The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems
Variations in the carbon isotopic composition of soil organic matter (SOM) in bulk and fractionated samples were used to assess the influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on SOM dynamics in semi-natural tropical ecosystems sampled along a precipitation gradie...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2015-08-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/5041/2015/bg-12-5041-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819091492947361792 |
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| author | G. Saiz M. Bird C. Wurster C. A. Quesada P. Ascough T. Domingues F. Schrodt M. Schwarz T. R. Feldpausch E. Veenendaal G. Djagbletey G. Jacobsen F. Hien H. Compaore A. Diallo J. Lloyd |
| author_facet | G. Saiz M. Bird C. Wurster C. A. Quesada P. Ascough T. Domingues F. Schrodt M. Schwarz T. R. Feldpausch E. Veenendaal G. Djagbletey G. Jacobsen F. Hien H. Compaore A. Diallo J. Lloyd |
| author_sort | G. Saiz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Variations in the carbon isotopic composition of soil organic matter (SOM)
in bulk and fractionated samples were used to assess the influence of
C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on SOM dynamics in semi-natural tropical
ecosystems sampled along a precipitation gradient in West Africa.
Differential patterns in SOM dynamics in C<sub>3</sub>/C<sub>4</sub> mixed ecosystems
occurred at various spatial scales. Relative changes in C / N ratios between
two contrasting SOM fractions were used to evaluate potential site-scale
differences in SOM dynamics between C<sub>3</sub>- and C<sub>4</sub>-dominated
locations. These differences were strongly controlled by soil texture across
the precipitation gradient, with a function driven by bulk δ<sup>13</sup>C
and sand content explaining 0.63 of the observed variability. The variation
of δ<sup>13</sup>C with soil depth indicated a greater accumulation of
C<sub>3</sub>-derived carbon with increasing precipitation, with this trend also
being strongly dependant on soil characteristics. The influence of
vegetation thickening on SOM dynamics was also assessed in two adjacent, but
structurally contrasting, transitional ecosystems occurring on comparable
soils to minimise the confounding effects posed by climatic and edaphic
factors. Radiocarbon analyses of sand-size aggregates yielded relatively
short mean residence times (τ) even in deep soil layers, while the
most stable SOM fraction associated with silt and clay exhibited shorter
τ in the savanna woodland than in the neighbouring forest stand. These
results, together with the vertical variation observed in δ<sup>13</sup>C
values, strongly suggest that both ecosystems are undergoing a rapid
transition towards denser closed canopy formations. However, vegetation
thickening varied in intensity at each site and exerted contrasting effects
on SOM dynamics. This study shows that the interdependence between biotic
and abiotic factors ultimately determine whether SOM dynamics of C<sub>3</sub>-
and C<sub>4</sub>-derived vegetation are at variance in ecosystems where both
vegetation types coexist. The results highlight the far-reaching
implications that vegetation thickening may have for the stability of deep
SOM. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T22:40:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c30eb4ca5c0548408b7c4cf9ad06bfc7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T22:40:35Z |
| publishDate | 2015-08-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c30eb4ca5c0548408b7c4cf9ad06bfc72022-12-21T18:47:51ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892015-08-0112165041505910.5194/bg-12-5041-2015The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystemsG. Saiz0M. Bird1C. Wurster2C. A. Quesada3P. Ascough4T. Domingues5F. Schrodt6M. Schwarz7T. R. Feldpausch8E. Veenendaal9G. Djagbletey10G. Jacobsen11F. Hien12H. Compaore13A. Diallo14J. Lloyd15Institute Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen 82467, GermanyCollege of Science, Technology and Engineering and Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, AustraliaCollege of Science, Technology and Engineering and Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, AustraliaInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, BrazilSUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, UKSchool of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, Scotland, UKEarth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UKEarth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UKCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UKNature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, the NetherlandsForestry Research Institute of Ghana, Kumasi, GhanaANSTO Institute for Environmental Research, PMB 1, Menai NSW 2234, AustraliaInstitut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoInstitut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoCentre National des Semences Forestières, Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoDepartment of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UKVariations in the carbon isotopic composition of soil organic matter (SOM) in bulk and fractionated samples were used to assess the influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on SOM dynamics in semi-natural tropical ecosystems sampled along a precipitation gradient in West Africa. Differential patterns in SOM dynamics in C<sub>3</sub>/C<sub>4</sub> mixed ecosystems occurred at various spatial scales. Relative changes in C / N ratios between two contrasting SOM fractions were used to evaluate potential site-scale differences in SOM dynamics between C<sub>3</sub>- and C<sub>4</sub>-dominated locations. These differences were strongly controlled by soil texture across the precipitation gradient, with a function driven by bulk δ<sup>13</sup>C and sand content explaining 0.63 of the observed variability. The variation of δ<sup>13</sup>C with soil depth indicated a greater accumulation of C<sub>3</sub>-derived carbon with increasing precipitation, with this trend also being strongly dependant on soil characteristics. The influence of vegetation thickening on SOM dynamics was also assessed in two adjacent, but structurally contrasting, transitional ecosystems occurring on comparable soils to minimise the confounding effects posed by climatic and edaphic factors. Radiocarbon analyses of sand-size aggregates yielded relatively short mean residence times (τ) even in deep soil layers, while the most stable SOM fraction associated with silt and clay exhibited shorter τ in the savanna woodland than in the neighbouring forest stand. These results, together with the vertical variation observed in δ<sup>13</sup>C values, strongly suggest that both ecosystems are undergoing a rapid transition towards denser closed canopy formations. However, vegetation thickening varied in intensity at each site and exerted contrasting effects on SOM dynamics. This study shows that the interdependence between biotic and abiotic factors ultimately determine whether SOM dynamics of C<sub>3</sub>- and C<sub>4</sub>-derived vegetation are at variance in ecosystems where both vegetation types coexist. The results highlight the far-reaching implications that vegetation thickening may have for the stability of deep SOM.http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/5041/2015/bg-12-5041-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | G. Saiz M. Bird C. Wurster C. A. Quesada P. Ascough T. Domingues F. Schrodt M. Schwarz T. R. Feldpausch E. Veenendaal G. Djagbletey G. Jacobsen F. Hien H. Compaore A. Diallo J. Lloyd The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems Biogeosciences |
| title | The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems |
| title_full | The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems |
| title_short | The influence of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi-natural tropical ecosystems |
| title_sort | influence of c sub 3 sub and c sub 4 sub vegetation on soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting semi natural tropical ecosystems |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/5041/2015/bg-12-5041-2015.pdf |
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