Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China
Abstract Background Old-growth forests are irreplaceable with respect to climate change mitigation and have considerable carbon (C) sink potential in soils. However, the relationship between the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover rate and forest development is poorly understood, which hinders our ab...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2021-09-01
|
| Series: | Forest Ecosystems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-021-00337-5 |
| _version_ | 1797969744953868288 |
|---|---|
| author | Xin Xiong Juxiu Liu Guoyi Zhou Qi Deng Huiling Zhang Guowei Chu Ze Meng Deqiang Zhang |
| author_facet | Xin Xiong Juxiu Liu Guoyi Zhou Qi Deng Huiling Zhang Guowei Chu Ze Meng Deqiang Zhang |
| author_sort | Xin Xiong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Old-growth forests are irreplaceable with respect to climate change mitigation and have considerable carbon (C) sink potential in soils. However, the relationship between the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover rate and forest development is poorly understood, which hinders our ability to assess the C sequestration capacity of soil in old-growth forests. Methods In this study, we evaluated the SOC turnover rate by calculating the isotopic enrichment factor β (defined as the slope of the regression between 13C natural abundance and log-transformed C concentrations) along 0–30 cm soil profiles in three successional forests in subtropical China. A lower β (steeper slope) is associated with a higher turnover rate. The three forests were a 60-year-old P. massoniana forest (PF), a 100-year-old coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest (MF), and a 400-year-old monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest (BF). We also analyzed the soil physicochemical properties in these forests to examine the dynamics of SOC turnover during forest succession and the main regulators. Results The β value for the upper 30-cm soils in the BF was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that in the PF, in addition to the SOC stock, although there were nonsignificant differences between the BF and MF. The β value was significantly (p < 0.05) positively correlated with the soil recalcitrance index, total nitrogen, and available nitrogen contents but was significantly (p < 0.01) negatively correlated with soil pH. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that SOC has lower turnover rates in old-growth forests, accompanied by higher soil chemical recalcitrance, nitrogen status, and lower soil pH. This finding helps to elucidate the mechanism underlying C sequestration in old-growth forest soils, and emphasizes the important value of old-growth forests among global C sinks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:05:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-408ae9a4c2274bcbb678daf25d6b5a15 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2197-5620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:05:57Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forest Ecosystems |
| spelling | doaj.art-408ae9a4c2274bcbb678daf25d6b5a152023-01-02T13:01:03ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Forest Ecosystems2197-56202021-09-018111110.1186/s40663-021-00337-5Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical ChinaXin Xiong0Juxiu Liu1Guoyi Zhou2Qi Deng3Huiling Zhang4Guowei Chu5Ze Meng6Deqiang Zhang7Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & TechnologyKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystem, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Background Old-growth forests are irreplaceable with respect to climate change mitigation and have considerable carbon (C) sink potential in soils. However, the relationship between the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover rate and forest development is poorly understood, which hinders our ability to assess the C sequestration capacity of soil in old-growth forests. Methods In this study, we evaluated the SOC turnover rate by calculating the isotopic enrichment factor β (defined as the slope of the regression between 13C natural abundance and log-transformed C concentrations) along 0–30 cm soil profiles in three successional forests in subtropical China. A lower β (steeper slope) is associated with a higher turnover rate. The three forests were a 60-year-old P. massoniana forest (PF), a 100-year-old coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest (MF), and a 400-year-old monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest (BF). We also analyzed the soil physicochemical properties in these forests to examine the dynamics of SOC turnover during forest succession and the main regulators. Results The β value for the upper 30-cm soils in the BF was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that in the PF, in addition to the SOC stock, although there were nonsignificant differences between the BF and MF. The β value was significantly (p < 0.05) positively correlated with the soil recalcitrance index, total nitrogen, and available nitrogen contents but was significantly (p < 0.01) negatively correlated with soil pH. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that SOC has lower turnover rates in old-growth forests, accompanied by higher soil chemical recalcitrance, nitrogen status, and lower soil pH. This finding helps to elucidate the mechanism underlying C sequestration in old-growth forest soils, and emphasizes the important value of old-growth forests among global C sinks.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-021-00337-5Forest successionOld-growth forestsSoil organic carbonTurnover rate13C natural abundance |
| spellingShingle | Xin Xiong Juxiu Liu Guoyi Zhou Qi Deng Huiling Zhang Guowei Chu Ze Meng Deqiang Zhang Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China Forest Ecosystems Forest succession Old-growth forests Soil organic carbon Turnover rate 13C natural abundance |
| title | Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China |
| title_full | Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China |
| title_fullStr | Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China |
| title_short | Reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old-growth forests: a case study in subtropical China |
| title_sort | reduced turnover rate of topsoil organic carbon in old growth forests a case study in subtropical china |
| topic | Forest succession Old-growth forests Soil organic carbon Turnover rate 13C natural abundance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-021-00337-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xinxiong reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT juxiuliu reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT guoyizhou reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT qideng reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT huilingzhang reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT guoweichu reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT zemeng reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina AT deqiangzhang reducedturnoverrateoftopsoilorganiccarboninoldgrowthforestsacasestudyinsubtropicalchina |