Decoupling litter respiration from whole-soil respiration along an elevation gradient in a Rocky Mountain mixed-conifer forest

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 432-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin M. Berryman ◽  
John D. Marshall ◽  
Kathleen Kavanagh
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Atmospheric Humidity ◽  
Positive Interaction ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Litter Respiration ◽  
Northern Idaho

Litter respiration (RL) represents a significant portion of whole-soil respiration (RS) in forests, yet climatic correlations with RL have seldom been examined. Because RL is reduced at low humidities and RS is reduced at low temperatures, these components may show divergent trends with elevation in western North American forests. Using a litter-removal experiment along a forested 750 m elevation gradient in the Rocky Mountains of northern Idaho, USA, we measured RS on soils from which litter had been removed (RNL) and, by difference, RL. Mean RL represented 16% (SE = 2%) of mean RS from July through October of 2007 and 2008. RS was highest at warmer times and sites, and was not suppressed by low soil moisture. In contrast, RL was highest at cooler times, when humidity and gravimetric litter water content were highest. RL was highest at mid-elevations, representing neither the warmest nor wettest sites. Sixty-three percent of variability in site RL was explained by both mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual relative humidity (MARH), including a positive interaction effect between MAT and MARH. Our results imply that the equilibration of litter with atmospheric humidity is an important control over litter respiration rates.

scholarly journals Soil respiration variation along an altitudinal gradient in Italian Alps: Disentangling forest structure and temperature effects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysan Badraghi ◽  
Maurizio Ventura ◽  
Andrea Polo ◽  
Luigimaria Borruso ◽  
Leonardo Montagnani
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
C And N

AbstractTo understand the main determinants of soil respiration (SR), we investigated the changes of soil respiration and soil physicochemical properties, including soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), root C and N, litter C and N, soil bulk densities and soil pH at five forest sites, along an elevation/temperature gradient (404 to 2101 m a.s.l) in Northern Italy, where confounding factors such as aspect and soil parent material are minimized, but an ample variation in forest structure and composition is present. Our result indicated that SR rates increased with temperature in all sites, and about 55% - 76% of SR was explained by temperature. Annual cumulative SR, ranging between 0.65 and 1.40 kg C m-2 yr-1, declined along the elevation gradient, while temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SR increased with elevation. However, a high SR rate (1.27 kg C m-2 yr-1) and low Q10 were recorded in the old conifer forest stand at 1731 m a.s.l., characterized by a complex structure and high productivity, introducing nonlinearity in the relations with elevation and temperature. Reference SR at the temperature of 10°C (SRref) was not related to elevation. A significant linear negative relationship was found for bulk density with elevation. On the contrary, soil C, soil N, root C, root N, pH and litter mass were better fitted by nonlinear relations with elevation. However, it was not possible to confirm a significant correlation of SR with these parameters once the effect of temperature has been removed (SRref). These results show how the main factor affecting SR in forest ecosystems along this Alpine elevation gradient is temperature, but its regulating role can be strongly influenced by site biological characteristics, particularly vegetation type and structure. This study also confirms that high elevation sites are rich in C stored in the soil and also more sensitive to climate change, being prone to high carbon losses as CO2. Conversely, forest ecosystems with a complex structure, with high SRref and moderate Q10, can be more resilient.

scholarly journals A Case Study Comparison of LANDFIRE Fuel Loading and Emissions Generation on a Mixed Conifer Forest in Northern Idaho, USA

Fire Ecology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 108-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh Hyde ◽  
Eva K. Strand ◽  
Andrew T. Hudak ◽  
Dale Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Fuel Loading ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Northern Idaho

Short-Term Effects of Experimental Burning and Thinning on Soil Respiration in an Old-Growth, Mixed-Conifer Forest

2004 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siyan Ma ◽  
Jiquan Chen ◽  
Malcolm North ◽  
Heather E. Erickson ◽  
Mary Bresee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Short Term Effects

scholarly journals First Report of White Fir Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium abietinum f. sp. concoloris) on Durango Fir (Abies durangensis) from Durango, Mexico

Plant Disease ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Quiñonez Barraza ◽  
R. Mathiasen ◽  
S. Gonzalez-Elizondo
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Dwarf Mistletoe ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
First Report ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
White Fir

White fir dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium abietinum Engelm. ex Munz f. sp. concoloris Hawksw. & Wiens, Viscaceae) is a common parasite of grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl.) in the Cascade Range and of Sierra white fir (Abies lowiana (Gord. & Glend.) A. Murray) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (1). It also occurs in isolated populations on Rocky Mountain white fir (Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Hildebr.) in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona (1). In addition, there are two widely separated known populations of white fir dwarf mistletoe on Durango fir (Abies durangensis Mart.) from Chihuahua, Mexico (1,2). The southernmost range of these Mexican populations extends to Cerro Mohinora near Guadalupe y Calvo close to the border with Durango and Sinaloa. In July 2012, white fir dwarf mistletoe was found infecting Durango fir on Cerro Gordo, the highest peak in the state of Durango (Latitude: 23° 12′ 37″ N; Longitude: 104° 56″ 23″ W; elevation 3,060 m). Although there are many populations of Durango fir in Durango between Cerro Gordo and Cerro Mohinora, white fir dwarf mistletoe has never been reported from any of those populations (1). More than 70% of the trees were infected in the stand where the mistletoe was observed on Cerro Gordo, but little mortality of Durango fir was observed (4 trees). The infected Durango firs were growing in a mixed conifer forest of Durango fir, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), Cooper pine (Pinus cooperi Blanco), Mexican white pine (P. ayacahuite Ehrenb. ex Schltdl.), Durango pine (Pinus durangensis Mart.), and aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). There were no pure stands of Durango fir in the area. Infection by white fir dwarf mistletoe was only observed on Durango fir and infection was characterized by the formation of witches' brooms and branch swellings. Mistletoe plants collected from Durango fir on Cerro Gordo were identical to white fir dwarf mistletoe plants found on Cerro Mohinora when compared using morphological characters such as plant height (mean approximately 8 cm), plant color (yellow-green, green, green-brown, and rarely red-brown), mean diameter of flowers (2.8 mm), and mean fruit dimensions (5.0 × 3.0 mm) (2). White fir dwarf mistletoe is relatively host-specific and is the only dwarf mistletoe that has been reported to parasitize Durango fir in Mexico (1). Specimens of white fir dwarf mistletoe from Cerro Gordo were collected and deposited at the Hebario (CIIDIR), Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Durango, Mexico (Accession #40190). To our knowledge, this is the first report of white fir dwarf mistletoe from Durango, Mexico, and extends the known southern range of this mistletoe by approximately 370 km (1). References: (1) F. Hawksworth and D. Wiens. USDA For. Serv. Agric. Handb. 709, 1996. (2) R. Mathiasen. Plant Dis. 94:635, 2010.

Soil respiration response to prescribed burning and thinning in mixed-conifer and hardwood forests

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1581-1591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Concilio ◽  
Siyan Ma ◽  
Qinglin Li ◽  
James LeMoine ◽  
Jiquan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Hardwood Forest ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Patch Type ◽  
Litter Depth ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest

The effects of management on soil carbon efflux in different ecosystems are still largely unknown yet crucial to both our understanding and management of global carbon flux. To compare the effects of common forest management practices on soil carbon cycling, we measured soil respiration rate (SRR) in a mixed-conifer and hardwood forest that had undergone various treatments from June to August 2003. The mixed-conifer forest, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, had been treated with thinning and burning manipulations in 2001, and the hardwood forest, located in the southeastern Missouri Ozarks, had been treated with harvesting manipulations in 1996 and 1997. Litter depth, soil temperature, and soil moisture were also measured. We found that selective thinning produced a similar effect on both forests by elevating SRR, soil moisture, and soil temperature, although the magnitude of response was greater in the mixed-conifer forest. Selective harvest increased SRR by 43% (from 3.38 to 4.82 µmol·m–2·s–1) in the mixed-conifer forest and by 14% (from 4.25 to 4.84 µmol·m–2·s–1) in the hardwood forest. Burning at the conifer site and even-aged harvesting at the mixed-hardwood site did not produce significantly different SRR from controls. Mean SRR were 3.24, 3.42, and 4.52 µmol·m–2·s–1, respectively. At both sites, manipulations did significantly alter SRR by changing litter depth, soil structure, and forest microclimate. SRR response varied by vegetation patch type, the scale at which treatments altered these biotic factors. Our findings provide forest managers first-hand information on the response of soil carbon efflux to various management strategies in different forests.

Tertiary vegetation, climate, and altitude of the Rio Grande depression, New Mexico–Colorado

Paleobiology ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel I. Axelrod ◽  
Harry P. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Rio Grande ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Rio Grande Rift ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Late Oligocene ◽  
Fossil Plants ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Subalpine Zone ◽  
Volcanic Pile

Late Eocene to middle Oligocene floras from the area of the present Rio Grande depression represent a time sequence from the upper part of mixed subtropical forest (Bernalillo flora), to an ecotone between broadleaved sclerophyll and mixed conifer forest (Red Rock Ranch flora), to subalpine conifer forest (Hillsboro and Hermosa floras). The implied difference in mean annual temperature of ~ 11°C suggests that altitude increased 2,000 m in 6–8 my. Construction of the Datil-Mogollon volcanic pile, averaging about 1,200 to 1,500 m thick, is thought to be largely responsible for the forest zonation, but regional doming accompanying volcanism may also be involved. The Oligocene subalpine conifer forests now occur in the piñon-juniper belt 900 and 1,200 m below the present subalpine zone, consistent with the subsidence that formed the Rio Grande rift beginning in the late Oligocene/early Miocene and continuing to the present. Later epeirogenic uplift of ~ 1200 m is implied by fossil plants in the Galisteo (~ 40 my bp), Creede (~ 27 my bp) and Tesuque (~ 14 my bp) Formations that border, or are in the rift.

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