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Huang J, Guang P, Gao J, Wang X, Guo H. Multiscale spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of ecosystem service value of groundwater in China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 368:122196. [PMID: 39146647 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Ecosystem services are fundamental to human survival on Earth, but studies on ecosystem service value of groundwater (ESV-G) are rare. The multiscale characteristics and influencing factors of ESV-G in China from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed in this study. The results showed that ESV-G decreased first and then increased, the average ESV-G was 130.30 thousand yuan/km2, and ESV-G tended to shift towards middle level (second to fourth class). The Hu Line was the dividing line between the first class (more than half area) and the others. The AI and FRAC values indicated that the patches of ESV-G were more concentrated, with simpler shapes that were more amenable to governance at the province scale. Hot spots and cold spots were mainly located in the eastern and western parts of Hu Line, respectively. The ESV-G of the cold spots per unit area at the province scale was higher than that at the city scale, which indicated that the province scale had the potential for higher ESV-G per unit area and cost advantage. Precipitation and temperature were the main factors affecting ESV-G; the influence of human activities on ESV-G increased on a larger scale as time went by. Combination of precipitation and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) had the greatest influence on ESV-G among the combinational influencing factors. The province scale was the optimal scale to manage ESV-G. Climate change had led to the expansion of hot and cold spots of ESV-G, northern and southern areas should combine existing policies to carry out differentiated governance. This study extended the scope of ecosystem service value studies from land surface to underground, providing a scientific basis for the management of groundwater ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Penghong Guang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jiameng Gao
- College of Information Sciences and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Xiaodan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Hongyan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Monitoring & Restoration Project on Land (arable), Ministry of Natural Resources, Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, 210018, China; Joint International Research Centre for Critical Zone Science by University of Leeds and Nanjing University, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Quanzhou Institute for Environment Protection Industry, Nanjing University, Quanzhou, 362000, China.
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Luo J, Luo WX, Liu JT, Wang YJ, Li ZF, Tao JP, Liu JC. Karst fissures mitigate the negative effects of drought on plant growth and photosynthetic physiology. Oecologia 2024; 205:69-80. [PMID: 38683388 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05556-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Hard limestone substrates, which are extensively distributed, are believed to exacerbate drought and increase the difficulty of restoration in vulnerable karst regions. Fissures in such substrates may alleviate the negative effect of drought on plants, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In a two-way factorial block design, the growth and photosynthesis of 2-year-old Phoebe zhennan seedlings were investigated in two water availabilities (high versus low) and three stimulated fissure habitat groups (soil, soil-filled fissure and non-soil-filled fissure). Moreover, the fissure treatments included both small and big fissures. Compared to the soil group, the non-soil-filled fissure group had decreased the total biomass, root biomass, total root length, and the root length of fine roots in the soil layer at both water availabilities, but increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and retained stable water use efficiency (WUE) at low water availability. However, there were no significant differences between the soil-filled fissure group and soil group in the biomass accumulation and allocation as well as Pn. Nevertheless, the SF group decreased the root distribution in total and in the soil layer, and also increased WUE at low water availability. Across all treatments, fissure size had no effect on plant growth or photosynthesis. Karst fissures filled with soil can alleviate drought impacts on plant root growth, which involves adjusting root distribution strategies and increasing water use efficiency. These results suggest that rock fissures can be involved in long-term plant responses to drought stress and vegetation restoration in rocky mountain environments under global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Luo
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wei-Xue Luo
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jun-Ting Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yong-Jian Wang
- College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430000, China
| | - Zong-Feng Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jian-Ping Tao
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Jin-Chun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Southwest University, No.2 Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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Achieng AO, Arhonditsis GB, Mandrak N, Febria C, Opaa B, Coffey TJ, Masese FO, Irvine K, Ajode ZM, Obiero K, Barasa JE, Kaunda-Arara B. Monitoring biodiversity loss in rapidly changing Afrotropical ecosystems: an emerging imperative for governance and research. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220271. [PMID: 37246384 PMCID: PMC10225856 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Africa is experiencing extensive biodiversity loss due to rapid changes in the environment, where natural resources constitute the main instrument for socioeconomic development and a mainstay source of livelihoods for an increasing population. Lack of data and information deficiency on biodiversity, but also budget constraints and insufficient financial and technical capacity, impede sound policy design and effective implementation of conservation and management measures. The problem is further exacerbated by the lack of harmonized indicators and databases to assess conservation needs and monitor biodiversity losses. We review challenges with biodiversity data (availability, quality, usability and database access) as a key limiting factor that impacts funding and governance. We also evaluate the drivers of both ecosystems change and biodiversity loss as a central piece of knowledge to develop and implement effective policies. While the continent focuses more on the latter, we argue that the two are complementary in shaping restoration and management solutions. We thus underscore the importance of establishing monitoring programmes focusing on biodiversity-ecosystem linkages in order to inform evidence-based decisions in ecosystem conservation and restoration in Africa. This article is part of the theme issue 'Detecting and attributing the causes of biodiversity change: needs, gaps and solutions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. O. Achieng
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - G. B. Arhonditsis
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M1C 1A4
| | - N. Mandrak
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, ON, Canada M1C 1A4
| | - C. Febria
- Department of Integrative Biology, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada N9B 3P4
| | - B. Opaa
- Department of Natural Resources Management, National Land Commission, P.O. Box 44417-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - T. J. Coffey
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
| | - F. O. Masese
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - K. Irvine
- IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Department of Water Resource and Ecosystems, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft, The Netherlands
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Z. M. Ajode
- African Center for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE), 2200 Commonwealth Blvd, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - K. Obiero
- Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Directorate of Freshwater Aquaculture, P.O. Box 136-40111 Pap Onditi, Kenya
| | - J. E. Barasa
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - B. Kaunda-Arara
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
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Behzad HM, Arif M, Duan S, Kavousi A, Cao M, Liu J, Jiang Y. Seasonal variations in water uptake and transpiration for plants in a karst critical zone in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160424. [PMID: 36436637 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite substantial drought conditions in the karst critical zone (KCZ), the KCZ landscapes are often covered with forest woody plants. However, it is not well understood how these plants balance water supply and demand to survive in such a water-limited environment. This study investigated the water uptake and transpiration relationships of four coexisting woody species in a subtropical karst forest ecosystem using measurements of microclimate, soil moisture, stable isotopes (δ18O, δ2H, and δ13C), intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUEi), sap flow, and rooting depth. The focus was on identifying differences within- and between-species across soil- and rock-dominated habitats (SDH and RDH) during the rainy growing season (September 2017) and dry season (February 2018). Species across both habitats tended to have higher transpiration with lower WUEi during the rainy season and lower transpiration with higher WUEi during the dry season. Compared to those in the SDH, species in the RDH showed lower transpiration with higher WUEi in both seasons. The dominant water sources were soil water and rainwater for supporting rainy-season transpiration in the SDH and RDH, respectively, and groundwater was the main water source for supporting dry-season transpiration in both habitats. A clear ecohydrological niche differentiation was also revealed among species. Across both habitats, shallower-rooted species with higher soil-water uptake, compared to deeper-rooted species with higher groundwater uptake, showed higher transpiration and lower WUEi during the rainy season and vice versa during the dry season. This study provides integrated insights into how forest woody plants in the KCZ regulate transpiration and WUEi in response to drought stress through interactions with seasonal water sources in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid M Behzad
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment & School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shihui Duan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment & School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Alireza Kavousi
- Institute of Groundwater Management, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Min Cao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment & School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, 650500, China
| | - Jiuchan Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment & School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongjun Jiang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment & School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Aguilera-Huertas J, Parras-Alcántara L, González-Rosado M, Lozano-García B. Medium-term evaluation of the 4‰ initiative, soil organic carbon storage and stabilisation in a Mediterranean rainfed olive grove under conventional tillage: A case study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114382. [PMID: 36174756 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to show the effect of conventional tillage (CT) in olive orchards in the medium term (15 years) on carbon (C) storage considering the complete soil profile, on the soil C sequestration and stabilisation capacity and on the viability for the achievement of Objective 4‰. The results obtained showed important losses in soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC stock (SOC-S), with a significant loss of total SOC-S of 42.3%. Concerning the SOC and the SOC-S linked to the fine soil fraction (<20 μm), the evolution over time led however to a SOC increase in depth (BC and C horizons) of 58.3% and 20.9% and increases in SOC-S of 17.2%, 34.7% and 27.3% for the Ap, BC and C horizons, respectively. Finally, it was seen that the goals set by the 4‰ initiative were not met, as losses of 2.1 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 were found when considering the entire soil profile and 0.8 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 when considering only the first 40 cm. Therefore, we can affirm that medium-term CT has not only conditioned C storage in the soils studied, but also their capacity for sequestration and stabilisation, which has repercussions not only on the failure to meet the objectives of the 4‰ initiative, but also on the amount of C lost in 15 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Aguilera-Huertas
- SUMAS Research Group, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Science and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence - CeiA3, University of Cordoba, 14071, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Luis Parras-Alcántara
- SUMAS Research Group, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Science and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence - CeiA3, University of Cordoba, 14071, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Manuel González-Rosado
- SUMAS Research Group, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Science and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence - CeiA3, University of Cordoba, 14071, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Beatriz Lozano-García
- SUMAS Research Group, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Science and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence - CeiA3, University of Cordoba, 14071, Cordoba, Spain.
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Li X, Wei XF, Wu J, Yin ZQ, Wan LQ, Sun HY, An YL. Geochemical characteristics and growth suitability assessment of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in the Earth's critical zone of North China. JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE 2022; 19:1245-1262. [PMID: 35601873 PMCID: PMC9106571 DOI: 10.1007/s11629-021-7015-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Geochemical differentiation of soils has a series of consequences on plant and places pressure on the ecological environment. The quantitative evaluation of element migration in the Earth's critical zone is a challenging task. In this study, two demonstration study areas of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi were selected, and multiple chemical weathering indexes, chemical loss fraction, mass migration coefficients and biological enrichment coefficient method were used to assess the ecological and geochemical suitability. The results show that for the element of Fe, Zn, Se, Cu, Co, Ni, Mo and Ge, the degree of weathering and soil maturation, were greater in the rhyolitic tuff area than in the Plagioclase gneiss area. In both research sites, the heavy metal level of samples in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi did not exceed the standard limits. The plagioclase gneiss region's surface soil environment was more alkaline, and the content of soil organic matter was lower, resulting in a higher bioenrichment intensity of Ge, Co, Cu, and Se elements in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi than in the rhyolite-tuff area. The elements of Cd, Nb, Mo, Pb and As are considerably enriched in the soil of the plagioclase gneiss area but lost by leaching in the soil of the rhyolite tuff area, which is connected to the interplay of elemental abundance and human impact in the parent materials. This study provides a good example of how to assess growth suitability of Chinese medicinal materials in the Earth's critical zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Li
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
- China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Xiao-feng Wei
- Beijing Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources, Beijing, 100012 China
| | - Jin Wu
- Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124 China
| | - Zhi-qiang Yin
- China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Li-qin Wan
- China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Hou-yun Sun
- School of Water Resources & Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083 China
| | - Yong-long An
- China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Beijing, 100081 China
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Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Human Critical Area (HCA) in the “Three Water Lines” Region of Northwest China and the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors between 2000 and 2020. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14095728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The Human Critical Area (HCA) is an area that characterizes the surface landscape created by human beings in the Anthropocene. Based on the signatures left by major human activities over the Earth′s surface, this research demarcates an arid inland region of Northwest China, the “Three Water Lines”, into four HCA types: Agricultural Area, Built-up Area, Ecological Area, and Bare Area. This paper explores the HCA′s distribution and changes in the “Three Water Lines” region between 2000 and 2020 with land use/cover data, as well as the impact of socioeconomic factors on the HCA dynamics with statistics sourcing from authoritative yearbooks. To achieve this, the Land Use Transition Matrix is used to investigate the changes in area and distribution, while binary linear regression and stepwise multiple linear regression are applied to examine the single and joint effects of the socioeconomic factors. The main findings are as follows: (i) The four HCA types are distinguished quantitatively and by their distribution patterns. Ecological Area and Bare Area cover most (more than 90% in total) of the territory with extensive and continuous distribution. Agricultural Area is mainly found on the eastern and western parts of the region, with flat terrain, abundant water resources, and moderate temperatures. Built-up Area is the most concentrated but has an unbalanced distribution and the lowest quantity. (ii) Despite some discernible spatial and quantity changes at regional and county levels between 2000 and 2020, the general characteristics in HCA’s structure and distribution pattern have mainly remained consistent. (iii) Transitions between HCA types occur constantly, and the primary source type of the transitions differs from one another. Ecological Area and Bare Area form the sources of the most evident transitions. (iv) Agricultural Area and Built-up Area are more prone influence from some socioeconomic dynamics. By contrast, there is no evidence that socioeconomic factors directly affect Bare Area. As the first empirical study of the newly conceived concept, Human Critical Area, this paper sheds light on the renovation of geographic traditions of studying the evolution of the human-environment system through the lens of human activities-driven landscape changes.
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Adaptive Management of Cultivated Land Use Zoning Based on Land Types Classification: A Case Study of Henan Province. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11030346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cultivated land serves as an important resource to ensure national food security, and how to allocate cultivated land reasonably and sustainably is an urgent problem that needs to be solved at present. Therefore, identifying land cultivability from the basic attributes of land and carrying out adaptive management measures in different zones is an effective way. Taking Henan province as a case study area, we proposed a research scheme for the adaptive management of cultivated land use zoning based on land types. First, a three-level land types classification system at the provincial level was established from five aspects—climate, topography, geology, soil properties, and hydrological conditions—and then Henan was divided into 39 first-level units, 4358 second-level units, and 6446 third-level units. On this basis, the changes in the status of land use in Henan province from 2009 to 2018 were analyzed from the four aspects of cultivated land utilization, population, grain yield, and GDP. The amount of cultivated land decreased, while the economy grew, the population increased, and grain yield increased, indicating that it is urgent to pay attention to the problem of cultivated land, and it is necessary to identify the potential space of cultivated land and manage and protect it reasonably. Based on the land types, evaluation of cultivability was carried out, the results showed that the degree of cultivability from high to low presented a transitional spatial distribution state from the east and the south to the middle, the north, and the west. Then superimposing the status of land use, six types of protection and management zones were proposed, and management suggestions were adaptively analyzed. The ideas and methods proposed in this study can be adapted to manage and utilize cultivated land from the perspective of sustainable utilization, which is of great significance for ensuring food security.
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Karren Habitat as the Key in Influencing Plant Distribution and Species Diversity in Shilin Geopark, Southwest China. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12145808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Karst rocky desertification (KRD) is one of the biggest challenges in the karst ecological restoration of Southwest China, and a thorough understanding of the plant community characteristics in various karren habitats provides a basis for mitigating KRD and restoring the degraded ecosystem. To improve our knowledge of the detailed characteristics and impact mechanisms of karren habitats on the species distribution and species diversity patterns of woody and herbaceous plants to benefit sustainable management and planting design for revegetation establishment in the karst region, a field investigation was carried out in the natural restoration vegetation of Shilin Geopark. The results indicated that karren habitats apparently determine the species diversity and composition. At the arbor layer, the habitat with the highest α diversity was solution corridor (SC), and at the shrub layer, grikes (GR) were the karren habitats with the most diverse communities. At the herb layer, solution rock debris (SRD) showed the highest richness of herbaceous species. The karren habitat features and topographic factors significantly influence plant α diversity and distribution. Soil area (SA) and canopy density (CD) were the dominant factors influencing plant diversity at the arbor, shrub and herb layers, soil thickness (ST) was significantly effective at the arbor and herb layers. Karren habitat height (KHH), litter thickness (LT), and slope gradient (SG) were significantly influential at the herb layer. The impacts of the karren habitat width (KHW), slope aspect (SAS), and SG on woody species distribution were significant. Knowledge obtained from this study will be helpful guidance for future sustainable restored vegetation design and management with high biodiversity and regional characteristics in the karst area of Southwest China and other fragile karst ecosystems in the world.
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Abrar MM, Xu M, Shah SAA, Aslam MW, Aziz T, Mustafa A, Ashraf MN, Zhou B, Ma X. Variations in the profile distribution and protection mechanisms of organic carbon under long-term fertilization in a Chinese Mollisol. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 723:138181. [PMID: 32392681 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Long term fertilization may have a significant effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and profile distribution. However, previous research mostly explored the SOC in the topsoil and provided little or no information about its distribution in deeper layers and various protection mechanisms particularly under long-term fertilization. The present study investigated the contents and profile distribution (0-100 cm) of distinct SOC protection mechanisms in the Mollisol (black soil) of Northeast China after 35 years of mineral and manure application. The initial Organic Matter content of the topsoil (0-20 cm) ranged from 26.4 to 27.0 g kg-1 soil, and ploughing depth was up to 20 cm. A combination of physical-chemical fractionation methods was employed to study various SOC fractions. There were significant variations throughout the profile among the various fractions and protection mechanisms. In topsoil (to 40 cm), mineral plus manure fertilization (MNPK) increased the total SOC content and accounted for 16.15% in the 0-20 cm and 12.34% in the 20-40 cm layer, while the manure alone (M) increased the total SOC by 56.14%, 48.73% and 27.73% in the subsoil (40-60, 60-80 and 80-100 cm, respectively). Moreover, MNPK and M in the topsoil and subsoil, respectively increased the unprotected coarse particulate organic carbon (cPOC) (48% and 26%, respectively), physically protected micro-aggregate (μagg) (20% and 18%, respectively) and occluded particulate organic carbon (iPOC) contents (279% and 93%, respectively) compared with the control (CK). A positive linear correlation was observed between total SOC and the cPOC, iPOC, physico-biochemically protected NH-μSilt and physico-chemically protected H-μSilt (p < 0.01) across the whole profile. Overall, physical, physico-biochemical and physico-chemical protection were the predominant mechanisms to sequester carbon in the whole profile, whereas the biochemical protection mechanisms were only relevant in the topsoil, thus demonstrating the differential mechanistic sensitivity of fractions for organic carbon cycling across the profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Mohsin Abrar
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Minggang Xu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Syed Atizaz Ali Shah
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Muhammad Wajahat Aslam
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, UAF Sub-Campus Depalpur, Okara, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, 35 Sterling Highway, Perth, Australia
| | - Adnan Mustafa
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Muhammad Nadeem Ashraf
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Baoku Zhou
- Institute of Environment and Resources, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150086, China
| | - Xingzhu Ma
- Institute of Environment and Resources, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150086, China
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11
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Bedrock geochemistry influences vegetation growth by regulating the regolith water holding capacity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2392. [PMID: 32404911 PMCID: PMC7220924 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16156-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Although low vegetation productivity has been observed in karst regions, whether and how bedrock geochemistry contributes to the low karstic vegetation productivity remain unclear. In this study, we address this knowledge gap by exploring the importance of bedrock geochemistry on vegetation productivity based on a critical zone investigation across a typical karst region in Southwest China. We show silicon and calcium concentrations in bedrock are strongly correlated with the regolith water loss rate (RWLR), while RWLR can predict vegetation productivity more effectively than previous models. Furthermore, the analysis based on 12 selected karst regions worldwide further suggest that lithological regulation has the potential to obscure and distort the influence of climate change. Our study implies that bedrock geochemistry could exert effects on vegetation growth in karst regions and highlights that the critical role of bedrock geochemistry for the karst region should not be ignored in the earth system model.
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12
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Dawson TE, Hahm WJ, Crutchfield-Peters K. Digging deeper: what the critical zone perspective adds to the study of plant ecophysiology. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 226:666-671. [PMID: 31912507 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of critical zone (CZ) science has provided an integrative platform for investigating plant ecophysiology in the context of landscape evolution, weathering and hydrology. The CZ lies between the top of the vegetation canopy and fresh, chemically unaltered bedrock and plays a pivotal role in sustaining life. We consider what the CZ perspective has recently brought to the study of plant ecophysiology. We specifically highlight novel research demonstrating the importance of the deeper subsurface for plant water and nutrient relations. We also point to knowledge gaps and research opportunities, emphasising, in particular, greater focus on the roles of deep, nonsoil resources and how those resources influence and coevolve with plants as a frontier of plant ecophysiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd E Dawson
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - W Jesse Hahm
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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13
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Economic Valuation of Earth’s Critical Zone: A Pilot Study of the Zhangxi Catchment, China. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12041699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Earth’s critical zone is the physical layer contained between the top of the vegetation canopy and the depth of the circulating groundwater below the land surface. The critical zone is defined within the study of Earth natural sciences as the unique terrestrial biophysical system that supplies most life-sustaining resources for humans. A feature of this specific physical system that is defined by geographical locale is the interactions of people with the vertically-connected biophysical flows and transformations (energy, material, biodiversity) that contribute to human welfare by delivering, both directly and indirectly, critical zone services to humankind. We have characterized these interactions by considering the full extent of the critical zone through the application of economic valuation methods. We estimated the current economic value of 14 critical zone services for 5 biophysical components of Earth’s critical zone, based on data collected from the Zhangxi catchment of Ningbo city located in the Yangtze River Delta region of China and from several additional published studies. For the full vertical extent of Earth’s critical zone bounded by the Zhangxi catchment, the value, most of which is outside the market, was estimated to be USD 116 million in 2018. Valuation of goods and services was delineated for benefits arising from key components of the critical zone physical system. The estimated value of the atmospheric component of Earth’s critical zone was USD 5 million; the vegetation component value was USD 96 million; the soil component value was USD 8 million; the surface water component value was USD 5 million; and the groundwater component value was USD 2 million. Because of the nature of the uncertainties and lack of data for the full range of identified services, these values are considered a minimum estimate. Gross domestic product in the Zhangxi catchment was around USD 431 million in 2018. These results illustrate, for one location, the range of services that arise when considering the full depth of Earth’s critical zone, the data needs for valuing this range of services, and the conceptual and potential methodological advances, and the challenges, that exist at the disciplinary interface between Earth natural sciences and applied economics.
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14
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Zaharescu DG, Burghelea CI, Dontsova K, Presler JK, Hunt EA, Domanik KJ, Amistadi MK, Sandhaus S, Munoz EN, Gaddis EE, Galey M, Vaquera-Ibarra MO, Palacios-Menendez MA, Castrejón-Martinez R, Roldán-Nicolau EC, Li K, Maier RM, Reinhard CT, Chorover J. Ecosystem-bedrock interaction changes nutrient compartmentalization during early oxidative weathering. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15006. [PMID: 31628373 PMCID: PMC6800431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51274-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecosystem-bedrock interactions power the biogeochemical cycles of Earth's shallow crust, supporting life, stimulating substrate transformation, and spurring evolutionary innovation. While oxidative processes have dominated half of terrestrial history, the relative contribution of the biosphere and its chemical fingerprints on Earth's developing regolith are still poorly constrained. Here, we report results from a two-year incipient weathering experiment. We found that the mass release and compartmentalization of major elements during weathering of granite, rhyolite, schist and basalt was rock-specific and regulated by ecosystem components. A tight interplay between physiological needs of different biota, mineral dissolution rates, and substrate nutrient availability resulted in intricate elemental distribution patterns. Biota accelerated CO2 mineralization over abiotic controls as ecosystem complexity increased, and significantly modified the stoichiometry of mobilized elements. Microbial and fungal components inhibited element leaching (23.4% and 7%), while plants increased leaching and biomass retention by 63.4%. All biota left comparable biosignatures in the dissolved weathering products. Nevertheless, the magnitude and allocation of weathered fractions under abiotic and biotic treatments provide quantitative evidence for the role of major biosphere components in the evolution of upper continental crust, presenting critical information for large-scale biogeochemical models and for the search for stable in situ biosignatures beyond Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragos G Zaharescu
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Alternative Earths Team, NASA Astrobiology Institute, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | | | - Katerina Dontsova
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Edward A Hunt
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Kenneth J Domanik
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Mary K Amistadi
- Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Shana Sandhaus
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Honor's College, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Elise N Munoz
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Honor's College, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Emily E Gaddis
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Williams College, Williamstown, MA, USA
| | - Miranda Galey
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Biology Department, The University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - María O Vaquera-Ibarra
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- University of the Americas Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | | | - Ricardo Castrejón-Martinez
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Estefanía C Roldán-Nicolau
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Kexin Li
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Raina M Maier
- Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Christopher T Reinhard
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Alternative Earths Team, NASA Astrobiology Institute, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jon Chorover
- Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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15
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Development and deployment of a field-portable soil O2 and CO2 gas analyzer and sampler. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220176. [PMID: 31461460 PMCID: PMC6713318 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we present novel method development and instruction in the construction and use of Field Portable Gas Analyzers study of belowground aerobic respiration dynamics of deep soil systems. Our Field-Portable Gas Analysis (FPGA) platform has been developed at the Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory (CCZO) for the measurement and monitoring of soil O2 and CO2 in a variety of ecosystems around the world. The FPGA platform presented here is cost-effective, lightweight, compact, and reliable for monitoring dynamic soil gasses in-situ in the field. The FPGA platform integrates off-the-shelf components for non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) CO2 measurement and electro-chemical O2 measurement via flow-through soil gas analyses. More than 2000 soil gas measurements have been made to date using these devices over 4 years of observations. Measurement accuracy of FPGAs is consistently high as validated via conventional bench-top gas chromatography. Further, time series representations of paired CO2 and O2 measurement under hardwood forests at the CCZO demonstrate the ability to observe and track seasonal and climatic patterns belowground with this FPGA platform. Lastly, the ability to analyze the apparent respiratory quotient, the ratio of apparent CO2 accumulation divided by apparent O2 consumption relative to the aboveground atmosphere, indicates a high degree of nuanced analyses are made possible with tools like FPGAs. In sum, the accuracy and reliability of the FPGA platform for soil gas monitoring allows for low-cost temporally extensive and spatially expansive field studies of deep soil respiration.
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16
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Li H, Si B, Ma X, Wu P. Deep soil water extraction by apple sequesters organic carbon via root biomass rather than altering soil organic carbon content. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 670:662-671. [PMID: 30909044 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Soil water and carbon stocks have always been research hotspots. However, the interaction between soil water and carbon in deep soil (>1 m below surface) remains poorly understood. The present study used the chronosequence approach to investigate water extraction and carbon input by roots to a depth of 25.2 m in 8-, 11-, 15-, 18-, and 22-year-old afforested apple (Malus pumila Mill.) orchard stands in a sub-humid region of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Three long-term cultivated farmlands were used as a benchmark of soil water and carbon status before land use change. Measurements showed that the apple trees accessed deep soil water reserves by growing deep roots, with the resulting desiccated soil possibly stimulating apple trees to extend their roots into deeper, moister soil. Accordingly, soil water content in the root zone decreased progressively with increasing stand age. For example, the roots of apple trees in the 22-year-old stand extended to 23.2 m below the soil surface and extracted 1530 ± 43 mm deep soil water. Consequently, carbon input from root biomass correlated well with the water storage loss in deep soil (R2 = 0.88). Deep roots accounted for 49 ± 22% of the total root biomass and contributed 0.44 ± 0.15 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 to the deep soil. However, the roots of apple trees did not significantly change the soil organic carbon content in the root zone possibly because there was limited root biomass per unit soil depth and because soil water content in the root zone gradually decreased. These findings demonstrate the importance of deep soil in regulating water and carbon cycles, advancing our understanding of interactions among water, roots, and carbon in this zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijie Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Bingcheng Si
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
| | - Xiaojun Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Pute Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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17
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18
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Links between physical and chemical weathering inferred from a 65-m-deep borehole through Earth's critical zone. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4495. [PMID: 30872686 PMCID: PMC6418305 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40819-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
As bedrock weathers to regolith - defined here as weathered rock, saprolite, and soil - porosity grows, guides fluid flow, and liberates nutrients from minerals. Though vital to terrestrial life, the processes that transform bedrock into soil are poorly understood, especially in deep regolith, where direct observations are difficult. A 65-m-deep borehole in the Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory, South Carolina, provides unusual access to a complete weathering profile in an Appalachian granitoid. Co-located geophysical and geochemical datasets in the borehole show a remarkably consistent picture of linked chemical and physical weathering processes, acting over a 38-m-thick regolith divided into three layers: soil; porous, highly weathered saprolite; and weathered, fractured bedrock. The data document that major minerals (plagioclase and biotite) commence to weather at 38 m depth, 20 m below the base of saprolite, in deep, weathered rock where physical, chemical and optical properties abruptly change. The transition from saprolite to weathered bedrock is more gradational, over a depth range of 11-18 m. Chemical weathering increases steadily upward in the weathered bedrock, with intervals of more intense weathering along fractures, documenting the combined influence of time, reactive fluid transport, and the opening of fractures as rock is exhumed and transformed near Earth's surface.
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19
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Luo Y, Lü Y, Fu B, Harris P, Wu L, Comber A. When multi-functional landscape meets Critical Zone science: advancing multi-disciplinary research for sustainable human well-being. Natl Sci Rev 2019; 6:349-358. [PMID: 34691873 PMCID: PMC8291441 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwy003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental degradation has become one of the major obstacles to sustainable development and human well-being internationally. Scientific efforts are being made to understand the mechanism of environmental degradation and sustainability. Critical Zone (CZ) science and research on the multi-functional landscape are emerging fields in Earth science that can contribute to such scientific efforts. This paper reviews the progress, similarities and current status of these two scientific research fields, and identifies a number of opportunities for their synergistic integration through functional and multi-functional approaches, process-based monitoring, mechanistic analyses and dynamic modeling, global long-term and networked monitoring and systematic modeling supported by scaling and deep coupling. These approaches proposed in this paper have the potential to support sustainable human well-being by strengthening a functional orientation that consolidates multi-functional landscape research and CZ science. This is a key challenge for sustainable development and human well-being in the twenty-first century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yihe Lü
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Joint Center for Global Change Studies, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Bojie Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Joint Center for Global Change Studies, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Paul Harris
- Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - Lianhai Wu
- Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - Alexis Comber
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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20
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Jin S. Recommended nitrogen fertilization enhances soil carbon sequestration in China's monsoonal temperate zone. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5983. [PMID: 30479909 PMCID: PMC6241394 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
China consumes more than one-third of the world’s nitrogen (N) fertilizer, and an increasing amount of N fertilizer has been applied over the past decades. Although N fertilization can increase the carbon sequestration potentials of cropland in China, the quantitative effects of different N fertilizer application levels on soil carbon changes have not been evaluated. Therefore, a 12-year cultivation experiment was conducted under three N fertilizer application levels (no N fertilizer input, the recommended N fertilizer input after soil testing, and the estimated additional fertilizer input) to estimate the effect of N addition on soil carbon changes in the root layer (0–80 cm) and non-root layer (80–200 cm) using a within-study meta-analysis method. The results showed significant declines in the soil inorganic carbon (SIC) in the root layers and significant growth in the SIC in the non-root layers under N fertilizer input. The soil organic carbon (SOC) in the root layers and the non-root layer significantly decreased under all the treatments. In addition, the recommended N fertilizer application level significantly increased the SOC and soil total carbon stocks compared with the future N fertilizer application level and no N input, while the future N fertilization significantly decreased the SIC and soil total carbon compared with no N input. The results suggest that N fertilization can rearrange the soil carbon distribution over the entire soil profile, and the recommended N fertilization rather than excess N input can increase the soil carbon stock, which suggests that the national soil testing program in China can improve the soil carbon sequestration potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaofei Jin
- Department of Geography, Ocean College, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Regional Climate-Environment for Temperate East Asia (RCE-TEA), Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Information Processing and Intelligent Control (Minjiang University), Fuzhou, China
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21
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Pawlowski M, Meki MN, Kiniry JR, Crow SE. Carbon budgets of potential tropical perennial grass cropping scenarios for bioenergy feedstock production. CARBON BALANCE AND MANAGEMENT 2018; 13:17. [PMID: 30250988 PMCID: PMC6153195 DOI: 10.1186/s13021-018-0102-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The environmental costs of fossil fuel consumption are globally recognized, opening many pathways for the development of regional portfolio solutions for sustainable replacement fuel and energy options. The purpose of this study was to create a baseline carbon (C) budget of a conventionally managed sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) production system on Maui, Hawaii, and compare it to three different future energy cropping scenarios: (1) conventional sugarcane with a 50% deficit irrigation (sugarcane 50%), (2) ratoon harvested napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.) with 100% irrigation (napier 100%), and (3) ratoon harvested napiergrass with a 50% deficit irrigation (napier 50%). RESULTS The differences among cropping scenarios for the fossil fuel-based emissions associated with agricultural inputs and field operations were small compared to the differences associated with pre-harvest burn emissions and soil C stock under ratoon harvest and zero-tillage management. Burn emissions were nearly 2000 kg Ceq ha-1 year-1 in the conventional sugarcane; whereas soil C gains were approximately 4500 kg Ceq ha-1 year-1 in the surface layer of the soil profile for napiergrass. Further, gains in deep soil profile C were nearly three times greater than in the surface layer. Therefore, net global warming potential was greatest for conventional sugarcane and least for napier 50% when deep profile soil C was included. Per unit of biomass yield, the most greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive scenario was sugarcane 50% with a GHG Index (GHGI, positive values imply a climate impact, so a more negative value is preferable for climate change mitigation) of 0.11 and the least intensive was napiergrass 50% when a deep soil profile was included (GHGI = - 0.77). CONCLUSION Future scenarios for energy or fuel production on former sugarcane land across the Pacific Basin or other volcanic islands should concentrate on ratoon-harvested crops that maintain yields under zero-tillage management for long intervals between kill harvest and reduce costs of field operations and agricultural input requirements. For napiergrass on Maui and elsewhere, deficit irrigation maximized climate change mitigation of the system and reduced water use should be part of planning a sustainable, diversified agricultural landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Pawlowski
- Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1910 East-West Rd., Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Manyowa N Meki
- Texas A & M AgriLife Research, Blackland Research and Extension Center, 720 E. Blackland Rd., Temple, TX, 76502, USA
| | - James R Kiniry
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, 808 E. Blackland Rd., Temple, TX, 76502, USA
| | - Susan E Crow
- Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1910 East-West Rd., Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.
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22
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Berdanier AB, Clark JS. Tree water balance drives temperate forest responses to drought. Ecology 2018; 99:2506-2514. [PMID: 30144047 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Intensifying drought is increasingly linked to global forest diebacks. Improved understanding of drought impacts on individual trees has provided limited insight into drought vulnerability in part because tree moisture access and depletion is difficult to quantify. In forests, moisture reservoir depletion occurs through water use by the trees themselves. Here, we show that drought impacts on tree fitness and demographic performance can be predicted by tracking the moisture reservoir available to trees as a mass balance, estimated in a hierarchical state-space framework. We apply this model to multiple seasonal droughts with tree transpiration measurements to demonstrate how species and size differences modulate moisture availability across landscapes. The depletion of individual moisture reservoirs can be tracked over the course of droughts and linked to biomass growth and reproductive output. This mass balance approach can predict individual moisture deficit, tree demographic performance, and drought vulnerability throughout forest stands based on measurements from a sample of trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B Berdanier
- University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA.,Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA
| | - J S Clark
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA.,Department of Statistical Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA
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23
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Fan Y, Miguez-Macho G, Jobbágy EG, Jackson RB, Otero-Casal C. Hydrologic regulation of plant rooting depth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:10572-10577. [PMID: 28923923 PMCID: PMC5635924 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712381114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant rooting depth affects ecosystem resilience to environmental stress such as drought. Deep roots connect deep soil/groundwater to the atmosphere, thus influencing the hydrologic cycle and climate. Deep roots enhance bedrock weathering, thus regulating the long-term carbon cycle. However, we know little about how deep roots go and why. Here, we present a global synthesis of 2,200 root observations of >1,000 species along biotic (life form, genus) and abiotic (precipitation, soil, drainage) gradients. Results reveal strong sensitivities of rooting depth to local soil water profiles determined by precipitation infiltration depth from the top (reflecting climate and soil), and groundwater table depth from below (reflecting topography-driven land drainage). In well-drained uplands, rooting depth follows infiltration depth; in waterlogged lowlands, roots stay shallow, avoiding oxygen stress below the water table; in between, high productivity and drought can send roots many meters down to the groundwater capillary fringe. This framework explains the contrasting rooting depths observed under the same climate for the same species but at distinct topographic positions. We assess the global significance of these hydrologic mechanisms by estimating root water-uptake depths using an inverse model, based on observed productivity and atmosphere, at 30″ (∼1-km) global grids to capture the topography critical to soil hydrology. The resulting patterns of plant rooting depth bear a strong topographic and hydrologic signature at landscape to global scales. They underscore a fundamental plant-water feedback pathway that may be critical to understanding plant-mediated global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Fan
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854;
| | - Gonzalo Miguez-Macho
- Non-Linear Physics Group, Faculty of Physics, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
| | - Esteban G Jobbágy
- Grupo de Estudios Ambientales-Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, D5700HHW San Luis, Argentina
| | - Robert B Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Carlos Otero-Casal
- Non-Linear Physics Group, Faculty of Physics, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
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24
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Russell AE, Hall SJ, Raich JW. Tropical tree species traits drive soil cation dynamics via effects on pH: a proposed conceptual framework. ECOL MONOGR 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ann E. Russell
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
| | - Steven J. Hall
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
| | - James W. Raich
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
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Zhu YG, Reid BJ, Meharg AA, Banwart SA, Fu BJ. Optimizing Peri-URban Ecosystems (PURE) to re-couple urban-rural symbiosis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 586:1085-1090. [PMID: 28214118 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Globally, rapid urbanization, along with economic development, is dramatically changing the balance of biogeochemical cycles, impacting upon ecosystem services and impinging on United Nation global sustainability goals (inter alia: sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; good health and well-being; clean water and sanitation, and; to protect and conserve life on land and below water). A key feature of the urban ecosystems is that nutrient stocks, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), are being enriched. Furthermore, urban ecosystems are highly engineered, biogeochemical cycling of nutrients within urban ecosystems is spatially segregated, and nutrients exported (e.g. in food) from rural/peri-urban areas are not being returned to support primary production in these environments. To redress these imbalances we propose the concept of the Peri-URban Ecosystem (PURE). Through the merging of conceptual approaches that relate to Critical Zone science and the dynamics of successional climax PURE serves at the symbiotic interface between rural/natural and urban ecosystems and allow re-coupling of resource flows. PURE provides a framework for tackling the most pressing of societal challenges and supporting global sustainability goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; State Key Lab of Regional and Urban Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, People's Republic of China.
| | - Brian J Reid
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Andrew A Meharg
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Malone Road, Belfast BT9 5BN, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Steve A Banwart
- School of Earth and Environment, The University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Bo-Jie Fu
- State Key Lab of Regional and Urban Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, People's Republic of China
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Pickles BJ, Wilhelm R, Asay AK, Hahn AS, Simard SW, Mohn WW. Transfer of 13 C between paired Douglas-fir seedlings reveals plant kinship effects and uptake of exudates by ectomycorrhizas. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:400-411. [PMID: 27870059 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Processes governing the fixation, partitioning, and mineralization of carbon in soils are under increasing scrutiny as we develop a more comprehensive understanding of global carbon cycling. Here we examined fixation by Douglas-fir seedlings and transfer to associated ectomycorrhizal fungi, soil microbes, and full-sibling or nonsibling neighbouring seedlings. Stable isotope probing with 99% 13 C-CO2 was applied to trace 13 C-labelled photosynthate throughout plants, fungi, and soil microbes in an experiment designed to assess the effect of relatedness on 13 C transfer between plant pairs. The fixation and transfer of the 13 C label to plant, fungal, and soil microbial tissue was examined in biomass and phospholipid fatty acids. After a 6 d chase period, c. 26.8% of the 13 C remaining in the system was translocated below ground. Enrichment was proportionally greatest in ectomycorrhizal biomass. The presence of mesh barriers (0.5 or 35 μm) between seedlings did not restrict 13 C transfer. Fungi were the primary recipients of 13 C-labelled photosynthate throughout the system, representing 60-70% of total 13 C-enriched phospholipids. Full-sibling pairs exhibited significantly greater 13 C transfer to recipient roots in two of four Douglas-fir families, representing three- and fourfold increases (+ c. 4 μg excess 13 C) compared with nonsibling pairs. The existence of a root/mycorrhizal exudation-hyphal uptake pathway was supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Pickles
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AS, UK
| | - Roland Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3
| | - Amanda K Asay
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Aria S Hahn
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3
| | - Suzanne W Simard
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - William W Mohn
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3
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Pawlowski MN, Crow SE, Meki MN, Kiniry JR, Taylor AD, Ogoshi R, Youkhana A, Nakahata M. Field-Based Estimates of Global Warming Potential in Bioenergy Systems of Hawaii: Crop Choice and Deficit Irrigation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0168510. [PMID: 28052075 PMCID: PMC5215395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Replacing fossil fuel with biofuel is environmentally viable from a climate change perspective only if the net greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of the system is reduced. The effects of replacing annual arable crops with perennial bioenergy feedstocks on net GHG production and soil carbon (C) stock are critical to the system-level balance. Here, we compared GHG flux, crop yield, root biomass, and soil C stock under two potential tropical, perennial grass biofuel feedstocks: conventional sugarcane and ratoon-harvested, zero-tillage napiergrass. Evaluations were conducted at two irrigation levels, 100% of plantation application and at a 50% deficit. Peaks and troughs of GHG emission followed agronomic events such as ratoon harvest of napiergrass and fertilization. Yet, net GHG flux was dominated by carbon dioxide (CO2), as methane was oxidized and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission was very low even following fertilization. High N2O fluxes that frequently negate other greenhouse gas benefits that come from replacing fossil fuels with agronomic forms of bioenergy were mitigated by efficient water and fertilizer management, including direct injection of fertilizer into buried irrigation lines. From soil intensively cultivated for a century in sugarcane, soil C stock and root biomass increased rapidly following cultivation in grasses selected for robust root systems and drought tolerance. The net soil C increase over the two-year crop cycle was three-fold greater than the annualized soil surface CO2 flux. Deficit irrigation reduced yield, but increased soil C accumulation as proportionately more photosynthetic resources were allocated belowground. In the first two years of cultivation napiergrass did not increase net greenhouse warming potential (GWP) compared to sugarcane, and has the advantage of multiple ratoon harvests per year and less negative effects of deficit irrigation to yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan N. Pawlowski
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Susan E. Crow
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Manyowa N. Meki
- Texas A&M AgriLife Blackland Research and Extension Center, Temple, Texas, United States of America
| | - James R. Kiniry
- United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, Texas, United States of America
| | - Andrew D. Taylor
- Department of Biology, University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Richard Ogoshi
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Adel Youkhana
- Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Mae Nakahata
- Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar, Puunene, Hawaii, United States of America
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Bui EN. Data-driven Critical Zone science: A new paradigm. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 568:587-593. [PMID: 26883371 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper uses examples from Australia to argue for a new approach to integrative research in the Earth's near surface environment where the pedosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere interact, the so-called 'Critical Zone'. In Australia, for around 25years, environmental data layers presented through Geographical Information Systems software have been combined with field-based measurements and observations to produce spatially explicit predictive models for digitally mapping soils and soil properties. The availability of spatially extensive datasets representing different factors of landscape evolution and their exploration with machine learning and rule induction techniques also allow the evaluation of emergent patterns against existing domain knowledge, which in turn can lead to new insights and can facilitate their extrapolation over large areas. Thus the data-driven approach is complementary to the hypothesis-driven scientific inquiry in Critical Zone observatories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth N Bui
- CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1666, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
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Pierret A, Maeght JL, Clément C, Montoroi JP, Hartmann C, Gonkhamdee S. Understanding deep roots and their functions in ecosystems: an advocacy for more unconventional research. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 118:621-635. [PMID: 27390351 PMCID: PMC5055635 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcw130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Deep roots are a common trait among a wide range of plant species and biomes, and are pivotal to the very existence of ecosystem services such as pedogenesis, groundwater and streamflow regulation, soil carbon sequestration and moisture content in the lower troposphere. Notwithstanding the growing realization of the functional significance of deep roots across disciplines such as soil science, agronomy, hydrology, ecophysiology or climatology, research efforts allocated to the study of deep roots remain incommensurate with those devoted to shallow roots. This is due in part to the fact that, despite technological advances, observing and measuring deep roots remains challenging. Scope Here, other reasons that explain why there are still so many fundamental unresolved questions related to deep roots are discussed. These include the fact that a number of hypotheses and models that are widely considered as verified and sufficiently robust are only partly supported by data. Evidence has accumulated that deep rooting could be a more widespread and important trait among plants than usually considered based on the share of biomass that it represents. Examples that indicate that plant roots have different structures and play different roles with respect to major biochemical cycles depending on their position within the soil profile are also examined and discussed. Conclusions Current knowledge gaps are identified and new lines of research for improving our understanding of the processes that drive deep root growth and functioning are proposed. This ultimately leads to a reflection on an alternative paradigm that could be used in the future as a unifying framework to describe and analyse deep rooting. Despite the many hurdles that pave the way to a practical understanding of deep rooting functions, it is anticipated that, in the relatively near future, increased knowledge about the deep rooting traits of a variety of plants and crops will have direct and tangible influence on how we manage natural and cultivated ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Pierret
- iEES-Paris (IRD-UPMC-CNRS-INRA-UDD-UPEC), Department of Agricultural Land Management, PO Box 5992, Vientiane, Lao PDR
- *For correspondence. E-mail
| | - Jean-Luc Maeght
- iEES-Paris (IRD-UPMC-CNRS-INRA-UDD-UPEC), Soils and Fertilisers Research Institute, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Corentin Clément
- International Water Management Institute (IWMI), PO Box 4199, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Jean-Pierre Montoroi
- iEES-Paris (IRD-UPMC-CNRS-INRA-UDD-UPEC), 32, av. H. Varagnat, 93143 Bondy cedex, France
| | - Christian Hartmann
- iEES-Paris (IRD-UPMC-CNRS-INRA-UDD-UPEC), Department of Agricultural Land Management, PO Box 5992, Vientiane, Lao PDR
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Angst G, John S, Mueller CW, Kögel-Knabner I, Rethemeyer J. Tracing the sources and spatial distribution of organic carbon in subsoils using a multi-biomarker approach. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29478. [PMID: 27380728 PMCID: PMC4933938 DOI: 10.1038/srep29478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) from aboveground and belowground sources has rarely been differentiated although it may drive SOC turnover and stabilization due to a presumed differing source dependent degradability. It is thus crucial to better identify the location of SOC from different sources for the parameterization of SOC models, especially in the less investigated subsoils. The aim of this study was to spatially assess contributions of organic carbon from aboveground and belowground parts of beech trees to subsoil organic carbon in a Dystric Cambisol. Different sources of SOC were distinguished by solvent-extractable and hydrolysable lipid biomarkers aided by (14)C analyses of soil compartments <63 μm. We found no effect of the distance to the trees on the investigated parameters. Instead, a vertical zonation of the subsoil was detected. A high contribution of fresh leaf- and root-derived organic carbon to the upper subsoil (leaf- and root-affected zone) indicate that supposedly fast-cycling, leaf-derived SOC may still be of considerable importance below the A-horizon. In the deeper subsoil (root-affected zone), roots were an important source of fresh SOC. Simultaneously, strongly increasing apparent (14)C ages (3860 yrs BP) indicate considerable contribution of SOC that may be inherited from the Pleistocene parent material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerrit Angst
- Chair of Soil Science, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straße 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Stephan John
- Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 49a, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Carsten W. Mueller
- Chair of Soil Science, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straße 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Ingrid Kögel-Knabner
- Chair of Soil Science, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straße 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 2a, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Janet Rethemeyer
- Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 49a, D-50674 Cologne, Germany
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31
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A Multiscale Framework for Deconstructing the Ecosystem Physical Template of High-Altitude Lakes. Ecosystems 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-016-9987-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Zaharescu DG, Burghelea CI, Hooda PS, Lester RN, Palanca-Soler A. Small lakes in big landscape: Multi-scale drivers of littoral ecosystem in alpine lakes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 551-552:496-505. [PMID: 26896578 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In low nutrient alpine lakes, the littoral zone is the most productive part of the ecosystem, and it is a biodiversity hotspot. It is not entirely clear how the scale and physical heterogeneity of surrounding catchment, its ecological composition, and larger landscape gradients work together to sustain littoral communities. A total of 113 alpine lakes from the central Pyrenees were surveyed to evaluate the functional connectivity between littoral zoobenthos and landscape physical and ecological elements at geographical, catchment and local scales, and to ascertain how they affect the formation of littoral communities. At each lake, the zoobenthic composition was assessed together with geolocation, catchment hydrodynamics, geomorphology and topography, riparian vegetation composition, the presence of trout and frogs, water pH and conductivity. Multidimensional fuzzy set models integrating benthic biota and environmental variables revealed that at geographical scale, longitude unexpectedly surpassed altitude and latitude in its effect on littoral ecosystem. This reflects a sharp transition between Atlantic and Mediterranean climates and suggests a potentially high horizontal vulnerability to climate change. Topography (controlling catchment type, snow coverage and lakes connectivity) was the most influential catchment-scale driver, followed by hydrodynamics (waterbody size, type and volume of inflow/outflow). Locally, riparian plant composition significantly related to littoral community structure, richness and diversity. These variables, directly and indirectly, create habitats for aquatic and terrestrial stages of invertebrates, and control nutrient and water cycles. Three benthic associations characterised distinct lakes. Vertebrate predation, water conductivity and pH had no major influence on littoral taxa. This work provides exhaustive information from relatively pristine sites, and unveils a strong connection between littoral ecosystem and catchment heterogeneity at scales beyond the local environment. This underpins the role of alpine lakes as sensors of local and large-scale environmental changes, which can be used in monitoring networks to evaluate further impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragos G Zaharescu
- Biosphere 2, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; School of Built and Natural Environments, Kingston University London, UK; Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Carmen I Burghelea
- Biosphere 2, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Peter S Hooda
- School of Built and Natural Environments, Kingston University London, UK.
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St Clair J, Moon S, Holbrook WS, Perron JT, Riebe CS, Martel SJ, Carr B, Harman C, Singha K, Richter DD. Geophysical imaging reveals topographic stress control of bedrock weathering. Science 2015; 350:534-8. [PMID: 26516279 DOI: 10.1126/science.aab2210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Bedrock fracture systems facilitate weathering, allowing fresh mineral surfaces to interact with corrosive waters and biota from Earth's surface, while simultaneously promoting drainage of chemically equilibrated fluids. We show that topographic perturbations to regional stress fields explain bedrock fracture distributions, as revealed by seismic velocity and electrical resistivity surveys from three landscapes. The base of the fracture-rich zone mirrors surface topography where the ratio of horizontal compressive tectonic stresses to near-surface gravitational stresses is relatively large, and it parallels the surface topography where the ratio is relatively small. Three-dimensional stress calculations predict these results, suggesting that tectonic stresses interact with topography to influence bedrock disaggregation, groundwater flow, chemical weathering, and the depth of the "critical zone" in which many biogeochemical processes occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- J St Clair
- Department of Geology and Geophysics and Wyoming Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - S Moon
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - W S Holbrook
- Department of Geology and Geophysics and Wyoming Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - J T Perron
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - C S Riebe
- Department of Geology and Geophysics and Wyoming Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - S J Martel
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - B Carr
- Department of Geology and Geophysics and Wyoming Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - C Harman
- Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - K Singha
- Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - D deB Richter
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Anderson
- Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303-0450, USA.
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35
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Binkley
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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