The charcoal carbon pool in boreal forest soils

Ohlson, Mikael; Dahlberg, Barbro; Økland, Tonje; Brown, Kendrick J.; Halvorsen, Rune

doi:10.1038/ngeo617

Cited by 140 publications

(166 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…They found that 11 to 15 % of the SOC was due to charcoal, mostly derived from local plants, accumulated since the mid-Holocene, with the highest concentrations in deeper parts of the A horizon. Ohlson et al (2009) reported a charcoal content of 77 gC m -2 (1 to 2%) with a mean age of 652 years in boreal forest soils. Based on these findings we calculated the effects on model outputs assuming 5 and 10% of the topsoil C was due to charcoal of mean age 2000 years.…”

Section: Charcoalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term organic carbon turnover rates in natural and semi-natural topsoils

et al. 2013

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Article (refereed) -postprintMills, R.T.E.; Tipping, E.; Bryant, C.L.; Emmett, B.A. 2014. Long-term organic carbon turnover rates in natural and semi-natural topsoils. Biogeochemistry,. 257-272. 10.1007/s10533-013-9928-z Contact CEH NORA team at noraceh@ceh.ac.ukThe NERC and CEH trademarks and logos ('the Trademarks') are registered trademarks of NERC in the UK and other countries, and may not be used without the prior written consent of the Trademark owner. We combined published and new radiocarbon and ancillary data for uncultivated topsoils 25 (typically 15 cm depth), to make two databases, one for the United Kingdom (133 sites), and 26 one global (115 sites). Forest topsoils are significantly higher in radiocarbon than non-forest 27 soils, indicating greater enrichment with "bomb carbon" and therefore faster C turnover, if 28 steady-state conditions are assumed. Steady-state modelling, taking into account variations 29 in atmospheric 14 CO 2 , including the effects of 20 th century nuclear weapons testing and 30 radioactive decay, was used to quantify soil carbon turnover rates. Application of a model 31 with variable slow (20 yr mean residence time, MRT) and passive (1000 yr MRT) carbon 32 pools partitioned the topsoil C approximately equally, on average, between the two pools 33 when the entire data set was considered. However, the mean slow:passive ratio of 0.65:0. Terrestrial soil organic matter (SOM) derived from dead biomass accounts for the largest 47 global pool of organic carbon, totalling 2300 Pg (Jobbagy & Jackson, 2000) and therefore 48 greater than both the oceanic pool of 1000 Pg, and the living terrestrial biomass pool of 600-49 1000 Pg (Falkowski et al., 2000). It comprises a range of organic material at various stages 50 of decomposition and stabilisation, from recently-deposited labile plant material and senesced 51 microbial biomass with fast turnover (seconds to years), to more stable material turning over 52 on decadal to millennial timescales (Trumbore 2000(Trumbore , 2009Amundson 2001). Quantification 53 of SOM turnover with respect to environmental conditions and litter quality and quantity is 54 crucial to understanding the resilience of soil C to perturbations such as climate change and 55 land use conversion in the longer term and at the global scale (Jenkinson et al, 1991; 56 Kirschbaum, 2000;Schlesinger & Adams, 2000;Smith et al., 2008; Schmidt et al, 2011). 57The response of topsoil SOM is of particular importance since it is in close contact with the 58 atmosphere and the least stabilised against decomposition. 59Much of the carbon entering soil is respired quickly, within months or a few years, and can 60 be studied with relatively short term experiments and observations, leading to detailed 61 understanding (Melillo et al., 1982;Berg and McClaugherty, 2008). However, the bulk of 62 soil carbon is in slowly-cycling SOM pools and far less amenable to experimental 63 investigation. The most generally-applicable approach at these longer timescales is the 64 determination ...

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Section: Charcoalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term organic carbon turnover rates in natural and semi-natural topsoils

et al. 2013

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“…Previous studies have shown that biomass burning was the major source for BC in soils of forest systems and grasslands (Czimczik et al, 2003;Ohlson et al, 2009). Whereas in urban areas, fossil fuel combustion may be a more important source for BC in soils (Han et al, 2009;He and Zhang, 2009;Agarwal and Bucheli, 2011;Liu et al, 2011).…”

Section: Bc Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics and Sources of Black Carbon in Atmospheric Dustfall Particles from Huangshi, China

Zhan

Zhang

Cao

et al. 2016

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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Concentrations of carbonaceous particles in atmospheric dustfall particles in Huangshi, an industrial city in central China, were determined using a thermal-optical reflectance method. The black carbon (BC) contents in ninety-five dustfall samples ranged from 4.3 to 64.9 g kg -1 with an average of 17.0 g kg -1 . These values were higher than those in world background soils and demonstrated serious contamination of the environment in this city. Overall, BC accounted for 17.6-71.3% (mean: 42.0%) of the organic carbon (OC), and BC and OC were positively correlated (r 2 = 0.90). Average char and soot contents were 8.01 g kg -1 and 8.65 g kg -1, respectively, and char/soot ratios ranged from 0.28 to 1.97 with an average of 1.01. All the measured carbonaceous species positively correlated with each another, suggesting their common sources. BC, char, and soot showed large spatial distribution variability, with high levels of BC adjacent to the presumed emission sources, such as a power plant and railway line. Analyses of BC/OC and char/soot ratios indicate major impacts from fossil fuel combustion, especially motor vehicle emissions and coal combustion. Industrial dusts related to coal use appear to be the major contributor to BC in dustfall, and this is likely related to the extensive industrial activities in the city, including metal smelting.

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“…Numerous studies have examined the amounts of charcoal produced by forest fires (Clark et al, 1998, Lynch et al, 2004, Froyd, 2006, Carcaillet et al, 2007, Ohlson et al, 2009) and evaluated the methods used (Preston & Schmidt, 2006, Ali et al, 2009, Schalachter & Horn, 2010, Mooney & Tinner, 2011. Several theoretical models have also been developed to assess regional forest fire patterns, natural fire frequencies and to separate regional and local fire events (Clark, 1988, Higuera et al, 2007, Peters & Higuera, 2007.…”

Section: Charcoal In Archaeological and Fire Ecology Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Charcoal Dispersal from Alpine Stallo Hearths in Sub-Arctic Sweden: Patterns Observed from Soil Analysis and Experimental Burning

Hörnberg¹,

Liedgren²

2012

ACH

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To evaluate dispersal patterns and concentrations of macroscopic charcoal particles around Stállo settlements in sub-arctic Scandinavia, their distributions following experimental burning and soil concentrations around an alpine Stállo settlement dating between AD 700 and 1150 were recorded. After the burning 98% of recorded particles were 0.1-0.5 mm long, 90% were dispersed within 40 m of the fire, their mean concentration 40 m from the fire was 0.14±0.08 particles/cm 2 and the concentration decreased with increasing distance. At the settlement, 95% of recorded charcoal particles were 0.1-0.5 mm long, 94% were within 40 m of the hearths, the mean concentration declined with increasing distance, and concentrations were much lower than expected from the experimental burning (e.g. 17.6±2.4 particles/cm 2 , 40 m away). In conclusion: biological archives used for charcoal analysis in archaeological and vegetation history studies should be located ≤40 m from settlements, and data obtained from charcoal analyses should be interpreted cautiously.

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The charcoal carbon pool in boreal forest soils

Cited by 140 publications

References 24 publications

Long-term organic carbon turnover rates in natural and semi-natural topsoils

Long-term organic carbon turnover rates in natural and semi-natural topsoils

Characteristics and Sources of Black Carbon in Atmospheric Dustfall Particles from Huangshi, China

Charcoal Dispersal from Alpine Stallo Hearths in Sub-Arctic Sweden: Patterns Observed from Soil Analysis and Experimental Burning

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