at Google ScholarTitle data
February, Edmund ; Pausch, Johanna ; Higgins, Steven:
Major contribution of grass roots to soil carbon pools and CO₂ fluxes in a mesic savanna.
In: Plant and Soil.
Vol. 454
(2020)
.
- pp. 207-215.
ISSN 1573-5036
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04649-3
Abstract in another language
Aims
There is a trend of increasing woody biomass in tropical savannas. Here we ask what effect this increase may have on soil carbon pools and fluxes.
Methods
Using a field experiment we determine the amount of soil carbon directly under grasses, a juvenile tree among grasses and a juvenile tree with no grasses. We also measure CO2 efflux at the soil surface and use gas wells to extract CO2 from several soil depths.
Results
Our results show that grasses contribute substantially more than trees to both soil carbon and soil respiration. Grasses also make a disproportionate contribution to the δ13C value of SOC in the tree only treatments. The surface gas efflux data show that soil respiration increased with an increase in volumetric soil moisture and temperature and plots with both grasses and trees had higher respiration rates than plots with trees only or with grasses only.
Conclusions
The highest soil respiration is in the top 20 cm of the soil with grasses the primary contributors to both δ13CSOC and δ13CR. Any increase in woody biomass will result in a decline in SOM turnover and nitrogen mineralization rates resulting in higher SOC pools. The associated increases in SOC and above ground biomass will however be associated with negative economic and biodiversity impacts.
Further data
| Item Type: | Article in a journal |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Institutions of the University: | Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences > Professor Agroecology > Professor Agroecology - Juniorprof. Dr. Johanna Pausch |
| Result of work at the UBT: | Yes |
| DDC Subjects: | 500 Science > 500 Natural sciences 500 Science > 550 Earth sciences, geology 500 Science > 570 Life sciences, biology |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Oct 2023 05:13 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Oct 2023 05:13 |
| URI: | https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/87248 |