1
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Clark CM, Thomas RQ, Horn KJ. Above-ground tree carbon storage in response to nitrogen deposition in the U.S. is heterogeneous and may have weakened. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 4:1-8. [PMID: 37325084 PMCID: PMC10262689 DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-00677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Changes in nitrogen (N) availability affect the ability for forest ecosystems to store carbon (C). Here we extend an analysis of the growth and survival of 94 tree species and 1.2 million trees, to estimate the incremental effects of N deposition on changes in aboveground C (dC/dN) across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS). We find that although the average effect of N deposition on aboveground C is positive for the CONUS (dC/dN=+9 kg C per kg N), there is wide variation among species and regions. Furthermore, in the Northeastern U.S. where we may compare responses from 2000-2016 with those from the 1980s-90s, we find the recent estimate of dC/dN is weaker than from the 1980s-90s due to species-level changes in responses to N deposition. This suggests that the U.S. forest C-sink varies widely across forests and may be weakening overall, possibly necessitating more aggressive climate policies than originally thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Clark
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC, USA
| | - R. Quinn Thomas
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Kevin J. Horn
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Present address: Freedom Consulting Group, 7061 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD, USA
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2
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Li R, Yu D, Zhang Y, Han J, Zhang W, Yang Q, Gessler A, Li MH, Xu M, Guan X, Chen L, Wang Q, Wang S. Investment of needle nitrogen to photosynthesis controls the nonlinear productivity response of young Chinese fir trees to nitrogen deposition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 840:156537. [PMID: 35679936 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant carbon (C) assimilation is expected to nonlinearly increase with continuously increasing nitrogen (N) deposition, causing a N saturation threshold for productivity. However, the response of plant productivity to N deposition rates and further the N saturation threshold still await comprehensive quantization for forest ecosystem. Here, we tested the effect of N addition on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of three-year old Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) trees by adding N at 0, 5.6, 11.2, 22.4, and 44.8 g N m-2 yr-1 for 2.5 years. The N saturation threshold was estimated based on a quadratic-plus-plateau model. Results showed that ANPP transitioned from an increasing stage with increasing N addition rate to a plateaued stage at an N rate of 16.3 g N m-2 yr-1. The response of ANPP to N addition rates was well explained by the net photosynthetic rates of needles. Results from the dual isotope measurement [simultaneous determination of needle stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes] indicated that the photosynthetic capacity, rather than the stomatal conductance, mediated the response of photosynthesis and ANPP of the young Chinese fir trees to N addition. Accordingly, the amount of needle N partitioning to water-soluble fraction, which is associated with the photosynthetic capacity, also responded to N enrichment with a nonlinear increase. Our study will contribute to a more accurate prediction on the influence of N deposition on C cycles in Chinese fir plantations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renshan Li
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Life Science Department, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang 471934, China
| | - Dan Yu
- Life Science Department, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang 471934, China
| | - Yankuan Zhang
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianming Han
- Life Science Department, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang 471934, China
| | - Weidong Zhang
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Huitong 418307, China.
| | - Qingpeng Yang
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Huitong 418307, China.
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Mai-He Li
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Ming Xu
- BNU-HKUST Laboratory for Green Innovation, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519085, China
| | - Xin Guan
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Huitong 418307, China
| | - Longchi Chen
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Huitong 418307, China
| | - Qingkui Wang
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Huitong 418307, China
| | - Silong Wang
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Huitong 418307, China
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3
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Ferraretto D, Nair R, Shah NW, Reay D, Mencuccini M, Spencer M, Heal KV. Forest canopy nitrogen uptake can supply entire foliar demand. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Ferraretto
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Crew Building Edinburgh EH9 3FF UK
| | - R. Nair
- Department Biogeochemical Integration Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry Jena Germany
| | - N. W. Shah
- Forest Research Northern Research Station Roslin Midlothian EH25 9SY UK
| | - D. Reay
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Crew Building Edinburgh EH9 3FF UK
| | - M. Mencuccini
- CREAF Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès) 08193 Spain
- ICREA Pg. Lluís Companys 23 Barcelona 08010 Spain
| | - M. Spencer
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Crew Building Edinburgh EH9 3FF UK
| | - K. V. Heal
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Crew Building Edinburgh EH9 3FF UK
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4
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Xing A, Du E, Shen H, Xu L, de Vries W, Zhao M, Liu X, Fang J. Nonlinear responses of ecosystem carbon fluxes to nitrogen deposition in an old-growth boreal forest. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:77-88. [PMID: 34694058 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition is known to increase carbon (C) sequestration in N-limited boreal forests. However, the long-term effects of N deposition on ecosystem carbon fluxes have been rarely investigated in old-growth boreal forests. Here we show that decade-long experimental N additions significantly stimulated net primary production (NPP) but the effect decreased with increasing N loads. The effect on soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh) shifted from a stimulation at low-level N additions to an inhibition at higher levels of N additions. Consequently, low-level N additions resulted in a neutral effect on net ecosystem productivity (NEP), due to a comparable stimulating effect on NPP and Rh, while NEP was increased by high-level N additions. Moreover, we found nonlinear temporal responses of NPP, Rh and NEP to low-level N additions. Our findings imply that actual N deposition in boreal forests likely exerts a minor contribution to their soil C storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aijun Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Enzai Du
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Haihua Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Longchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wim de Vries
- Wageningen University and Research, Environmental Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Mengying Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyun Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
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5
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Eastman BA, Adams MB, Brzostek ER, Burnham MB, Carrara JE, Kelly C, McNeil BE, Walter CA, Peterjohn WT. Altered plant carbon partitioning enhanced forest ecosystem carbon storage after 25 years of nitrogen additions. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:1435-1448. [PMID: 33544877 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Decades of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition in the northeastern USA have enhanced this globally important forest carbon (C) sink by relieving N limitation. While many N fertilization experiments found increased forest C storage, the mechanisms driving this response at the ecosystem scale remain uncertain. Following the optimal allocation theory, augmented N availability may reduce belowground C investment by trees to roots and soil symbionts. To test this prediction and its implications on soil biogeochemistry, we constructed C and N budgets for a long-term, whole-watershed N fertilization study at the Fernow Experimental Forest, WV, USA. Nitrogen fertilization increased C storage by shifting C partitioning away from belowground components and towards aboveground woody biomass production. Fertilization also reduced the C cost of N acquisition, allowing for greater C sequestration in vegetation. Despite equal fine litter inputs, the C and N stocks and C : N ratio of the upper mineral soil were greater in the fertilized watershed, likely due to reduced decomposition of plant litter. By combining aboveground and belowground data at the watershed scale, this study demonstrates how plant C allocation responses to N additions may result in greater C storage in both vegetation and soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A Eastman
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Life Sciences Building, 53 Campus Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Mary B Adams
- USDA Forest Service, 180 Canfield Street, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Edward R Brzostek
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Life Sciences Building, 53 Campus Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Mark B Burnham
- Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1200 IGB, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Joseph E Carrara
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Life Sciences Building, 53 Campus Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Charlene Kelly
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, 337 Percival Hall, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Brenden E McNeil
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Brooks Hall, 98 Beechurst Ave., Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Christopher A Walter
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Life Sciences Building, 53 Campus Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - William T Peterjohn
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Life Sciences Building, 53 Campus Drive, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
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6
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Kim D, Medvigy D, Maier CA, Johnsen K, Palmroth S. Biomass increases attributed to both faster tree growth and altered allometric relationships under long-term carbon dioxide enrichment at a temperate forest. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2519-2533. [PMID: 31869491 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ) concentrations are expected to lead to increases in the rate of tree biomass accumulation, at least temporarily. On the one hand, trees may simply grow faster under higher CO2 concentrations, preserving the allometric relations that prevailed under lower CO2 concentrations. Alternatively, the allometric relations themselves may change. In this study, the effects of elevated CO2 (eCO2 ) on tree biomass and allometric relations were jointly assessed. Over 100 trees, grown at Duke Forest, NC, USA, were harvested from eight plots. Half of the plots had been subjected to CO2 enrichment from 1996 to 2010. Several subplots had also been subjected to nitrogen fertilization from 2005 to 2010. Allometric equations were developed to predict tree height, stem volume, and aboveground biomass components for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), the dominant tree species, and broad-leaved species. Using the same diameter-based allometric equations for biomass, it was estimated that plots with eCO2 contained 21% more aboveground biomass, consistent with previous studies. However, eCO2 significantly affected allometry, and these changes had an additional effect on biomass. In particular, P. taeda trees at a given diameter were observed to be taller under eCO2 than under ambient CO2 due to changes in both the allometric scaling exponent and intercept. Accounting for allometric change increased the treatment effect of eCO2 on aboveground biomass from a 21% to a 27% increase. No allometric changes for the nondominant broad-leaved species were identified, nor were allometric changes associated with nitrogen fertilization. For P. taeda, it is concluded that eCO2 affects allometries, and that knowledge of allometry changes is necessary to accurately compute biomass under eCO2 . Further observations are needed to determine whether this assessment holds for other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dohyoung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - David Medvigy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Chris A Maier
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Kurt Johnsen
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC, USA
| | - Sari Palmroth
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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7
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Ibáñez I, Acharya K, Juno E, Karounos C, Lee BR, McCollum C, Schaffer-Morrison S, Tourville J. Forest resilience under global environmental change: Do we have the information we need? A systematic review. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222207. [PMID: 31513607 PMCID: PMC6742408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity of forests to recover after disturbance, i.e., their resilience, determines their ability to persist and function over time. Many variables, natural and managerial, affect forest resilience. Thus, understanding their effects is critical for the development of sound forest conservation and management strategies, especially in the context of ongoing global environmental changes. We conducted a representative review, meta-analysis, of the forest literature in this topic (search terms “forest AND resilience”). We aimed to identify natural conditions that promote or jeopardize resilience, assess the efficacy of post-disturbance management practices on forest recovery, and evaluate forest resilience under current environmental changes. We surveyed more than 2,500 articles and selected the 156 studies (724 observations) that compared and quantified forest recovery after disturbance under different contexts. Context of recovery included: resource gradients (moisture and fertility), post-disturbance biomass reduction treatments, species richness gradients, incidence of a second disturbance, and disturbance severity. Metrics of recovery varied from individual tree growth and reproduction, to population abundance, to species richness and cover. Analyses show management practices only favored recovery through increased reproduction (seed production) and abundance of recruitment stages. Higher moisture conditions favored recovery, particularly in dry temperate regions; and in boreal forests, this positive effect increased with regional humidity. Biomass reduction treatments were only effective in increasing resilience after a drought. Early recruiting plant stages benefited from increased severity, while disturbance severity was associated with lower recovery of remaining adult trees. This quantitative review provides insight into the natural conditions and management practices under which forest resilience is enhanced and highlights conditions that could jeopardize future resilience. We also identified important knowledge gaps, such as the role of diversity in determining forest resilience and the lack of data in many regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Ibáñez
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kirk Acharya
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Edith Juno
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Christopher Karounos
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Benjamin R. Lee
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Caleb McCollum
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Samuel Schaffer-Morrison
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jordon Tourville
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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8
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Jiang X, Liu N, Lu X, Huang JG, Cheng J, Guo X, Wu S. Canopy and understory nitrogen addition increase the xylem tracheid size of dominant broadleaf species in a subtropical forest of China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 642:733-741. [PMID: 29920460 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Tree xylem anatomy is associated with carbon accumulation and wood quality. Increasing nitrogen (N) deposition can cause a significant effect on xylem anatomy, but related information is limited for subtropical broadleaf tree species. A 3-year field N addition experiment, with different N addition approaches (canopy and understory) and addition rates (0, 25, and 50 kg N ha-1 yr-1), was performed beginning in 2013 in a subtropical forest of China. N addition effects on xylem tracheid (wall and lumen) size, vessel, and growth of dominant broadleaf species (Schima superba Gardn. et Champ. and Castanopsis chinensis (Sprengel) Hance) were investigated. The results showed that The effect of N addition on tracheid size was dependent on the tree species and addition approaches. Canopy N addition did not affect the tracheid size of C. chinensis, while both addition approaches increased the tracheid size of S. superba. The vessel size of both species was not affected by N addition. There was no difference in radial growth or other growth-related variables between the control and N-treated trees. These findings indicated that short-term N addition could significantly affect xylem anatomy, but might not influence tree growth. Meanwhile, understory N addition may pose challenges for mechanistic understanding and forest dynamics projection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Nan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Xiankai Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Jian-Guo Huang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
| | - Jiong Cheng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Xiali Guo
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Shuhua Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
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9
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Yang Y, Dou Y, An S, Zhu Z. Abiotic and biotic factors modulate plant biomass and root/shoot (R/S) ratios in grassland on the Loess Plateau, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 636:621-631. [PMID: 29723835 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Plant biomass and the root/shoot ratio (R/S) are key parameters for estimating terrestrial ecosystem carbon (C) stocks. However, how environmental driving factors (abiotic and biotic factors) modulate plant biomass and R/S has not been well investigated on the Loess Plateau. Here, we tested the impacts of abiotic and biotic driving factors on plant biomass and R/S and whether they are in accordance with optimal partitioning theory in natural grassland in this region. The results showed that above-ground biomass (AGB) and below-ground biomass (BGB) were 63.96 g·m-2 and 311.18 g·m-2, respectively, and that R/S ranged from 0.13 to 0.46, with high spatial heterogeneity. There was a strong positive linear relationship between AGB and BGB (p < 0.05) in accordance with optimal partitioning theory. A principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the topographic properties (Slope position, Slope gradient and Altitude) were negatively correlated with the soil physical properties (Ec,Electric conductivity; BD, Bulk density; ST, Soil temperature; and SM, Soil moisture) and positively correlated with the soil chemical properties (SOC, Soil organic carbon; TN, Total nitrogen; SMBC, Soil microbial biomass carbon and SMBN, Soil microbial biomass nitrogen), while soil total phosphorus (TP) was not correlated with the soil physical properties (p > 0.05). Structural equation modeling (SEM) suggested that R/S is indirectly driven by plant properties (Height, Density, Coverage), which are determined by soil and topographic properties. However, only 5% of R/S was explained by the soil physical properties and topographic properties, suggesting that these factors had no significant effect on R/S. The data do, however, provide information for quantifying C stocks in natural grassland on the Loess Plateau. Further, ecologists should focus on mechanistic and fresh approaches to understanding the abiotic and biotic factors influencing plant biomass and R/S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yanxing Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Shaoshan An
- College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
| | - Zhaolong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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10
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Entwistle EM, Zak DR, Argiroff WA. Anthropogenic N deposition increases soil C storage by reducing the relative abundance of lignolytic fungi. ECOL MONOGR 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Entwistle
- School of Natural Resources & Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109 USA
| | - Donald R. Zak
- School of Natural Resources & Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109 USA
| | - William A. Argiroff
- School of Natural Resources & Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109 USA
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11
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Ibáñez I, Zak DR, Burton AJ, Pregitzer KS. Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition ameliorates the decline in tree growth caused by a drier climate. Ecology 2018; 99:411-420. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Inés Ibáñez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109 USA
| | - Donald R. Zak
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109 USA
| | - Andrew J. Burton
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan 49937 USA
| | - Kurt S. Pregitzer
- College of Natural Resources University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844 USA
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12
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Earth System Model Needs for Including the Interactive Representation of Nitrogen Deposition and Drought Effects on Forested Ecosystems. FORESTS 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/f8080267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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