1
|
Cornelissen JHC, Grootemaat S, Verheijen LM, Cornwell WK, van Bodegom PM, van der Wal R, Aerts R. Are litter decomposition and fire linked through plant species traits? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 216:653-669. [PMID: 28892160 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Contents 653 I. 654 II. 657 III. 659 IV. 661 V. 662 VI. 663 VII. 665 665 References 665 SUMMARY: Biological decomposition and wildfire are connected carbon release pathways for dead plant material: slower litter decomposition leads to fuel accumulation. Are decomposition and surface fires also connected through plant community composition, via the species' traits? Our central concept involves two axes of trait variation related to decomposition and fire. The 'plant economics spectrum' (PES) links biochemistry traits to the litter decomposability of different fine organs. The 'size and shape spectrum' (SSS) includes litter particle size and shape and their consequent effect on fuel bed structure, ventilation and flammability. Our literature synthesis revealed that PES-driven decomposability is largely decoupled from predominantly SSS-driven surface litter flammability across species; this finding needs empirical testing in various environmental settings. Under certain conditions, carbon release will be dominated by decomposition, while under other conditions litter fuel will accumulate and fire may dominate carbon release. Ecosystem-level feedbacks between decomposition and fire, for example via litter amounts, litter decomposition stage, community-level biotic interactions and altered environment, will influence the trait-driven effects on decomposition and fire. Yet, our conceptual framework, explicitly comparing the effects of two plant trait spectra on litter decomposition vs fire, provides a promising new research direction for better understanding and predicting Earth surface carbon dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johannes H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Saskia Grootemaat
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Lieneke M Verheijen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - William K Cornwell
- Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Peter M van Bodegom
- Institute of Environmental Sciences CML, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - René van der Wal
- School of Biological Science, University of Aberdeen, 23 St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
| | - Rien Aerts
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hu T, Sun L, Hu H, Weise DR, Guo F. Soil Respiration of the Dahurian Larch (Larix gmelinii) Forest and the Response to Fire Disturbance in Da Xing'an Mountains, China. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2967. [PMID: 28592852 PMCID: PMC5462756 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03325-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the high frequency of wildfire disturbances in boreal forests in China, the effects of wildfires on soil respiration are not yet well understood. We examined the effects of fire severity on the soil respiration rate (Rs) and its component change in a Dahurian Larch (Larix gmelinii) in Northeast China. The results showed that Rs decreased with fire burning severity. Compared with the control plots, Rs in the low burning severity plots decreased by 19%, while it decreased by 28% in the high burning severity plots. The Rs decrease was mainly due to a decreased autotrophic respiration rate (Ra). The temperature sensitivity (Q10) of Rs increased after the low severity fire disturbances, but it decreased after the high severity fire disturbance. The Rs were triggered by the soil temperature, which may explain most of the Rs variability in this area. Our study, for the first time, provides the data-based foundation to demonstrate the importance of assessing CO2 fluxes considering both fire severity and environmental factors post-fire in boreal forests of China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tongxin Hu
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Long Sun
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Haiqing Hu
- College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - David R Weise
- USDA Forest Service, PSW Research Station, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
| | - Futao Guo
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Holden SR, Gutierrez A, Treseder KK. Changes in Soil Fungal Communities, Extracellular Enzyme Activities, and Litter Decomposition Across a Fire Chronosequence in Alaskan Boreal Forests. Ecosystems 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-012-9594-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
4
|
Lavoie M, Mack MC, Schuur EAG. Effects of elevated nitrogen and temperature on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in Alaskan arctic and boreal soils. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010jg001629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
5
|
Choi Y, Vay SA, Vadrevu KP, Soja AJ, Woo JH, Nolf SR, Sachse GW, Diskin GS, Blake DR, Blake NJ, Singh HB, Avery MA, Fried A, Pfister L, Fuelberg HE. Characteristics of the atmospheric CO2signal as observed over the conterminous United States during INTEX-NA. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007jd008899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
6
|
Friedli HR, Radke LF, Payne NJ, McRae DJ, Lynham TJ, Blake TW. Mercury in vegetation and organic soil at an upland boreal forest site in Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2005jg000061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
7
|
Lü A, Tian H, Liu M, Liu J, Melillo JM. Spatial and temporal patterns of carbon emissions from forest fires in China from 1950 to 2000. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2005jd006198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
8
|
Smithwick EAH, Turner MG, Mack MC, Chapin FS. Postfire Soil N Cycling in Northern Conifer Forests Affected by Severe, Stand-Replacing Wildfires. Ecosystems 2005. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-004-0097-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
10
|
Litvak M, Miller S, Wofsy SC, Goulden M. Effect of stand age on whole ecosystem CO2exchange in the Canadian boreal forest. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2001jd000854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcy Litvak
- Department of Earth System Science; University of California; Irvine California USA
| | - Scott Miller
- Department of Earth System Science; University of California; Irvine California USA
| | - Steve C. Wofsy
- Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts USA
| | - Michael Goulden
- Department of Earth System Science; University of California; Irvine California USA
| |
Collapse
|