Carbon input belowground is the major C flux contributing to leaf litter mass loss: Evidences from a 13C labelled-leaf litter experiment

Rubino, Mauro; Dungait, Jennifer A. J.; Evershed, Richard P.; Bertolini, T.; Angelis, Paolo De; D’Onofrio, Antonio; Lagomarsino, Alessandra; Lubritto, C.; Merola, A.; Terrasi, F.; Cotrufo, M. Francesca

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.02.018

Cited by 152 publications

(112 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Rubino et al [36] quantified significant incorporation of 13 C-labelled poplar litter into the topsoil horizon in Italy. Significant input from Miscanthus leaves is unlikely, however [18], despite a potential input of up to 7 Mg C ha −1 year −1 [37][38][39].…”

Section: Soc and Tn Under Bioenergy Cropsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species and Genotype Effects of Bioenergy Crops on Root Production, Carbon and Nitrogen in Temperate Agricultural Soil

et al. 2018

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Bioenergy crops have a secondary benefit if they increase soil organic C (SOC) stocks through capture and allocation belowground. The effects of four genotypes of short-rotation coppice willow (Salix spp., 'Terra Nova' and 'Tora') and Miscanthus (M. × giganteus ('Giganteus') and M. sinensis ('Sinensis')) on roots, SOC and total nitrogen (TN) were quantified to test whether below-ground biomass controls SOC and TN dynamics. Soil cores were collected under ('plant') and between plants ('gap') in a field experiment on a temperate agricultural silty clay loam after 4 and 6 years' management. Root density was greater under Miscanthus for plant (up to 15.5 kg m −3 ) compared with gap (up to 2.7 kg m −3 ), whereas willow had lower densities (up to 3.7 kg m −3 ). Over 2 years, SOC increased below 0.2 m depth from 7.1 to 8.5 kg m −3 and was greatest under Sinensis at 0-0.1 m depth (24.8 kg m −3 ). Miscanthus-derived SOC, based on stable isotope analysis, was greater under plant (11.6 kg m −3 ) than gap (3.1 kg m −3 ) for Sinensis. Estimated SOC stock change rates over the 2-year period to 1-m depth were 6.4 for Terra Nova, 7.4 for Tora, 3.1 for Giganteus and 8.8 Mg ha −1 year −1 for Sinensis. Rates of change of TN were much less. That SOC matched root mass down the profile, particularly under Miscanthus, indicated that perennial root systems are an important contributor. Willow and Miscanthus offer both biomass production and C sequestration when planted in arable soil.

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Section: Soc and Tn Under Bioenergy Cropsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species and Genotype Effects of Bioenergy Crops on Root Production, Carbon and Nitrogen in Temperate Agricultural Soil

et al. 2018

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“…The inherent complexity behind ecosystem respiration lies behind the many contributing sources. Nowadays, studies of these components have expanded to include stem CO 2 flux, mycorrhizal and microbial contributions (Esperschütz et al, 2009), litter decomposition (Bird et al, 2008;Rubino et al, 2010), dissolved organic carbon (Sanderman and Amundson, 2008;Müller et al, 2009), erosion (Schaub and Alewell, 2009), soil organic matter dynamics (Klumpp et al, 2007;Kayler et al, 2011) and CO 2 storage in soil air and solution (Gamnitzer et al, 2011). Labelling has also played a central role in achieving a higher level of certainty in observing single source temporal patterns (Ubierna et al, 2009;Powers and Marshall, 2011).…”

Section: Recent Findings On Component Sources and Fluxesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progress and challenges in using stable isotopes to trace plant carbon and water relations across scales

et al. 2012

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Abstract. Stable isotope analysis is a powerful tool for assessing plant carbon and water relations and their impact on biogeochemical processes at different scales. Our processbased understanding of stable isotope signals, as well as technological developments, has progressed significantly, opening new frontiers in ecological and interdisciplinary research. This has promoted the broad utilisation of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen isotope applications to gain insight into plant carbon and water cycling and their interaction with the atmosphere and pedosphere. Here, we highlight specific areas of recent progress and new research challenges in plant carbon and water relations, using selected examples covering scales from the leaf to the regional scale. Further, we discuss strengths and limitations of recent technological Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. C. Werner et al.: Progress and challenges in using stable isotopesdevelopments and approaches and highlight new opportunities arising from unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution of stable isotope measurements.

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“…This technique has been used to study plant-C utilization by microbial communities in soils by examining 13 C incorporation into microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs; e.g., Denef et al, 2009;Rubino et al, 2010;Kohl et al, 2015;Soong et al, 2016). Also, natural abundances of 13 C and 15 N have been useful for studying structures of soil faunal communities (e.g., collembolans, earthworms, enchytraeids, arthropods, gastropods, and nematodes; Chahartaghi et al, 2005;Albers et al, 2006;Goncharov et al, 2014;Crotty et al, 2014;Kudrin et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire affects root decomposition, soil food web structure, and carbon flow in tallgrass prairie

Shaw

Denef

Tomasel

et al. 2016

SOIL

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Abstract. Root litter decomposition is a major component of carbon (C) cycling in grasslands, where it provides energy and nutrients for soil microbes and fauna. This is especially important in grasslands where fire is common and removes aboveground litter accumulation. In this study, we investigated whether fire affects root decomposition and C flow through the belowground food web. In a greenhouse experiment, we applied 13 C-enriched big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) root litter to intact tallgrass prairie soil cores collected from annually burned (AB) and infrequently burned (IB) treatments at the Konza Prairie Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site. Incorporation of 13 C into microbial phospholipid fatty acids and nematode trophic groups was measured on six occasions during a 180-day decomposition study to determine how C was translocated through the soil food web. Results showed significantly different soil communities between treatments and higher microbial abundance for IB. Root decomposition occurred rapidly and was significantly greater for AB. Microbes and their nematode consumers immediately assimilated root litter C in both treatments. Root litter C was preferentially incorporated in a few groups of microbes and nematodes, but depended on burn treatment: fungi, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and fungivore nematodes for AB and only omnivore nematodes for IB. The overall microbial pool of root-litter-derived C significantly increased over time but was not significantly different between burn treatments. The nematode pool of root-litter-derived C also significantly increased over time, and was significantly higher for the AB treatment at 35 and 90 days after litter addition. In conclusion, the C flow from root litter to microbes to nematodes is not only measurable but also significant, indicating that higher nematode trophic levels are critical components of C flow during root decomposition, which, in turn, is significantly affected by fire. Not only does fire affect the soil community and root decomposition, but the lower microbial abundance, greater root turnover, and the increased incorporation of root litter C by microbes and nematodes for AB suggests that annual burning increases root-litter-derived C flow through the soil food web of the tallgrass prairie.

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Carbon input belowground is the major C flux contributing to leaf litter mass loss: Evidences from a 13C labelled-leaf litter experiment

Cited by 152 publications

References 53 publications

Species and Genotype Effects of Bioenergy Crops on Root Production, Carbon and Nitrogen in Temperate Agricultural Soil

Species and Genotype Effects of Bioenergy Crops on Root Production, Carbon and Nitrogen in Temperate Agricultural Soil

Progress and challenges in using stable isotopes to trace plant carbon and water relations across scales

Fire affects root decomposition, soil food web structure, and carbon flow in tallgrass prairie

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