Nitrogen deposition promotes ecosystem carbon accumulation by reducing soil carbon emission in a subtropical forest

Background and aims

Tropical and subtropical forests are experiencing high levels of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, but the responses of such forests ecosystems to N deposition remain poorly understood.

Methods

We conducted an 8-year field experiment examining the effect of experimental N deposition on plant growth, soil carbon dioxide efflux, and net ecosystem production (NEP) in a subtropical Chinese fir forest. The quantities of N added were 0 (control), 60, 120, and 240 kg ha^?1 year^?1.

Results

NEP was lowest under ambient conditions and highest with 240 kg of N ha^?1 year^?1 treatment. The net increase in ecosystem carbon (C) storage ranged from 9.2 to 16.4 kg C per kg N added in comparison with control. In addition, N deposition treatments significantly decreased heterotrophic respiration (by 0.69–1.85 t C ha^?1 year^?1) and did not affect plant biomass. The nitrogen concentrations were higher in needles than that in fine roots.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the young Chinese fir forest is carbon source and N deposition would sequester additional atmospheric CO₂ at high levels N input, mainly due to reduced soil CO₂ emission rather than increased plant growth, and the amount of sequestered C depended on the rate of N deposition.     

Nonlinear responses of ecosystem carbon fluxes to nitrogen deposition in an old-growth boreal forest

Nitrogen (N) deposition is known to increase carbon (C) sequestration in N-limited boreal forests. However, the long-term effects of N deposition on ecosystem carbon fluxes have been rarely investigated in old-growth boreal forests. Here we show that decade-long experimental N additions significantly stimulated net primary production (NPP) but the effect decreased with increasing N loads. The effect on soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh) shifted from a stimulation at low-level N additions to an inhibition at higher levels of N additions. Consequently, low-level N additions resulted in a neutral effect on net ecosystem productivity (NEP), due to a comparable stimulating effect on NPP and Rh, while NEP was increased by high-level N additions. Moreover, we found nonlinear temporal responses of NPP, Rh and NEP to low-level N additions. Our findings imply that actual N deposition in boreal forests likely exerts a minor contribution to their soil C storage.     

Foliar and ecosystem respiration in an old-growth tropical rain forest

Foliar respiration is a major component of ecosystem respiration, yet extrapolations are often uncertain in tropical forests because of indirect estimates of leaf area index (LAI). A portable tower was used to directly measure LAI and night-time foliar respiration from 52 vertical transects throughout an old-growth tropical rain forest in Costa Rica. In this study, we (1) explored the effects of structural, functional and environmental variables on foliar respiration; (2) extrapolated foliar respiration to the ecosystem; and (3) estimated ecosystem respiration. Foliar respiration temperature response was constant within plant functional group, and foliar morphology drove much of the within-canopy variability in respiration and foliar nutrients. Foliar respiration per unit ground area was 3.5 ± 0.2  µ mol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹, and ecosystem respiration was 9.4 ± 0.5  µ mol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹[soil = 41%; foliage = 37%; woody = 14%; coarse woody debris (CWD) = 7%]. When modelled with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) year temperatures, foliar respiration was 9% greater than when modelled with temperatures from a normal year, which is in the range of carbon sink versus source behaviour for this forest. Our ecosystem respiration estimate from component fluxes was 33% greater than night-time net ecosystem exchange for the same forest, suggesting that studies reporting a large carbon sink for tropical rain forests based solely on eddy flux measurements may be in error.     

中国南部亚热带森林地表植被动态变化

系统研究了南方5个亚热带森林生态系统地表植被的动态变化情况.研究方法是:在每个研究区域内,按照地形梯度分别布设50个1m2 的样方,记录样方内所有物种的频度及相关的环境变量,5个研究区域共设250个样方,每个样方分别调查两次.通过单元及多元统计方法分析表明:维管植物物种频度在一个区域明显下降,另二个区域显著增加;苔藓物种频度在一个区域有明显下降,另一个区域明显增加;苔藓物种数量在3个区域显著增加,另二个区域显著下降;维管植物物种数量显著增加在二个区域;物种组成沿着第一个植被梯度轴DCA 1没有显著变化,沿着第二个植被梯度轴DCA 2在二个区域有显著变化.综合分析表明,苔藓对气候变化及其波动反映敏感,是较好的气候变化及气候波动生物指示因子,而管植物数量及频度的变化没有明显证据显示与土壤酸化和大气污染有紧密关系.     

Tree diversity promotes generalist herbivore community patterns in a young subtropical forest experiment

Stand diversification is considered a promising management approach to increasing the multifunctionality and ecological stability of forests. However, how tree diversity affects higher trophic levels and their role in regulating forest functioning is not well explored particularly for (sub)tropical regions. We analyzed the effects of tree species richness, community composition, and functional diversity on the abundance, species richness, and beta diversity of important functional groups of herbivores and predators in a large-scale forest biodiversity experiment in south-east China. Tree species richness promoted the abundance, but not the species richness, of the dominant, generalist herbivores (especially, adult leaf chewers), probably through diet mixing effects. In contrast, tree richness did not affect the abundance of more specialized herbivores (larval leaf chewers, sap suckers) or predators (web and hunting spiders), and only increased the species richness of larval chewers. Leaf chemical diversity was unrelated to the arthropod data, and leaf morphological diversity only positively affected oligophagous herbivore and hunting spider abundance. However, richness and abundance of all arthropods showed relationships with community-weighted leaf trait means (CWM). The effects of trait diversity and CWMs probably reflect specific nutritional or habitat requirements. This is supported by the strong effects of tree species composition and CWMs on herbivore and spider beta diversity. Although specialized herbivores are generally assumed to determine herbivore effects in species-rich forests, our study suggests that generalist herbivores can be crucial for trophic interactions. Our results indicate that promoting pest control through stand diversification might require a stronger focus on identifying the best-performing tree species mixtures.     

Spatial patterns and associations of four species in an old-growth temperate forest

The spatial pattern of a tree species is an important characteristic of plant communities, providing critical information to explain species coexistence. The spatial distribution and association of four different successional species were analyzed among different life-history stages in an old-temperate forest. Significant aggregation patterns were found, and the degree of aggregation decreased with the scales and life-history stages. Significant interspecific spatial associations were detected. In comparing the relationships among the different life-history stages, positive associations were found at small scales in all of the juvenile species pairs. In the adult stage, negative associations were detected in coniferous vs. deciduous species pairs, while the deciduous species pairs, which have identical resource requirements, showed a positive association in this study. The coniferous species pairs showed a positive association at small scales. We infer that seed dispersal, competitive ability, or the requirement for specific topographic and light environments may contribute to the coexistence of these species.     

Fungal decomposition of woody debris of Castanopsis sieboldii in a subtropical old-growth forest

Fungi, especially basidiomycetes, are the primary agents of woody debris decomposition in terrestrial forest ecosystems. However, quantitative data regarding the abundance and decay activity of wood-inhabiting fungi are lacking, especially for tropical and subtropical areas. This study demonstrates the dynamics of decay columns of wood-inhabiting fungi within decaying woody debris of Castanopsis sieboldii and the wood decay activities of those fungi in a subtropical natural forest. Among six basidiomycetes and two ascomycetes observed as sporocarps on fallen boles of C. sieboldii, Microporus affinis was most abundantly observed in terms of frequency of sporocarps and as percentage area of decay columns within cross-sections of boles, especially those in the early stages of decomposition. In decay columns of M. affinis, both acid-unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) and holocellulose decayed simultaneously, and wood relative density decreased to 45.8% of that of fresh C. sieboldii wood. A pure culture decay test under laboratory conditions showed that M. affinis was a strong decomposer of AUR and holocellulose. These results suggest that M. affinis has a central role in lignocellulose decomposition of wood of C. sieboldii in the early stages of decomposition.     

南亚热带不同造林模式碳汇林土壤碳积累与碳汇功能

碳汇林能够固定大气二氧化碳,在缓解全球变暖中起着重要的作用,研究南亚热带地区不同造林模式碳汇林土壤碳的累积,有助于为不同造林模式的碳汇林土壤碳汇功能评价提供科学依据。采用单因素随机区组设计,对立地条件基本一致的研究区采用新造林(Ⅰ)、封山育林(Ⅱ)和补植套种(Ⅲ) 3种造林模式进行碳汇造林,从而研究不同造林模式土壤碳积累与碳汇功能。结果表明:碳汇造林5年期间,土壤全碳含量差异显著,不同造林模式0—20 cm土壤层碳含量差异显著(P0.05),其变化幅度最大,介于(-0.861±1.893)—(3.021±1.577) g C/kg之间。经过接近5年的碳汇造林,不同造林模式0—60 cm土壤层碳储量变化量介于(-2.233±3.540)—(8.670±2.342) Mg C/hm2之间,其中新造林(Ⅰ)与补植套种(Ⅲ)土壤碳储量变化量差异极显著(P0.01);碳汇造林5年,土壤碳储量显著增加,各造林模式土壤碳汇量由大到小依次为Ⅲ Ⅱ Ⅰ,封山育林(Ⅱ)和补植套种(Ⅲ)的土壤碳汇效益显著。采取新造林模式的初始5年,不利于土壤的碳积累,而采取补植套种模式既有利于土壤碳固定,也有利于土壤碳的积累。     

Spatial patterns and determinants of common root-associated fungi in a subtropical forest of China

AimsSpatial patterns of fungal populations are affected by plant distribution, abiotic factors, fungal dispersal ability and inter-species interactions. While several studies have addressed spatial patterns of some mycorrhizal, saprotrophic and pathogenic fungi, the method based on fruit-body surveys is not efficient and unreliable to study the spatial pattern of root-associated fungal species because most fungi in plant roots do not have sporocarps and cannot be identified based only on morphological traits. Our aims are (i) to determine the spatial pattern of common root-associated fungi; (ii) to evaluate whether the abundance and spatial pattern of root-associated fungi and categories of fungi, reflect their biotic and abiotic niche constraints.     

中国南亚热带不同造林模式碳汇林土壤碳、氮、磷的积累及化学计量特征

碳汇林的固碳效益十分显著,是实现“碳中和”的主要碳增汇途径之一,在研究南亚热带地区不同造林模式碳汇林土壤碳汇的同时,研究碳汇林土壤氮、磷储量及土壤碳、氮、磷的生态化学计量特征,能够为不同造林模式碳汇林的土壤碳、氮、磷储量的评估提供科学依据。采取单因素随机区组设计,选择立地条件基本一致的研究区和4种造林模式(新造林、封山育林、补植套种、更新改造)的碳汇林,分析了不同造林模式土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)的含量、储量、生态化学计量比,以及微生物生物量碳(MBC)的变化特征。结果表明,不同造林模式碳汇林的土壤理化性质,碳氮磷储量、化学计量比及微生物生物量碳含量差异显著,且土壤碳氮磷储量随土壤深度增加而减少,表现出明显的垂直变化特征。4种造林模式下碳氮比(C/N)介于11.11—17.86,碳磷比(C/P)介于17.00—242.59,氮磷比(N/P)介于1.18—15.99之间,在0—60 cm土层上均以更新改造模式林最低,封山育林模式下C/P和N/P均显著高于其他造林模式。土壤SOC与TN、N/P呈极显著正相关关系,土壤TN与C/P呈极显著正相关关系。综合来看,封山育林模...     

Spatial pattern of diversity in an old-growth temperate forest in Northeastern China

Species diversity has attracted particular attention because of its significance for helping determine present species performance and likely future community composition. The spatial pattern of species diversity (species richness, abundance and Shannon diversity) in Changbai temperate forest in Northeastern China was studied to investigate the present and likely causes for the formation of spatial patterns. To fulfill this goal, three aspects of diversity were addressed: 1) changes in the relationships of the diversity variables, species richness, abundance and Shannon diversity, to sampling area and sampling design. The three diversity variables were found to respond to sampling area in a dissimilar way. Sampling design had no significant effect on the diversity variable-area curves. The power function, which was derived under the assumption that the forest was in equilibrium, did not fit the observed species-area curves, indicating that the Changbai temperate forest was probably not in equilibrium. 2) Variograms, used to examine the spatial structure of species diversity, showed that the spatial structure of species diversity in the Changbai temperate forest was weakly anisotropic. 3) Partitioning the variation of species diversity into spatial and environmental factors indicated that the spatial pattern of the Changbai forest community was unpredictable, probably because there were many undetermined processes controlling its development.     

森林演替在南亚热带森林生态系统碳吸存中的作用

研究了鼎湖山南亚热带森林同一演替系列中3个不同演替阶段(马尾松针叶林、马尾松荷木混交林和季风常绿阔叶林)生态系统碳贮量和分配格局特征,并探讨了该地区森林演替过程中生态系统碳吸存潜力和速度。结果表明:(1)针叶林各组分碳素含量高于阔叶林对应组分的碳素含量(后者是前者的72.0%～94.5%)。两个森林植物碳素含量,不同层次比较,均为乔木层>灌木层>草本层,不同器官比较,以根或干最高。(2)乔木层生物量随森林演替进展而增加。针叶林、混交林和阔叶林乔木层生物量分别为:143.5t/hm2、270.1t/hm2和407.8t/hm2,其中大部分由干和皮组成(各器官占乔木层生物量的比例平均为:叶2.8%、枝19.3%、干和皮混合57.0%、根20.9%)。林下层生物量为4.23～14.10t/hm2,是乔木层的1.0%～9.8%,随森林演替进展而减少。(3)土壤容重随深度增加而增加,但随森林演替进展而减少。与土壤容重相反,土壤有机碳含量随深度增加而明显减少,但随森林演替进展而增加。(4)3种类型森林生态系统碳总贮量分别为135.8t/hm2、215.1t/hm2和259.7t/hm2。生态系统碳贮量在各组分的格局十分相似,植被、土壤和凋落物层所占比例均分别约为67.6%、30.2%和2.2%。与其它地带森林比较,鼎湖山保护区森林植被与土壤碳贮量之比和表层(0～20cm)的土壤碳占整个     

中国森林生态系统碳汇现状与潜力

巩固和提升森林碳汇,是实现中国“碳中和”目标的重要路径之一。研究总结梳理了近10年来有关中国森林碳储量及其变化的研究文献,一方面在于探明中国森林碳汇现状和潜力以及对实现“碳中和”的贡献,同时分析当前森林碳汇计量与模拟预测研究的差距与不足,更好地支撑国家碳中和实施路径与行动方案。通过整合分析,1999—2018年间中国森林生态系统碳储量年均增长量约(208.0±44.5)TgC/a或(762.0±163.2)TgCO₂-eq/a,其中生物质、死有机质和土壤有机碳库的年均增长量分别约为(168.8±42.4)TgC/a、(12.5±8.1)TgC/a和(26.7±10.9)TgC/a。此外,木质林产品和森林之外的其它林木碳储量分别增长(49.0±15.1)TgC/a和(12.0±11.1)TgC/a。预计中国乔木林生物质碳储量年变化量将从1999—2018年间的(145.9±38.3)TgC/a增长至2030—2039年间的(171.9±60.5)TgC/a,到2050—2059年间逐渐下降至(146.9±57.7)TgC/a。2050—2059年间中国森林生态系统碳...     

Vertical patterns and duration of surface wetness in an old-growth tropical montane forest, Indonesia

In tropical montane forests, the wetness of leaf surfaces is an important parameter which may influence gas exchange, growth and vitality of leaves, and forest productivity. Thirty surface wetness sensors were operated during May–August 2004 in a vertical profile inside an old-growth lower montane rain forest of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, with the objective to analyse spatial and temporal patterns of surface wetness and to relate wetness duration to the microclimate inside the stand. The canopy was wet during 25–30% of time in this study period. In a dry period, however, surface wetness lasted for only 5% of the time, whereas the canopy was wet during 45–55% of the time in a rainy period. In the lower shade canopy, surface wetness continuously existed for periods of up to 22 h and more, although rainfall occurred only during afternoon thunderstorms of limited duration. The long duration of surface wetness has implications for forest interception models, which assume a complete drying of the canopy between subsequent rainfall events. In periods with rainfall, leaf wetness typically occurred in the afternoon, evening and first half of the night because intercepted water persisted on the leaves until about midnight. In dry periods, in contrast, surface wetness was mainly caused by dewfall in the second half of the night, and it occurred mainly in the uppermost canopy where radiative heat losses resulted in a substantial under-cooling of the leaves. Ecophysiological and hydrological importance is suggested by the long duration of surface wetting in this stand with possible implications for gas exchange, leaf growth, leaf colonization by epiphylls and the forest water balance.     

长白山阔叶红松林草本层物种多度分布格局及其季节动态

草本层是森林生态系统的重要组成部分, 对维持森林生物多样性具有重要意义。本文以长白山阔叶红松(Pinus koraiensis)林25 ha固定监测样地为研究平台, 运用不同的统计模型(对数正态模型和对数级数模型)及机理模型(包括生态位模型: 断棍模型和生态位优先占领模型; 中性模型: 复合群落零和多项式模型和Volkov模型), 对不同季节草本物种多度分布进行拟合。采用Kolmogorov-Smirnov和AIC检验确定最优模型, 以揭示草本层物种多度分布格局随季节的变化规律, 探讨草本层物种组成与结构背后的生态学过程。结果表明: (1)草本层物种多度分布季节差异明显。春季各多度级物种数差异不大, 夏季中间种较多, 秋季则是稀有种较多; (2)模型拟合结果显示, 不同季节草本层物种多度分布的最优拟合模型相近。统计模型中对数级数模型表现最优, 机理模型中中性模型的拟合效果优于生态位模型。复合群落零和多项式模型较好地拟合了春夏季草本物种多度分布, Volkov模型较好地拟合了秋季草本物种多度分布。综上所述, 尽管长白山阔叶红松林草本植物不同季节的物种多度分布格局不尽一致, 但其背后的构建机制相似, 中性随机过程在草本层物种多样性维持过程中显得更为重要。     

亚热带毛竹林生态系统能量通量及平衡分析

利用开路涡度相关系统和常规气象观测仪器,对亚热带(浙江省)毛竹林生态系统2011年的净辐射、显热通量、潜热通量、土壤热通量以及气温、地温、降雨量等气象要素进行了连续观测,定量分析了毛竹林生态系统能量通量的变化和各能量分量的分配特征,并计算了能量闭合度以及波文比。结果表明:毛竹林全年净辐射为2628.00 MJ/m2,显热通量为576.80 MJ/m2,潜热通量为1666.77 MJ/m2,土壤热通量为-7.52 MJ/m2,土壤为热源,各能量分量季节变化明显,日变化基本呈单峰型曲线变化。显热通量占净辐射的22.0%,潜热通量占63.4%,毛竹林生态系统潜热通量为能量散失的主要形式。波文比逐月变化规律不明显,波动较大,在0.07—1.77之间变化,能量平衡比率法得出毛竹林年能量闭合度为0.85,月平均闭合度为0.84,能量闭合度高于线性回归法计算结果,但仍有15%的能量不闭合。     

Measures of structural complexity in digital images for monitoring the ecological signature of an old-growth forest ecosystem

Conducting field samples for monitoring ecological dynamics across multiple spatiotemporal scales is a difficult task using standard protocols. One alternative is to measure a restricted set of variables which can serve as an ecological orientor (EO) for quantifying habitat change. The objective of this article is to derive from digital images a measure of structural complexity that may serve as a proximate EO for monitoring forest dynamics in space and time. The mean information gain (MIG) index was used as a measure of structural complexity in photographs taken directly in the field over the entire growing season. At a small scene extent, the complexity of light intensity variations in digital images was positively related to species richness. At larger scene extents, forest understorey and overstorey layers showed predictable ecological signatures in structural complexity. In general, intensity and chroma were the two color space components which yielded the greatest sensitivity to habitat change through time. Within the framework of a standardized photographic protocol, it seems therefore reasonable to consider MIG as a suitable EO for monitoring forest dynamics in both space and time. Our results support the idea that it is possible on one hand to adopt a more holistic view of ecological processes to gain, on the other hand, spatial and temporal degrees of freedom for testing multiple scale hypotheses in the field.     

季节性高温和干旱对亚热带毛竹林碳通量的影响

采用涡度相关技术对安吉亚热带毛竹林生态系统碳通量进行连续观测,选取2011和2013年月尺度净生态系统生产力（NEP）、生态系统呼吸（R_e）和总生态系统生产力（GEP）数据,探讨季节性高温、干旱对毛竹林生态系统碳通量的影响.结果表明： 安吉毛竹林年际间NEP有较大差异;2013年7和8月由于水热不同步而造成的高温干旱使其NEP明显下降,相比于2011年同期分别下降了59.9%和80.0%.对2011和2013年月尺度下NEP、R_e和GEP与环境因子进行相关分析发现,R_e和GEP与温度因子均呈显著相关（P<0.05）,但两者对空气和土壤水分的响应方式和程度有所不同,GEP相比于R_e更易受到土壤水分降低的影响,而饱和水汽压差的升高会在一定程度上促进R_e、同时抑制GEP,这是造成2013年7和8月安吉毛竹林NEP降低的根本原因.