Allocation patterns of nonstructural carbohydrates in response to CO_(2)elevation and nitrogen deposition in Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings

Stored nonstructural carbohydrates(NSC)indicate a balance between photosynthetic carbon(C)assimilation and growth investment or loss through respiration and root exudation.They play an important role in plant function and whole-plant level C cycling.CO_(2)elevation and nitrogen(N)deposition,which are two major environmental issues worldwide,aff ect plant photosynthetic C assimilation and C release in forest ecosystems.However,information regarding the eff ect of CO_(2)elevation and N deposition on NSC storage in diff erent organs remains limited,especially regarding the trade-off between growth and NSC reserves.Therefore,here we analyzed the variations in the NSC storage in diff erent organs of Chinese fi r(Cunninghamia lanceolata)under CO_(2)elevation and N addition and found that NSC concentrations and contents in all organs of Chinese fi r saplings increased remarkably under CO_(2)elevation.However,N addition induced diff erential accumulation of NSC among various organs.Specifi cally,N addition decreased the NSC concentrations of needles,branches,stems,and fi ne roots,but increased the NSC contents of branches and coarse roots.The increase in the NSC contents of roots was more pronounced than that in the NSC content of aboveground organs under CO_(2)elevation.The role of N addition in the increase in the structural biomass of aboveground organs was greater than that in the increase in the structural biomass of roots.This result indicated that a diff erent tradeoff between growth and NSC storage occurred to alleviate resource limitations under CO_(2)elevation and N addition and highlights the importance of separating biomass into structural biomass and NSC reserves when investigating the eff ects of environmental change on biomass allocation.

Effects of root dominate over aboveground litter on soil microbial biomass in global forest ecosystems

Background:Inputs of above-and belowground litter into forest soils are changing at an unprecedented rate due to continuing human disturbances and climate change.Microorganisms drive the soil carbon(C)cycle,but the roles of above-and belowground litter in regulating the soil microbial community have not been evaluated at a global scale.Methods:Here,we conducted a meta-analysis based on 68 aboveground litter removal and root exclusion studies across forest ecosystems to quantify the roles of above-and belowground litter on soil microbial community and compare their relative importance.Results:Aboveground litter removal significantly declined soil microbial biomass by 4.9%but root exclusion inhibited it stronger,up to 11.7%.Moreover,the aboveground litter removal significantly raised fungi by 10.1%without altering bacteria,leading to a 46.7%increase in the fungi-to-bacteria(F/B)ratio.Differently,root exclusion significantly decreased the fungi by 26.2%but increased the bacteria by 5.7%,causing a 13.3%decrease in the F/B ratio.Specifically,root exclusion significantly inhibited arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,ectomycorrhizal fungi,and actinomycetes by 22.9%,43.8%,and 7.9%,respectively.The negative effects of aboveground litter removal on microbial biomass increased with mean annual temperature and precipitation,whereas that of root exclusion on microbial biomass did not change with climatic factors but amplified with treatment duration.More importantly,greater effects of root exclusion on microbial biomass than aboveground litter removal were consistent across diverse forest biomes(expect boreal forests)and durations.Conclusions:These data provide a global evidence that root litter inputs exert a larger control on microbial biomass than aboveground litter inputs in forest ecosystems.Our study also highlights that changes in above-and belowground litter inputs could alter soil C stability differently by shifting the microbial community structure in the opposite direction.These findings are useful for predicting microbe-mediated C processes in response to changes in forest management or climate.

Composition and mineralization of soil organic carbon pools in four single-tree species forest soils

Forest soil carbon （C） is an important compo- nent of the global C cycle. However, the mechanism by which tree species influence soil organic C （SOC） pool composition and mineralization is poorly understood. To understand the effect of tree species on soil C cycling, we assessed total, labile, and recalcitrant SOC pools, SOC chemical composition by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and SOC mineralization in four monoculture plantations. Labile and recalcitrant SOC pools in surface （0-10 cm） and deep （40-60 cm） soils in the four forests contained similar content. In contrast, these SOC pools exhibited differences in the subsurface soil （from 10 to 20 cm and from 20 to 40 cm）. The alkyl C and O-alkyl C intensities of SOC were higher in Schima superba and Michelia macclurei forests than in Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana forests. In surface soil, S. superba and M. macclurei forests exhibited higher SOC mineralization rates than did P. massoniana and C.lanceolata forests. The slope of the straight line between C60 and labile SOC was steeper than that between C60 and total SOC. Our results suggest that roots affected the composition of SOC pools. Labile SOC pools also affected SOC mineralization to a greater extent than total SOC pools.

Temporal shifts in the explanatory power and relative importance of litter traits in regulating litter decomposition

Background:Litter traits critically affect litter decomposition from local to global scales.However,our understanding of the temporal dynamics of litter trait-decomposition linkages,especially their dependence on plant functional type remains limited.Methods:We decomposed the leaf litter of 203 tree species that belong to two different functional types(deciduous and evergreen)for 2 years in a subtropical forest in China.The Weibull residence model was used to describe the different stages of litter decomposition by calculating the time to 10%,25%and 50%mass loss(Weibull t_(1/10),t_(1/4),and t_(1/2)respectively)and litter mean residence time(Weibull MRT).The resulting model parameters were used to explore the control of litter traits(e.g.,N,P,condensed tannins and tensile strength)over leaf litter decomposition across different decomposition stages.Results:The litter traits we measured had lower explanatory power for the early stages(Weibull t_(1/10)and t_(1/4))than for the later stages(Weibull t_(1/2)and MRT)of decomposition.The relative importance of different types of litter traits in influencing decomposition changed dramatically during decomposition,with physical traits exerting predominant control for the stages of Weibull t_(1/10)and MRT and nutrient-related traits for the stages of Weibull t_(1/4),and t_(1/2).Moreover,we found that litter decomposition of the early three stages(Weibull t_(1/10),t_(1/4),and t_(1/2))of the two functional types was controlled by different types of litter traits;that is,the litter decomposition rates of deciduous species were predominately controlled by nutrient-related traits,while the litter decomposition rates of evergreen species were mainly controlled by carbon-related traits.Conclusions:This study suggests that litter trait-decomposition linkages vary with decomposition stages and are strongly mediated by plant functional type,highlighting the necessity to consider their temporal dynamics and plant functional types for improving predictions of litter decomposition.

In-situ warming does not change soil priming effect induced by glucose addition in a temperate forest

Priming effect(PE)on soil organic carbon(SOC)decomposition caused by the addition of organic carbon(C)is an important ecological process in regulating soil C cycle.Additionally,most priming studies are confined to laboratory trials,while the assessment of soil PE under field conditions with variable weather conditions is scarce.This study assessed the direct effects of glucose addition and in-situ warming on the extent of PE under field conditions in a temperate forest.We evaluated soil PE using 13C-glucose labelling,a simple and novel technique,based on the Keeling plot method.Glucose addition significantly enhanced native SOC decomposition and induced strong PE.However,the effect of in-situ warming on the extent of PE was not significant.This study confirms the importance of PE in regulating SOC turnover under field conditions.

Influence of tree species on soil microbial residue accumulation and distribution among soil aggregates in subtropical plantations of China

Background Microbial residues are significant contributors to stable soil organic carbon(SOC).Soil aggregates effectively protect microbial residues against decomposition;thus,microbial residue accumulation and distribution among soil aggregates determine long-term SOC stability.However,how tree species influence accumulation and distribution of soil microbial residues remains largely unknown,hindering the chances to develop policies for SOC management.Here,we investigated microbial residue accumulation and distribution in soil aggregates under four subtropical tree species(Cunninghamia lanceolata,Pinus massoniana,Michelia macclurei,and Schima superba)after 29 years of afforestation.Results Accumulation of microbial residues in the 0-10 cm soil layer was 13.8-26.7%higher under S.superba than that under the other tree species.A structural equation model revealed that tree species affected the accumulation of microbial residues directly by altering fungal biomass.Additionally,tree species significantly affected microbial residue distribution and contribution to SOC in the top 20 cm soil.In particular,microbial residue distribution was 17.2-33.4%lower in large macro-aggregates(LMA)but 60.1-140.7%higher in micro-aggregates(MA)under S.superba than that under the other species in the 0-10 cm soil layer,and 14.3-19.0%lower in LMA but 43-52.1%higher in MA under S.superba than that under C.lanceolata and M.macclurei in the 10-20 cm soil layer.Moreover,the contribution of microbial residues to SOC was 44.4-47.5%higher under S.superba than under the other tree species.These findings suggest a higher stability of microbial residues under S.superba than that under the other studied tree species.Conclusions Our results demonstrate that tree species influence long-term microbial persistence in forest soils by affecting accumulation and stabilization of microbial residues.

Warming-driven migration of core microbiota indicates soil property changes at continental scale

Terrestrial species are predicted to migrate northward under global warming conditions,yet little is known about the direction and magnitude of change in microbial distribution patterns.In this continental-scale study with more than 1600 forest soil samples,we verify the existence of core microbiota and lump them into a manageable number of eco-clusters based on microbial habitat preferences.By projecting the abundance differences of eco-clusters between future and current climatic conditions,we observed the potential warming-driven migration of the core microbiota under warming,partially verified by a field warming experiment at Southwest China.Specifically,the species that favor low p H are potentially expanding and moving northward to medium-latitudes(25°–45°N),potentially implying that warm temperate forest would be under threat of soil acidification with warming.The eco-cluster of high-p H with high-annual mean temperature(AMT)experienced significant abundance increases at middle-(35°–45°N)to high-latitudes(>45°N),especially under Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)8.5,likely resulting in northward expansion.Furthermore,the eco-cluster that favors low-soil organic carbon(SOC)was projected to increase under warming scenarios at low-latitudes(<25°N),potentially an indicator of SOC storage accumulation in warmer areas.Meanwhile,at high-latitudes(>45°N)the changes in relative abundance of this eco-cluster is inversely related with the temperature variation trends,suggesting microbes-mediated soil organic carbon changes are more responsive to temperature variation in colder areas.These results have vital implications for the migration direction of microbial communities and its potential ecological consequences in future warming scenarios.