Soil CO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Bold">2</Emphasis></Subscript> efflux and fungal and bacterial biomass in a plantation and a secondary forest in wet tropics in Puerto Rico

We examined the effects of root and litter exclusion on the rate of soil CO₂ efflux and microbial biomass using trenching and tent separation techniques in a secondary forest (SF) and a pine (Pinus caribaea Morelet) plantation in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. Soil surface CO₂ efflux was measured using the alkali trap method at 12 randomly-distributed locations in each treatment (control, root exclusion, litter exclusion, and both root and litter exclusion) in the plantation and the SF, respectively. We measured soil CO₂ efflux every two months and collected soil samples at each sampling location in different seasons to determine microbial biomass from August 1996 to July 1997. We found that soil CO₂ efflux was significantly reduced in the litter and root exclusion plots (7-year litter and/or root exclusion) in both the secondary forest and the pine plantation compared with the control. The reduction of soil CO₂ efflux was 35.6% greater in the root exclusion plots than in the litter exclusion plots in the plantation, whereas a reversed pattern was found in the secondary forest. Microbial biomass was also reduced during the litter and root exclusion period. In the root exclusion plots, total fungal biomass averaged 31.4% and 65.2% lower than the control plots in the plantation and the secondary forest, respectively, while the total bacterial biomass was 24% and 8.3% lower than the control plots in the plantation and the secondary forest, respectively. In the litter exclusion treatment, total fungal biomass averaged 69.2% and 69.7% lower than the control plots in the plantation and the secondary forest, respectively, while the total bacterial biomass was 48% and 50.1% lower than the control plots in the plantation and the secondary forest, respectively. Soil CO₂ efflux was positively correlated with both fungal and bacterial biomass in both the plantation the secondary forest. The correlation between soil CO₂ efflux and active fungal biomass was significantly higher in the plantation than in the secondary forest. However, the correlation between the soil CO₂ efflux and both the active and total bacterial biomass was significantly higher in the secondary forest than in the plantation in the day season. In addition, we found soil CO₂ efflux was highly related to the strong interactions among root, fungal and bacterial biomass by multiple regression analysis (R² > 0.61, P < 0.05). Our results suggest that carbon input from aboveground litterfall and roots (root litter and exudates) is critical to the soil microbial community and ecosystem carbon cycling in the wet tropical forests.     

Fixing a snag in carbon emissions estimates from wildfires

Wildfire is an essential earth‐system process, impacting ecosystem processes and the carbon cycle. Forest fires are becoming more frequent and severe, yet gaps exist in the modeling of fire on vegetation and carbon dynamics. Strategies for reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from wildfires include increasing tree harvest, largely based on the public assumption that fires burn live forests to the ground, despite observations indicating that less than 5% of mature tree biomass is actually consumed. This misconception is also reflected though excessive combustion of live trees in models. Here, we show that regional emissions estimates using widely implemented combustion coefficients are 59%–83% higher than emissions based on field observations. Using unique field datasets from before and after wildfires and an improved ecosystem model, we provide strong evidence that these large overestimates can be reduced by using realistic biomass combustion factors and by accurately quantifying biomass in standing dead trees that decompose over decades to centuries after fire (“snags”). Most model development focuses on area burned; our results reveal that accurately representing combustion is also essential for quantifying fire impacts on ecosystems. Using our improvements, we find that western US forest fires have emitted 851 ± 228 Tg CO₂ (~half of alternative estimates) over the last 17 years, which is minor compared to 16,200 Tg CO₂ from fossil fuels across the region.     

林火干扰对广东木荷林生态系统碳库的影响

森林碳库在调节CO₂浓度及减缓温室效应中发挥重要作用。选择广东木荷林为研究对象,通过相邻样地法,进行植被生物量、凋落物生物量和土壤样品的采样与分析,研究不同林火干扰强度对生态系统各碳库(植被、凋落物和土壤有机碳)及生态系统碳库产生的变化规律和空间分布格局及其影响因素。结果表明:(1)植被碳密度随着林火干扰强度增强而减少,但不同组分的植被碳密度表现不同,乔木碳密度在不同林火干扰强度下变化与植被碳密度变化一致,而草本碳密度则呈现相反的变化趋势。相同林火干扰强度下,植被各组分碳密度均以乔木层降低幅度最大。林火干扰均显著降低了凋落物碳密度(P<0.05),并随林火干扰强度的增加其降低幅度增大,但不同林火干扰强度对凋落物碳密度的影响有所差异。林火干扰降低了土壤有机碳密度,且降低幅度随土层深度增加而逐渐变小。(2)林火干扰有效改变了生态系统碳库的空间分布格局。对照样地木荷林土壤有机碳库占比为61.59%,重度林火干扰后,土壤有机碳库占比为70.96%呈上升趋势,占生态系统碳库的优势地位,而植被和凋落物碳库占比呈下降趋势,处于生态系统碳库的次要地位。(3)双因素方差分析表明,林火干扰强度和土层深度及其交互作用均对土壤有机碳密度有显著影响。林火干扰强度解释了土壤有机碳密度变异的8.78%,土层深度解释了土壤有机碳密度变异的70.29%,林火干扰强度和土层深度之间的交互作用解释了土壤有机碳密度变异的8.16%。研究发现:林火干扰降低了生态系统碳库,且随林火干扰强度增加,生态系统碳库减少幅度增大。轻度林火干扰对森林生态系统碳库的影响差异不显著,而中度和重度林火干扰对森林生态系统碳库的影响差异显著。研究结果对深化亚热带森林固碳效应的影响机制提供理论支撑。     

The effect of charcoal production on carbon cycling in African biomes

Using biomass for charcoal production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) may change carbon stock dynamics and lead to irreversible changes in the carbon balance, yet we have little understanding of whether these dynamics vary by biome in this region. Currently, charcoal production contributes up to 7% of yearly deforestation in tropical regions, with carbon emissions corresponding to 71.2 million tonnes of CO₂ and 1.3 million tonnes of CH₄. With a projected increased demand for charcoal in the coming decades, even low harvest rates may throw the carbon budget off-balance due to legacy effects. Here, we parameterized the dynamic global vegetation model LPJ-GUESS for six SSA biomes and examined the effect of charcoal production on net ecosystem exchange (NEE), carbon stock sizes and recovery time for tropical rain forest, montane forest, moist savanna, dry savanna, temperate grassland and semi-desert. Under historical charcoal regimes, tropical rain forests and montane forests transitioned from net carbon sinks to net sources, that is, mean cumulative NEE from −3.56 ± 2.59 kg C/m² to 2.46 ± 3.43 kg C/m² and −2.73 ± 2.80 kg C/m² to 1.87 ± 4.94 kg C/m² respectively. Varying charcoal production intensities resulted in tropical rain forests showing at least two times higher carbon losses than the other biomes. Biome recovery time varied by carbon stock, with tropical and montane forests taking about 10 times longer than the fast recovery observed for semi-desert and temperate grasslands. Our findings show that high biomass biomes are disproportionately affected by biomass harvesting for charcoal, and even low harvesting rates strongly affect vegetation and litter carbon and their contribution to the carbon budget. Therefore, the prolonged biome recoveries imply that current charcoal production practices in SSA are not sustainable, especially in tropical rain forests and montane forests, where we observe longer recovery for vegetation and litter carbon stocks.     

抚育对林地土壤碳释放的影响——基于Yasso07估算

间伐是森林经营的有效措施之一,其能减少林木枯损,有利于林下植被生长和植物种群更新,但也可改变森林小气候,从而影响林地土壤碳释放。以秦岭火地塘林区松栎混交林为研究对象,运用Yasso07模型模拟了不同间伐强度和间伐残留物移除强度下林地土壤CO_2释放。结果表明:(1)针叶树种(油松Pinus tabulaefomis、华山松Pinus armandi)和阔叶树种(锐齿栎Quercus aliena var.acutesrrata)叶凋落物化学组分有较明显差异,针叶树种酒精溶解性化合物(ESC)和水溶性化合物(WSC)含量明显低于阔叶树种,其不溶性化合物(NSC)含量明显高于阔叶树种;(2)凋落物化学组分对林地土壤CO_2释放有显著的影响;(3)在研究两个控制因子中,间伐强度是影响林地土壤CO_2释放的主导因子,间伐后林地土壤CO_2释放量有升高趋势;当间伐强度为12.38%,间伐残留物移除强度为53.18%时,林地土壤CO_2释放量最小,为15.318 Mg hm~(-2)a~(-1)。     

林火干扰对广东省桉树林生态系统碳密度的影响

林火作为森林非连续的生态因子,引起森林生态系统碳库碳储量与碳分配的变化,影响森林演替进程及固碳能力。以桉树林不同林火干扰强度的火烧迹地为对象,采用相邻样地比较法,以野外调查采样与室内试验分析相结合为主要手段,研究不同林火干扰强度对森林生态系统各碳库及生态系统碳密度变化和空间分布格局的影响,探讨林火干扰对生态系统碳密度与碳分布格局的影响机制。结果表明:林火干扰降低了植被碳密度(P<0.05),轻度、中度和重度林火干扰样地植被碳密度依次为67.88、35.68和15.50 t·hm^-2,相比对照分别下降了15.86%、55.78%和80.79%;在轻度、中度和重度林火干扰样地中,凋落物碳密度分别为1.43、0.94和0.81 t·hm^-2,相比对照分别降低了28.14%、52.76%和59.30%;不同林火干扰强度样地土壤有机碳密度均低于对照,且减少幅度随土壤剖面深度增加而逐渐变小,轻度、中度和重度林火干扰样地土壤有机碳密度分别为103.30、84.33和70.04 t·hm^-2,相比对照分别下降了11.67%、27.89%和40.11%;轻度、中度和重度林火干扰后桉树林生态系统碳密度分别为172.61、120.95和86.35 t·hm^-2,相比对照依次下降了13.53%、39.41%和56.74%;林火干扰降低了桉树林的碳密度,表现为随林火干扰强度增加,碳密度呈递减的规律;与对照相比,轻度林火干扰强度对桉树林碳密度的影响不显著(P>0.05),而中度和重度林火干扰强度对桉树林碳密度的影响差异显著(P<0.05)。     

Disentangling the Litter Quality and Soil Microbial Contribution to Leaf and Fine Root Litter Decomposition Responses to Reduced Rainfall

Climate change-induced rainfall reductions in Mediterranean forests negatively affect the decomposition of plant litter through decreased soil moisture. However, the indirect effects of reduced precipitation on litter decomposition through changes in litter quality and soil microbial communities are poorly studied. This is especially the case for fine root litter, which contributes importantly to forests plant biomass. Here we analyzed the effects of long-term (11 years) rainfall exclusion (29% reduction) on leaf and fine root litter quality, soil microbial biomass, and microbial community-level physiological profiles in a Mediterranean holm oak forest. Additionally, we reciprocally transplanted soils and litter among the control and reduced rainfall treatments in the laboratory, and analyzed litter decomposition and its responses to a simulated extreme drought event. The decreased soil microbial biomass and altered physiological profiles with reduced rainfall promoted lower fine root—but not leaf—litter decomposition. Both leaf and root litter, from the reduced rainfall treatment, decomposed faster than those from the control treatment. The impact of the extreme drought event on fine root litter decomposition was higher in soils from the control treatment compared to soils subjected to long-term rainfall exclusion. Our results suggest contrasting mechanisms driving drought indirect effects on above-(for example, changes in litter quality) and belowground (for example, shifts in soil microbial community) litter decomposition, even within a single tree species. Quantifying the contribution of these mechanisms relative to the direct soil moisture-effect is critical for an accurate integration of litter decomposition into ecosystem carbon dynamics in Mediterranean forests under climate change.     

甘肃亚高山云杉人工林生态系统碳、氮储量动态和分配格局

云杉是甘肃亚高山地区重要的造林树种,研究其生态系统碳、氮储量的动态变化和分配格局有利于评价云杉人工造林后的生态恢复效果。以甘南、定西地区不同林龄(包括幼龄林、中龄林、近熟林和成熟林)的云杉人工林为研究对象,共设置16块调查样地。在野外调查、样品采集和分析的基础上,估算了其生态系统的碳、氮储量。结果显示:云杉林乔木不同器官的碳含量相对稳定,氮含量则与器官类型有密切关系;同一土层不同龄级的土壤碳、氮含量无明显差异。从乔木层、灌木层、枯落物层到草本层碳氮含量比值依次减小,土壤层碳氮含量比值最低。该地区云杉人工林生态系统总碳、氮储量分别为257. 75—430.23 t/hm~2和20.50—29.88 t/hm~2。随着林龄的增加,植被层碳、氮储量增加显著,分别从15.5 t/hm~2和0.24 t/hm~2增加到143.51 t/hm~2和1.65 t/hm~2。土壤层(0—100 cm)碳、氮储量分别为242.23—367.79 t/hm~2和20.26—29.58 t/hm~2,在整个生态系统各龄级中所占比例均超过60%和90%。生态系统和土壤层(0—100 cm)碳、氮储量在不同龄级间无显著差异。生态系统中土壤层、乔木层及灌、草、枯落物层的碳储量比例分别为85.72%、13.44%和0.84%,氮储量比例分别为97.60%、2.08%和0.32%。     

Forest bioenergy climate impact can be improved by allocating forest residue removal

Bioenergy from forest residues can be used to avoid fossil carbon emissions, but removing biomass from forests reduces carbon stock sizes and carbon input to litter and soil. The magnitude and longevity of these carbon stock changes determine how effective measures to utilize bioenergy from forest residues are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the energy sector and to mitigate climate change. In this study, we estimate the variability of GHG emissions and consequent climate impacts resulting from producing bioenergy from stumps, branches and residual biomass of forest thinning operations in Finland, and the contribution of the variability in key factors, i.e. forest residue diameter, tree species, geographical location of the forest biomass removal site and harvesting method, to the emissions and their climate impact. The GHG emissions and the consequent climate impacts estimated as changes in radiative forcing were comparable to fossil fuels when bioenergy production from forest residues was initiated. The emissions and climate impacts decreased over time because forest residues were predicted to decompose releasing CO₂ even if left in the forest. Both were mainly affected by forest residue diameter and climatic conditions of the forest residue collection site. Tree species and the harvest method of thinning wood (whole tree or stem‐only) had a smaller effect on the magnitude of emissions. The largest reduction in the energy production climate impacts after 20 years, up to 62%, was achieved when coal was replaced by the branches collected from Southern Finland, whereas the smallest reduction 7% was gained by using stumps from Northern Finland instead of natural gas. After 100 years the corresponding values were 77% and 21%. The choice of forest residue biomass collected affects significantly the emissions and climate impacts of forest bioenergy.     

Species-dependent responses of soil microbial properties to fresh leaf inputs in a subtropical forest soil in South China

Aims Forest disturbance from extreme weather events due to climate change could increase the contribution of fresh green leaves to the litter layer of soil and subsequently alter the composition and activity of the soil microbial properties and soil carbon cycling. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of naturally fallen litter and fresh leaves on the soil microbial community composition and their activities.Methods Fresh leaves and normal fallen litter were collected from four tree species (Pinus elliottii, Schima superba, Acacia mangium, A. auriculaeformis) in subtropical China and mixed with soil. Soil microbial community composition was determined using PLFAs, and its activity was quantified by soil respiration. During a 12-month period, the decomposition rate of litter was measured bimonthly using a litterbag method. Soil microbial samples were collected after 6 and 12 months. Soil respiration was measured monthly.Important findings We found that fresh leaves decomposed faster than their conspecific fallen litter. Although total microbial biomass and bacterial biomass were similar among treatments, soil fungal biomass was higher in fresh leaf than fallen litter treatments, resulting in greater values of the Fungal phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs)/Bacterial PLFAs ratio. Fungal PLFA values were greater for Schima superba than the other species. The effect of litter type on soil respiration was species-dependent. Specifically, fallen litter released 35% more CO₂ than fresh leaves of the conifer P. elliottii. The opposite pattern was observed in the broadleaf species whose fresh leaf treatments emitted 17%–32% more CO₂ than fallen litter. Given future predictions that global climate change will cause more disturbances to forests, these results indicate that conifer and broadleaf forests in subtropical China may respond differently to increased fresh litter inputs, with net soil microbial respiration decreasing in conifer forests and increasing in broadleaf forests.     

Linkage of MIKE SHE to Wetland-DNDC for carbon budgeting and anaerobic biogeochemistry simulation

This study reports the linkage between MIKE SHE and Wetland-DNDC for carbon dynamics and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions simulation in forested wetland.Wetland-DNDC was modified by parameterizing management measures, refining anaerobic biogeochemical processes, and was linked to the hydrological model – MIKE SHE. As a preliminary application, we simulated the effect of water table position and forest management practices on GHGs emissions and carbon dynamics to test the capabilities of the models for simulating seasonal and long-term carbon budget. Simulation results show that water table changes had a remarkable effect on GHGs fluxes. Anaerobic conditions in forested wetland soils reduce organic matter decomposition and stimulate CH₄ production. Decrease in the water table from the wetland surface decreases methane flux, while CO₂ emission was lower with a rise in the water table. When there is a drop in water availability, wetlands can become a net source of atmospheric CO₂ as photosynthesis is decreased and respiration loss enhanced. Forest management activities i.e. harvest, fertilization and reforestation practices were parameterized in the model. We predicted carbon fluxes and stores on a pine forest under different forest management scenarios during 160 years. Results show that average long-term carbon storage in ecosystem pools increased with increasing rotation length; Soil carbon showed only minor, long-term responses to harvesting events. In contrast, carbon sequestered in tree biomass and litter fluctuated widely, in concert with the harvest cycle. Application of nitrogen fertilizer increased average carbon storage in all ecosystem pools and wood products. We presented the linkage of MIKE SHE and Wetland-DNDC as a way to use of simulation modeling tools for assessing GHGs mitigation strategies, carbon budgeting and forest management.     

Recovery of ponderosa pine ecosystem carbon and water fluxes from thinning and stand‐replacing fire

Carbon uptake by forests is a major sink in the global carbon cycle, helping buffer the rising concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere, yet the potential for future carbon uptake by forests is uncertain. Climate warming and drought can reduce forest carbon uptake by reducing photosynthesis, increasing respiration, and by increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires, leading to large releases of stored carbon. Five years of eddy covariance measurements in a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)‐dominated ecosystem in northern Arizona showed that an intense wildfire that converted forest into sparse grassland shifted site carbon balance from sink to source for at least 15 years after burning. In contrast, recovery of carbon sink strength after thinning, a management practice used to reduce the likelihood of intense wildfires, was rapid. Comparisons between an undisturbed‐control site and an experimentally thinned site showed that thinning reduced carbon sink strength only for the first two posttreatment years. In the third and fourth posttreatment years, annual carbon sink strength of the thinned site was higher than the undisturbed site because thinning reduced aridity and drought limitation to carbon uptake. As a result, annual maximum gross primary production occurred when temperature was 3 °C higher at the thinned site compared with the undisturbed site. The severe fire consistently reduced annual evapotranspiration (range of 12–30%), whereas effects of thinning were smaller and transient, and could not be detected in the fourth year after thinning. Our results show large and persistent effects of intense fire and minor and short‐lived effects of thinning on southwestern ponderosa pine ecosystem carbon and water exchanges.     

气候变化、林火和采伐对大兴安岭森林碳储量的影响

大兴安岭林区林火发生的频率受气候变化的影响将会增加,可能会增加该地区森林生态系统碳损失.本研究通过耦合森林生态系统模型和森林景观模型以模拟未来百年大兴安岭森林碳储量动态变化,量化气候变化、林火和采伐对森林碳储量的影响.结果表明: 虽然采伐和林火会抵消相当一部分由气候变化增加的碳储量,但气候变化仍然能够增加大兴安岭森林碳储量.未来100年该地区森林地上和土壤有机碳储量将会分别增加9%～22%和6%～9%.短期(0～20年)气候变化对大兴安岭森林碳储量的影响大于同期林火的影响,中期(30～50年)和长期(60～100年)气候变化对森林碳储量的影响小于林火和采伐的影响.由于未来大兴安岭地区气候变化及其林火干扰存在不确定性,导致未来该地区森林碳储量存在较大的不确定性.未来100年大兴安岭森林地上碳储量和土壤有机碳储量不确定性分别为12.4%～16.2%和6.6%～10.4%.为准确估算我国北方森林生态系统碳储量,需要考虑种子传播、林火和采伐的影响.     

间伐对杉木人工林碳储量的长期影响

间伐改变了林分环境,影响林木生长及碳储量,准确评估间伐后人工林碳储量变化对碳汇林业的发展具有重要意义.在浙江开化采用下层间伐法,开展了3种间伐处理(对照、中度和强度间伐)对22年生杉木人工林碳储量及其组分分配影响的研究.强度间伐(总间伐强度50%)和中度间伐(总间伐强度35%)均在第7年和第14年进行共计2次间伐,对照在林木生长中期(第14年)进行1次轻度间伐(间伐强度15%).结果表明： 树干碳储量的比例随间伐强度增大而增加,树枝、叶和根碳储量的比例则略有降低,表明间伐有利于树干碳储量的累积.中度和强度间伐处理杉木人工林乔木层碳储量随间伐强度增加而减小,碳储量分别为对照的89.0%和83.1%.第1次间伐后2 a乔木层碳储量显著减少,第2次间伐后8 a,间伐处理乔木层碳储量恢复速率较快,强度间伐乔木层碳储量增量接近对照.林下植被层、凋落物层和土壤层碳储量在不同间伐处理间差异不显著.对照、中度和强度间伐杉木人工林系统总碳储量分别为169.34、156.65和154.37 t·hm^-2,不同间伐处理间差异不显著.可见,试验区杉木人工林间伐15 a后不会导致生态系统总碳储量降低.     

间伐和凋落物处理对华北落叶松人工林土壤磷形态的影响

土壤磷在维持生态系统功能稳定性中发挥重要作用,研究间伐和凋落物处理下的土壤磷组分特征及转化机理,对森林生态系统磷素管理和可持续发展具有重要意义。采用Tiessen改良的Hedley分级方法,探究了不同间伐强度(未间伐、轻度间伐、中度间伐、重度间伐)和凋落物处理(对照、加倍、去凋、切根去凋)下土壤磷形态的变化特征及其驱动因子。结果显示:随着间伐强度的增大,土壤活性磷(Resin-Pi、NaHCO_3-Pi和NaHCO_3-Po)、土壤微生物量磷和酸性磷酸酶活性呈先增加后降低的趋势,且在中度间伐最高。凋落物加倍(DL)显著增加了土壤活性磷(Resin-Pi、NaHCO_3-Pi和NaHCO_3-Po)、土壤微生物量磷和酸性磷酸酶活性。稳定态磷(HCl-Pi、浓HCl-Pi和浓HCl-Po)、残留态磷(Residual-P)不受间伐和凋落物处理的影响。冗余分析(RDA)显示,土壤微生物量磷、酸性磷酸酶活性和土壤有机碳是引起华北落叶松人工林表层土壤磷组分变化的重要因子。研究表明,适度的间伐和增加凋落物能够显著提高华北落叶松人工林表层土壤磷素的活化能力。本研究为华北落叶松人工林的可持续经营提供依据。     

Soil-surface carbon dioxide efflux and microbial biomass in relation to tree density 13 years after a stand replacing fire in a lodgepole pine ecosystem

The effects of fire on soil‐surface carbon dioxide (CO₂) efflux, F_S, and microbial biomass carbon, C_mic, were studied in a wildland setting by examining 13‐year‐old postfire stands of lodgepole pine differing in tree density (< 500 to > 500 000 trees ha^?1) in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). In addition, young stands were compared to mature lodgepole pine stands (～110‐year‐old) in order to estimate ecosystem recovery 13 years after a stand replacing fire. Growing season F_S increased with tree density in young stands (1.0 µmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1 in low‐density stands, 1.8 µmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1 in moderate‐density stands and 2.1 µmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1 in high‐density stands) and with stand age (2.7 µmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1 in mature stands). Microbial biomass carbon in young stands did not differ with tree density and ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 mg C g^?1 dry soil over the growing season; C_mic was significantly greater in mature stands (0.5–0.8 mg C g^?1 dry soil). Soil‐surface CO₂ efflux in young stands was correlated with biotic variables (above‐ground, below‐ground and microbial biomass), but not with abiotic variables (litter and mineral soil C and N content, bulk density and soil texture). Microbial biomass carbon was correlated with below‐ground plant biomass and not with soil carbon and nitrogen, indicating that plant activity controls not only root respiration, but C_mic pools and overall F_S rates as well. These findings support recent studies that have demonstrated the prevailing importance of plants in controlling rates of F_S and suggest that decomposition of older, recalcitrant soil C pools in this ecosystem is relatively unimportant 13 years after a stand replacing fire. Our results also indicate that realistic predictions and modeling of terrestrial C cycling must account for the variability in tree density and stand age that exists across the landscape as a result of natural disturbances.     

Long-term impact of a stand-replacing fire on ecosystem CO2 exchange of a ponderosa pine forest

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests of the southwestern United States are a mosaic of stands where undisturbed forests are carbon sinks, and stands recovering from wildfires may be sources of carbon to the atmosphere for decades after the fire. However, the relative magnitude of these sinks and sources has never been directly measured in this region, limiting our understanding of the role of fire in regional and US carbon budgets. We used the eddy covariance technique to measure the CO₂ exchange of two forest sites, one burned by fire in 1996, and an unburned forest. The fire was a high‐intensity stand‐replacing burn that killed all trees. Ten years after the fire, the burned site was still a source of CO₂ to the atmosphere [109±6 (SEM) g C m^?2 yr^?1], whereas the unburned site was a sink (?164±23 g C m^?2 yr^?1). The fire reduced total carbon storage and shifted ecosystem carbon allocation from the forest floor and living biomass to necromass. Annual ecosystem respiration was lower at the burned site (480±5 g C m^?2 yr^?1) than at the unburned site (710±54 g C m^?2 yr^?1), but the difference in gross primary production was even larger (372±13 g C m^?2 yr^?1 at the burned site and 858±37 g C m^?2 yr^?1at the unburned site). Water availability controlled carbon flux in the warm season at both sites, and the burned site was a source of carbon in all months, even during the summer, when wet and warm conditions favored respiration more than photosynthesis. Our study shows that carbon losses following stand‐replacing fires in ponderosa pine forests can persist for decades due to slow recovery of the gross primary production. Because fire exclusion is becoming increasingly difficult in dry western forests, a large US forest carbon sink could shift to a decadal‐scale carbon source.     

Partitioning direct and indirect human-induced effects on carbon sequestration of managed coniferous forests using model simulations and forest inventories

Temperate forest ecosystems have recently been identified as an important net sink in the global carbon budget. The factors responsible for the strength of the sinks and their permanence, however, are less evident. In this paper, we quantify the present carbon sequestration in Thuringian managed coniferous forests. We quantify the effects of indirect human‐induced environmental changes (increasing temperature, increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration and nitrogen fertilization), during the last century using BIOME‐BGC, as well as the legacy effect of the current age‐class distribution (forest inventories and BIOME‐BGC). We focused on coniferous forests because these forests represent a large area of central European forests and detailed forest inventories were available. The model indicates that environmental changes induced an increase in biomass C accumulation for all age classes during the last 20 years (1982–2001). Young and old stands had the highest changes in the biomass C accumulation during this period. During the last century mature stands (older than 80 years) turned from being almost carbon neutral to carbon sinks. In high elevations nitrogen deposition explained most of the increase of net ecosystem production (NEP) of forests. CO₂ fertilization was the main factor increasing NEP of forests in the middle and low elevations. According to the model, at present, total biomass C accumulation in coniferous forests of Thuringia was estimated at 1.51 t C ha^?1 yr^?1 with an averaged annual NEP of 1.42 t C ha^?1 yr^?1 and total net biome production of 1.03 t C ha^?1 yr^?1 (accounting for harvest). The annual averaged biomass carbon balance (BCB: biomass accumulation rate‐harvest) was 1.12 t C ha^?1 yr^?1 (not including soil respiration), and was close to BCB from forest inventories (1.15 t C ha^?1 yr^?1). Indirect human impact resulted in 33% increase in modeled biomass carbon accumulation in coniferous forests in Thuringia during the last century. From the forest inventory data we estimated the legacy effect of the age‐class distribution to account for 17% of the inventory‐based sink. Isolating the environmental change effects showed that these effects can be large in a long‐term, managed conifer forest.     

The effect of fire on microbial biomass: a meta-analysis of field studies

Soil microbes regulate the transfer of carbon (C) from ecosystems to the atmosphere and in doing so influence feedbacks between terrestrial ecosystems and global climate change. Fire is one element of global change that may influence soil microbial communities and, in turn, their contribution to the C dynamics of ecosystems. In order to improve our understanding of how fire influences belowground communities, we conducted a meta-analysis of 42 published microbial responses to fire. We hypothesized that microbial biomass as a whole, and fungal biomass specifically, would be altered following fires. Across all studies, fire reduced microbial abundance by an average of 33.2% and fungal abundance by an average of 47.6%. However, microbial responses to fire differed significantly among biomes and fire types. For example, microbial biomass declined following fires in boreal and temperate forests but not following grasslands fires. In addition, wildfires lead to a greater reduction in microbial biomass than prescribed burns. These differences are likely attributable to differences in fire severity among biomes and fire types. Changes in microbial abundance were significantly correlated with changes in soil CO₂ emissions. Altogether, these results suggest that fires may significantly decrease microbial abundance, with corresponding consequences for soil CO₂ emissions.     

Increased litterfall in tropical forests boosts the transfer of soil CO2 to the atmosphere

Aboveground litter production in forests is likely to increase as a consequence of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) concentrations, rising temperatures, and shifting rainfall patterns. As litterfall represents a major flux of carbon from vegetation to soil, changes in litter inputs are likely to have wide-reaching consequences for soil carbon dynamics. Such disturbances to the carbon balance may be particularly important in the tropics because tropical forests store almost 30% of the global soil carbon, making them a critical component of the global carbon cycle; nevertheless, the effects of increasing aboveground litter production on belowground carbon dynamics are poorly understood. We used long-term, large-scale monthly litter removal and addition treatments in a lowland tropical forest to assess the consequences of increased litterfall on belowground CO(2) production. Over the second to the fifth year of treatments, litter addition increased soil respiration more than litter removal decreased it; soil respiration was on average 20% lower in the litter removal and 43% higher in the litter addition treatment compared to the controls but litter addition did not change microbial biomass. We predicted a 9% increase in soil respiration in the litter addition plots, based on the 20% decrease in the litter removal plots and an 11% reduction due to lower fine root biomass in the litter addition plots. The 43% measured increase in soil respiration was therefore 34% higher than predicted and it is possible that this 'extra' CO(2) was a result of priming effects, i.e. stimulation of the decomposition of older soil organic matter by the addition of fresh organic matter. Our results show that increases in aboveground litter production as a result of global change have the potential to cause considerable losses of soil carbon to the atmosphere in tropical forests.