湿地松和马尾松人工林土壤甲烷代谢微生物群落的结构特征

土壤甲烷代谢微生物影响甲烷的产生和氧化,然而关于林型对土壤中甲烷代谢微生物群落结构影响的研究较少。采用基因芯片GeoChip 3.0研究了湿地松人工林和马尾松人工林土壤甲烷代谢微生物群落结构特征。结果如下,(1)两种林型的甲烷代谢微生物群落结构存在极显著差异(P=0.008),林型能解释其34.9%的变异;(2)产甲烷菌(包含甲基辅酶M还原α亚基基因mcrA的微生物)的优势菌群发生了变化,湿地松人工林的的优势菌为Methanocorpusculum labreanum Z,马尾松人工林的优势菌群除Methanocorpusculum labreanum Z外,还包括产甲烷古菌和Methanosarcina mazei Gol;(3)甲烷营养菌(包含甲烷单加氧酶基因pmoA基因的微生物)的优势菌为Ⅱ型,有3种不可培养细菌只在湿地松人工林检测到,在马尾松人工林中未检测到;(4)mcrA基因丰度或同源基因数量与土壤容重正相关,与土壤粘粒含量呈显著负相关;pmoA基因信号强度或多样性指数与土壤全碳含量、全磷含量和速效氮含量显著正相关。总之,相比本地种马尾松人工林,引进种湿地松人工林的土壤甲烷代谢微生物群落结构发生了显著变化。     

杉木人工林去除根系土壤呼吸的季节变化及影响因子

2007年1月至2008年12月,在长沙天际岭国家森林公园内,采用挖壕法研究杉木人工林去除根系后土壤呼吸速率季节动态及其与5 cm土壤温、湿度的相关关系。结果表明:去除根系与对照5 cm土壤温度的差异性不显著(P=0.987),5 cm土壤湿度差异显著(P=0.035)。杉木林去除根系处理后土壤呼吸速率明显降低,2007至2008两年实验期间去除根系与对照处理变化范围分别为0.19-2.01μmol.m-2s-1和0.26-2.61μmo.lm-2s-1,年均土壤呼吸速率分别为0.90μmo.lm-2s-1和1.30μmol.m-2s-1。去除根系土壤呼吸速率降低幅度为9.4%-59.7%,平均降低了30.4%。去除根系和对照的土壤呼吸速率与5 cm土壤温度之间均呈显著指数相关,模拟方程分别为:y=0.120e0.094t(R2=0.882,P=0.000),y=0.291e0.069t(R2=0.858,P=0.000)。Q10值分别为2.56和2.01。     

氮添加和采脂对湿地松林土壤酶活性及酶化学计量比的影响

大气氮沉降和采脂会引起树木生长和代谢的变化,从而影响土壤养分循环和酶活性.土壤酶和酶化学计量可以揭示土壤碳、氮循环和微生物生长代谢过程的养分限制,但目前亚热带湿地松人工林土壤酶和酶化学计量对氮添加和采脂的响应还不清楚.以亚热带北缘的湿地松人工林为研究对象,设置采脂(resin tapping,RT)和未采脂(no re...     

次生栎林与火炬松人工林土壤呼吸的季节变异及其主要影响因子

土壤呼吸是陆地生态系统碳循环的重要组成部分.随着全球气候变暖趋势逐渐明显,土壤呼吸的时空变异及其对温度变化的响应已成为生态学研究的重要内容之一.利用LI-6400-09土壤碳通量观测仪,在江苏省南京林业大学下蜀实验基地,采用随机区组实验设计方法,连续两年测定了北亚热带次生栎林和火炬松人工林土壤呼吸的季节动态变化,结果表明:(1)两种林分内土壤呼吸速率均具有明显的季节波动,表现为:在最冷的1月份,土壤呼吸速率最低,随着土壤温度的升高,土壤呼吸速率也逐渐上升,在7、8月份达到最大值,随后又逐渐下降;(2)次生栎林月平均土壤呼吸速率在0.271～3.22μmolCO2 · m-2 · s-1之间,年变异幅度为11.88;火炬松人工林月平均土壤呼吸速率在0.336～3.06μmolCO2 · m-2 · s-1 ,年变异幅度为9.11;(3)次生栎林土壤呼吸的 Q10值在2.19至2.27之间,火炬松人工林土壤呼吸的Q10值在2.02至2.15之间,次生栎林土壤呼吸对温度的敏感性大于火炬松人工林;(4)土壤呼吸速率与不同深度层次土壤温度之间均呈显著性正相关,与土壤微生物生物量之间呈显著性负相关,而与土壤含水率、凋落物输入量之间相关不显著.研究结果初步阐明了江淮流域北亚热带典型森林植被土壤呼吸的季节动态特征及主要影响因子,为进一步揭示该区域森林土壤碳循环特点提供了理论基础.     

Diurnal variation of the delta 13C of pine needle respired CO2 evolved in darkness

The delta 13C of pine needle CO2 evolved in darkness (delta 13Cr) for slash pine trees (Pinus elliottii) was determined by placing recently collected pine needles in darkness and collecting respired CO2 over a short time period (<15 min). Delta 13Cr measurements were made over several 24 h periods to test the hypothesis that significant variation in delta 13Cr would be observed during a diurnal cycle. The delta 13Cr measurements from the 24 h time series trials showed a consistent midday 13C-enrichment (5-10 per thousand) relative to bulk biomass. The delta 13Cr values became more 13C-depleted at night and following shading, and approached bulk-biomass delta 13C values by dawn. The effect of night-time respired 13C-enriched CO2 on the delta 13C value of the remaining assimilate is shown to be minimal (13C depleted by 0.22 per thousand) under field conditions for P. elliottii needles.     

Global patterns and predictors of stem CO2 efflux in forest ecosystems

Stem CO₂ efflux (E_S) plays an important role in the carbon balance of forest ecosystems. However, its primary controls at the global scale are poorly understood and observation‐based global estimates are lacking. We synthesized data from 121 published studies across global forest ecosystems and examined the relationships between annual E_S and biotic and abiotic factors at individual, biome, and global scales, and developed a global gridded estimate of annual E_S. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) Leaf area index (LAI) will be highly correlated with annual E_S at biome and global scales; (2) there will be parallel patterns in stem and root CO₂ effluxes (R_A) in all forests; (3) annual E_S will decline with forest age; and (4) LAI coupled with mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP) will be sufficient to predict annual E_S across forests in different regions. Positive linear relationships were found between E_S and LAI, as well as gross primary production (GPP), net primary production (NPP), wood NPP, soil CO₂ efflux (R_S), and R_A. Annual E_S was correlated with R_A in temperate forests after controlling for GPP and MAT, suggesting other additional factors contributed to the relationship. Annual E_S tended to decrease with stand age. Leaf area index, MAT and MAP, predicted 74% of variation in E_S at global scales. Our statistical model estimated a global annual E_S of 6.7 ± 1.1 Pg C yr⁻¹ over the period of 2000–2012 with little interannual variability. Modeled mean annual E_S was 71 ± 43, 270 ± 103, and 420 ± 134 g C m² yr⁻¹ for boreal, temperate, and tropical forests, respectively. We recommend that future studies report E_S at a standardized constant temperature, incorporate more manipulative treatments, such as fertilization and drought, and whenever possible, simultaneously measure both aboveground and belowground CO₂ fluxes.     

Soil carbon dynamics in a Pinus massoniana plantation following clear-cutting and slash removal

Aims Slash removal is a common practice to prepare recently harvested sites for replanting. However, little is known about its impact on soil carbon (C) dynamics in subtropical plantations. This study evaluates the effects of burning versus manual slash removal site preparation treatments on soil organic carbon (SOC), soil respiration and soil microbial community structure in a Pinus massoniana plantation in southern China.Methods Three areas within a mature P. massoniana plantation were clearcut. Two months following harvesting, slash on one-half of each area was burned (BURN), whereas slash was manually removed (MANR) on the other portion. Slash removal treatments were also compared with adjacent uncut plantation areas (UNCUT). Soil samples, and soil respiration measurements were used to characterize soil properties and microbial communities following slash removal treatments. Important findings Mean soil respiration rates from the MANR and BURN treatments were 26% and 17% lower, respectively, than the UNCUT treatment over 1 year. The MANR and BURN treatment resulted in soils with 27% and 9% reduction in total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and 18% and 10% reduction in bacterial PLFAs, respectively, compared with the UNCUT treatment. However, no significant differences existed between slash removal treatments with respect to soil chemical properties, SOC chemical compositions, soil respiration and microbial communities; although PLFA patterns were notably different for the burned plots. Most factors affecting C dynamics and microbial communities were not sensitive to the differences imparted to the ecosystem due to manual slash removal or burning. Our results suggested that low-intensity burning after clear-cutting might have no significant effect on soil C pool and its dynamics compared with manual slash removal in subtropical plantations.     

Soil CO2 efflux in a boreal pine forest under atmospheric CO2 enrichment and air warming

The response of forest soil CO₂ efflux to the elevation of two climatic factors, the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ (↑CO₂ of 700 μmol mol⁻¹) and air temperature (↑ T with average annual increase of 5°C), and their combination (↑CO₂+↑ T ) was investigated in a 4-year, full-factorial field experiment consisting of closed chambers built around 20-year-old Scots pines ( Pinus sylvestris L.) in the boreal zone of Finland. Mean soil CO₂ efflux in May–October increased with elevated CO₂ by 23–37%, with elevated temperature by 27–43%, and with the combined treatment by 35–59%. Temperature elevation was a significant factor in the combined 4-year efflux data, whereas the effect of elevated CO₂ was not as evident. Elevated temperature had the most pronounced impact early and late in the season, while the influence of elevated CO₂ alone was especially notable late in the season. Needle area was found to be a significant predictor of soil CO₂ efflux, particularly in August, a month of high root growth, thus supporting the assumption of a close link between whole-tree physiology and soil CO₂ emissions. The decrease in the temperature sensitivity of soil CO₂ efflux observed in the elevated temperature treatments in the second year nevertheless suggests the existence of soil response mechanisms that may be independent of the assimilating component of the forest ecosystem. In conclusion, elevated atmospheric CO₂ and air temperature consistently increased forest soil CO₂ efflux over the 4-year period, their combined effect being additive, with no apparent interaction.     

Soil CO2 efflux measurements in a mixed forest: impact of chamber disturbances,spatial variability and seasonal evolution

A closed‐dynamic‐chamber system (CDCS) was used to measure the spatial and seasonal variability of the soil CO₂ efflux (F_s) in beech and in Douglas fir patches of the Vielsalm forest (Belgium). First the difference between natural and measured soil CO₂ efflux induced by the presence of the CDCS was studied. The impact on the measurements of the pressure difference between the outside (natural condition) and the inside of the chamber was found to be small (0.4%). The influence of wind disturbance in the closed chamber was tested by comparison with an open‐chamber system characterized by a different wind distribution. A very good correlation between the two systems was found (r² = 0.99) but the open system yielded slightly lower fluxes than the closed one (slope = 0.88 ± 0.05). A measurement procedure has been developed to minimize the effect of the other sources of perturbation. The spatial and seasonal evolution of the soil CO₂ efflux was obtained by performing regular measurements on 29 spots in the beech patch over a period of 12 months and on 24 spots in the Douglas fir patch over 8 months. For each spot, the experimental relationship between Fs and soil temperature was compared with the fitted line for an Arrhenius relationship with a soil temperature‐dependent activation energy. Soil temperature explains 73% of the seasonal variation for all the data. The spatial average of the soil CO₂ efflux at 10 °C (Fs₁₀) in the beech patch is 2.57 ± 0.41 μmol m^?2 s^?1, approximately twice the average in the Douglas fir patch recorded at 1.42 ± 0.22 μmol m^?2 s^?1. The litter fall analysis seems to indicate that soil organic matter quality and quantity may be one the reasons for this difference. Finally the annual soil CO₂ efflux was calculated for the beech and Douglas fir patches (870 ± 140 and 438 ± 68 gC m^?2 y^?1, respectively). The beech value would represent 92 ± 15% of the annual ecosystem respiration estimated from the eddy covariance measurements.     

中国森林生态系统土壤CO2释放分布规律及其影响因素

联合国气候框架公约的签署提升了人们对全球变暖、碳循环变化的关注。陆地生态系统在全球变暖格局下的地位与作用,尤其是土壤碳库对全球变暖格局的响应是全球变化研究的焦点。土壤CO2释放作为土壤-大气CO2交换的主要途径之一,也就成为各国生态学家研究的重点内容。在对我国森林生态系统CO2释放通量以及相关气候、生物等因子的资料进行收集、整理和分析的基础上,探讨了我国森林生态系统土壤CO2释放的分布规律,以及这种规律性分布的气候、生物影响因素。对于我国这样一个南北跨度大的国家,不同区域的森林生态系统土壤CO2释放通量间存在较大的差异,在全国尺度上,森林生态系统土壤CO2释放通量平均值为（1．79±0．86）gCm^-2d^-1,而且土壤CO2释放通量随着纬度增加逐渐降低。作为一个复杂的生态过程,土壤CO2释放受到生物、非生物因子或独立、或综合的影响。通过分析指出,在全国尺度上,年均温、降雨量、群落净生产力及凋落物量显著地影响森林土壤CO2释放通量。同时,也正是这些影响因子的纬度分布,导致了我国森林生态系统土壤CO2释放通量的纬度分布规律。作为衡量土壤CO2释放对温度敏感性的重要指标,计算了我国森林生态系统土壤CO2释放温度敏感性系数-Q10值,约为1．5,该值显著低于全球平均水平,2．0。     

Contrasting fine-root production,survival and soil CO2 efflux in pine and poplar plantations

Tree root activity, including fine-root production, turnover and metabolic activity are significant components of forest productivity and nutrient cycling. Differences in root activity among forest types are not well known. A 3-year study was undertaken in red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) and hybrid poplar (Populus tristis X P. balsamifera cv `Tristis no. 1') plantations to compare belowground root dynamics. We measured fine-root production, mortality and standing crop, as well as soil CO₂ efflux. Pine fine-root production was only 2.9% of that of poplar during three years; 85 pine roots were observed in minirhizotron tubes compared with 4088 poplar roots. Live-root density oscillated seasonally for both species with late winter minimum and autumn maximum. Poplar reached constant maximum live-root length within the first growing season, but pine continued to increase observed fine-root length for three growing seasons. Within the first 100 days following initial appearance, 22% of the pine roots disappeared and 38% of the poplar roots disappeared. Median fine-root longevity of pine was 291 days compared with 149 days for poplar roots. Fine-root longevity increased with depth in the soil, and was greater for roots with initial diameter >0.5 mm. The probability of poplar root death from late February to May was more than three times that in any other season, regardless of root age. Despite the greater poplar root production and live-root length, fine-root biomass and soil CO₂ efflux was greater in pine. Greater metabolic activity in the pine stand may be due to greater fine-root biomass or greater heterotrophic respiration. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Soil‐surface CO2 efflux and its spatial and temporal variations in a young ponderosa pine plantation in northern California

Soil‐surface CO₂ efflux and its spatial and temporal variations were examined in an 8‐y‐old ponderosa pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California from June 1998 to August 1999. Continuous measurements of soil CO₂ efflux, soil temperatures and moisture were conducted on two 20 × 20 m sampling plots. Microbial biomass, fine root biomass, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil were also measured at each of the 18 sampling locations on the plots. It was found that the mean soil CO₂ efflux in the plantation was 4.43 µmol m^?2 s^?1 in the growing season and 3.12 µmol m^?2 s^?1 in the nongrowing season. These values are in the upper part of the range of published soil‐surface CO₂ efflux data. The annual maximum and minimum CO₂ efflux were 5.87 and 1.67 µmol m^?2 s^?1, respectively, with the maximum occurring between the end of May and early June and the minimum in December. The diurnal fluctuation of CO₂ efflux was relatively small (< 20%) with the minimum appearing around 09.00 hours and the maximum around 14.00 hours. Using daytime measurements of soil CO₂ efflux tends to overestimate the daily mean soil CO₂ efflux by 4–6%. The measurements taken between 09.00 and 11.00 hours (local time) seem to better represent the daily mean with a reduced sampling error of 0.9–1.5%. The spatial variation of soil CO₂ efflux among the 18 sampling points was high, with a coefficient of variation of approximately 30%. Most (84%) of the spatial variation was explained by fine root biomass, microbial biomass, and soil physical and chemical properties. Although soil temperature and moisture explained most of the temporal variations (76–95%) of soil CO₂ efflux, the two variables together explained less than 34% of the spatial variation. Microbial biomass, fine root biomass, soil nitrogen content, organic matter content, and magnesium content were significantly and positively correlated with soil CO₂ efflux, whereas bulk density and pH value were negatively correlated with CO₂ efflux. The relationship between soil CO₂ efflux and soil temperature was significantly controlled by soil moisture with a Q₁₀ value of 1.4 when soil moisture was <14% and 1.8 when soil moisture was >14%. Understanding the spatial and temporal variations is essential to accurately assessment of carbon budget at whole ecosystem and landscape scales. Thus, this study bears important implications for the study of large‐scale ecosystem dynamics, particularly in response to climatic variations and management regimes.     

Soil pCO2, soil respiration,and root activity in CO2-fumigated and nitrogen-fertilized ponderosa pine

The purpose of this paper is to describe the effects of CO₂ and N treatments on soil pCO₂, calculated CO₂ efflux, root biomass and soil carbon in open-top chambers planted with Pinus ponderosa seedlings. Based upon the literature, it was hypothesized that both elevated CO₂ and N would cause increased root biomass which would in turn cause increases in both total soil CO₂ efflux and microbial respiration. This hypothesis was only supported in part: both CO₂ and N treatments caused significant increases in root biomass, soil pCO₂, and calculated CO₂ efflux, but there were no differences in soil microbial respiration measured in the laboratory. Both correlative and quantitative comparisons of CO₂ efflux rates indicated that microbial respiration contributes little to total soil CO₂ efflux in the field. Measurements of soil pCO₂ and calculated CO₂ efflux provided inexpensive, non-invasive, and relatively sensitive indices of belowground response to CO₂ and N treatments.     

Soil CO2 efflux in a beech forest: comparison of two closed dynamic systems

The aim of this study was to understand why two closed dynamic systems with a very similar design gave large differences in soil CO₂ efflux measurements (PP systems and LI-COR). Both in the field (forest beech stand) and in the laboratory, the PPsystems gave higher estimations of soil CO₂ efflux than the LI-COR system (ranging from 30% to 50%). The difference in wind speed occurring within the soil respiration chambers (0.9 m s⁻¹ within the SRC-1 and 0.4 m s⁻¹ within the LI-6000-09 chambers) may account for the discrepancy between the two systems. An excessive air movement inside the respiration chamber is thought to disrupt the high laminar boundary layer over the forest floor. This would promote an exhaust of the CO₂ accumulated into the upper soil layers into the chamber and a lateral diffusion of CO₂ in the soil towards the respiration chamber. The discrepancy between the two systems was reduced (i) by decreasing fan speed within the SRC-1, (ii) by increasing wind speed over the soil surface outside the respiration chamber, or (iii) by using an artificial soil design without high CO₂ concentration in soil pores. We show that wind speed is an important component of soil CO₂ diffusion which must be taken into account when measuring soil CO₂ efflux, even on very fine textured soil like silt-loam soil. Proper measurement can be achieved by maintaining wind speed inside the chamber below 0.4 m s⁻¹ since low wind speed conditions predominate under forest canopies. However, more accurate measurements will be obtained by regulating wind speeds within the chamber at a velocity representative of the wind speed recorded simultaneously at the floor surface. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Impacts of an anomalously warm year on soil CO2 efflux in experimentally manipulated tallgrass prairie ecosystems

Modeling analyses suggest that an increase in growth rate of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations during an anomalously warm year may be caused by a decrease in net ecosystem production (NEP) in response to increased heterotrophic respiration (R_h). To test this hypothesis, 12 intact soil monoliths were excavated from a tallgrass prairie site near Purcell, Oklahoma, USA and divided among four large dynamic flux chambers (Ecologically Controlled Enclosed Lysimeter Laboratories (EcoCELLs)). During the first year, all four EcoCELLs were subjected to Oklahoma air temperatures. During the second year, air temperature in two EcoCELLs was increased by 4°C throughout the year to simulate anomalously warm conditions. This paper reports on the effect of warming on soil CO₂ efflux, representing the sum of autotrophic respiration (R_a) and R_h. During the pretreatment year, weekly average soil CO₂ efflux was similar in all EcoCELLs. During the late spring, summer and early fall of the treatment year, however, soil CO₂ efflux was significantly lower in the warmed EcoCELLs. In general, soil CO₂ efflux was correlated with soil temperature and to a lesser extent with moisture. A combined temperature and moisture regression explained 64% of the observed variation in soil CO₂ efflux. Soil CO₂ efflux correlated well with a net primary production (NPP) weighted greenness index derived from digital photographs. Although separate relationships for control and warmed EcoCELLs showed better correlations, one single relationship explained close to 70% of the variation in soil CO₂ efflux across treatments and years. A strong correlation between soil CO₂ efflux and canopy development and the lack of initial response to warming indicate that soil CO₂ efflux is dominated by R_a. This study showed that a decrease in soil CO₂ efflux in response to a warm year was most likely dominated by a decrease in R_a instead of an increase in R_h.     

重庆缙云山两种林分土壤呼吸对模拟氮沉降的季节响应差异性

氮沉降对土壤呼吸的影响仍然存在着争论,需要进一步研究。选择重庆缙云山的马尾松林和柑橘林开展了氮添加实验,分别设置3个氮添加水平(低氮T_5:20 g N m~(-2)a~(-1),中氮T_(10):40 g N m~(-2)a~(-1)和高氮T_(15):60 g N m~(-2)a~(-1))和对照(T_0:0 g N m~(-2)a~(-1))共4个水平的处理,各林分每个处理各9次重复,每个处理量分4次,在每个季度开始各施1次。采用ACE(Automated Soil CO_2 Exchange Station,UK)自动土壤呼吸监测系统测定两林分土壤表层(0—10 cm)的呼吸、温度和湿度,分别在当年的7月、9月、11月、第2年的1月、2月、3月、5月、6月各连续测定4d,每天(8:00—18:00)4次,以揭示两种林分土壤呼吸对模拟氮沉降的季节动态响应及其差异性。结果表明:(1)柑橘林与马尾松林林下土壤表层呼吸表现出一致的季节变化动态趋势:夏季春季秋季冬季,但柑橘林土壤呼吸显著高于马尾松林(P0.05)。(2)总体上氮沉降抑制了2种林分土壤表层呼吸,而N沉降量大抑制程度越高。只在冬季土壤湿度低的马尾松林下氮沉降促进了土壤呼吸。(3)土壤温度与土壤呼吸有极显著的正相关指数关系(P0.01),而土壤水分与土壤呼吸有显著的二次模型拟合关系,但均受到氮沉降量处理的影响。综合分析表明,在亚热带山区2类森林下的典型案例结果支持氮沉降抑制土壤呼吸的认识。     

Elevated CO2 and temperature impacts on different components of soil CO2 efflux in Douglas-fir terracosms

Although numerous studies indicate that increasing atmospheric CO₂ or temperature stimulate soil CO₂ efflux, few data are available on the responses of three major components of soil respiration [i.e. rhizosphere respiration (root and root exudates), litter decomposition, and oxidation of soil organic matter] to different CO₂ and temperature conditions. In this study, we applied a dual stable isotope approach to investigate the impact of elevated CO₂ and elevated temperature on these components of soil CO₂ efflux in Douglas-fir terracosms. We measured both soil CO₂ efflux rates and the ¹³C and ¹⁸O isotopic compositions of soil CO₂ efflux in 12 sun-lit and environmentally controlled terracosms with 4-year-old Douglas fir seedlings and reconstructed forest soils under two CO₂ concentrations (ambient and 200 ppmv above ambient) and two air temperature regimes (ambient and 4 °C above ambient). The stable isotope data were used to estimate the relative contributions of different components to the overall soil CO₂ efflux. In most cases, litter decomposition was the dominant component of soil CO₂ efflux in this system, followed by rhizosphere respiration and soil organic matter oxidation. Both elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration and elevated temperature stimulated rhizosphere respiration and litter decomposition. The oxidation of soil organic matter was stimulated only by increasing temperature. Release of newly fixed carbon as root respiration was the most responsive to elevated CO₂, while soil organic matter decomposition was most responsive to increasing temperature. Although some assumptions associated with this new method need to be further validated, application of this dual-isotope approach can provide new insights into the responses of soil carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems to future climate changes.     

Relationship between stem CO2 efflux, stem sap velocity and xylem CO2 concentration in young loblolly pine trees

We measured diel patterns of stem surface CO2 efflux (Es, micromol m(-2) s(-1)), sap velocity (vs, mm s(-1)) and xylem CO2 concentration ([CO2]) (Xs, %) in 8-year-old loblolly pine trees during the spring to determine how vs and Xs influence Es. All trees showed a strong diel hysteresis between Es and stem temperature, where at a given temperature, Es was lower during the day than at night. Diel variations in temperature-independent Es were correlated with vs (R2= 0.54), such that at maximum vs, Es was reduced between 18 and 40%. However, this correlation may not represent a cause-and-effect relationship. In a subset of trees, vs was artificially reduced by progressively removing the tree canopy. Reducing vs to near zero had no effect on Es and did not change the diel hysteretic response to temperature. Diel Xs tended to decrease with vs and increase with Es, however, in defoliated trees, large increases in Xs, when vs approximately 0, had no effect on Es. We conclude that at this time of the year, Es is driven primarily by respiration of cambium and phloem tissues and that sap flow and xylem transport of CO2 had no direct influence on Es.     

Sap flow rates and sapwood density are critical factors in within- and between-tree variation in CO2 efflux from stems of mature Dacrydium cupressinum trees

Measurements of CO2 efflux from stems and branches, sap velocity, and respiratory activity of excised wood cores were conducted in Dacrydium cupressinum trees that differed in diameter, age, and canopy emergence. The objective of this study was to determine if consistent linkages exist among respiratory production of CO2 within stems, xylem transport of CO2, and the rate of CO2 diffusing from stem surfaces. Stem CO2 efflux was depressed during periods of sap flow compared with the efflux rate expected for a given stem temperature and was positively correlated with sapwood density. By contrast, no significant relationships were observed between CO2 efflux and the respiratory activity of wood tissues. Between 86 and 91% of woody tissue respiration diffused to the atmosphere over a 24-h period. However, at certain times of the day, xylem transport and internal storage of CO2 may account for up to 13-38% and 12-18%, respectively, of woody tissue respiration. These results demonstrate that differences in sap flow rates and xylem anatomy are critically important for explaining within- and between-tree variation in CO2 efflux from stems.