and forbs. Approx. 800 000 ha of thicket (which prior to the introduction of goats had a closed canopy and a Portulacaria afra Jacq. component) have been transformed in this manner. Ecosystem C storage in intact thicket and loss of C due to transformation were quantified. Carbon storage in intact thicket was surprisingly high for a semiarid region, with an average of 76 t C ha^?1 in living biomass and surface litter and 133 t C ha^?1 in soils to a depth of 30 cm. Exceptional C accumulation in thicket may be a result of P. afra dominance. This succulent shrub switches between C₃ and CAM photosynthesis, produces large quantities of leaf litter (approx. 450 g m^?2 year^?1) and shades the soil densely. Transformed thicket had approx. 35% less soil C to a depth of 10 cm and approx. 75% less biomass C than intact thicket. Restoration of transformed thicket landscapes could consequently recoup more than 80 t C ha^?1.     

Soil organic carbon pool changes following land‐use conversions

Carbon (C) can be sequestered in the mineral soil after the conversion of intensively cropped agricultural fields to more extensive land uses such as afforested and natural succession ecosystems. Three land‐use treatments from the long‐term ecological research site at Kellogg biological station in Michigan were compared with a nearby deciduous forest. Treatments included a conventionally tilled cropland, a former cropland afforested with poplar for 10 years and an old field (10 years) succession. We used soil aggregate and soil organic matter fractionation techniques to isolate C pools that (1) have a high potential for C storage and (2) accumulate C at a fast rate during afforestation or succession. These fractions could serve as sensitive indicators for the total change in C content due to land‐use changes. At the mineral soil surface (0–7 cm), afforesting significantly increased soil aggregation to levels similar to native forest. However, surface soil (0–7 cm) C did not follow this trend: soil C of the native forest site (22.9 t C ha^?1) was still significantly greater than the afforested (12.6 t C ha^?1) and succession (15.4 t C ha^?1) treatments. However, when the 0–50 cm soil layer was considered, no differences in total soil C were observed between the cropland and the poplar afforested system, while the successional system increased total soil C (0–50 cm) at a rate of 0.786 t C ha^?1 yr^?1. Afforested soils sequestered C mainly in the fine intra‐aggregate particulate organic matter (POM) (53–250 μm), whereas the successional soils sequestered C preferentially in the mineral‐associated organic matter and fine intra‐aggregate POM C pools.     

Altitudinal changes in carbon storage of temperate forests on Mt Changbai, Northeast China

A number of studies have investigated regional and continental scale patterns of carbon (C) stocks in forest ecosystems; however, the altitudinal changes in C storage in different components (vegetation, detritus, and soil) of forest ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, we measured C stocks of vegetation, detritus, and soil of 22 forest plots along an altitudinal gradient of 700–2,000 m to quantify altitudinal changes in carbon storage of major forest ecosystems (Pinus koraiensis and broadleaf mixed forest, 700–1,100 m; Picea and Abies forest, 1,100–1,800 m; and Betula ermanii forest, 1,800–2,000 m) on Mt Changbai, Northeast China. Total ecosystem C density (carbon stock per hectare) averaged 237 t C ha⁻¹ (ranging from 112 to 338 t C ha⁻¹) across all the forest stands, of which 153 t C ha⁻¹ (52–245 t C ha⁻¹) was stored in vegetation biomass, 14 t C ha⁻¹ (2.2–48 t C ha⁻¹) in forest detritus (including standing dead trees, fallen trees, and floor material), and 70 t C ha⁻¹ (35–113 t C ha⁻¹) in soil organic matter (1-m depth). Among all the forest types, the lowest vegetation and total C density but the highest soil organic carbon (SOC) density occurred in Betula ermanii forest, whereas the highest detritus C density was observed in Picea and Abies forest. The C density of the three ecosystem components showed distinct altitudinal patterns: with increasing altitude, vegetation C density decreased significantly, detritus C density first increased and then decreased, and SOC density exhibited increasing but insignificant trends. The allocation of total ecosystem C to each component exhibited similar but more significant trends along the altitudinal gradient. Our results suggest that carbon storage and partitioning among different components in temperate forests on Mt Changbai vary greatly with forest type and altitude.     

Net primary productivity allocation and cycling of carbon along a tropical forest elevational transect in the Peruvian Andes

The net primary productivity, carbon (C) stocks and turnover rates (i.e. C dynamics) of tropical forests are an important aspect of the global C cycle. These variables have been investigated in lowland tropical forests, but they have rarely been studied in tropical montane forests (TMFs). This study examines spatial patterns of above‐ and belowground C dynamics along a transect ranging from lowland Amazonia to the high Andes in SE Peru. Fine root biomass values increased from 1.50 Mg C ha^?1 at 194 m to 4.95 ± 0.62 Mg C ha^?1 at 3020 m, reaching a maximum of 6.83 ± 1.13 Mg C ha^?1 at the 2020 m elevation site. Aboveground biomass values decreased from 123.50 Mg C ha^?1 at 194 m to 47.03 Mg C ha^?1 at 3020 m. Mean annual belowground productivity was highest in the most fertile lowland plots (7.40 ± 1.00 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1) and ranged between 3.43 ± 0.73 and 1.48 ± 0.40 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 in the premontane and montane plots. Mean annual aboveground productivity was estimated to vary between 9.50 ± 1.08 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 (210 m) and 2.59 ± 0.40 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 (2020 m), with consistently lower values observed in the cloud immersion zone of the montane forest. Fine root C residence time increased from 0.31 years in lowland Amazonia to 3.78 ± 0.81 years at 3020 m and stem C residence time remained constant along the elevational transect, with a mean of 54 ± 4 years. The ratio of fine root biomass to stem biomass increased significantly with increasing elevation, whereas the allocation of net primary productivity above‐ and belowground remained approximately constant at all elevations. Although net primary productivity declined in the TMF, the partitioning of productivity between the ecosystem subcomponents remained the same in lowland, premontane and montane forests.     

帽儿山干扰系列次生林碳密度恢复

干扰作为森林恢复和生态演替的重要影响因子,通过其改变植被群落的组成和微环境,进而影响森林生态系统碳动态及固碳潜力。针对帽儿山地区阔叶红松原始林不同时期皆伐后形成的次生林干扰系列,包括林木采伐一次(NS,林龄56a)、采伐两次(MS,林龄25a)和采伐两次且扰动表层土壤(YD,林龄15a)的次生林,采用森林清查和异速生长方程结合的方法,旨在量化干扰方式对温带森林恢复进程中生态系统碳密度及分配格局的影响。结果表明：YD、MS和NS的0—50 cm各层次土壤有机碳含量的波动范围依次分别为10.46—29.27 mg/g、6.37—108.40 mg/g、5.21—114.34 mg/g;且随土层的加深土壤有机碳含量显著降低。表层土壤(0—20 cm)有机碳含量在各干扰处理间存在显著差异(P<0.01),而深层土壤有机碳含量差异不显著;土壤有机碳含量与容重呈显著负相关关系。表层土壤有机碳密度占土壤总有机碳密度(0—100 cm)的50%以上,YD的表层土壤有机碳密度(30.91 t/hm²)显著低于MS(54.09 t/hm²)和NS(55.1...     

Effects of Soil Texture on Belowground Carbon and Nutrient Storage in a Lowland Amazonian Forest Ecosystem

Soil texture plays a key role in belowground C storage in forest ecosystems and strongly influences nutrient availability and retention, particularly in highly weathered soils. We used field data and the Century ecosystem model to explore the role of soil texture in belowground C storage, nutrient pool sizes, and N fluxes in highly weathered soils in an Amazonian forest ecosystem. Our field results showed that sandy soils stored approximately 113 Mg C ha^-1 to a 1-m depth versus 101 Mg C ha^-1 in clay soils. Coarse root C represented a large and significant ecosystem C pool, amounting to 62% and 48% of the surface soil C pool on sands and clays, respectively, and 34% and 22% of the soil C pool on sands and clays to 1-m depth. The quantity of labile soil P, the soil C:N ratio, and live and dead fine root biomass in the 0–10-cm soil depth decreased along a gradient from sands to clays, whereas the opposite trend was observed for total P, mineral N, potential N mineralization, and denitrification enzyme activity. The Century model was able to predict the observed trends in surface soil C and N in loams and sands but underestimated C and N pools in the sands by approximately 45%. The model predicted that total belowground C (0–20 cm depth) in sands would be approximately half that of the clays, in contrast to the 89% we measured. This discrepancy is likely to be due to an underestimation of the role of belowground C allocation with low litter quality in sands, as well as an overestimation of the role of physical C protection by clays in this ecosystem. Changes in P and water availability had little effect on model outputs, whereas adding N greatly increased soil organic matter pools and productivity, illustrating the need for further integration of model structure and tropical forest biogeochemical cycling. Received 3 March 1999; accepted 27 August 1999.