Simulated wild boar bioturbation increases the stability of forest soil carbon
<p>Most forest soils are characterised by a steep carbon gradient from the forest floor to the mineral soil, indicating that carbon is prevented from entry into the soil. Bioturbation can facilitate the incorporation of litter-derived carbon into the mineral soil. Wild boar are effective at mi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2019-10-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.biogeosciences.net/16/4145/2019/bg-16-4145-2019.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>Most forest soils are characterised by a steep carbon gradient
from the forest floor to the mineral soil, indicating that carbon is
prevented from entry into the soil. Bioturbation can facilitate the
incorporation of litter-derived carbon into the mineral soil. Wild boar are
effective at mixing and grubbing in the soil and wild boar populations are
increasing in many parts of the world. In a 6-year field study, we
investigated the effect of simulated wild boar bioturbation on the stocks
and stability of soil organic carbon in two forest areas. Regular
bioturbation mimicking grubbing by wild boar was performed artificially in
23 plots, and the organic layer and mineral soil down to 15 <span class="inline-formula">cm</span> depth were
then sampled. No significant changes in soil organic carbon stocks were
detected in the bioturbation plots compared with non-disturbed reference
plots. However, around 50 % of forest floor carbon was transferred with
bioturbation to mineral soil carbon, and the stock of stabilised
mineral-associated carbon increased by 28 %. Thus, a large proportion of
the labile carbon in the forest floor was transformed into more stable
carbon. Carbon saturation of mineral surfaces was not detected, but carbon
loading per unit mineral surface increased by on average 66 % in the
forest floor due to bioturbation. This indicates that mineral forest soils
have non-used capacity to stabilise and store carbon. Transfer of
aboveground litter into the mineral soil is the only rate-limiting process.
Wild boar may speed up this process with their grubbing activity.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |