scholarly journals Soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry (C : N : P) in relation to conifer species productivity and nutrition across British Columbia perhumid rainforests

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Marty Kranabetter ◽  
Ariana Sholinder ◽  
Louise de Montigny
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Picea Sitchensis ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Conifer Species ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Element Ratios ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. Temperate rainforest soils of the Pacific Northwest are often carbon (C) rich and encompass a wide range in fertility reflecting varying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. Soil resource stoichiometry (C : N : P) may provide an effective measure of site nutrient status and help refine species-dependent patterns in forest productivity across edaphic gradients. We described the nature of soil organic matter for mineral soil and forest floor substrates across very wet (perhumid) rainforest sites of southwestern Vancouver Island (Canada), and employed soil element ratios as covariates in a long-term planting density trial to test their utility in defining basal area growth response of four conifer species. There were strong positive correlations in mineral soil C, N and organic P (Po) concentrations, and close alignment in C : N and C : Po both among and between substrates. Stand basal area after five decades was best reflected by soil C : N but included a significant species-soil interaction. The conifers with ectomycorrhizal fungi had diverging growth responses displaying either competitive (Picea sitchensis) or stress-tolerant (Tsuga heterophylla, Pseudotsuga menziesii) attributes, in contrast to a more generalist response by an arbuscular mycorrhizal tree (Thuja plicata). Despite the consistent patterns in organic matter quality we found no evidence via foliar nutrition for increased P availability with declining element ratios as we did for N. The often high C : Po ratios (as much as 3000) of these soils may reflect a stronger immobilization sink for P than N, which, along with ongoing sorption of PO4−, could limit the utility of C : Po or N : Po to adequately reflect P supply. The dynamics and availability of soil P to trees, particularly as Po, deserves greater attention as many perhumid rainforests were co-limited by N and P, or, in some stands, possibly P alone.

scholarly journals Contrasting conifer species productivity in relation to soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of British Columbia perhumid rainforests

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1247-1260
Author(s):  
John Marty Kranabetter ◽  
Ariana Sholinder ◽  
Louise de Montigny
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Picea Sitchensis ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Conifer Species ◽  
Effective Measure ◽  
Element Ratios ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. Temperate rainforest soils of the Pacific Northwest are often carbon (C) rich and encompass a wide range of fertility, reflecting varying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. Soil resource stoichiometry (C : N : P) may provide an effective measure of site nutrient status and help refine species-dependent patterns in forest productivity across edaphic gradients. We determined mineral soil and forest floor nutrient concentrations across very wet (perhumid) rainforest sites of southwestern Vancouver Island (Canada) and employed soil element ratios as covariates in a long-term planting density trial to test their utility in defining basal area growth response of four conifer species. There were strong positive correlations in mineral soil C, N, and organic P (Po) concentrations and close alignment in C : N and C : Po both among and between substrates. Stand basal area after 5 decades was best reflected by mineral soil and forest floor C : N, but in either case included a significant species–soil interaction. The conifers with ectomycorrhizal fungi had diverging growth responses displaying either competitive (Picea sitchensis) or stress-tolerant (Tsuga heterophylla, Pseudotsuga menziesii) attributes, in contrast to a more generalist response by an arbuscular mycorrhizal tree (Thuja plicata). Despite the consistent patterns in organic matter quality, we found no evidence for increased foliar P concentrations with declining element ratios (C : Po or C : Ptotal) as we did for N. The often high C : Po ratios (as much as 3000) of these soils may reflect a stronger immobilization sink for P than N, which, along with ongoing sorption of PO4-, could limit the utility of C : Po or N : Po to adequately reflect P supply. The dynamics and availability of soil P to trees, particularly as Po, deserves greater attention, as many perhumid rainforests were co-limited by N and P, or, in some stands, possibly P alone.

Stand growth responses after fertilization for thinned lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, and spruce in forests of interior British Columbia, Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (11) ◽  
pp. 1471-1482
Author(s):  
Woongsoon Jang ◽  
Bianca N.I. Eskelson ◽  
Louise de Montigny ◽  
Catherine A. Bealle Statland ◽  
Derek F. Sattler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Picea Sitchensis ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Growth Responses

This study was conducted to quantify growth responses of three major commercial conifer species (lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Watson), interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco), and spruce (white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and hybrid spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelm. × Picea glauca (Moench) Voss × Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière))) to various fertilizer blends in interior British Columbia, Canada. Over 25 years, growth-response data were repeatedly collected across 46 installations. The fertilizer blends were classified into three groups: nitrogen only; nitrogen and sulfur combined; and nitrogen, sulfur, and boron combined. The growth responses for stand volume, basal area, and top height were calculated through absolute and relative growth rate ratios relative to a controlled group. Fertilizer blend, inverse years since fertilization, site index, stand density at fertilization, and their interactions with the fertilizer blend were used as explanatory variables. The magnitude and significance of volume and basal area growth responses to fertilization differed by species, fertilizer-blend groups, and stand-condition variables (i.e., site index and stand density). In contrast, the response in top height growth did not differ among fertilization blends, with the exception of the nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer subgroup for lodgepole pine. The models developed in this study will be incorporated into the current growth and yield fertilization module (i.e., Table Interpolation Program for Stand Yields (TIPSY)), thereby supporting guidance of fertilization applications in interior forests in British Columbia.

Different nitrogen sources for fertilizing western hemlock in western Washington

1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Radwan ◽  
D. S. DeBell ◽  
S. R. Webster ◽  
S. P. Gessel
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Volume Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Total N ◽  
Area Growth ◽  
Western Washington

Effects of different sources of fertilizer N on selected chemical characteristics of soils and foliage, and on growth of western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) were compared at three different sites in western Washington. Treatments were the following: untreated control (O), ammonium nitrate (AN), ammonium sulfate (AS), calcium nitrate (CN), urea (U), and urea – ammonium sulfate (US). Fertilizers were applied in the spring (April–May) at 224 kg N/ha. Forest floor and mineral soil, to a depth of 5 cm, and foliage were sampled periodically for 2 years. Height and diameter of selected trees were measured periodically for 4 years. Results are reported mostly for two sites, one in the Cascade Range and one in the coastal zone in western Washington. The pH of forest floor and mineral soil varied by treatment, and the two urea fertilizers caused substantial initial rise. Effects on soil and foliar nutrients varied by fertilizer, sampling date, and location. In general, all fertilizers increased NH4 N, N03 N, and total N in the forest floor and mineral soil, and total N in the foliage. Also, with some exceptions, especially with foliar P in the Cascade site, fertilization reduced foliar content of important nutrients. At the Cascade site, 4-year growth responses in height, basal area, and volume averaged over all fertilizers were 30, 34, and 32%, respectively. AN, AS, CN, and urea resulted in height growth significantly (P < 0.20) higher than that of the control. Significant basal area growth and volume-growth responses were produced by AN, CN, and US. No significant height-growth response to any fertilizer occurred in the coastal stand; basal area growth and volume-growth responses averaged 27 and 21%, respectively, and best response occurred with urea. These results suggest that the low and inconsistent response of hemlock to N fertilization cannot be improved by applying some N fertilizer other than urea. Factors limiting response to N fertilization may be associated with availability of native N and other nutrients or other characteristics of hemlock sites and stands.

Indicators of forest ecosystem productivity and nutrient status across precipitation and temperature gradients in Hawaii

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 693-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis Idol ◽  
Patrick J. Baker ◽  
Dean Meason
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Forest Productivity ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Leaf Nutrients ◽  
Soil P Availability ◽  
P Fraction ◽  
Leaf N

Precipitation and temperature are known to have important effects on forest productivity, but these effects may be strongly mediated through their influence on soil and leaf nutrients. We measured indicators of forest productivity and soil and leaf nutrients across independent gradients of precipitation and elevation/temperature in lower montane Hawaiian forests dominated by a single overstorey species, Acacia koa, situated on 1500–3000-y-old soils that were mixtures of volcanic ash and basalt. Stand basal area was highest at the wettest site, 2000 mm mean annual precipitation (MAP), and leaf N and P were lowest at the driest site, 1000 mm MAP. Soil N availability and leaf N concentration declined across an 850-m elevation gradient, but this was not correlated with stand basal area or soil organic matter content. Across all stands, basal area was negatively correlated with the exchangeable soil P fraction. As well, the soil C:N ratio was negatively correlated with both soil P availability and the size of the primary mineral P fraction. Soil P availability and weathering appear to be important determinants of soil organic matter quantity and quality. Overall, precipitation is the major driving force for forest productivity, but P weathering and availability play important roles in limiting productivity in wetter sites and in controlling soil organic matter dynamics in these N-fixing forests.

scholarly journals Effects of free atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> enrichment (FACE), N fertilization and poplar genotype on the physical protection of carbon in the mineral soil of a polar plantation after five years

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 479-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Hoosbeek ◽  
J. M. Vos ◽  
E. J. Bakker ◽  
G. E. Scarascia-Mugnozza
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Co2 Enrichment ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Soil C ◽  
C Storage ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Choice Of Species

Abstract. Free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments in aggrading forests and plantations have demonstrated significant increases in net primary production (NPP) and C storage in forest vegetation. The extra C uptake may also be stored in forest floor litter and in forest soil. After five years of FACE treatment at the EuroFACE short rotation poplar plantation, the increase of total soil C% was larger under elevated than under ambient CO2. However, the fate of this additional C allocated belowground remains unclear. The stability of soil organic matter is controlled by the chemical structure of the organic matter and the formation of micro-aggregates (within macro-aggregates) in which organic matter is stabilized and protected. FACE and N-fertilization treatment did not affect the micro- and macro-aggregate weight, C or N fractions obtained by wet sieving. However, Populus euramericana increased the small macro-aggregate and free micro-aggregate weight and C fractions. The obtained macro-aggregates were broken up in order to isolate recently formed micro-aggregates within macro-aggregates (iM-micro-aggregates). FACE increased the iM-micro-aggregate weight and C fractions, although not significantly. This study reveals that FACE did not affect the formation of aggregates. We did, however, observe a trend of increased stabilization and protection of soil C in micro-aggregates formed within macro-aggregates under FACE. Moreover, the largest effect on aggregate formation was due to differences in species, i.e. poplar genotype. P. euramericana increased the formation of free micro-aggregates which means that more newly incorporated soil C was stabilized and protected. The choice of species in a plantation, or the effect of global change on species diversity, may therefore affect the stabilization and protection of C in soils.

Soil carbon stabilization along climate and stand productivity gradients in black spruce forests of interior Alaska

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 2118-2129 ◽  
Author(s):  
E S Kane ◽  
D W Valentine ◽  
E AG Schuur ◽  
K Dutta
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Stand Productivity ◽  
Interior Alaska ◽  
C Balance ◽  
Soil C Balance

The amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) in stable, slow-turnover pools is likely to change in response to climate warming because processes mediating soil C balance (net primary production and decomposition) vary with environmental conditions. This is important to consider in boreal forests, which constitute one of the world's largest stocks of SOC. We investigated changes in soil C stabilization along four replicate gradients of black spruce productivity and soil temperature in interior Alaska to develop empirical relationships between SOC and stand and physiographic features. Total SOC harbored in mineral soil horizons decreased by 4.4 g C·m–2 for every degree-day increase in heat sum within the organic soil across all sites. Furthermore, the proportion of relatively labile light-fraction (density <1.6 g·cm–3) soil organic matter decreased significantly with increased stand productivity and soil temperature. Mean residence times of SOC (as determined by Δ14C) in dense-fraction (>1.6 g·cm–3) mineral soil ranged from 282 to 672 years. The oldest SOC occurred in the coolest sites, which also harbored the most C and had the lowest rates of stand production. These results suggest that temperature sensitivities of organic matter within discrete soil pools, and not just total soil C stocks, need to be examined to project the effects of changing climate and primary production on soil C balance.

Analysis of stand basal area development of thinned and unthinned Acer rubrum forests in the upper Great Lakes region, USA

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 645-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin L. Pszwaro ◽  
Anthony W. D’Amato ◽  
Thomas E. Burk ◽  
Matthew B. Russell ◽  
Brian J. Palik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mean Squared Error ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Wide Range

Red maple (Acer rubrum L.), historically a common but not abundant tree species in North America, has increased in abundance throughout its range over the last several decades; however, it has received little attention in growth and yield studies. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the effects of stocking level and stand density on overall patterns of red maple stand productivity and (ii) quantify these relationships across a wide range of stand age, site quality, geographic location, and climatic conditions. We used long-term measurements from 52 sites in Wisconsin and Michigan to examine growth responses of even-aged red maple stands to various levels of thinning. Using linear, mixed-effects modeling, future stand-level red maple basal area was modeled as a function of stand and plot characteristics and climatic variables. Growing season precipitation and its interaction with initial red maple basal area were significant predictors; however, they only collectively reduced the mean squared error by 2.1% relative to a base model containing solely stand and plot factors. Model projections indicated there was little difference in predicted future basal area for the range of climate conditions experienced by these stands highlighting red maple’s wide tolerance of environmental conditions across the region.

Phosphorus transformations in acid light-textured soils treated with dry swine manure

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotfi Khiari ◽  
Léon E. Parent
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Swine Manure ◽  
Organic Ligand ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
P Availability ◽  
P Fractionation ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
P Fraction

Organic matter can sorb P in acid soils through metal-organic matter-phosphate complexes. The pyrophosphate extractable Al and Fe and soil C contents were hypothetized to influence P partitioning in Ferro-Humic Podzols. Reaction of added P may be mitigated by adding lime or organic matter as dry swine manure (DSM) together with mineral P fertilizers. Three soils had 40 to 50 g kg-1 of soil organic matter (SOM) content, and 76 to 140 mmol (Al + Fe)pyro kg-1. A peaty soil phase had 200 g SOM kg-1, and 58 mmol (Al + Fe)pyro kg-1. Rates of monoammonium phosphate were 0, 27, 69, and 144 kg P ha-1 in a simulated fertilizer band. Rates of DSM and lime were 800 and 185–369 mg per 35 mL of soil, respectively. After 6 wk of incubation, soil P was fractionated sequentially into aluminium bound P (Al-P), iron bound P (Fe-P), and loosely bound P. Total P, desorbed P and organic P were determined in separate subsamples. A proportion of 79–92% of added P was recovered as Al-P and Fe-P in the three low SOM soils, compared to 51–61% in the high SOM soil. The DSM increased loosely bound P from 25 to 34% in the high SOM soil and from 4.8 to 5.9% in low SOM soils. With DSM, the proportion of desorbed P was much higher in the high (70%) than in low SOM (22%) soils. Compared to the non-amended treatment, lime showed no significant effect on any P fraction but desorbed P. The DSM increased P availability in the fertilizer band considerably more in the soil having the lowest (Al + Fe)pyro/C ratio. Key words: P fractionation, organic ligand, P sorption, fertilizer band

scholarly journals A meta-analysis on the impacts of partial cutting on forest structure and carbon storage

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 787-813 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Zhou ◽  
S. Q. Zhao ◽  
S. Liu ◽  
J. Oeding
Keyword(s):  
Forest Structure ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Soil C ◽  
C Storage

Abstract. Partial cutting, which removes some individual trees from a forest, is one of the major and widespread forest management practices that can significantly alter both forest structure and carbon (C) storage. Using 746 observations from 82 publications, we synthesized the impacts of partial cutting on three variables associated with forest structure (i.e. mean annual growth of diameter at breast height (DBH), basal area (BA), and volume) and four variables related to various C stock components (i.e. aboveground biomass C (AGBC), understory C, forest floor C, and mineral soil C). Results shows that the growth of DBH elevated by 112% after partial cutting, compared to the uncut control, while stand BA and volume reduced immediately by 34% and 29%, respectively. On average, partial cutting reduced AGBC by 43%, increased understory C storage by 392%, but did not show significant effects on C storages on forest floor and in mineral soil. All the effects on DBH growth, stand BA, volume, and AGBC intensified linearly with cutting intensity (CI) and decreased linearly with the number of recovery years (RY). In addition to the strong impacts of CI and RY, other factors such as climate zone and forest type also affected forest responses to partial cutting. The data assembled in this synthesis were not sufficient to determine how long it would take for a complete recovery after cutting because long-term experiments were rare. Future efforts should be tailored to increase the duration of the experiments and balance geographic locations of field studies.

scholarly journals An inverse dielectric mixing model at 50 MHz that considers soil organic carbon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Hwan Park ◽  
Aaron Berg ◽  
Michael H. Cosh ◽  
Andreas Colliander ◽  
Andreas Behrendt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Mixing Model ◽  
Multiphase Model ◽  
Validation Experiment ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. The prevalent soil moisture probe algorithms are based on a polynomial function that does not account for the variability in soil organic matter. Users are expected to choose a model before application: either a model for mineral soil or a model for organic soil. Both approaches inevitably suffer from limitations with respect to estimating the volumetric soil water content in soils having a wide range of organic matter content. In this study, we propose a new algorithm based on the idea that the amount of soil organic matter (SOM) is related to major uncertainties in the in-situ soil moisture data obtained using soil probe instruments. To test this theory, we derived a multiphase inversion algorithm from a physically based dielectric mixing model capable of using the SOM amount, performed a selection process from the multiphase model outcomes, and tested whether this new approach improves the accuracy of soil moisture (SM) data probes. The validation of the proposed new soil probe algorithm was performed using both gravimetric and dielectric data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment in 2012 (SMAPVEX12). The new algorithm is more accurate than the previous soil-probe algorithm, resulting in a slightly improved correlation (0.824 0.848), 12 % lower root mean square error (RMSE; 0.0824 0.0725 cm3·cm−3), and 90 % less bias (−0.0042 0.0004 cm3·cm−3). These results suggest that applying the new dielectric mixing model together with global SOM estimates will result in more reliable soil moisture reference data for weather and climate models and satellite validation.

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