Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen following forest expansion on grassland in the Southern Alps

Guidi, Claudia; Vesterdal, Lars; Gianelle, Damiano; Rodeghiero, Mirco

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2014.05.025

Cited by 50 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…There was a significantly positive correlation between two elements (e.g., C and N, C and P, N and P) ( Table 5). This study confirms the findings of previous research that showed a coupling relationship between elements and concentrations and that ratios of elements influence each other (Claudia et al 2014;Elser et al 2000). The N:P ratio and P concentration were significantly negatively correlated in L.p and Pt, but there was no significant correlation with the N concentration.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Soil is one type of environmental condition that directly affects plant growth, and the soil and plants are two important element storage components. Numerous studies (Claudia et al 2014;Volkova and Weston 2015;Fedrigo et al 2014) have proven that most of the carbon stock is stored in the soil in terrestrial ecosystems, and the range in the stoichiometric characteristics of the elements in the plant body is influenced by the soil (Cross et al 2007;Escalante and Farmer 2005;Feller et al 2007;Fitter and Hillebrand 2009). However, few researchers regard forest stands as basic units to study the soil and plant carbon of different types of pure forests, and fewer researchers focus on nitrogen and phosphorus distribution in different forest stands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological stoichiometric characteristics and element reserves of three stands in a closed forest on the Chinese loess plateau

Cao

Wang

Wei

et al. 2016

Environ Monit Assess

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Populus davidiana, Leuchtenbergia principis, and Pinus tabulaeformis are important greening tree species with a cosmopolitan distribution. However, the stoichiometric characteristics and element reserves of stands of these three species are not particularly clear. In this study, we conducted a plot-level investigation of forest stands of these species in the loess area; these have been closed forest stands more than 28 years. Trees were sampled from an area of 50 m × 20 m (in 6, 8, and 9 plots, respectively), which was sufficient for shrub (2 m × 2 m), herbal species, and litter (1 m × 1 m) investigations. The C, N, and P concentrations and the C:N:P stoichiometry in five different soil layers (0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-30 cm, 30-50 cm, and 50-100 cm) and in the leaves, stems, branches, and roots of the plants were examined. The soil element concentrations and density were affected by soil depth. The element content had a significantly negative correlation with soil depth, and element density differed significantly among the soil layers. A particular element in a particular organ differed significantly between the forest stands, and the same element in different organs of the same stand was also significantly different. The C, N, and P element reserves in the soil were considerably higher than in the plants. Our results indicate that there are different stoichiometric characteristics and element reserves of the three stands in a closed forest on the Chinese loess plateau, which may provide a reference when we develop and optimize the structure of forest stands.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological stoichiometric characteristics and element reserves of three stands in a closed forest on the Chinese loess plateau

Cao

Wang

Wei

et al. 2016

Environ Monit Assess

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“…4). On the other hand, it has been reported that C sequestration rates in mountain grasslands and crops could be similar or even higher than in forests (Farley et al, 2013;Guidi et al, 2014) depending on site quality, management practices (Post and Kwon, 2006) and climate (Berthrong et al, 2012). Therefore, the adequacy of each type of land use management in climate change mitigation plans would depend not only on the capacity for storing C and how it would be influenced by climate change, but also on the previous land use history and the fate of the goods produced.…”

Section: Changes In N and C Poolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land use change effects on carbon and nitrogen stocks in the Pyrenees during the last 150 years: A modeling approach

Blanco

Canals

et al. 2015

Ecological Modelling

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a b s t r a c tIn the southern Pyrenees, human population and therefore land uses have changed from forests to pastures, then crops, and back to pastures and secondary forests during the last two centuries. To understand what such rapid land use changes have meant for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks, we used data from two forest sites in the western Pyrenees, combined with regional data on pastures and crop production (potato, cereal), to calibrate the ecosystem-level model FORECAST. Then, we simulated 150 years of land use for each site, emulating historical changes. Our estimates show that the conversion from forests into pastures and crops created C and N deficits (378-427 Mg C ha −1 , 4.0-4.6 Mg N ha −1 ) from which these sites are still recovering. The main ecological process behind the creation of these deficits was the loss of the ecological legacy of soil organic matter (SOM) created by the forest, particularly during conversion to farming. Pastures were able to reverse, stop or at least slow down the loss of such legacy. In conclusion, our work shows the deep impact of historical land use in ecosystem attributes, both in magnitude of removed C and N stocks and in duration of such impact. Also, the usefulness of ecological modeling in absence of historical data to estimate such changes is showcased, providing a framework for potential C and N stocks to be reached by climate change mitigation measures such as forest restoration.

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“…Suitable literature values with which to estimate the potential underestimation of bulk soil density at the start of our experiment were not found, as the bulk of the literature refers to restoration measures for overgrazed areas (e.g., Li et al, 2007), forest regrowth after abandonment (e.g., Guidi et al, 2014) or afforestation (e.g., Hiltbrunner et al, 2013). Therefore, in a thought experiment we followed the equalsoil-mass concept (Ellert and Bettany, 1995) only goes to a layer that was at ca.…”

Section: Soil Organic Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subalpine grassland carbon balance during 7 years of increased atmospheric N deposition

2016

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Abstract. Air pollution agents interact when affecting biological sinks for atmospheric CO 2 , e.g., the soil organic carbon (SOC) content of grassland ecosystems. Factors favoring plant productivity, like atmospheric N deposition, are usually considered to favor SOC storage. In a 7-year experiment in subalpine grassland under N-and O 3 -deposition treatment, we examined C fluxes and pools. Total N deposition was 4, 9, 14, 29 and 54 kg N ha −1 yr −1 (N4, N9, etc.); annual mean phytotoxic O 3 dose was 49, 65 and 89 mmol m −2 projected leaf area. We hypothesized that between years SOC of this mature ecosystem would not change in control treatments and that effects of air pollutants are similar for plant yield, net ecosystem productivity (NEP) and SOC content, leading to SOC content increasing with N deposition. Cumulative plant yield showed a significant N and N × N effect (+38 % in N54) but no O 3 effect. In the control treatment SOC increased significantly by 9 % in 7 years. Cumulative NEP did show a strong, hump-shaped response pattern to N deposition with a +62 % increase in N14 and only +39 % increase in N54 (N effect statistically not significant, N × N interaction not testable). SOC had a similar but not significant response to N, with highest C gains at intermediate N deposition rates, suggesting a unimodal response with a marginal (P = 0.09) N × N interaction. We assume the strong, pollutant-independent soil C sink developed as a consequence of the management change from grazing to cutting. The non-parallel response of SOC and NEP compared to plant yield under N deposition is likely the result of increased respiratory SOC losses, following mitigated microbial N-limitation or priming effects, and a shift in plant C allocation leading to smaller C input from roots.

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Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen following forest expansion on grassland in the Southern Alps

Cited by 50 publications

References 64 publications

Ecological stoichiometric characteristics and element reserves of three stands in a closed forest on the Chinese loess plateau

Ecological stoichiometric characteristics and element reserves of three stands in a closed forest on the Chinese loess plateau

Land use change effects on carbon and nitrogen stocks in the Pyrenees during the last 150 years: A modeling approach

Subalpine grassland carbon balance during 7 years of increased atmospheric N deposition

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