Effects of forest conversion on soil labile organic carbon fractions and aggregate stability in subtropical China

Soil labile fractions play an important role in improving soil quality due to its ability of maintaining soil fertility and minimizing negative environmental impacts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of forest transition (conversion of natural broadleaf forests into monoculture tree plantations) on soil labile fractions (light fraction organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon). Soil samples were collected from a natural forest of Castanopsis kawakamii Hayata (NF) and two adjacent 36-year-old monoculture plantations of C. kawakamii (CK) and Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb. (Chinese fir) (CF) at Xinkou Experimental Forestry Centre, southeastern China. In the 0–100 cm depth, the light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were significantly lower in the CK and CF than in the NF (P?<?0.05). Generally, LFOC, POC and MBC contents declined consistently with profile depth. Significant differences in LFOC, POC and MBC concentrations between the native forest and two plantations were detected at 0–40 cm depth, especially the top 10 cm, whereas there was less change below 40 cm, indicating that labile fraction losses due to forest transition mainly occurred in the surface soils. The three indices of labile organic carbon were closely correlated, suggesting they are interrelated properties. Labile fractions (LFOC, POC and MBC) were more sensitive indicators of SOC change resulting from the forest transition. We also found that forest types significantly affected the water stable aggregate >0.25 mm content (WSA) at the 0–10 cm depth. It suggested that converting old-growth native forest to intensively-managed plantations would reduce labile organic C, which may be attributed to a combination of factors including quantity of litter materials, microbial activity and management disturbances, which would change greatly with the forest conversion. How long these changes would persist needs the further study.     

Responses of soil labile organic carbon and water-stable aggregates to reforestation in southern subtropical China

中国南亚热带土壤易分解有机碳和水稳性团聚体对造林的响应 造林被认为可以提高土壤碳稳定性并促进土壤碳累积。然而,实验结果差异很大,造林在提高土壤碳稳定性方面的作用仍存在争议。因此,在森林生态系统中不同土壤碳库对造林如何响应目前尚不清楚。基于此,本文对亚热带地区的尾叶桉林(Eucalyptus urophylla)、厚荚相思林(Acacia crassicarpa)、 红锥林(Castanopsis hystrix)、10树种混交林和自然恢复草坡等5种不同林型的土壤碳组分进行了研究,评估其不同土层(0–10、10–20、20–40 和40–60 cm)中的土壤易分解有机碳(容易被高锰酸钾氧化的有机碳ROC和土壤可溶性有机碳DOC)及土壤团聚体相关的碳对造林的响应。实验结果表明,造林(与自然恢复草坡比较)和林型并没有显著影响土壤ROC浓度,而自然恢复草坡土壤的DOC浓度在4个土层中均最高。0–10 cm土层中各径级的土壤团聚体其碳(C)浓度均是红锥林最高。此外,在任一土层中,林型对不同径级土壤水稳性团聚体比例的影响均不显著。但是土壤深度显著改变土壤团聚体的分布,0–20 cm土层主要为>0.25 mm粒径的团聚体,20–60 cm土层则是0.053–2 mm粒径的团聚体占主导。这些结果显示造林和林型影响土壤DOC 和团聚体C,而且它们相比于ROC对造林的响应更为敏感。研究发现,与自然恢复相比,人工林降低了土壤DOC浓度,暗示它可能会减少土壤C的淋溶损失。此外,红锥林能够通过物理保护提高表土层中土壤碳的稳定性。本研究为关注土壤碳汇功能时的中国南亚热带地区造林树种选择提供了有价值的信息。     

南亚热带森林土壤碳库稳定性与碳库管理指数对模拟酸雨的响应

通过对土壤总有机碳(SOC)、易氧化有机碳(ROC_(333)、ROC_(167)、ROC_(33))、颗粒有机碳(POC)、微生物量碳(SMBC)、溶解性有机碳(DOC)的测定,探讨模拟酸雨(pH 3.0、pH 3.5、pH 4.0、对照CK)对鼎湖山三个不同演替阶段森林(季风常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林、马尾松针叶林)土壤碳库稳定性及碳库管理指数的影响。结果表明:模拟酸雨增加了总有机碳的含量和各组分活性有机碳的含量(P0.05),但酸雨在一定程度上抑制了土壤中微生物量与活性。土壤中各组分活性有机碳与总有机碳呈显著相关,其中ROC_(333)和POC的含量与SOC关系最为密切,相关系数分别为0.853、0.846;碳库管理指数(CMI)结果表明,碳库活度(L)及碳库活度指数(LI)随森林的正向演替有下降的趋势,CPI与CMI呈现相反的趋势。在土壤有机碳及部分活性碳组分增加,碳库活性降低的前提下,土壤碳库稳定性增加。从各项指标的变化幅度可以得出:南亚热带森林土壤随森林群落正向演替而对模拟酸雨响应有更加敏感的趋势,各指标间的敏感性表现为CMIR_(333)POCSMBCR_(167)R_(33)LIDOCCPISOC。     

Soil mono- and disaccharides and amino acids as influenced by plant litter and root processes in a subtropical moist forest of southwest China

Soil mono- and disaccharides (SS) and total free amino acids (AA) can influence soil microbial activities, whether they are derived from decomposition of organic materials or from plant root exudates. To quantify the relative importance of aboveground plant litter input and belowground inputs of root exudates and root debris on SS and AA, we conducted litter removal, root trenching and tree girdling experiments in a subtropical moist forest of southwest China. We found that concentrations of SS and AA had pronounced seasonal fluctuations. Litter removal markedly reduced SS concentrations, but it had no effect on AA concentrations. Concentrations of SS were significantly correlated with litterfall that had occurred 2 months earlier in the control plots, but that correlation was not observed in the litter removal plots. Multiple-linear regressions of soil respiration and soil temperature on AA concentrations were significant in both control and litter removal plots, but not in the root trenching or tree girdling plots. These results suggest that SS levels are likely to be regulated by aboveground plant litter input, and concentrations of AA are affected by microbial activity that fluctuates with soil temperature and belowground carbon input.     

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.     

外源碳输入对中亚热带森林深层土壤碳矿化和微生物决策群落的影响

在陆地生态系统中,深层土壤是重要的有机碳库.外源碳输入可改变土壤有机碳(SOC)矿化速率(激发效应),进而影响土壤碳排放.然而深层土壤对外源碳输入的响应程度和方向如何还不清楚,引起激发效应的机理尚不明确.本文利用¹³C标记葡萄糖添加试验,分析亚热带森林不同层次SOC矿化的激发作用,并通过微生物决策群落(r-K策略者)的相对变化来探讨激发效应的机理.结果表明: 深层土壤矿化速率显著低于表层土壤,添加标记葡萄糖后能增加所有层次土壤原有SOC的矿化(正激发效应),但是深层土壤的激发效应强度(156%)显著高于表层土壤(45%).葡萄糖添加显著降低了各层次土壤微生物的最大比生长速率,表明r策略者相对比例下降而K策略者相对比例增加.推测SOC矿化的正激发效应主要由K策略者的相对比例变化引起.此外,葡萄糖添加后可溶性有机碳和可溶性氮的比值在深层土壤中(76.03)显著高于表层土壤(13.00),暗示深层土壤存在更为强烈的氮限制作用.深层土壤微生物为获取氮源,可能会加剧对原有SOC的矿化,进而产生更强烈的激发效应.深层土壤SOC矿化受碳源和氮源的限制,更容易受外源碳输入的影响,对未来气候变化也更敏感.     

中国北亚热带天然次生林与杉木人工林土壤活性有机碳库的比较

为了了解北亚热带东部地区天然次生林转变成杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)人工林对土壤活性有机碳库的影响, 以浙江省富阳市庙山坞森林生态系统定位研究站杉木人工林和天然次生林为研究对象, 对达到成熟林状态的两种林分类型0-60 cm内各土层土壤活性有机碳含量进行了比较研究。结果表明: 1)天然次生林土壤总有机碳、易氧化有机碳、水溶性有机碳和轻组有机质含量均高于杉木人工林, 与人工杉木林相比, 增幅分别为19.0%-32.6%、0.8%-30.3%、3.8%-54.1%和6.3%-38.6%, 且在0-10和10-20 cm土层差异显著(p < 0.05) (水溶性有机碳仅在0-10 cm土层差异显著); 2)杉木人工林土壤水溶性有机碳与易氧化碳占总有机碳的比率均高于天然次生林; 3)两个林分土壤水溶性有机碳、易氧化碳和轻组有机质与总有机碳含量均呈现极显著相关, 且天然次生林土壤易氧化碳、轻组有机质与总有机碳的相关系数均大于杉木人工林; 4)土壤有机碳、水溶性有机碳、易氧化碳和轻组有机质与土壤养分(全氮、水解氮、速效磷、速效钾、速效钙和速效镁)的相关性均达到显著(p < 0.05)或极显著(p < 0.01)水平。     

亚热带不同林分土壤表层有机碳组成及其稳定性

在浙江临安玲珑山选取了常绿阔叶林、马尾松林、板栗林和雷竹林4种林分,采用传统的化学方法与固态13C核磁共振(NMR)技术研究其土壤有机碳在不同粒径土壤颗粒中的分布规律和结构特征,探讨林分类别和管理措施对土壤有机碳含量及其结构的影响,为亚热带地区森林固碳和土壤碳库管理提供科学依据。结果显示:(1)土壤表层(0—20 cm)有机碳含量按以下次序递减:雷竹林>常绿阔叶林>马尾松林>板栗林,且板栗林以粉黏粒结合态碳为主,其他林分土壤则以粗砂结合态碳为主;(2)13C NMR结果表明,阔叶林和马尾松林土壤有机碳中烷基碳所占比例最大,而雷竹林和板栗林则是烷氧碳比例最大,表明人工经营措施改变了土壤有机碳的成分组成;(3)随着土壤颗粒变细,有机碳中烷基碳比例增加,烷氧碳比例减少,A/O-A值和疏水碳/亲水碳值逐渐增大,表明颗粒越细,其结合的有机碳结构稳定性越高。     

火烧对中国北亚热带天然马尾松林土壤有机碳的影响

以北亚热带天然马尾松火烧迹地为研究对象,对火灾1年后0~50 cm各土层土壤有机碳和土壤养分含量变化进行分析。结果表明:火灾后各层土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳和轻组有机质含量均高于对照样地,增幅分别为4.5%~47.6%、6.6%~43.0%和9.0%~49.1%,且在0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层中差异极显著(P0.01);火灾发生1年后在0~50 cm土壤剖面土壤有机碳储量相比对照样地增加了23.8%(P0.01);过火后土壤总有机碳、易氧化碳和轻组有机质与土壤养分(全氮、水解氮、速效钾)的相关性均达到极显著水平(P0.01)。火后土壤有机碳增加的主要原因是植被层未充分燃烧的有机残体的混入。     

罗浮栲天然林土壤可溶性有机碳的剖面分布及季节变化

对罗浮栲天然常绿阔叶林土壤1m剖面内可溶性有机碳(DOC)进行了研究,结果表明:林地土壤DOC的平均含量随土层深度增加呈下降趋势,表层(0～5cm)土壤DOC的平均含量为55.69 mg·kg-1,分别与其他土层间含量存在显著性差异(P<0.01);不同土层的DOC含量占土壤有机碳的比例也随土层深度增加而降低,1m剖面内DOC的平均含量占土壤有机碳含量的0.14%;各季节土壤剖面DOC含量随土层深度增加均呈下降趋势,冬季下降趋势最为显著,夏季下降趋势相对平缓.土壤剖面DOC含量的季节变化为:冬季>秋季>春季>夏季,各季节不同土层DOC含量占土壤有机碳比例的变化趋势均不明显;不同土层土壤DOC含量的季节变化差异显著(P<0.01),表层(0～5cm)土壤间差异最为明显.     

Altered litter inputs modify carbon and nitrogen storage in soil organic matter in a lowland tropical forest

Biogeochemistry - Soil organic matter (SOM) in tropical forests is an important store of carbon (C) and nutrients. Although SOM storage could be affected by global changes via altered plant...     

Effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen addition on soil organic carbon fractions in a subtropical forest

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of elevated CO₂ concentration and nitrogen addition on soil organic carbon fractions in subtropical forests where the ambient N deposition was high.

Methods

Seedlings of typical subtropical forest ecosystems were transplanted in ten open-top chambers and grown under CO₂ and nitrogen treatments. The treatments included: 1) elevated CO₂ (700?μmol?mol^-1); 2) N addition of 100?kg NH₄NO₃ ha^-1?yr^-1; 3) combined elevated CO₂ and N addition; and 4) control. We measured soil total organic carbon (TOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC).

Results

Results showed that elevated CO₂ alone did not significantly affect soil TOC, POC and ROC after 4?years of treatment, but increased soil MBC and soil respiration compared to the control. N addition alone had no significant effect neither on soil TOC, POC and ROC, but decreased MBC and soil respiration over time. However, the elevated CO₂ and N addition together significantly increased soil POC and ROC, and had no significant effect on soil MBC.

Conclusions

This study indicated that even in N-rich subtropical forest ecosystems, inputs of N are still needed in order to sustain soil C accumulation under elevated CO₂.     

澳大利亚亚热带不同森林土壤微生物群落对碳源的利用

为阐明土壤微生物群落对碳源利用类型和强度,采用MicroRespTM方法研究3种森林类型不同土壤含水量微生物群落对不同类型碳源的利用情况,结果表明：湿地松（Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliotttii）林地土壤微生物碳源利用率依次为60%WHC>20%WHC>40%WHC,南洋杉（Araucaria cunninghamii）和贝壳杉（Agathis australis）林地土壤微生物对碳源利用的格局相似,为20%WHC>60%WHC>40%WHC。南洋杉和贝壳杉林地土壤对碳源利用率趋势相同,主要是对L-苹果酸、草酸和L-赖氨酸利用比较高。在40%WHC处理中,3种树种对碳源的利用均很低,差异不明显。除精氨酸和L-赖氨酸外,60%WHC处理土壤微生物利用单一碳源能力的大小顺序为：南洋杉>湿地松>贝壳杉。3种树种土壤Shannon多样性指数(H’)、Shannon均匀度(E)和Simpson指数(D)均无显著差异。土壤pH值影响微生物对L-丙氨酸、精氨酸、D-( )-葡萄糖、N-乙酰基-氨基葡萄糖的利用率较大,这些类群的微生物主要分布在贝壳杉林地;分布在南洋杉林地的微生物对柠檬酸、L-苹果酸和γ-酪氨酸利用率较大,且主要是受TP的影响;D-( )-果糖、柠檬酸和L-半胱氨酸-盐酸等受水分、TN和TC等影响较大,这类微生物类群主要分布在湿地松林地。     

不同植物来源可溶性有机质对亚热带森林土壤酶活性的影响

探究不同植物来源可溶性有机质(DOM)进入土壤后对酶活性的影响, 可以为降水淋溶下亚热带地区不同森林生态系统土壤碳循环提供科学依据。该研究提取杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)、木荷(Schima superba)和楠木(Phoebe zherman) 3种植物鲜叶中的DOM分别输入杉木人工林土壤中, 以等量的去离子水添加为对照, 进行25天的室内培养。培养结束后测定土壤理化性质、微生物生物量和酶活性等指标。结果表明: 与对照处理(CT)相比, 添加3种叶片DOM后, 土壤总有机碳(SOC)、总氮(TN)含量和碳氮比均无显著变化。杉木叶片DOM添加处理(CL)的TN含量显著低于木荷叶片DOM添加处理(SL)和楠木叶片DOM添加处理(PL), 碳氮比显著高于SL和PL。3种叶片DOM输入整体上提高了土壤溶解有机碳(DOC)和溶解有机氮(DON)的含量。叶片DOM输入后土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)含量无显著变化, 然而CL和SL的土壤微生物生物量氮(MBN)含量分别比CT降低了50.9%和51.1%, PL的MBN含量比CT提高了54.0%。与CT相比, 不同植物来源DOM输入后, β-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、纤维素水解酶(CBH)和过氧化物酶(PEO) 3种酶活性均显著上升, 而多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性则显著下降; 此外, βG和CBH活性均表现出CL > SL > PL的特征。相关性分析的结果表明, 添加叶片DOM 3种处理的SOC、TN、MBN含量和βG、CBH活性都与所输入DOM的DOC含量和腐殖化指数(HIX)显著相关, 此外, 土壤MBN含量和PPO活性与输入叶片DOM的pH呈正相关关系。冗余分析(RDA)结果表明, 叶片DOM输入后引起土壤酶活性变化的关键因子是DON和DOC含量。总体来说, 不同植物来源DOM性质的差异会影响土壤碳循环水解酶的活性, 而叶片DOM输入后增加了土壤碳和氮的有效性, 引起4种碳循环酶的不同响应。     

经营方式对亚热带森林土壤可溶性有机碳含量和光谱学特征的影响

人工促进天然更新与人工造林经营方式中采伐剩余物管理等人工措施的差异,可能改变土壤可溶性有机碳(DOC)的含量和结构,影响森林碳循环。本研究利用天然次生林(对照)采伐迹地上通过人工促进天然更新林(简称人促更新林)和人工造林两种营林方式,研究经营方式对中亚热带森林土壤溶液可溶性有机碳含量和光谱特征的影响。结果表明:天然次生林转换为人促更新林和人工林后,0～10 cm土层土壤DOC含量显著降低,分别下降21%和50%;0～10 cm和10～20 cm土层土壤DOC/SOC(土壤有机碳)值也显著降低,分别达到27%和43%。在0～10 cm土层中,人促更新林土壤DOC芳香化指数和腐殖化指数显著高于人工林,人促更新林土壤DOC在3700～3000、1650～1620、1160～1000、690～530 cm^-1范围内的红外吸收比例较人工林高,表明人促更新林土壤DOC的羧酸类物质、芳香化物质丰富;人促更新林和人工林土壤DOC的荧光指数均为1.4～1.9,且人促更新林自生源指数显著高于人工林,说明人工林土壤DOC类蛋白组分贡献大,容易被微生物分解利用。人促更新林与人工林土壤DOC含量和结构的差异可能是人促更新林的土壤碳库比人工林更高的原因之一。     

Long-term experimental warming decreased labile soil organic carbon in a tallgrass prairie

Plant and Soil - Climate warming has been hypothesized to influence dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC), especially labile SOC due to its rapid response to changes in temperature and carbon (C)...     

Effects of dissolved organic matter from different plant sources on soil enzyme activities in subtropical forests

探究不同植物来源可溶性有机质(DOM)进入土壤后对酶活性的影响, 可以为降水淋溶下亚热带地区不同森林生态系统土壤碳循环提供科学依据。该研究提取杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)、木荷(Schima superba)和楠木(Phoebe zherman) 3种植物鲜叶中的DOM分别输入杉木人工林土壤中, 以等量的去离子水添加为对照, 进行25天的室内培养。培养结束后测定土壤理化性质、微生物生物量和酶活性等指标。结果表明: 与对照处理(CT)相比, 添加3种叶片DOM后, 土壤总有机碳(SOC)、总氮(TN)含量和碳氮比均无显著变化。杉木叶片DOM添加处理(CL)的TN含量显著低于木荷叶片DOM添加处理(SL)和楠木叶片DOM添加处理(PL), 碳氮比显著高于SL和PL。3种叶片DOM输入整体上提高了土壤溶解有机碳(DOC)和溶解有机氮(DON)的含量。叶片DOM输入后土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)含量无显著变化, 然而CL和SL的土壤微生物生物量氮(MBN)含量分别比CT降低了50.9%和51.1%, PL的MBN含量比CT提高了54.0%。与CT相比, 不同植物来源DOM输入后, β-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、纤维素水解酶(CBH)和过氧化物酶(PEO) 3种酶活性均显著上升, 而多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性则显著下降; 此外, βG和CBH活性均表现出CL > SL > PL的特征。相关性分析的结果表明, 添加叶片DOM 3种处理的SOC、TN、MBN含量和βG、CBH活性都与所输入DOM的DOC含量和腐殖化指数(HIX)显著相关, 此外, 土壤MBN含量和PPO活性与输入叶片DOM的pH呈正相关关系。冗余分析(RDA)结果表明, 叶片DOM输入后引起土壤酶活性变化的关键因子是DON和DOC含量。总体来说, 不同植物来源DOM性质的差异会影响土壤碳循环水解酶的活性, 而叶片DOM输入后增加了土壤碳和氮的有效性, 引起4种碳循环酶的不同响应。