Forest transitions in Eastern Europe and their effects on carbon budgets

Forests often rebound from deforestation following industrialization and urbanization, but for many regions our understanding of where and when forest transitions happened, and how they affected carbon budgets remains poor. One such region is Eastern Europe, where political and socio‐economic conditions changed drastically over the last three centuries, but forest trends have not yet been analyzed in detail. We present a new assessment of historical forest change in the European part of the former Soviet Union and the legacies of these changes on contemporary carbon stocks. To reconstruct forest area, we homogenized statistics at the provincial level for ad 1700–2010 to identify forest transition years and forest trends. We contrast our reconstruction with the KK11 and HYDE 3.1 land change scenarios, and use all three datasets to drive the LPJ dynamic global vegetation model to calculate carbon stock dynamics. Our results revealed that forest transitions in Eastern Europe occurred predominantly in the early 20th century, substantially later than in Western Europe. We also found marked geographic variation in forest transitions, with some areas characterized by relatively stable or continuously declining forest area. Our data suggest extensive deforestation in European Russia already prior to ad 1700, and even greater deforestation in the 18th and 19th centuries than in the KK11 and HYDE scenarios. Based on our reconstruction, cumulative carbon emissions from deforestation were greater before 1700 (60 Pg C) than thereafter (29 Pg C). Summed over our entire study area, forest transitions led to a modest uptake in carbon over recent decades, with our dataset showing the smallest effect (<5.5 Pg C) and a more heterogeneous pattern of source and sink regions. This suggests substantial sequestration potential in regrowing forests of the region, a trend that may be amplified through ongoing land abandonment, climate change, and CO₂ fertilization.     

氮沉降对森林生态系统土壤碳库的影响

森林土壤碳库是陆地生态系统碳库的重要组成部分,对维持全球碳平衡具有重要意义。不断加剧的全球氮沉降有可能改变森林生态系统中碳元素的地球化学循环过程,从而引起森林土壤碳储量的变化。本文从森林土壤碳收支的角度,将氮沉降对森林生态系统土壤碳库影响的复杂过程划分为凋落物分解、细根周转、土壤呼吸和土壤可溶性有机碳淋失4个相对独立的过程。综合国内外研究现状,对其进行了简要评述,指出了目前研究的不足,并探讨了这一研究领域的发展方向。     

Distinct controls over the temporal dynamics of soil carbon fractions after land use change

Soil organic carbon (SOC), the largest terrestrial carbon pool, plays a significant role in soil‐related ecosystem services such as climate regulation, soil fertility and agricultural production. However, its fate under land use change is difficult to predict. A major issue is that SOC comprised of numerous organic compounds with potentially distinct and poorly understood turnover properties. Here we use spatiotemporal measurements of the particulate (POC), mineral‐associated (MOC) and charred SOC (COC) fractions from 176 trials involving changes in land use to assess their underlying controls. We find that the initial pool sizes of each of the three fractions consistently and dominantly control their temporal dynamics after changes in land use (i.e. the baseline effects). The effects of climate, soil physicochemical properties and plant residues, however, are fraction‐ and time‐dependent. Climate and soil properties show similar importance for controlling the dynamics of MOC and COC, while plant residue inputs (in term of their quantity and quality) are much less important. For POC, plant residues and management practices (e.g. the frequency of pasture in crop‐pasture rotation systems) are substantially more important, overriding the influence of climate. These results demonstrate the pivotal role of measuring SOC composition and considering fraction‐specific stabilization and destabilization processes for effective SOC management and reliable SOC predictions.     

川西亚高山不同演替阶段天然次生林土壤碳氮含量及酶活性特征

为了解次生林自然更新演替过程中土壤碳氮含量及酶活性的变化规律, 采用空间代替时间的方法, 在川西亚高山米亚罗林区选取环境条件基本一致的20世纪60、70和80年代采伐迹地自然更新演替的次生林(60-NSF、70-NSF和80-NSF)和岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)原始林(对照, CK)为对象, 研究了表层(0-20 cm)土壤碳氮含量和土壤酶活性的关系。结果表明: 表层土壤有机碳(SOC)、可溶性有机碳(DOC)、轻组有机碳(LFOC)含量均随森林植被更新演替呈显著降低趋势, 而全氮(TN)和可溶性有机氮(DON)含量则表现为60-NSF < 80-NSF < 70-NSF, 但70-NSF和80-NSF间差异不显著; 次生林表层土壤有机碳氮及其活性组分含量均低于CK, 其中80-NSF的DOC和DON含量与CK差异不显著。次生林的β-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)和多酚氧化酶(PHO)活性均显著低于CK, 纤维素水解酶(CBH)和过氧化物酶(PEO)活性与CK无显著差异; 天然次生林中, 60-NSF的βG和CBH活性显著低于70-NSF和80-NSF; 80-NSF的NAG活性显著高于60-NSF和70-NSF; 4种林型之间的PEO活性无显著性差异。Pearson相关分析和冗余分析显示, 土壤TN、LFOC和DOC含量与土壤酶活性显著相关, 其中TN含量解释了酶活性变化的65.4%, 说明土壤氮含量变化可能会影响到土壤碳的水解酶活性, 同时也表明土壤微生物优先利用易分解碳和氮。因此, 次生林近60年的天然更新演替引起了TN、LFOC及DOC含量的显著下降, 导致表层土壤某些胞外酶(如βG、CBH和NAG)活性降低。从土壤酶活性角度看, 岷江冷杉原始林比早期演替阶段的次生林(<60 a)更有利于川西亚高山高海拔森林生态系统的碳氮循环。     

城市土壤活性碳、氮分布特征及影响因素

为揭示城市绿地土壤活性碳氮分布特征及影响因素,选取合肥市不同类型绿地(蜀山森林公园、公园绿地、道路绿地、学校绿地、居住区绿地、工厂绿地)土壤为研究对象,对其0 ～ 30 cm土壤微生物量碳(MBC)、微生物量氮(MBN)、溶解性有机碳(DOC)、溶解性有机氮(DON)等活性组分进行研究.结果表明,绿地类型对土壤活性碳氮含量影响显著(P＜0.05),各活性碳氮含量随土层深度的增加而降低.城区内各人工绿地土壤活性碳氮含量均低于郊区蜀山森林公园绿地:MBC下降了46.81％ ～ 64.39％,MBN下降了49.90％ ～80.13％,DOC下降了28.95％ ～45.52％,DON下降了5.67％ ～48.90％,表明土地利用变化是导致绿地土壤活性碳氮变化的主要因素.相关分析表明,研究区域内MBC与MBN、DON正相关(P＜0.01),MBN与DOC正相关(P＜0.01),DOC与DON正相关(P＜0.01).研究还发现,土壤pH与活性碳、氮间均呈负相关关系(P＜0.01),表明适当降低城市土壤碱性污染物的侵入有利于土壤活性碳氮的积累.     

模拟氮沉降和降雨量改变对华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳的影响

从2013年11月至2015年12月,通过原位试验,在华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林内设置了对照(CK)、氮沉降(N)、减雨(R)、增雨(A)、氮沉降+减雨(NR)、氮沉降+增雨(NA)6个处理水平,研究了模拟氮沉降和降雨量改变对常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳的影响。结果表明:华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林土壤各土层有机碳含量表现为夏季较高,春冬季较低,0—10 cm土层有机碳含量高于10—20 cm土层。从各处理土壤有机碳含量的平均值来看,0—10 cm土层土壤有机碳含量高低顺序表现为:RNRCKANNA;10—20 cm土层表现为:RNRACKNAN。模拟氮沉降和增雨处理促进了华西雨屏区常绿阔叶林土壤有机碳的累积,模拟减雨抑制了土壤有机碳的累积。常绿阔叶林0—10cm土层土壤C/N值显著高于10—20 cm,土壤C/N值随土层加深而呈现出增加的趋势,降雨使土壤C/N降低,增雨使土壤C/N增高。同一氮沉降条件下,增雨处理增加了土壤有机碳的含量,减雨处理减少了土壤有机碳的含量;同一降雨条件下,氮沉降增加土壤有机碳的含量。氮沉降和降雨对土壤可溶解性有机碳和微生物生物量碳含量产生显著影响(P0.05),对土壤活性碳含量影响不显著(P0.05);其交互作用对土壤有机碳、可溶解性有机碳、微生物生物量碳和活性碳含量影响不显著(P0.05)。     

土地利用变化对土壤有机碳的影响研究进展

土壤有机碳是陆地碳库的重要组成部分,也是当前全球碳循环和全球变化研究的热点。土地利用/覆被变化及土地管理变化通过影响土壤有机碳的储量和分布,进而影响温室气体排放和陆地生态系统的碳通量。研究土地利用变化影响下的土壤有机碳储量及其动态变化规律,有助于加深理解全球气候变化与土地利用变化之间的关系。在阅读国内外有关文献的基础上,分别从土地利用及其管理方式变化的角度,概括了土地利用变化对土壤有机碳的影响过程与机理;针对当前研究的两大类方法,即实验方法和模型方法,分类详细介绍了它们各自的特点以及存在的一些问题。在此基础上,提出今后土地利用变化对土壤有机碳影响研究的发展趋势。     

城市湿地转变为不同土地利用类型后土壤碳氮分布特征

以安徽省蚌埠市龙子湖湿地为研究区,选择由湿地退化形成的林地、公园绿地、耕地、水产养殖地、防护林带5种土地利用类型为研究对象,分析土壤中总有机碳(TOC)、全氮(TN)含量,颗粒有机碳(POC)、颗粒有机氮(PON)含量与分配比例,以及土壤碳氮比(C/N)和颗粒组分碳氮比(POC/TOC),研究不同人为干扰强度和干扰形式下土壤碳氮的分布特征.结果表明: 林地、水产养殖地、耕地土壤中TOC呈现出表聚性,公园绿地和防护林带各土层间TOC含量无显著差异;5种土地利用类型土壤POC、TN、PON呈现出表聚性;受人为干扰程度较强的公园绿地和防护林带POC分配比例较高,耕地和水产养殖地受到的人为干扰也较强烈,但其POC分配比例与受人为干扰较弱的林地相当,说明除干扰强度外,干扰的形式也可能是影响POC分配比例的重要因素;林地C/N随土层深度增加而逐渐降低,公园绿地、耕地和防护林带C/N随土层深度增加变化不显著,除林地和耕地外,其他土地利用类型土层深度对POC/TOC的影响不显著.     

中度强度森林火灾对马尾松次生林土壤有机碳密度的影响

森林火灾作为森林非连续的干扰因子, 是生物地球化学循环的驱动因子, 显著改变生态系统的结构和功能及养分循环与能量传递, 引起森林碳库与碳分配格局的变化, 进而影响森林演替进程及固碳能力。该研究以广东省马尾松(Pinus massoniana)次生林为研究对象, 采用相邻样地比较法和空间代替时间法, 以野外调查采样与室内试验分析为主要手段, 定量研究突发性森林火灾对土壤有机碳密度的影响, 探讨森林火灾对土壤有机碳固持的影响机制。结果表明: 与对照相比, 森林火灾后的幼龄林、中龄林和成熟林的土壤有机碳密度分别为35.12、40.80和52.34 t·hm^-2, 依次降低了10.93%、8.52%和7.56%。相比对照, 幼龄林、中龄林和成熟林土壤剖面(0-60 cm)的土壤有机碳密度变化范围分别为5.04-7.76、5.26-10.27和6.33-13.58 t·hm^-2, 依次降低了2.51%-16.83%、1.31%-11.85%和1.09%-12.50%; 森林火灾显著降低了幼龄林和中龄林0-30 cm的土壤有机碳密度, 显著降低了成熟林0-20 cm的土壤有机碳密度。马尾松次生林土壤有机碳密度与土壤理化性质具有显著相关关系。通径分析表明, 对照样地和过火样地中, 土壤全氮含量均对土壤有机碳密度的直接作用最大, 土壤细根生物量对土壤有机碳密度的直接作用较小, 但其通过土壤全氮含量对土壤有机碳密度的影响均表现在间接作用上。嵌套方差分析表明, 土壤深度解释了土壤有机碳密度变异的70.60%, 林龄解释了其变异的25.35%, 森林火灾解释了其变异的2.34%。研究发现: 森林火灾减少了马尾松次生林各林龄的土壤有机碳密度。在水平方向上, 随着林龄增长, 土壤有机碳密度的减少幅度降低; 在垂直方向上, 土壤有机碳密度随着土壤土层深度加深而降低, 且随林龄增长减少幅度下降。研究森林火灾对森林生态系统土壤有机碳的影响, 有助于理解森林生态系统土壤碳固持和碳循环过程, 对制定旨在减缓全球变化的科学合理的林火管理策略具有重要意义。     

施氮和降水格局改变对土壤CH4和CO2通量的影响

氮沉降增加和降水格局改变是全球变化的两项重要内容,但是同时考虑上述两因素对温室气体CH4和CO2通量影响的原位双因子模拟研究还相当有限.本研究以长白山温带阔叶红松林土壤为研究对象,采用静态箱法研究了外施氮源(50 kg N·hm-2·a-1)和增减30％降水对土壤CH4和CO2通量的影响.结果表明:施氮能抑制土壤CH4吸收,有时甚至能将土壤对CH4的吸收转为释放,但这种抑制效应只能维持5d左右,且能在一定程度上改变CH4通量和环境因子(温度、土壤pH、粘粒含量)的相关关系.降水改变未能显著影响土壤CH4通量.对CO2通量而言,施氮能降低土壤CO2排放,长白山阔叶红松林连续施氮第4年的平均抑制效应为27.4％.长期连续施氮的平均抑制效应随施氮时间延长而逐渐增大,一定年限后达到最大值.单次施氮的抑制效应随时间延长逐渐减弱,并在1个月的施氮周期末期基本消失.施氮的抑制效应和土壤充水孔隙度(WFPS)呈显著负相关关系,且升温能增强施氮对CO2释放的抑制效应并延长抑制时间.施氮、降水有可能改变土壤呼吸的温度敏感性.本研究表明,长白山森林土壤氮素尚未达到一定阈值,未来氮沉降增加将抑制CO2的释放和CH4的吸收,因此总体来看施氮抑制土壤碳排放.     

瓦屋山扁刺栲-中华木荷常绿阔叶次生林土壤有机碳组分特征

次生林在全球碳循环中占有重要地位,为了研究中国中亚热带次生林土壤有机碳组分特征,以四川瓦屋山中山段扁刺栲-中华木荷常绿阔叶次生林为对象,通过挖取土壤剖面分层(0—10、10—40、40—70 cm和70—100 cm)取样方式,研究土壤各有机碳组分特征。结果表明:土壤有机碳、微生物生物量碳、可浸提溶解性有机碳和易氧化碳含量均随土层深度增加而减小,0—10 cm土层有机碳含量为121.89 g/kg,高于已报道的亚热带其他常绿阔叶林和四川各类森林;0—10 cm层微生物生物量碳含量为1931.82 mg/kg,可浸提溶解性有机碳含量为697.42 mg/kg,易氧化碳含量为20.98 g/kg,高于已报道的许多相似天然林和人工林活性碳含量。土壤有机碳储量为154.87 t/hm2,在四川省各类森林中处于中等水平。研究表明瓦屋山扁刺栲-中华木荷常绿阔叶次生林活性碳含量较大,微生物活动和养分流动较为活跃,凋落物层转化为土壤碳的潜力较大,这类生态系统可能会在区域碳循环过程中扮演更为重要的角色。     

Temporal response of soil organic carbon after grassland‐related land‐use change

The net flux of CO₂ exchanged with the atmosphere following grassland‐related land‐use change (LUC) depends on the subsequent temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). Yet, the magnitude and timing of these dynamics are still unclear. We compiled a global data set of 836 paired‐sites to quantify temporal SOC changes after grassland‐related LUC. In order to discriminate between SOC losses from the initial ecosystem and gains from the secondary one, the post‐LUC time series of SOC data was combined with satellite‐based net primary production observations as a proxy of carbon input to the soil. Globally, land conversion from either cropland or forest into grassland leads to SOC accumulation; the reverse shows net SOC loss. The SOC response curves vary between different regions. Conversion of cropland to managed grassland results in more SOC accumulation than natural grassland recovery from abandoned cropland. We did not consider the biophysical variables (e.g., climate conditions and soil properties) when fitting the SOC turnover rate into the observation data but analyzed the relationships between the fitted turnover rate and these variables. The SOC turnover rate is significantly correlated with temperature and precipitation (p < 0.05), but not with the clay fraction of soils (p > 0.05). Comparing our results with predictions from bookkeeping models, we found that bookkeeping models overestimate by 56% of the long‐term (100 years horizon) cumulative SOC emissions for grassland‐related LUC types in tropical and temperate regions since 2000. We also tested the spatial representativeness of our data set and calculated SOC response curves using the representative subset of sites in each region. Our study provides new insight into the impact grassland‐related LUC on the global carbon budget and sheds light on the potential of grassland conservation for climate mitigation.     

Conventional intensive logging promotes loss of organic carbon from the mineral soil

There are few data, but diametrically opposed opinions, about the impacts of forest logging on soil organic carbon (SOC). Reviews and research articles conclude either that there is no effect, or show contradictory effects. Given that SOC is a substantial store of potential greenhouse gasses and forest logging and harvesting is routine, resolution is important. We review forest logging SOC studies and provide an overarching conceptual explanation for their findings. The literature can be separated into short‐term empirical studies, longer‐term empirical studies and long‐term modelling. All modelling that includes major aboveground and belowground biomass pools shows a long‐term (i.e. ≥300 years) decrease in SOC when a primary forest is logged and then subjected to harvesting cycles. The empirical longer‐term studies indicate likewise. With successive harvests the net emission accumulates but is only statistically perceptible after centuries. Short‐term SOC flux varies around zero. The long‐term drop in SOC in the mineral soil is driven by the biomass drop from the primary forest level but takes time to adjust to the new temporal average biomass. We show agreement between secondary forest SOC stocks derived purely from biomass information and stocks derived from complex forest harvest modelling. Thus, conclusions that conventional harvests do not deplete SOC in the mineral soil have been a function of their short time frames. Forest managers, climate change modellers and environmental policymakers need to assume a long‐term net transfer of SOC from the mineral soil to the atmosphere when primary forests are logged and then undergo harvest cycles. However, from a greenhouse accounting perspective, forest SOC is not the entire story. Forest wood products that ultimately reach landfill, and some portion of which produces some soil‐like material there rather than in the forest, could possibly help attenuate the forest SOC emission by adding to a carbon pool in landfill.     

黄土高原次生林演替对团聚体有机碳含量及化学稳定性的影响

次生林演替过程中土壤团聚体有机碳的积累机制和化学稳定性研究较少。为探明次生林演替对土壤团聚体有机碳含量及其化学组成稳定性的影响,选取黄土高原次生白桦林(演替初期),山杨辽东栎混交林(演替中期)和辽东栎林(演替后期)为研究对象,分析演替过程中不同粒径土壤团聚体有机碳含量变化特征。采用傅里叶红外光谱技术(FTRI)测定活性(AC)和非活性(IC)有机碳化学组成,以(IC/AC)作为有机碳化学组成稳定性指标,并分析其影响因素。结果表明:次生林演替过程中土壤团聚体有机碳含量表现出逐渐增加的趋势且各群落间差异显著(P<0.05),以演替后期的中等粒径团聚体为最高(37.63 g/kg)。土壤团聚体AC中多糖体有机碳含量最高(55.87%),而IC中芳香族有机碳含量最高(94.45%),演替过程中IC与AC总体变化趋势均呈现先降后增。IC/AC随着演替的进行呈先降低后升高的趋势,其中演替后期微团聚体有机碳化学组成稳定性最强达到了3.95。微团聚体含量(WM)与土壤全氮、全磷、全钾一起,显著促进了团聚体有机碳化学组成稳定性(P<0.05)。综上,次生林演替有利于促进土壤团聚体有机碳的积累以及有机碳化学稳定,其中微团聚体起到了关键性作用。     

保护性耕作对农田碳、氮效应的影响研究进展

作物产量的高低主要取决于土壤肥力,如何保持并提高土壤肥力是确保我国粮食安全和农业可持续发展的重要任务,也是众多学者关注的焦点。土壤有机碳和氮素是评价土壤质量的重要指标,其动态平衡直接影响土壤肥力和作物产量。随着全球气候变化及环境污染问题的愈加突出,农田土壤固碳及提高氮效率成为各界科学家研究的热点。目前,保护性耕作已成为发展可持续农业的重要技术之一,对土壤固碳及氮素的利用具有很大的影响。深入了解保护性耕作对土壤有机碳固持与氮素利用效率提高的影响机制,对于正确评价土壤肥力有着重要意义。但由于气候、土壤及种植制度等条件不一致,关于保护性耕作对农田碳、氮效应结论不一。阐述了国际上保护性耕作对农田系统土壤有机碳含量变化及其分解排放(如CO₂和CH₄)、氮素变化及其矿化损失(如NH₃挥发、N₂O排放与氮淋失)和碳氮素相互关系(如C/N层化率)影响的研究进展,并分析了其影响因素和相关机理。尽管国内保护性耕作的研究已进行30 多年,但在土壤有机碳与氮素方面与国外相比依然有较大的差距。保护性耕作对土壤固碳与氮素利用的影响机制,碳素和氮素在土壤-植株-大气系统中的转移变化,及结合农事管理等综合评价其生态效应的研究很少。在此基础上,提出未来我国保护性耕作在土壤有机碳固定和氮素利用方面的重点研究方向:(1)在定位试验基础上进一步探讨保护性耕作对土壤有机碳及氮素利用的影响机制;(2)深入研究土壤有机碳和氮素的相互关系及其对土壤肥力的影响;(3)结合环境保护与土壤可持续管理对保护性耕作农田土壤固碳及氮素高效利用的系统评价研究;(4)加强保护性耕作对农田碳、氮效应的宏观研究,合理评价保护性耕措施下对农田碳、氮综合效应。     

Effect of soil nitrogen,carbon and moisture on methane uptake by dry tropical forest soils

Methane uptake was measured for two consecutive years for four forest and one savanna sites in a seasonally dry tropical region of India. The soils were nutrient-poor and well drained. These sites differed in vegetational cover and physico-chemical features of the soil. There were significant differences in CH₄ consumption rates during the two years (mean 0.43 and 0.49 mg m^-2 h^-1), and at different sites (mean 0.36 to 0.57 mg m^-2 h^-1). The mean uptake rate was higher (P < 0.05) in dry seasons than in the rainy season at all the sites. There was a significant season and site interaction, indicating that the effect of different seasons differed across the sites. There was a positive relation between soil moisture and CH₄ uptake rates during summer (the driest period) and a negative relation during the rest of the year. The results suggested that seasonally dry tropical forests are a strong sink for CH₄, and C and N status of soils regulates the strength of the sink in the long term.     

缙云山不同土地利用方式土壤有机碳组分特征

探讨了我国西南地区缙云山亚热带常绿阔叶林(以下简称林地)、果园、坡耕地以及撂荒地4种土地利用方式对土壤有机碳(SOC)组分含量及其分配比例的影响。采用物理分组技术,将SOC分为粗颗粒有机碳(cPOC)、细颗粒有机碳(fPOC)、微团聚体内颗粒有机碳(iPOC)、微团聚体内粉+黏颗粒(s+c_m)有机碳及粉+黏颗粒(s+c)有机碳。研究结果表明:在0—60cm的土壤深度范围内,SOC、cPOC、fPOC、iPOC、s+c_m组分以及s+c组分有机碳平均含量均为林地(9.02、3.14、1.61、0.33、0.42、3.53g/kg)显著高于果园(3.27、0.93、0.27、0.10、0.24、1.73g/kg)和坡耕地(2.58、0.51、0.10、0.12、0.08、1.77g/kg),说明林地开垦会导致SOC及各组分的流失;而撂荒地上述SOC及其各组分含量分别为14.90、5.17、2.36、0.42、0.59和6.36g/kg,均显著高于坡耕地,表明耕地撂荒后SOC及其组分能得到有效的恢复和截存。在SOC的各物理组分中,iPOC的有机碳分配比例最低,4种土地利用方式下均为3%左右;cPOC和fPOC作为活性较强的非保护有机碳库,在林地和撂荒地中所占SOC分配比例最高,达到50%以上;而果园和坡耕地中53um的粉+黏颗粒有机碳组成的化学保护有机碳库分配比例最大,分别为65.9%和71.6%,表明林地和撂荒地土壤有机碳的活性远远大于坡耕地及果园,支持更高的土壤肥力。在SOC及其组分中,fPOC可作为评估土地利用变化对土壤有机碳库影响的良好指标。     

Soil carbon sequestration and land‐use change: processes and potential

When agricultural land is no longer used for cultivation and allowed to revert to natural vegetation or replanted to perennial vegetation, soil organic carbon can accumulate. This accumulation process essentially reverses some of the effects responsible for soil organic carbon losses from when the land was converted from perennial vegetation. We discuss the essential elements of what is known about soil organic matter dynamics that may result in enhanced soil carbon sequestration with changes in land‐use and soil management. We review literature that reports changes in soil organic carbon after changes in land‐use that favour carbon accumulation. This data summary provides a guide to approximate rates of SOC sequestration that are possible with management, and indicates the relative importance of some factors that influence the rates of organic carbon sequestration in soil. There is a large variation in the length of time for and the rate at which carbon may accumulate in soil, related to the productivity of the recovering vegetation, physical and biological conditions in the soil, and the past history of soil organic carbon inputs and physical disturbance. Maximum rates of C accumulation during the early aggrading stage of perennial vegetation growth, while substantial, are usually much less than 100 g C m^?2 y^?1. Average rates of accumulation are similar for forest or grassland establishment: 33.8 g C m^?2 y^?1 and 33.2 g C m^?2 y^?1, respectively. These observed rates of soil organic C accumulation, when combined with the small amount of land area involved, are insufficient to account for a significant fraction of the missing C in the global carbon cycle as accumulating in the soils of formerly agricultural land.     

土壤及凋落物源氮对中亚热带森林土壤SON的影响

土壤可溶性有机氮(SON)含量虽低,却是土壤氮库中最活跃的组分之一;主要来源于凋落物分解和土壤氮素转化。但是它们各自对土壤的影响还不清楚。通过添加杉木和~(15)N标记的阔叶凋落物于土壤表面,研究针阔叶凋落物分解对土壤SON的影响,及与土壤氮的关系。结果表明:由于没有降水的淋溶影响,培养期间,凋落物SON的显著降低,并没有直接增加土壤SON。与对照比较,杉木凋落物添加显著增加了土壤无机氮的含量,而较高C/N比的阔叶凋落物在其分解初期首先需要吸收更多的土壤氨态氮。添加~(15)N标记的阔叶凋落物提高了土壤SON在培养90—210天来自凋落物的比例,在第210天高达74.8%;来自凋落物的氨态氮比例在实验30天开始增加,到第210天高达39.8%;但是对硝态氮的影响不大。结果表明,土壤SON在培养初期因受凋落物的影响,主要来自土壤有机质的分解,而来自凋落物的SON更容易矿化;且土壤源的氮更容易发生硝化作用。可见,土壤中的SON是与凋落物分解动态、以及对土壤的影响有关。     

Effects of fire on soil carbon and nitrogen in a Mediterranean oak forest of Algeria

The effects of wildfire on the dynamics of pH, organic C, total and mineral N and in vitro C and N mineralization were investigated in the soil under oak (Quercus suber L.) trees. Soil samples were taken from 5 to 21 months subsequent to the fire. The pH increased sharply in the burned surface soil (0–5 cm) taken 5 months after the fire and dropped only by half a unit over 14 to 21 months. However, at greater depth (5–15 cm), the burned soil was more acidic than the adjacent unburned soil up to 9 months following the fire, and thereafter its pH rose only slightly above that of the unburned soil. There were sharp rises in the concentration of organic C, total and mineral N in addition toin vitro mineralization activities in the burned surface soil collected 5 months after the fire; these dropped off in the subsequent samples approaching or falling below the values obtained in the unburned surface soil after 21 months. At a depth of 5–15 cm only slight or no increases over unburned soil were evident.