Effects of long-term nitrogen addition on phosphorus cycling in organic soil horizons of temperate forests

High atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is expected to impair phosphorus (P) nutrition of temperate forest ecosystems. We examined N and P cycling in organic soil horizons of temperate forests exposed to long-term N addition in the northeastern USA and Scandinavia. We determined N and P concentrations, enzyme activities and net N and P mineralization rates in organic soil horizons of two deciduous (Harvard Forest, Bear Brook) and two coniferous (Klosterhede, Gårdsjön) forests which had received experimental inorganic N addition between 25 and 150 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 for more than 25 years. Long-term N addition increased the activity of phosphatase (+?180%) and the activity of carbon (C)- and N-acquiring enzymes (cellobiohydrolase: +?70%, chitinase: +?25%). Soil N enrichment increased the N:P ratio of organic soil horizons by up to 150%. In coniferous organic soil horizons, net N and P mineralization were small and unaffected by N addition. In deciduous organic soil horizons, net N and P mineralization rates were significantly higher than at the coniferous sites, and N addition increased net N mineralization by up to 290%. High phosphatase activities concomitant with a 40% decline in P stocks of deciduous organic soil horizons indicate increased plant P demand. In summary, projected future global increases in atmospheric N deposition may induce P limitation in deciduous forests, impairing temperate forest growth.     

Variation in the aboveground stand structure and fine-root biomass of Bornean heath (kerangas) forests in relation to altitude and soil nitrogen availability

Key message

Borneo’s tropical heath (kerangas) forest has limited soil nutrient availability, and high variation in aboveground structure and fine-root biomass. This variation depends on altitude and soil nitrogen availability.

Abstract

To elucidate the biotic and abiotic factors affecting the variation in fine-root biomass (FRB, <2 mm diameter) of trees growing under nutrient-poor environments in Sabah, North Borneo, we investigated FRB in different forests with varying soil nitrogen (N) availability. We selected two study sites at different altitudes: the Maliau Basin (ca. 1000 m asl) and Nabawan (ca. 500 m asl). Both sites included tropical heath (kerangas) forest, on infertile soils (podzols) with a surface organic horizon overlying a bleached (eluviated) mineral horizon, and taller forests on more fertile non-podzolic soils. FRB was obtained from each plot by soil coring (to a depth of 15 cm). FRB increased with decreasing soil inorganic N content (NH₄–N and NO₃–N), tree height, and aboveground biomass. Thus, higher proportions of carbon resources were allocated to fine-roots in stands with lower N availability. FRB was significantly greater at the Maliau Basin than at Nabawan, reflecting lower soil N availability at higher altitude. Our results demonstrate high variation in FRB among the heath forests, and suggest that fine-root development is more prominent under a cooler climate where N availability limits tree growth owing to slower decomposition. The variation in N availability under the same climate (i.e., at the same altitude) appears to be related to the extent of soil podzolization.

     

Forest Continuity as a Key Determinant of Soil Carbon and Nutrient Storage in Beech Forests on Sandy Soils in Northern Germany

Forest (or tree) age has been identified as an important determinant of the carbon (C) storage potential of forest soils. A large part of Central Europe’s current forested area was affected by land use change with long periods of cultivation in past centuries suggesting that the organic C stocks in the soil (SOC) under recent forest may partly be legacies of the past and that stand age effects have to be distinguished from forest continuity effects (that is, the time since re-afforestation). We examined the influence of mean tree age and forest continuity on the SOC pool and the stores of total N and available P, Ca, Mg, and K in the soil (mineral soil and organic layer) across a sample of 14 beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests on sandy soil with variable tree age (23–189 years) and forest continuity (50-year-old afforestation to ancient (‘permanent’) forest, that is, >230 years of proven continuity). Ancient beech forests (>230 years of continuity) stored on average 47 and 44% more organic C and total N in the soil than recent beech afforestation (50–128 years of continuity). Contrary to expectation, we found large and significant C and N pool differences between the forest categories in the mineral soil but not in the organic layer indicating that decade- or century-long cultivation has reduced the subsoil C and nutrient stores while the organic layer element pools have approached a new equilibrium after only 50–128 years. PCA and correlation analyses suggest that forest continuity cannot be ignored when trying to understand the variation in soil C stocks between different stands. Forest clearing, subsequent cultivation, and eventual re-afforestation with beech resulted in similar relative stock reductions of C and N and, thus, no change in soil C/N ratio. We conclude that the continuity of forest cover, which may or may not be related to tree age, is a key determinant of the soil C and nutrient stores of beech forests in the old cultural landscape of Central Europe.     

Nutrient dynamics along a precipitation gradient in European beech forests

Precipitation as a key determinant of forest productivity influences forest ecosystems also indirectly through alteration of the nutrient status of the soil, but this interaction is not well understood. Along a steep precipitation gradient, we studied the consequences of reduced precipitation for the soil and biomass nutrient pools and dynamics in 14 mature European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests on Triassic sandstone. We tested the hypotheses that lowered summer precipitation (1) is associated with less acid soils and (2) a reduced accumulation of organic matter on the forest floor, and (3) reduces nutrient supply from the soil and leads to decreasing foliar and root nutrient concentrations. Soil acidity, the amount of forest floor organic matter, and the associated organic matter N and P pools decreased to about a half from wet to dry sites; the C/P and N/P ratios, but not the C/N ratio, of forest floor organic matter were reduced as well. Net N mineralization and P and K pools in the mineral soil did not change with decreasing precipitation. Foliar P and K concentrations (beech sun leaves) increased while N remained constant, resulting in decreasing foliar N/P and N/K ratios. Estimated N resorption efficiency increased toward the dry sites. We conclude that a reduction in summer rainfall significantly reduces the soil C, N and P pools but does not result in decreasing foliar N and P contents in beech. However, the decreasing foliar N/P ratios towards the dry stands indicate that the importance of P limitation for tree growth declines with decreasing precipitation.     

Influence of temperature and soil nitrogen and phosphorus availabilities on fine-root productivity in tropical rainforests on Mount Kinabalu,Borneo

We investigated how temperature and nutrient availability regulate fine-root productivity in nine tropical rainforest ecosystems on two altitudinal gradients with contrasting soil phosphorus (P) availabilities on Mount Kinabalu, Borneo. We measured the productivity and the nutrient contents of fine roots, and analyzed the relationships between fine-root parameters and environmental factors. The fine-root net primary productivity (NPP), total NPP, and ratio of fine-root NPP to total NPP differed greatly among the sites, ranging from 72 to 228 (g m^?2 year^?1), 281–2240 (g m^?2 year^?1), and 0.06–0.30, respectively. A multiple-regression analysis suggested a positive effect of P availability on total NPP, whereas fine-root NPP was positively correlated with mean annual temperature and with P and negatively correlated with N. The biomass and longevity of fine roots increased in response to the impoverishment of soil P. The carbon (C) to P ratio (C/P) of fine roots was significantly and positively correlated with the P-use efficiency of above-ground litter production, indicating that tropical rainforest trees dilute P in fine roots to maintain the C allocation ratio to these roots. We highlighted the mechanisms regulating the fine-root productivity of tropical rainforest ecosystems in relation to the magnitude of nutrient deficiency. The trees showed C-conservation mechanisms rather than C investment as responses to decreasing soil P availability, which demonstrates that the below-ground systems at these sites are strongly limited by P, similar to the above-ground systems.     

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.     

Carbon accrual rates,vegetation and nutrient dynamics in a regularly burned coppice woodland in Germany

Historically, large areas of forest in Europe were managed as coppice woodland to produce wood‐based fuel for the smelting industry. We hypothesized that this practice produced a legacy effect on current forest ecosystem properties. Specifically, we hypothesized that the historical form of coppicing may have produced a legacy of elevated stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC), nutrients and black carbon (BC) in soil as fire was routinely used in coppiced woodland to clear land. We further hypothesized that these changes in soil properties would result in increased biodiversity. To test these hypotheses, we sampled the surface soil (0–5, 5–10 and 10–20 cm) from a chronosequence of forest sites found in the Siegerland (Germany) that had been coppiced and burned 1, 2, 3.5, 6, 8, 11 and 17 years before present. Mature beech and spruce forests (i.e., >60 years) were also sampled as reference sites: to provide a hint of what might occur in the absence of human intervention. We measured stocks of SOC, BC, NO₃‐N, P, K, Mg, as well as cation exchange and water‐holding capacity, and we mapped plant composition to calculate species richness and evenness. The results showed that coppicing in combination with burning soil and litter improved soil nutrient availability, enhanced biodiversity and increased SOC stocks. The SOC stocks and biodiversity were increased by a factor of three relative to those in the mature beech and spruce forests. This study shows that traditional coppicing practice may facilitate net C accrual rates of 20 t ha^?1 yr^?1 and maintain high biodiversity, indicating that aspects of traditional practice could be applied in current forest management to foster biodiversity and to mitigate climate change.     

Evaluation of the phosphorus status of P-deficient podzols in temperate pine stands: combining isotopic dilution and extraction methods

Phosphorus (P) is often a limiting factor of forest growth but our knowledge of the processes governing P availability in forest soils is rather limited. In the present work, we combined a isotopic dilution method with extraction methods to evaluate the P status in Pinus pinaster plantation forests on highly P-deficient soils. Total, organic, and inorganic P, dissolved and diffusive P, i.e. ionic P species that can be transferred from the solid phase to the soil solution due a gradient of concentration, were determined to a soil depth of 120 cm in a gradient of 18 forest sites (seven humid sites, five mesic sites, and six dry sites). Our objective was to assess the potential contribution of organic and inorganic P to plant available P. Based on results and our original assumptions, we observed that the contribution of organic P fractions (mineralization of soil organic P) to P availability related to the contribution of inorganic P fractions (diffusive P for durations up to 1 year) was predominant in litter, less important in top soil horizons, and negligible at depths below 30 cm. This was partly due to a decreasing proportion of organic P and an increasing proportion of diffusive P with soil depth. Owing to a very low amount of diffusive P in the top soils in dry sites, the relative contribution of organic P was actually higher in these sites than in humid and mesic sites, despite a lower overall organic P fraction. The combination of extraction and isotopic dilution methods in our study shed new light on P status in this forest range. In particular, these methods enable assessment of both the size of the pools and their dynamic fractions.     

Partitioning of the source of leaf calcium of American beech and sugar maple using leaf Ca/Sr ratios: a predominantly surficial but variable depth of Ca uptake

Background and Aims

Reduced availability of calcium (Ca) has been linked to maple forest decline. We therefore aimed at assessing the contribution of the different soil horizons to leaf Ca of competing beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to better understand the dynamics of Ca uptake.

Methods

Leaf Ca was partitioned using the Ca/Sr ratio approach in two mature forests of southern Quebec. A mass balance was also used at one site to validate the results obtained with the Ca/Sr approach.

Results

The L and F horizons contributed most of the leaf Ca of beech and maple with likely small contributions from the upper B and/or H/Ahe horizons. Leaf Ca/Sr ratios of beech were however more variable than those of maple. Using a mass balance, the organic horizons and upper mineral soil horizons were found to provide ca. 80 and 20 % of tree Ca uptake, respectively.

Conclusion

Beech and maple Ca uptake depth apportionment is on average similar but beech is likely more plastic in sourcing soil Ca. The low contribution of the mineral soil to leaf Ca at our sites can be linked to less favorable conditions for Ca uptake likely associated with low Ca/Al ratios.     

Reconstruction of Historic Forest Cover Changes Indicates Minor Effects on Carbon Stocks in Swiss Forest Soils

Forest cover in Switzerland and other European countries has gradually increased in the past century. Our knowledge of the impacts of forest expansion and development on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage is, however, limited due to uncertainties in land-use history and lack of historical soil samples. We investigated the effect of forest age on current SOC storage in Switzerland. For 857 sites, we analysed SOC stocks and determined the minimal forest age for all presently forested sites using digitized historical maps, classifying all sites into three categories: young (≤60 years), medium (60–120 years), and old (≥120 years) forests. Grassland was the primary previous use of afforested land. Forest age affected current SOC stocks only moderately, whereas climate, soil chemistry, and tree species exerted a stronger impact. In the organic layer, highest SOC stocks were found in medium sites (3.0 ± 0.3 kg C m^?2). As compared to other age categories, these sites had a 10% higher cover in coniferous forests with higher organic layer C stocks than broadleaf forests. SOC stocks in mineral soils decreased with increasing forest age (12.5 ± 0.9, 11.4 ± 0.5, 10.5 ± 0.3 kg C m^?2). This decrease was primarily related to a 200-m higher average elevation of young sites and higher SOC stocks in a colder and more humid climate. In summary, forest age has only a minor effect on SOC storage in Swiss forest soils. Therefore, ongoing forest expansion in mountainous regions of Europe is unlikely contributing to soil C sequestration.     

Lignin properties in topsoils of a beech/oak forest after 8 years of manipulated litter fall: relevance of altered input and oxidation of lignin

Background and aims

We studied the response of lignin oxidation in soils of a beech/oak forest to changes in litter fall. Additionally we considered possible factors in lignin oxidation, including altered (i) input of fresh organic matter and (ii) fungi-to-bacteria ratios.

Methods

The field-based experiment included (i) doubling and (ii) exclusion of litter fall and (iii) controls with ambient litter fall. Soil (0–20 cm depth) was sampled after 8 years. We analyzed (i) lignin using the CuO oxidation method, (ii) stocks of free and mineral-bound organic carbon (OC), (iii) the response of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition to addition of labile organic compounds in laboratory incubations, and (iv) ratios of fungal- vs. bacterial-derived amino sugars (F/B ratios).

Results

Litter exclusion increased stocks of free-light fraction OC, F/B ratios, the ability of the microbial community to use labile compounds for SOM decomposition, as well as acid-to-aldehyde ratios of vanillyl-type lignin phenols in A horizons. Litter addition had no such effects. We assume that litter exclusion caused enhanced transport of organic debris from lower forest floor horizons with rainwater into the A horizon. Enhanced input of organic debris might have increased (i) the availability of labile compounds and (ii) F/B ratios. Consequently, lignin oxidation increased.

Conclusions

Enhanced input of organic debris from forest floors can increase lignin oxidation in mineral topsoils of the studied forest. The expected gradual changes in litter fall due to climate change likely will cause no such effects.     

Controls on soil carbon storage and turnover in German landscapes

Soil organic carbon (OC) storage across regions is influenced by climate and parent materials, which determine soil properties like clay content and mineralogy. Within homogeneous soil regions, land use and management practices are further important controls for soil OC contents and turnover. Here, we studied the impact of study region, land use (forest, grassland), forest management (spruce and beech forest under age-class management, unmanaged beech forest), and grassland management (meadow, mown pasture, unmown pasture) on stocks and turnover (based on Δ¹⁴C values) of soil OC in density frations of topsoil horizons. Samples were taken from 36 plots in the regions Hainich–Dün (HAI) and the Schwäbische Alb (ALB) in Germany. They were separated into two light fractions (free light fraction (LF1), occluded light fraction (LF2)) and the mineral-associated organic matter (MOM) fraction using sodium polytungstate with a density of 1.6 g cm^?3. Overall most soil OC was stored in the MOM fraction (73%). Soil OC concentrations and stocks in the MOM fraction differed between study regions, probably due to larger amounts of pedogenic Al- and Fe-oxides in the ALB than in the HAI region. Within each region, forest soils stored significantly higher proportions of total OC in the two LF (33±1.9 %) than grassland soils (20±2.3 %). Different management of forests and grasslands affected the C:N ratio of density fractions, but not OC storage. While modelled soil OC turnover in the MOM was longest of all fractions, all fractions had average Δ¹⁴C values above atmospheric values, suggesting a significant fast-cycling component in all of them. Different from stocks, turnover of OC in the MOM fraction were not affected by study region or contents of pedogenic oxides. Radiocarbon contents in the LF were higher for forest than for grassland sites, indicating faster turnover of OC at grassland sites. However, some of the observed difference could originate from different average lifetimes of roots in forests and grasslands. Applying different lag-times for OC input for forests and grasslands significantly reduced the differences in modelled turnover times. Lower Δ¹⁴C values of mown pastures than pasture soils in both regions suggest a management effect on soil C turnover in grasslands.We conclude that OC storage in the MOM of topsoil layers is more affected by regional differences in soil texture and mineralogy than by land use and management, while its turnover could not be explained with the studied soil properties. Soil OC storage and turnover in the two LFs is influenced by land use (forest or grassland) and management, but ecosystem specific lag-times have to be considered for modelling OC turnover in these fractions.     

Do nutrient-poor soils inhibit development of forests? A nutrient stock analysis

Nutrient-poor soils often support low-stature grasslands, savannas and shrublands where the climate is warm enough and wet enough for closed forests. Though this pattern has long been recognised, the causes are debated and poorly explored. I tested the hypothesis that forest fails to develop where the total nutrient pool is too small to construct both the foliage and the wood. I estimated potential woody biomass from the difference between soil nutrient stocks and forest foliage stocks. Nutrient stocks required for foliage were estimated from leaf tissue concentrations and foliage biomass typical of Amazon forests. Potential wood biomass was estimated from wood nutrient concentrations typical of Amazon forests. Data on soil nutrient stocks were assembled from studies from South American and African forests and savannas and from south-western Australian and south-west African heathlands. According to these calculations, estimated nutrient stocks (kg ha^?1) to build a forest would need to be > = P: 20–30, K 200–350, Ca 300–600 and Mg 55–65. Many surface soil horizons from both savanna and heathland sites were below these thresholds. However when deeper soil layers were included, most soils had adequate nutrient stocks. The nutrients in shortest supply were Ca and K and not P. This study suggests that nutrient stocks are usually adequate for constructing the wood needed to build a forest, except where soils are highly leached and very shallow. The implication is that, at steady state, low nutrient stocks seldom constrain forest development. The apparent failure of low nutrient stocks to explain the missing forests on nutrient-poor soils emphasises the need for new ideas on how nutrients, alone or in combination with other factors such as fire, influence vegetation structure.     

Topographic controls on black carbon accumulation in Alaskan black spruce forest soils: implications for organic matter dynamics

There is still much uncertainty as to how wildfire affects the accumulation of burn residues (such as black carbon (BC)) in the soil, and the corresponding changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) composition in boreal forests. We investigated SOC and BC composition in black spruce forests on different landscape positions in Alaska, USA. Mean BC stocks in surface mineral soils (0.34 ± 0.09 kg C m^?2) were higher than in organic soils (0.17 ± 0.07 kg C m^?2), as determined at four sites by three different ¹³C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy-based techniques. Aromatic carbon, protein, BC, and the alkyl:O-alkyl carbon ratio were higher in mineral soil than in organic soil horizons. There was no trend between mineral soil BC stocks and fire frequencies estimated from lake sediment records at four sites, and soil BC was relatively modern (<54–400 years, based on mean Δ¹⁴C ranging from 95.1 to ?54.7‰). A more extensive analysis (90 soil profiles) of mineral soil BC revealed that interactions among landscape position, organic layer depth, and bulk density explained most of the variance in soil BC across sites, with less soil BC occurring in relatively cold forests with deeper organic layers. We suggest that shallower organic layer depths and higher bulk densities found in warmer boreal forests are more favorable for BC production in wildfire, and more BC is integrated with mineral soil than organic horizons. Soil BC content likely reflected more recent burning conditions influenced by topography, and implications of this for SOC composition (e.g., aromaticity and protein content) are discussed.     

Variability of soil N cycling and N2O emission in a mixed deciduous forest with different abundance of beech

The mixture of other broadleaf species into beech forests in Central Europe leads to an increase of tree species diversity, which may alter soil biochemical processes. This study was aimed at 1) assessing differences in gross rates of soil N cycling among deciduous stands of different beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) abundance in a limestone area, 2) analyzing the relationships between gross rates of soil N cycling and forest stand N cycling, and 3) quantifying N₂O emission and determining its relationship with gross rates of soil N cycling. We used ¹⁵N pool dilution techniques for soil N transformation measurement and chamber method for N₂O flux measurement. Gross rates of mineral N production in the 0–5 cm mineral soil increased across stands of decreasing beech abundance and increasing soil clay content. These rates were correlated with microbial biomass which, in turn, was influenced by substrate quantity, quality and soil fertility. Leaf litter-N, C:N ratio and base saturation in the mineral soil increased with decreasing beech abundance. Soil mineral N production and assimilation by microbes were tightly coupled, resulting in low N₂O emissions. Annual N₂O emissions were largely contributed by the freeze-thaw event emissions, which were correlated with the amount of soil microbial biomass. Our results suggest that soil N availability may increase through the mixture of broadleaf species into beech forests.     

Effects of nitrogen additions on above- and belowground carbon dynamics in two tropical forests

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is increasing rapidly in tropical regions, adding N to ecosystems that often have high background N availability. Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle, yet the effects of N deposition on C cycling in these ecosystems are poorly understood. We used a field N-fertilization experiment in lower and upper elevation tropical rain forests in Puerto Rico to explore the responses of above- and belowground C pools to N addition. As expected, tree stem growth and litterfall productivity did not respond to N fertilization in either of these N-rich forests, indicating a lack of N limitation to net primary productivity (NPP). In contrast, soil C concentrations increased significantly with N fertilization in both forests, leading to larger C stocks in fertilized plots. However, different soil C pools responded to N fertilization differently. Labile (low density) soil C fractions and live fine roots declined with fertilization, while mineral-associated soil C increased in both forests. Decreased soil CO₂ fluxes in fertilized plots were correlated with smaller labile soil C pools in the lower elevation forest (R² = 0.65, p < 0.05), and with lower live fine root biomass in the upper elevation forest (R² = 0.90, p < 0.05). Our results indicate that soil C storage is sensitive to N deposition in tropical forests, even where plant productivity is not N-limited. The mineral-associated soil C pool has the potential to respond relatively quickly to N additions, and can drive increases in bulk soil C stocks in tropical forests.     

亚热带不同海拔黄山松林土壤磷组分及微生物特征

磷是亚热带地区植物生长必需的养分元素之一,海拔梯度可能会改变土壤-植物-微生物系统并影响土壤磷形态及有效性。了解不同海拔土壤磷组分状况,对维持山地森林生态系统可持续发展具有重要的意义。以戴云山地区不同海拔梯度(1300m和1600 m)黄山松林为研究对象,分析了土壤磷组分、微生物群落特征和磷酸酶活性。结果显示:海拔显著影响黄山松林土壤磷组分,与海拔1300 m相比,海拔1600 m处土壤总磷含量减少了48.4%—49.8%,且各磷组分(易分解态磷、中等易分解态磷和难分解态磷)含量也显著降低,淋溶层(A层)土壤的降低程度分别为45.7%、58.6%和38.7%,淀积层(B层)为82.6%、59.9%和31.1%。海拔对土壤微生物群落特征和酶活性亦有显著影响,各类微生物群落和总微生物磷脂脂肪酸含量(PLFAs),以及磷酸双酯酶(PD)活性均表现为海拔1600 m 1300 m,但酸性磷酸单酯酶(ACP)活性呈相反的趋势。冗余分析(RDA)表明,土壤磷组分主要受有机碳(SOC)调控,且SOC与有机磷组分(Na HCO3-Po和Na OH-Po)呈显著正相关;磷酸酶和外生菌根真菌(EMF)也是影响土壤磷组分变化的重要因素。研究表明,土壤有机质含量和微生物群落结构及功能的变化可能是不同海拔黄山松林土壤磷有效性的关键调控因素。     

Causes of variation in mineral soil C content and turnover in differently managed beech dominated forests

Background and aims

Forest soils are important carbon stores and considered as net CO₂ sinks over decadal to centennial time scales. Intensive forest management is thought to reduce the carbon sequestration potential of forest soils. Here we study the effects of decades of forest management (as unmanaged forest, forest under selection cutting, forest under age class management) on the turnover of mineral associated soil organic matter (MOM) in German beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) dominated forests.

Methods

Radiocarbon contents were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in 79 Ah horizon MOM fractions of Cambisols (n?=?13), Luvisols (n?=?51) and Stagnosols (n?=?15). Mean residence times (MRTs) for soil organic carbon (SOC) were estimated with a 2-pool model using the litter input derived from a forest inventory.

Results

MOM fractions from Ah horizons contained 64?±?8.8 % of the bulk SOC. The radiocarbon content of MOM fractions in Ah horizons, expressed as Δ¹⁴C, ranged between ?2.8?‰ and 114?‰ for the three soil groups. Almost all samples contained a detectable proportion of ‘bomb’ carbon fixed from the atmosphere since 1963. Under the assumption that depending on the soil texture between 19 % and 24 % of the SOC from the labile pool is transferred to the stable SOC pool, the corresponding MRTs ranged between 72 and 723 years, with a median of 164 years.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the MOM fraction of Ah horizons from beech forests contained a high proportion of young carbon, but we did not find a significant decadal effect of forest management on the radiocarbon signature and related turnover times. Instead, both variables were controlled by clay contents and associated SOC concentrations (p?<?0.01). This underlines the importance of pedogenic properties for SOC turnover in the MOM fraction.     

Changes in phosphorus availability and nutrient status of indigenous forest fragments in Pastoral New Zealand Hill country

Indigenous forest fragments in rural New Zealand are increasingly valued as reservoirs of native biodiversity. Most forest species are adapted to soils of low phosphorus (P) availability, but fragments are often intermingled with managed pastures and subjected to unintended P inputs from aerial topdressing, which may compromise their long-term sustainability. Phosphorus availability and other nutrients in forest fragments were compared with adjacent fertilised pasture and reference forest areas not receiving fertiliser additions. Inorganic (H₂SO₄ soluble) P and available (Olsen) P were approximately ten times greater in fragment forest soils than reference forest soils, while total P was two times greater. The strong linear relationship between total P and cadmium, an element contained in rock phosphate fertilisers, suggested that the increased P levels in fragment forests could be attributed to P from aerial topdressing. Comparison of foliar N:P ratios show that P is being conserved in reference forests but not in fragment forest. A 5-fold increase in P mineralisation rate in forest fragments high in available P and a significant relationship between total P in forests and soil respiration suggests P availability may be limiting microbial activity in these forest systems. Forest Fragments also had base saturation and Ca, Mg, and K levels twice that of reference forests. Increased nutrient levels have been shown to alter plant successional dynamics and community composition, and raise concerns over future successional patterns and long-term stability of these forest fragments.     

Ectomycorrhizal-Dominated Boreal and Tropical Forests Have Distinct Fungal Communities,but Analogous Spatial Patterns across Soil Horizons

Fungi regulate key nutrient cycling processes in many forest ecosystems, but their diversity and distribution within and across ecosystems are poorly understood. Here, we examine the spatial distribution of fungi across a boreal and tropical ecosystem, focusing on ectomycorrhizal fungi. We analyzed fungal community composition across litter (organic horizons) and underlying soil horizons (0–20 cm) using 454 pyrosequencing and clone library sequencing. In both forests, we found significant clustering of fungal communities by site and soil horizons with analogous patterns detected by both sequencing technologies. Free-living saprotrophic fungi dominated the recently-shed leaf litter and ectomycorrhizal fungi dominated the underlying soil horizons. This vertical pattern of fungal segregation has also been found in temperate and European boreal forests, suggesting that these results apply broadly to ectomycorrhizal-dominated systems, including tropical rain forests. Since ectomycorrhizal and free-living saprotrophic fungi have different influences on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, information on the spatial distribution of these functional groups will improve our understanding of forest nutrient cycling.