Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture

With the increasing trend of converting monocultures into mixed forests, more and more studies have been carried out to investigate the admixing effects on tree growth and aboveground carbon storage. However, few studies have considered the impact of mixed forests on belowground carbon sequestra...

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Main Authors: Y. Liu, P. Lei, W. Xiang, W. Yan, X. Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017-09-01
Series:Biogeosciences
Online Access:https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/3937/2017/bg-14-3937-2017.pdf
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author Y. Liu
P. Lei
P. Lei
W. Xiang
W. Yan
W. Yan
X. Chen
X. Chen
author_facet Y. Liu
P. Lei
P. Lei
W. Xiang
W. Yan
W. Yan
X. Chen
X. Chen
author_sort Y. Liu
collection DOAJ
description With the increasing trend of converting monocultures into mixed forests, more and more studies have been carried out to investigate the admixing effects on tree growth and aboveground carbon storage. However, few studies have considered the impact of mixed forests on belowground carbon sequestration, particularly changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks as a forest grows. In this study, paired pure <i>Pinus massoniana</i> plantations, <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> plantations and mixed <i>Pinus massoniana</i>–<i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> plantations at ages of 10, 24 and 45 years were selected to test whether the mixed plantations sequestrate more organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) in soils and whether this admixing effect becomes more pronounced with stand ages. The results showed that tree species identification, composition and stand age significantly affected soil OC and N stocks. The soil OC and N stocks were the highest in mixed <i>Pinus</i>–<i>Cinnamomum</i> stands compared to those in counterpart monocultures with the same age in the whole soil profile or specific soil depth layers (0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm) for most cases, followed by <i>Cinnamomum</i> stands and <i>Pinus</i> stands with the lowest. These positive admixing effects were mostly nonadditive. Along the chronosequence, the soil OC stock peaked in the 24-year-old stand and was maintained as relatively stable thereafter. The admixing effects were also the highest at this stage. However, in the topsoil layer, the admixing effects increased with stand ages in terms of soil OC stocks. When comparing mixed <i>Pinus</i>–<i>Cinnamomum</i> plantations with corresponding monocultures within the same age, the soil N stock in mixed stands was 8.30, 11.17 and 31.45 % higher than the predicted mean value estimated from counterpart pure species plantations in 10-, 24- and 45-year-old stands, respectively. This suggests that these admixing effects were more pronounced along the chronosequence.
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spelling doaj.art-205457d64e2d4e61b320e84e5c0fbffc2022-12-21T17:45:34ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892017-09-01143937394510.5194/bg-14-3937-2017Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixtureY. Liu0P. Lei1P. Lei2W. Xiang3W. Yan4W. Yan5X. Chen6X. Chen7Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaFaculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaFaculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaFaculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, ChinaDivision of Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Governors State University, University Park, Illinois 60484, USAWith the increasing trend of converting monocultures into mixed forests, more and more studies have been carried out to investigate the admixing effects on tree growth and aboveground carbon storage. However, few studies have considered the impact of mixed forests on belowground carbon sequestration, particularly changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks as a forest grows. In this study, paired pure <i>Pinus massoniana</i> plantations, <i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> plantations and mixed <i>Pinus massoniana</i>–<i>Cinnamomum camphora</i> plantations at ages of 10, 24 and 45 years were selected to test whether the mixed plantations sequestrate more organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) in soils and whether this admixing effect becomes more pronounced with stand ages. The results showed that tree species identification, composition and stand age significantly affected soil OC and N stocks. The soil OC and N stocks were the highest in mixed <i>Pinus</i>–<i>Cinnamomum</i> stands compared to those in counterpart monocultures with the same age in the whole soil profile or specific soil depth layers (0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm) for most cases, followed by <i>Cinnamomum</i> stands and <i>Pinus</i> stands with the lowest. These positive admixing effects were mostly nonadditive. Along the chronosequence, the soil OC stock peaked in the 24-year-old stand and was maintained as relatively stable thereafter. The admixing effects were also the highest at this stage. However, in the topsoil layer, the admixing effects increased with stand ages in terms of soil OC stocks. When comparing mixed <i>Pinus</i>–<i>Cinnamomum</i> plantations with corresponding monocultures within the same age, the soil N stock in mixed stands was 8.30, 11.17 and 31.45 % higher than the predicted mean value estimated from counterpart pure species plantations in 10-, 24- and 45-year-old stands, respectively. This suggests that these admixing effects were more pronounced along the chronosequence.https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/3937/2017/bg-14-3937-2017.pdf
spellingShingle Y. Liu
P. Lei
P. Lei
W. Xiang
W. Yan
W. Yan
X. Chen
X. Chen
Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
Biogeosciences
title Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
title_full Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
title_fullStr Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
title_full_unstemmed Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
title_short Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
title_sort accumulation of soil organic c and n in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
url https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/3937/2017/bg-14-3937-2017.pdf
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