Experimental litterfall manipulation drives large and rapid changes in soil carbon cycling in a wet tropical forest

Global changes such as variations in plant net primary production are likely to drive shifts in leaf litterfall inputs to forest soils, but the effects of such changes on soil carbon (C) cycling and storage remain largely unknown, especially in C‐rich tropical forest ecosystems. We initiated a leaf litterfall manipulation experiment in a tropical rain forest in Costa Rica to test the sensitivity of surface soil C pools and fluxes to different litter inputs. After only 2 years of treatment, doubling litterfall inputs increased surface soil C concentrations by 31%, removing litter from the forest floor drove a 26% reduction over the same time period, and these changes in soil C concentrations were associated with variations in dissolved organic matter fluxes, fine root biomass, microbial biomass, soil moisture, and nutrient fluxes. However, the litter manipulations had only small effects on soil organic C (SOC) chemistry, suggesting that changes in C cycling, nutrient cycling, and microbial processes in response to litter manipulation reflect shifts in the quantity rather than quality of SOC. The manipulation also affected soil CO ₂ fluxes; the relative decline in CO ₂ production was greater in the litter removal plots (?22%) than the increase in the litter addition plots (+15%). Our analysis showed that variations in CO ₂ fluxes were strongly correlated with microbial biomass pools, soil C and nitrogen (N) pools, soil inorganic P fluxes, dissolved organic C fluxes, and fine root biomass. Together, our data suggest that shifts in leaf litter inputs in response to localized human disturbances and global environmental change could have rapid and important consequences for belowground C storage and fluxes in tropical rain forests, and highlight differences between tropical and temperate ecosystems, where belowground C cycling responses to changes in litterfall are generally slower and more subtle.     

Soil Respiration and Belowground Carbon Allocation in Mangrove Forests

Mangrove forests cover large areas of tropical and subtropical coastlines. They provide a wide range of ecosystem services that includes carbon storage in above- and below ground biomass and in soils. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from soil, or soil respiration is important in the global carbon budget and is sensitive to increasing global temperature. To understand the magnitude of mangrove soil respiration and the influence of forest structure and temperature on the variation in mangrove soil respiration I assessed soil respiration at eleven mangrove sites, ranging from latitude 27°N to 37°S. Mangrove soil respiration was similar to those observed for terrestrial forest soils. Soil respiration was correlated with leaf area index (LAI) and aboveground net primary production (litterfall), which should aid scaling up to regional and global estimates of soil respiration. Using a carbon balance model, total belowground carbon allocation (TBCA) per unit litterfall was similar in tall mangrove forests as observed in terrestrial forests, but in scrub mangrove forests TBCA per unit litter fall was greater than in terrestrial forests, suggesting mangroves allocate a large proportion of their fixed carbon below ground under unfavorable environmental conditions. The response of soil respiration to soil temperature was not a linear function of temperature. At temperatures below 26°C Q10 of mangrove soil respiration was 2.6, similar to that reported for terrestrial forest soils. However in scrub forests soil respiration declined with increasing soil temperature, largely because of reduced canopy cover and enhanced activity of photosynthetic benthic microbial communities.     

Asynchronous fluctuation of soil microbial biomass and plant litterfall in a tropical wet forest

Carbon availability often controls soil microbial growth and there is evidence that at regional scales soil microbial biomass is positively correlated with aboveground forest litter input. We examined the influence of plant litterfall on annual variation of soil microbial biomass in control and litter-excluded plots in a tropical wet forest of Puerto Rico. We also measured soil moisture, soil temperature, and plant litterfall in these treatment plots. Aboveground plant litter input had no effect on soil microbial biomass or on its pattern of fluctuation. Monthly changes in soil microbial biomass were not synchronized with aboveground litter inputs, but rather preceeded litterfall by one month. Soil microbial biomass did not correlate with soil temperature, moisture, or rainfall. Our results suggest that changes in soil microbial biomass are not directly regulated by soil temperature, moisture, or aboveground litter input at local scales within a tropical wet forest, and there were asynchronous fluctuation between soil microbial biomass and plant litterfall. Potential mechanisms for this asynchronous fluctuation include soil microbial biomass regulation by competition for soil nutrients between microorganisms and plants, and regulation by below-ground carbon inputs associated with the annual solar and drying-rewetting cycles in tropical wet forests.     

Variable Responses of Lowland Tropical Forest Nutrient Status to Fertilization and Litter Manipulation

Predicting future impacts of anthropogenic change on tropical forests requires a clear understanding of nutrient constraints on productivity. We compared experimental fertilization and litter manipulation treatments in an old-growth lowland tropical forest to distinguish between the effects of inorganic nutrient amendments and changes in nutrient cycling via litterfall. We measured the changes in soil and litter nutrient pools, litterfall, and fine root biomass in plots fertilized with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), or potassium (K), and in litter addition and litter removal treatments during 7 years. Soil inorganic N and litter N increased in double-litter plots but not in N-fertilized plots. Conversely, litter P and soil pools of P and K increased in fertilized plots but not in the double-litter plots. Soil and litter pools of N and K decreased in the no-litter plots. Changes in litterfall with added nutrients or litter were only marginally significant, but fine root biomass decreased with both the litter and the K addition. Differences between the two experiments are mostly attributable to the coupled cycling of carbon and nutrients in litter. Increased nutrient inputs in litter may improve plant uptake of some nutrients compared to fertilization with similar amounts. The litter layer also appears to play a key role in nutrient retention. We discuss our findings in the context of possible impacts of anthropogenic change on tropical forests.     

杉木林年龄序列地下碳分配变化

  森林地下碳分配在森林碳平衡和碳吸存中具有重要作用, 而揭示人工林生长过程中地下碳分配变化对于人工林碳汇估算和碳汇管理等有重要意义。通过采用年龄序列方法研究了杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)林生长过程中地下碳分配变化特点。年龄序列为福建省南平7 a生(幼龄林)、16 a生(中龄林)、21 a生(近熟林)、41 a生(成熟林)和88 a生(老龄林)的杉木林。细根净生产力测定采用连续土芯法, 根系呼吸测定采用壕沟法, 生物量增量测定采用异速生长方程, 地上年凋落物量采用凋落物收集框测定。结果表明: 杉木林细根净生产力在中龄林前没有显著差异, 维持在较高水平; 但此后则显著下降。细根净生产力/地上凋落物量比值随林龄增加而显著下降。老龄林的根系呼吸显著低于其它林龄林分, 根系呼吸与细根生物量间呈显著线性相关。中龄林和近成熟林的地下碳分配(Total belouground carbon allocation, TBCA)显著高于幼龄林和成熟林, 而老龄林的则最低。中龄林、近成熟林和成熟林的地上部分净生产力/TBCA比值显著高于幼龄林和老龄林, 而杉木林的根系碳利用效率(RCUE)则呈现出随林龄增加而降低的趋势。     

Soil mono- and disaccharides and amino acids as influenced by plant litter and root processes in a subtropical moist forest of southwest China

Soil mono- and disaccharides (SS) and total free amino acids (AA) can influence soil microbial activities, whether they are derived from decomposition of organic materials or from plant root exudates. To quantify the relative importance of aboveground plant litter input and belowground inputs of root exudates and root debris on SS and AA, we conducted litter removal, root trenching and tree girdling experiments in a subtropical moist forest of southwest China. We found that concentrations of SS and AA had pronounced seasonal fluctuations. Litter removal markedly reduced SS concentrations, but it had no effect on AA concentrations. Concentrations of SS were significantly correlated with litterfall that had occurred 2 months earlier in the control plots, but that correlation was not observed in the litter removal plots. Multiple-linear regressions of soil respiration and soil temperature on AA concentrations were significant in both control and litter removal plots, but not in the root trenching or tree girdling plots. These results suggest that SS levels are likely to be regulated by aboveground plant litter input, and concentrations of AA are affected by microbial activity that fluctuates with soil temperature and belowground carbon input.     

Effects of Nutrient Limitation on Aboveground Carbon Dynamics during Tropical Dry Forest Regeneration in Yucatán,Mexico

Tree growth (as diameter increment), litterfall production, and litter biomass were studied in two secondary tropical dry forests of the Yucatán Peninsula under four treatments of nutrient addition. The studys objective was to assess how variations in the nutrient supply affect aboveground net primary production and carbon (C) accumulation on the floor of two forests in different stages of regeneration. The study included an area of young forest (10 years old) with phosphorus (P)-poor soils and an area of old forest (around 60 years old) where soil P was comparatively less limiting. Four replicate plots (12 × 12 m) at each forest were either left intact (controls) or fertilized with nitrogen (N), P, or N plus P during 3 consecutive years. After 3 years of fertilization, relaxation of the constraints on nutrient limitation resulted in increased trunk growth rates at both the young and old forests. This effect was more pronounced with the addition of P or N plus P (trunk growth doubled with respect to controls), whereas N addition increased tree growth by 60% in comparison to trees in plots without nutrient supplements. In both forests, there were no significant differences in litterfall production among treatments during the first 2 years after fertilization. In the 3rd year of nutrient addition, litterfall production was significantly higher in plots fertilized with N plus P compared to control plots at both forest sites; however, changes in litterfall were not accompanied by litter accumulation in the floor of the two forests. The results of this study support the hypothesis that there is nutrient limitation during tropical dry forest regeneration. They further show that it may be maintained in the long term during secondary succession.     

Effects of nutrient additions on ecosystem carbon cycle in a Puerto Rican tropical wet forest

Wet tropical forests play a critical role in global ecosystem carbon (C) cycle, but C allocation and the response of different C pools to nutrient addition in these forests remain poorly understood. We measured soil organic carbon (SOC), litterfall, root biomass, microbial biomass and soil physical and chemical properties in a wet tropical forest from May 1996 to July 1997 following a 7‐year continuous fertilization. We found that although there was no significant difference in total SOC in the top 0–10 cm of the soils between the fertilization plots (5.42±0.18 kg m^?2) and the control plots (5.27±0.22 kg m^?2), the proportion of the heavy‐fraction organic C in the total SOC was significantly higher in the fertilized plots (59%) than in the control plots (46%) (P<0.05). The annual decomposition rate of fertilized leaf litter was 13% higher than that of the control leaf litter. We also found that fertilization significantly increased microbial biomass (fungi+bacteria) with 952±48 mg kg^?1soil in the fertilized plots and 755±37 mg kg^?1soil in the control plots. Our results suggest that fertilization in tropical forests may enhance long‐term C sequestration in the soils of tropical wet forests.     

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.     

Soil carbon stocks across tropical forests of Panama regulated by base cation effects on fine roots

Tropical forests are the most carbon (C)-rich ecosystems on Earth, containing 25–40% of global terrestrial C stocks. While large-scale quantification of aboveground biomass in tropical forests has improved recently, soil C dynamics remain one of the largest sources of uncertainty in Earth system models, which inhibits our ability to predict future climate. Globally, soil texture and climate predict ≤ 30% of the variation in soil C stocks, so ecosystem models often predict soil C using measures of aboveground plant growth. However, this approach can underestimate tropical soil C stocks, and has proven inaccurate when compared with data for soil C in data-rich northern ecosystems. By quantifying soil organic C stocks to 1 m depth for 48 humid tropical forest plots across gradients of rainfall and soil fertility in Panama, we show that soil C does not correlate with common predictors used in models, such as plant biomass or litter production. Instead, a structural equation model including base cations, soil clay content, and rainfall as exogenous factors and root biomass as an endogenous factor predicted nearly 50% of the variation in tropical soil C stocks, indicating a strong indirect effect of base cation availability on tropical soil C storage. Including soil base cations in C cycle models, and thus emphasizing mechanistic links among nutrients, root biomass, and soil C stocks, will improve prediction of climate-soil feedbacks in tropical forests.     

Relationships between carbon allocation and partitioning of soil respiration across world mature forests

Partitioning of soil CO₂ flux (FS) into autotrophic and heterotrophic components depends on how the plant carbon is allocated above- vs. belowground and how the belowground carbon is allocated for respiration and production of roots and their microbial associations. Data of litterfall (FA), root respiration (FR), and FS of world old-growth or mature forests (≥45 ages) were compiled, and the relationship between carbon allocation above- vs. belowground (indexed as the FA/FS ratio) and FS partitioning (indexed as the FR/FS ratio) was examined. The FA/FS ratio ranged from 0.08 to 0.64 and was positively correlated with mean annual air temperature and mean annual precipitation. The ratio increased from boreal to temperate to tropical forests, and was higher in broadleaved forests than in coniferous forests. Site-specific belowground carbon use efficiency (BCUE, root production per unit carbon used by roots and microbial associations) varied from 0.10 to 0.87, contrasting with the common assumption of a constant BCUE. Site-specific FR/FS ranged from 0.09 to 0.71 and increased with FS due to a decrease in BCUE. Deciduousness had a significant effect on the FR/FS ratios, with FR/FS ratios greater in deciduous forests than in evergreen forests. Methods of separating root respiration from soil heterotrophic respiration had a significant effect on estimated FR/FS. The estimated FR/FS ratio was negatively related to the FA/FS ratio, indicating that factors favouring carbon allocation belowground over aboveground will increase the autotrophic contribution to total soil respiration. The relatively low explaining power (r ² = 0.270) of this relationship resulted from deviations from assumptions of constant BCUE and a near steady-state belowground pools.     

Distinct responses of soil respiration to experimental litter manipulation in temperate woodland and tropical forest

Global change is affecting primary productivity in forests worldwide, and this, in turn, will alter long‐term carbon (C) sequestration in wooded ecosystems. On one hand, increased primary productivity, for example, in response to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), can result in greater inputs of organic matter to the soil, which could increase C sequestration belowground. On other hand, many of the interactions between plants and microorganisms that determine soil C dynamics are poorly characterized, and additional inputs of plant material, such as leaf litter, can result in the mineralization of soil organic matter, and the release of soil C as CO₂ during so‐called “priming effects”. Until now, very few studies made direct comparison of changes in soil C dynamics in response to altered plant inputs in different wooded ecosystems. We addressed this with a cross‐continental study with litter removal and addition treatments in a temperate woodland (Wytham Woods) and lowland tropical forest (Gigante forest) to compare the consequences of increased litterfall on soil respiration in two distinct wooded ecosystems. Mean soil respiration was almost twice as high at Gigante (5.0 μmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1) than at Wytham (2.7 μmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1) but surprisingly, litter manipulation treatments had a greater and more immediate effect on soil respiration at Wytham. We measured a 30% increase in soil respiration in response to litter addition treatments at Wytham, compared to a 10% increase at Gigante. Importantly, despite higher soil respiration rates at Gigante, priming effects were stronger and more consistent at Wytham. Our results suggest that in situ priming effects in wooded ecosystems track seasonality in litterfall and soil respiration but the amount of soil C released by priming is not proportional to rates of soil respiration. Instead, priming effects may be promoted by larger inputs of organic matter combined with slower turnover rates.     

去除和添加凋落物对枫香（Liquidambar formosana）和樟树（Cinnamomum camphora）林土壤呼吸的影响

2007年1月至12月,在长沙天际岭国家森林公园,使用LI-COR-6400-09连接到LI-6400便携式CO2/H2O分析系统,测定亚热带枫香(Liquidambar formosana)和樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)林去除和添加凋落物(931.5 g · m-2a-1和1003.4 g · m-2a-1)的土壤呼吸速率以及5 cm土壤温、湿度,研究凋落物对2种森林生态系统中土壤呼吸速率的影响.结果表明:枫香和樟树林去除和添加凋落物的土壤呼吸速率季节变化显著,在季节动态上的趋势与5 cm土壤温度相似,均呈单峰曲线格局,全年去除凋落物土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为1.132 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和1.933 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1,分别比对照处理1.397 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和2.581 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1低18.62%和26.49%;添加凋落物土壤呼吸速率平均值分别为2.363 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1和3.267 μmol CO2 · m-2s-1,分别比对照处理高71.31%和39.18%.两种群落去除和添加凋落物土壤呼吸的季节变化均与5 cm土壤温度呈显著指数相关(P﹤0.001),与5 cm土壤湿度相关性不显著(P>0.05);土壤温度和湿度可以共同解释去除和添加凋落物后土壤呼吸变化的95.2%、93.7%和90.0%、92.8%.枫香和樟树群落去除和添加凋落物土壤呼吸温度敏感性Q10值分别为3.01、3.29和3.02、4.37,均比对照处理Q10值2.98和2.94高.这证明凋落物是影响森林CO2通量的一个重要因子.     

Hydrogen sulfide mediates ion fluxes inducing stomatal closure in response to drought stress in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Background and aims

Changes in net primary productivity in response to climate change are likely to affect litter inputs to forest soil. However, feedbacks between changes in litter input and soil carbon dynamics remain poorly understood in tropical and subtropical forests. This study aims to test whether the effects of litter manipulation on soil respiration differ between natural and plantation forests.

Methods

Soil respiration, soil properties, fine root biomass and enzyme activity were measured in adjacent plots with doubling vs. eliminating litter input in both natural and plantation forests of Castanopsis carlesii in southern China.

Results

After only 3 years of litter manipulation, the magnitude of change in soil respiration was greater in response to a doubling of the litter input (+24%) than to the elimination of litter input (?15%) in the natural forest, possibly due to a positive priming effect on decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC). The quick and intense priming effect was corroborated by elevated enzyme activities for five of the six enzymes analyzed. In contrast, the response to litter removal (?31%) was greater than the response to litter addition (1%; not significant) in the plantation forest. The lack of positive priming in the plantation forest may be related to its lower soil fertility, which could not meet the demand of soil microbes, and to its high clay content, which protected SOC from microbial attack. The positive priming effect in the natural forest but not plantation forest of C. carlesii is also consistent with the significant declines in total soil carbon observed following litter addition in the natural forest but not the plantation forest.

Conclusions

Increases in aboveground litter production may trigger priming effects and subsequently transfer more soil carbon to atmospheric CO₂ in the natural forest but not in the plantation forest with low fertility. Changes in litter inputs resulting from global change drivers may have different impacts on natural and plantation forests.

     

Four years of litter input manipulation changes soil microbial characteristics in a temperate mixed forest

Aboveground litter not only is an important source of nutrients to soil microbes but also regulates the microclimate in topsoil. How the changes in aboveground litter quantity would affect the microbial biogeochemical cycles is still unclear. Here we conducted a litter input manipulation experiment in a temperate mixed forest to investigate how different amounts of litter input affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil respiration via their regulation on soil microbes. We found that although neither SOC stock nor soil CO₂ efflux was affected by litter manipulation, soil microbial characteristics had responded after four years of litter addition or removal treatments. Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in the O horizon was higher in litter addition plots than in litter removal plots as a result of the changed availability of labile C under litter treatments. Both double litter and no litter treatments changed microbial compositions, which was probably due to the increased soil pH in no litter treatment and the increased labile C in double litter treatment. The null change in soil respiration could be attributed to the offset between the negative effect of decreased substrate and the positive effect of increased temperature on soil respiration in litter removal plots. Due to the important role of soil microbes in carbon cycling, the altered microbial properties under litter manipulation treatments suggested the inevitable changes in biogeochemical cycling in the long run and call for long-term studies on SOC dynamics in the future.

     

亚热带典型森林地上和地下凋落物输入对土壤新老有机碳动态平衡的影响

凋落物是森林土壤有机碳(SOC)形成、稳定和周转的重要影响因子。目前针对亚热带不同类型森林地上和地下凋落物对新SOC累积和老SOC输出动态平衡的影响仍不清楚。本研究以中亚热带常绿阔叶天然林、马尾松人工林和杉木人工林为对象,基于C3/C4植物-土壤置换试验,利用稳定同位素¹³C示踪方法开展3年野外定位试验,分析了森林地上、地下凋落物输入对SOC周转的影响。结果表明: 森林类型、凋落物处理和时间均能显著影响SOC含量、土壤δ¹³C值、新SOC和老SOC含量,且存在显著的森林类型×凋落物处理交互效应。地上和地下凋落物输入均能显著提高SOC含量和净增量,与杉木人工林相比,天然林SOC对凋落物输入的响应更敏感。凋落物输入显著降低了土壤δ¹³C值,且天然林、马尾松人工林土壤δ¹³C显著低于杉木人工林。在马尾松人工林,地下凋落物处理的新SOC含量显著高于地上凋落物;在天然林和马尾松人工林,地下凋落物输入处理的老SOC含量显著低于地上凋落物处理。此外,地上凋落物归还量和地下根生物量与SOC含量和净增量呈显著正相关,而地下根凋落物量和C/N与新SOC含量呈显著正相关。森林地下凋落物比地上凋落物输入对SOC周转的影响更重要,且不同森林凋落物输入对SOC的影响存在差异性。本研究可为揭示亚热带典型森林土壤有机碳库的形成和可持续管理提供依据。     

Global effects of plant litter alterations on soil CO2 to the atmosphere

Soil respiration (Rs) is the largest terrestrial carbon (C) efflux to the atmosphere and is predicted to increase drastically through global warming. However, the responses of Rs to global warming are complicated by the fact that terrestrial plant growth and the subsequent input of plant litter to soil are also altered by ongoing climate change and human activities. Despite a number of experiments established in various ecosystems around the world, it remains a challenge to predict the magnitude and direction of changes in Rs and its temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) due to litter alteration. We present a meta‐analysis of 100 published studies to examine the responses of Rs and Q₁₀ to manipulated aboveground and belowground litter alterations. We found that 100% aboveground litter addition (double litter) increased Rs by 26.1% (95% confident intervals, 18.4%–33.7%), whereas 100% aboveground litter removal, root removal and litter + root removal reduced Rs by 22.8% (18.5%–27.1%), 34.1% (27.2%–40.9%) and 43.4% (36.6%–50.2%) respectively. Moreover, the effects of aboveground double litter and litter removal on Rs increased with experimental duration, but not those of root removal. Aboveground litter removal marginally increased Q₁₀ by 6.2% (0.2%–12.3%) because of the higher temperature sensitivity of stable C substrate than fresh litter. Estimated from the studies that simultaneously tested the responses of Rs to aboveground litter addition and removal and assuming negligible changes in root‐derived Rs, “priming effect” on average accounted for 7.3% (0.6%–14.0%) of Rs and increased over time. Across the global variation in terrestrial ecosystems, the effects of aboveground litter removal, root removal, litter + root removal on Rs as well as the positive effect of litter removal on Q₁₀ increased with water availability. Our meta‐analysis indicates that priming effects should be considered in predicting Rs to climate change‐induced increases in litterfall. Our analysis also highlights the need to incorporate spatial climate gradient in projecting long‐term Rs responses to litter alterations.     

Elevation effects on the carbon budget of tropical mountain forests (S Ecuador): the role of the belowground compartment

Carbon storage and sequestration in tropical mountain forests and their dependence on elevation and temperature are not well understood. In an altitudinal transect study in the South Ecuadorian Andes, we tested the hypotheses that (i) aboveground net primary production (ANPP) decreases continuously with elevation due to decreasing temperatures, whereas (ii) belowground productivity (BNPP) remains constant or even increases with elevation due to a shift from light to nutrient limitation of tree growth. In five tropical mountain forests between 1050 and 3060 m a.s.l., we investigated all major above‐ and belowground biomass and productivity components, and the stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC). Leaf biomass, stemwood mass and total aboveground biomass (AGB) decreased by 50% to 70%, ANPP by about 70% between 1050 and 3060 m, while stem wood production decreased 20‐fold. Coarse and large root biomass increased slightly, fine root biomass fourfold, while fine root production (minirhizotron study) roughly doubled between 1050 and 3060 m. The total tree biomass (above‐ and belowground) decreased from about 320 to 175 Mg dry mass ha^?1, total NPP from ca. 13.0 to 8.2 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1. The belowground/aboveground ratio of biomass and productivity increased with elevation indicating a shift from light to nutrient limitation of tree growth. We propose that, with increasing elevation, an increasing nitrogen limitation combined with decreasing temperatures causes a large reduction in stand leaf area resulting in a substantial reduction of canopy carbon gain toward the alpine tree line. We conclude that the marked decrease in tree height, AGB and ANPP with elevation in these mountain forests is caused by both a belowground shift of C allocation and a reduction in C source strength, while a temperature‐induced reduction in C sink strength (lowered meristematic activity) seems to be of secondary importance.     

Estimates of soil respiration and net primary production of three forests at different succession stages in South China

Soil respiration (heterotropic and autotropic respiration, R_g) and aboveground litter fall carbon were measured at three forests at different succession (early, middle and advanced) stages in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, Southern China. It was found that the soil respiration increases exponentially with soil temperature at 5 cm depth (T_s) according to the relation R_g=a exp(bT_s), and the more advanced forest community during succession has a higher value of a because of higher litter carbon input than the forests at early or middle succession stages. It was also found that the monthly soil respiration is linearly correlated with the aboveground litter carbon input of the previous month. Using measurements of aboveground litter and soil respiration, the net primary productions (NPPs) of three forests were estimated using nonlinear inversion. They are 475, 678 and 1148 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the Masson pine forest (MPF), coniferous and broad‐leaf mixed forest (MF) and subtropical monsoon evergreen broad‐leaf forest (MEBF), respectively, in year 2003/2004, of which 54%, 37% and 62% are belowground NPP for those three respective forests if no change in live plant biomass is assumed. After taking account of the decrease in live plant biomass, we estimated the NPP of the subtropical MEBF is 970 g C m^?2 yr^?1 in year 2003/2004. Total amount of carbon allocated below ground for plant roots is 388 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the MPF, 504 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the coniferous and broad‐leaf MF and 1254 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for the subtropical MEBF in 2003/2004. Our results support the hypothesis that the amount of carbon allocation belowground increases during forest succession.     

菌根真菌影响森林生态系统碳循环研究进展

森林生态系统在全球碳(C)储量中占据极为重要的地位。菌根真菌广泛存在于森林生态系统中,在森林生态系统C循环过程中发挥重要的作用。阐述了不同菌根类型真菌在森林生态系统C循环过程中的功能,对比了温带/北方森林与热带/亚热带森林中菌根真菌介导的C循环研究方面新近取得的研究结果。发现温带和北方森林的外生菌根(EcM)植物对地上生物量C的贡献相对较小,然而是地下C储量的主要贡献者;以丛枝菌根(AM)共生为主的热带/亚热带森林地表生物量占比较高,表明AM植被对热带/亚热带森林地上生物量C的贡献相对较大。我们还就全球变化背景下,菌根真菌及其介导的森林生态系统C汇功能,以及不同菌根类型树种影响C循环的机制等进行了总结。菌根真菌通过影响凋落物分解、土壤有机质形成及地下根系生物量,进而影响整个森林生态系统的C循环功能。菌根介导的森林C循环过程很大程度上取决于(优势)树木的菌根类型和森林土壤中菌根真菌的群落结构。最后指出了当前研究存在的主要问题以及未来研究展望。本文旨在明确菌根真菌在森林生态系统C循环转化过程中的重要生态功能,有助于准确地评估森林生态系统C汇现状,为应对全球变化等提供重要的依据。