Long-term effects of afforestation with Pinus radiata on soil carbon, nitrogen, and pH: a case study

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 494 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Parfitt ◽  
D. J. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Radiata ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N ◽  
Microbial C

Planting of Pinus radiata D. Don in previously grazed pastures is a common land-use change in New Zealand. Although carbon (C) accumulates relatively rapidly in the trees, there have been no studies of the annual effect on soil C content during the early years of establishment. Here, we study soil properties under P. radiata and pasture each year over 11 years after P. radiata was planted into pasture that had been grazed by sheep. Under the growing trees, grass was gradually shaded out by the unpruned trees, and completely disappeared after 6 years; needle litterfall had then increased appreciably. By year 9, soil microbial C and nitrogen (N), and net N mineralisation, were significantly lower under pine than under pasture. Soil pH, sampled at 0–100 mm in early spring each year, decreased by ~0.3 units under pine and increased by ~0.3 units under pasture. Close to the pine stems, total C and N decreased significantly for 3 years, while ~100 kg N/ha accumulated in the trees. Soil C and N increased in subsequent years, when litterfall increased. Overall, the mineral soil under pine lost ~500 kg N/ha over 11 years, consistent with uptake by the trees. Leaching losses (estimated using lysimeters) in year 9 were 4.5 kg N/ha.year. These data indicate that ~6 Mg C/ha may have been lost from the mineral soil at this site. The difficulties associated with measuring losses of C are discussed.

Afforestation of pastures with Pinus radiata influences soil carbon and nitrogen pools and mineralisation and microbial properties

Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Ross ◽  
K. R. Tate ◽  
N. A. Scott ◽  
R. H. Wilde ◽  
N. J. Rodda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Pinus Radiata ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Total N ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Microbial Properties ◽  
C And N ◽  
Microbial C

In New Zealand, Pinus radiata D. Don is frequently planted on land under pasture primarily for production forestry, but with the added advantage of potentially offsetting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy and industrial sources. Conversion of pasture to P. radiata plantations can, however, result in lowered contents of soil carbon (C) at some sites. We here examine the effects of this land-use change on soil C and nitrogen (N) pools, and on microbial properties involved in the cycling of these nutrients, at 5 paired sites, each with an established pasture and P. radiata plantation. Four sites had first-rotation trees aged 12–30 years and the other site second-rotation trees aged 20 years. In mineral soil at 0–10 cm depth, total and microbial C and N, extractable C, CO2-C production, and, generally, net mineral-N production were lower under P. radiata than under pasture; differences were significant (P < 0.05), except for total and extractable C at 2 sites. Differences between these land uses were less distinct in soil at 10–30 cm depth. On an area basis, total C in 0–30 cm depth soil was lower under P. radiata than under pasture at most sites, but significantly lower at only one site. Total N, microbial C and N, and CO2-C and net mineral-N production were, however, again generally significantly lower under P. radiata. These ecosystem differences were less marked, although still present, except for CO2-C production, when forest litter (LFH material) was included in the area calculations. Overall, our study suggests that afforestation with P. radiata leads to a reduction in total N, microbial biomass, and microbial activity, but a less consistent effect on soil C storage after one rotation.

The magnitude of temperature increase matters: how will soil organic mineralization respond to future climate warming?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Zhou ◽  
Yuan Wen ◽  
Lingling Shi ◽  
Michaela Dippold ◽  
Yakov Kuzyakov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Temperature Increase ◽  
Microbial Growth ◽  
N Cycling ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N ◽  
C And N Cycling

&lt;p&gt;The Paris climate agreement is pursuing efforts to limit the increase in global temperature to below 2 &amp;#176;C above pre-industrial level. The overall consequence of relatively slight warming (~2 &amp;#176;C), on soil C and N stocks will be dependent on microorganisms decomposing organic matter through release of extracellular enzymes. Therefore, the capacity of soil microbial community to buffer climate warming in long-term and the self-regulatory mechanisms mediating soil C and N cycling through enzyme activity and microbial growth require a detailed comparative study. Here, microbial growth and the dynamics of enzyme activity (involved in C and N cycling) in response to 8 years warming (ambient, +1.6 &amp;#176;C, +3.2 &amp;#176;C) were investigated to identify shifts in soil and microbial functioning. A slight temperature increase (+1.6 &amp;#176;C) only altered microbial properties, but had no effect on either hydrolytic enzyme activity or basic soil properties. Stronger warming (+3.2 &amp;#176;C) increased the specific growth rate (&amp;#956;&lt;sub&gt;m&lt;/sub&gt;) of the microbial community, indicating an alteration in their ecological strategy, i.e. a shift towards fast-growing microorganisms and accelerated microbial turnover. Warming strongly changed microbial physiological state, as indicated by a 1.4-fold increase in the fraction of growing microorganisms (GMB) and 2 times decrease in lag-time with warming. This reduced total microbial biomass but increased specific enzyme activity to be ready to decompose increased rhizodeposition, as supported by the higher potential activitiy (V&lt;sub&gt;max&lt;/sub&gt;) and lower affinity to substrates (higher K&lt;sub&gt;m&lt;/sub&gt;) of enzymes hydrolyzing cellobiose and proteins cleavage in warmed soil. In other words, stronger warming magnitude (+3.2 &amp;#176;C) changed microbial communities, and was sufficient to benefit fast-growing microbial populations with enzyme functions that specific to degrade labile SOM. Combining with 48 literature observations, we confirmed that the slight magnitude of temperature increase (&lt; 2 &amp;#176;C) only altered microbial properties, but further temperature increases (2-4 &amp;#176;C) was sufficient to change almost all soil, microbial, and enzyme properties and related processes. As a consequence, the revealed microbial regulatory mechanism of stability of soil C storage is strongly depended on the magnitude of future climate warming.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Trade-offs between the short- and long-term effects of residue quality on soil C and N dynamics

2010 ◽  
Vol 338 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 159-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Gentile ◽  
Bernard Vanlauwe ◽  
Pauline Chivenge ◽  
Johan Six
Keyword(s):  
Residue Quality ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
N Dynamics ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N ◽  
C And N Dynamics

Mineralisation of organic matter in intact versus sieved/refilled soil cores

Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Stenger ◽  
G. F. Barkle ◽  
C. P. Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
N Mineralisation ◽  
Soil Cores ◽  
Nitrogen Mineralisation ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Conditioning Period ◽  
Incubation Study ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N

In a 6-month laboratory incubation study, we compared the net C and N mineralisation of the soil organic matter (SOM) of 3 pasture soils and the mineralisation of glucose-C in intact versus sieved&sol;refilled soil cores. The main questions were whether the net C and N mineralisation differed between intact and sieved&sol;refilled soil cores after a conditioning period of 4 weeks, and how much the C and N mineralisation of SOM differed among the similarly managed pasture soils. Apart from the net nitrogen mineralisation in one soil, there were no significant differences in cumulated mineralisation of C or N from SOM between the core types. In a fine-textured soil, net mineralisation of glucose-C differed significantly between core types, which was attributed to the different distribution of the amended glucose in intact and sieved&sol;refilled cores. Net C and N mineralisation of SOM were closely correlated in the sieved&sol;refilled cores, whereas no significant correlation was found in the intact cores. Expressing net C and N mineralisation as percentages of total soil C and N showed a more than 2-fold maximum difference between the soils in spite of similar long-term organic matter input. Subsequent studies should be done using more replicates and wider diameter, better controllable cores on ceramic plates. CO2, net nitrogen mineralisation (NNM), soil microbial biomass.

Root effects on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling in a Pinus radiata D. Don plantation on a coastal sand

Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Des J. Ross ◽  
Neal A. Scott ◽  
Kevin R. Tate ◽  
Natasha J. Rodda ◽  
Jackie A. Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Pinus Radiata ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Production Values ◽  
C And N ◽  
Microbial C ◽  
Coastal Sand ◽  
Root Effects

Although the contribution of roots to soil carbon (C) fluxes and biochemical processes is recognised, it is difficult to quantify. One approach to assess their importance is the use of trenched plots, in which C inputs to the soil and respiration by living roots has ceased. We give here an account of C and nitrogen (N) pools and mineralisation in samples taken 27 months after trenching in a 26-year-old Pinus radiata D. Don plantation on a coastal sand (an Aquic Udipsamment); above-ground litter inputs continued throughout the 27-month period.Moisture contents were higher in FH material and mineral soil from the trenched than from the control plots. Trenching had no effect on total organic C and N concentrations, but led to decreases in extractable C, microbial C and N, and CO2-C production values at some depths in the soil profile. Mineral-N concentrations and gross nitrification rates were, in contrast, initially higher in the trenched-plot samples, but were similar in both treatments after incubation of the samples at 25°C for 57 days. Mineral-N concentrations were also higher in the trenched than control mineral soil after in situ incubation. On an area basis (to 20 cm depth of mineral soil), inputs from roots were estimated to account for about 40% of the extractable C pool, 28% of microbial C, 26% of microbial N, and 23% of heterotrophic CO2-C production (0–7 days at 25°C) in the control soil. Overall, our results suggest a tight connection between N cycling rates and the labile C pools derived from below-ground inputs, with nitrification in particular increasing as C availability declined as a result of trenching.

The effects of gaps and liming on forest floor decomposition and soil C and N dynamics in a Fagus sylvatica forest

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Bauhus ◽  
T Vor ◽  
N Bartsch ◽  
A Cowling
Keyword(s):  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
N Dynamics ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N ◽  
C And N Pools ◽  
Gap Creation ◽  
C And N Dynamics

Despite the importance of gaps in the dynamics and management of many forest types, very little is known about the medium- to long-term soil C and N dynamics associated with this disturbance. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that gap creation and lime application, a routine measure in many European forests to ameliorate soil acidity, lead to accelerated litter decomposition and thus a reduction in the forest floor and soil C and N pools. Four gaps were created in 1989 in a mature European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest on acid soil with a moder humus, and lime (3 t dolomite·ha–1) was applied to two of these and surrounding areas. Litter and fine-root decomposition was measured in 1992–1993 and 1996–1998 using litterbags. Forest floor (L, F, and H layers) and mineral soil (0–40 cm) C and N pools were determined in 1989 and 1997. Eight years following silvicultural treatments, there was no change in C and N over the entire forest soil profile including forest floor. Reductions in the F and H layers in limed gaps were compensated for by increases in soil C and N in the surface (0–10 cm) mineral soil. Decomposition of F litter was significantly accelerated in limed gaps, leading to the development of a mull–moder, whereas gap creation alone had no effect on mass loss of F material in litterbags. Gap size disturbances in this acid beech forest appear to have minimal influences on soil C and N stocks. However, when combined with liming, changes in the humus form and vertical distribution of soil C and N may occur.

scholarly journals Afforestation With Tropical N-Fixing Species in The Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest: Carbon and Nitrogen in The Soil Profile

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pessanha Siqueira ◽  
Emanuela Forestieri Gama-Rodrigues ◽  
Marcos Vinícius Winckler Caldeira ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Rezende ◽  
Claudio Roberto Marciano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Profile ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Atlantic Rainforest ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Soil Layers ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N

Abstract Aims Atlantic Rainforest biome is one of the most threatened in the world by deforestation where afforestation programs are urgently needed. N-fixing species should be prioritized in re-establishing forest covers as they can enhance soil C and N and stimulate cycling of other nutrients. Yet, tropical ecosystems play a key role in global warming and remain underestimated in the global biogeochemical balances. We aimed to investigate the effects of tropical N-fixing species on soil C and N pools after pasture conversionMethods We selected: Plathymenia reticulata, Hymenaea courbaril, and Centrolobium tomentosum 27-year-old monospecific stands. We evaluated soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (STN), and the natural abundance of 13C and 15N in the soil profile up to 100 cm depth. Results SOC was higher for P. reticulata, but an opposite pattern was observed when combining only soil layers up to 30 cm soil depth. Meanwhile, STN was similar across species and d15N values showed enrichment at intermediate soil layers indicating 14N gaseous loss. Most of the SOC originated from the planted trees rather than the former pasture, except beneath C. tomentosum where C4 derived C is decreasing at a slower rate. Conclusion This study presents novel insights in the understanding of tropical N-fixing species effects on soil C and N where specific-species traits appear to mediate SOC retention to the mineral soil rather than the N-fixing ability per se.

scholarly journals Alteration of soil carbon and nitrogen pools and enzyme activities as affected by increased soil coarseness

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2155-2166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruzhen Wang ◽  
Linyou Lü ◽  
Courtney A. Creamer ◽  
Feike A. Dijkstra ◽  
Heyong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Enzyme Activities ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil C ◽  
N Limitation ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N ◽  
Microbial C ◽  
Sandy Grasslands ◽  
Acid Phosphomonoesterase

Abstract. Soil coarseness decreases ecosystem productivity, ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks, and soil nutrient contents in sandy grasslands subjected to desertification. To gain insight into changes in soil C and N pools, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities in response to soil coarseness, a field experiment was conducted by mixing native soil with river sand in different mass proportions: 0, 10, 30, 50, and 70 % sand addition. Four years after establishing plots and 2 years after transplanting, soil organic C and total N concentrations decreased with increased soil coarseness down to 32.2 and 53.7 % of concentrations in control plots, respectively. Soil microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) declined with soil coarseness down to 44.1 and 51.9 %, respectively, while microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) increased by as much as 73.9 %. Soil coarseness significantly decreased the enzyme activities of β-glucosidase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, and acid phosphomonoesterase by 20.2–57.5 %, 24.5–53.0 %, and 22.2–88.7 %, used for C, N and P cycling, respectively. However, observed values of soil organic C, dissolved organic C, total dissolved N, available P, MBC, MBN, and MBP were often significantly higher than would be predicted from dilution effects caused by the sand addition. Soil coarseness enhanced microbial C and N limitation relative to P, as indicated by the ratios of β-glucosidase and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase to acid phosphomonoesterase (and MBC : MBP and MBN : MBP ratios). Enhanced microbial recycling of P might alleviate plant P limitation in nutrient-poor grassland ecosystems that are affected by soil coarseness. Soil coarseness is a critical parameter affecting soil C and N storage and increases in soil coarseness can enhance microbial C and N limitation relative to P, potentially posing a threat to plant productivity in sandy grasslands suffering from desertification.

Relations of mineral-soil C and N to climate and texture: regional differences within the conterminous USA

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter S. Homann ◽  
Jason S. Kapchinske ◽  
Andrew Boyce
Keyword(s):  
Regional Differences ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N

scholarly journals Soil Microbial Responses to 28 Years of Nutrient Fertilization in a Subarctic Heath

Ecosystems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1107-1119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lettice C. Hicks ◽  
Kathrin Rousk ◽  
Riikka Rinnan ◽  
Johannes Rousk
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Soil Microorganisms ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
C And N Mineralization ◽  
Microbial Responses ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N

AbstractArctic and subarctic soils are typically characterized by low nitrogen (N) availability, suggesting N-limitation of plants and soil microorganisms. Climate warming will stimulate the decomposition of organic matter, resulting in an increase in soil nutrient availability. However, it remains unclear how soil microorganisms in N-limited soils will respond, as the direct effect of inorganic N addition is often shown to inhibit microbial activity, while elevated N availability may have a positive effect on microorganisms indirectly, due to a stimulation of plant productivity. Here we used soils from a long-term fertilization experiment in the Subarctic (28 years at the time of sampling) to investigate the net effects of chronic N-fertilization (100 kg N ha−1 y−1, added together with 26 kg P and 90 kg K ha−1 y−1, as expected secondary limiting nutrients for plants) on microbial growth, soil C and N mineralization, microbial biomass, and community structure. Despite high levels of long-term fertilization, which significantly increased primary production, we observed relatively minor effects on soil microbial activity. Bacterial growth exhibited the most pronounced response to long-term fertilization, with higher rates of growth in fertilized soils, whereas fungal growth remained unaffected. Rates of basal soil C and N mineralization were only marginally higher in fertilized soils, whereas fertilization had no significant effect on microbial biomass or microbial community structure. Overall, these findings suggest that microbial responses to long-term fertilization in these subarctic tundra soils were driven by an increased flow of labile plant-derived C due to stimulated plant productivity, rather than by direct fertilization effects on the microbial community or changes in soil physiochemistry.

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