Abstract
Black Soil in Japanese forests is believed to have formed under grasslands, on the basis of pollen and stable carbon isotopic analyses. Carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13C) have indicated that the δ13C value widely ranged from −25 to −17 ‰ in various land-use soils. We measured the δ13C of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Black Soil in forests from northern (43°N) to southern (31°N) Japan. The δ13C values in topmost soils were contaminated by carbon from current C3 vegetation. Excluding these soils, the average contribution ratio of C4 grass in Black Soils was estimated to be ~44.6 % of SOC by mass balance calculation from the δ13C of SOC. The proportion of C4 plants supplying soil carbon was smaller at higher latitudes, this indicating that the δ13C values of SOC were affected by the competitiveness of C4 grass and C3 plants which might depend on the temperature. The melanic index, which is an index of humus properties and divides the humus into “Type A” (≤1.7) and other humus (>1.7), correlates negatively with δ13C values. This result indicates that C4 grass played an important role in generating the dark-colored organic matter in Japanese Black Soils. The δ13C values of soil profiles with key tephra are therefore potentially useful for the study of past climate dynamics and vegetation responses.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balesdent J, Girardin C, Mariotti A (1993) Site-related δ13C of tree leaves and soil organic matter in a temperate forest. Ecology 74(6):1713–1721. doi:10.2307/1939930
Edwards EJ, Smith SA (2010) Phylogenetic analyses reveal the shady history of C4 grasses. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107(6):2532–2537. doi:10.1073/pnas.0909672107
Edwards EJ, Osborne CP, Stromberg CAE, Smith SA, Consortium CG (2010) The origins of C4 grasslands: integrating evolutionary and ecosystem science. Science 328(5978):587–591. doi:10.1126/science.1177216
Ehleringer JR, Cerling TE, Helliker BR (1997) C4 photosynthesis, atmospheric CO2 and climate. Oecologia 112(3):285–299. doi:10.1007/s004420050311
Epstein HE, Lauenroth WK, Burke IC, Coffin DP (1997) Productivity patterns of C3 and C4 functional types in the US Great Plains. Ecology 78(3):722–731. doi:10.2307/2266052
Forest Soil Division (1976) Classification of forest soils in Japan. Bull Gov For Exp Stn 280:1–28
Gerhart LM, Ward JK (2010) Plant responses to low CO2 of the past. New Phytol 188(3):674–695. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03441.x
Hattersley PW (1983) The distribution of C3 and C4 grasses in Australia in relation to climate. Oecologia 57(1/2):113–128. doi:10.2307/4216935
Higashi T, Baba H (1995) Plant opal and the nature of humus in volcanic ash soils, Java Island, Indonesia. Pedologist 39:58–66
Higashi T, Suzuki W (1996) Studies on the phytolith from some volcanic ash soils distributed in Luzon Island, the Philippines. Pedologist 40:11–25
Hiradate S, Nakadai T, Shindo H, Yoneyama T (2004) Carbon source of humic substances in some Japanese volcanic ash soils determined by carbon stable isotopic ratio, delta C-13. Geoderma 119(1–2):133–141. doi:10.1016/s0016-7061(03)00257-x
Hiradate S, Hirai H, Hashimoto H (2006) Characterization of allophanic Andisols by solid-state C-13, Al-27, and Si-29 NMR and by C stable isotopic ratio, delta C-13. Geoderma 136(3–4):696–707. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2006.05.007
Honma H, Marumoto T, Nishiyama M, Shindo H (1998) Changes in elementary composition and humus composition in the burning process of Susuki (Miscanthus sinensis A.) plants at various temperatures. Jpn J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 69:429–434
Honna T, Yamamoto S, Matsui K (1988) A simple procedure to determine melanic index that is useful for differentiating melanic from Fulvic Andisols. Pedologist 32(1):69–78
Huang Y, Street-Perrott FA, Metcalfe SE, Brenner M, Moreland M, Freeman KH (2001) Climate change as the dominant control on glacial-interglacial variations in C3 and C4 plant abundance. Science 293(5535):1647–1651. doi:10.1126/science.1060143
Iimura Y, Fujimoto M, Hirota M, Tamura K, Higashi T, Yonebayashi K, Fujitake N (2010) Effects of ecological succession on surface mineral horizons in Japanese volcanic ash soil. Geoderma 159(1–2):122–130. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2010.07.003
Inoue Y, Yoneyama T, Sugiyama S, Okada H, Nagatomo Y (2001) Variations in natural abundance of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in a cumulative Andisol in Miyakonojo Basin, Southern Kyushu, with reference to vegetation changes from phytolith. Quat Res 40:307–318
Inoue Y, Nagaoka S, Sugiyama S (2006) The genesis of humic soil with interlayered Aira—an tephra in the southeast part of Shimabara Peninsula, Japan. Quat Res 45:303–311
Ishizuka S, Kawamuro K, Minami H (1999) Contribution of past C4 plants estimated from. δ13C values of soil organic matter to the black soil genesis in Hakkoda Mountain, Northeast Japan. Quat Res 38(2):85–92
Kawamuro K, Torii A (1986a) Difference in past vegetation between Black Soils and Brown Forest Soils derived from volcanic ash at Mt. Kurohime, Nagano Pref. Japan. Quat Res 25:81–98
Kawamuro K, Torii A (1986b) Past vegetation on volcanic ash forest soil I—pollen analysis of the black soils, brown forest soils and podozolic soil in Hakkoda Mountain. Bull For For Prod Res Inst 337:69–89
Kubotera H, Yamada I (1995) Characteristics of induration of tephra-derived soils in Kyushu (1) Morphological, physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of “Nigatsuchi” in the western foot area of Aso Volcano in Kumamoto prefecture. Pedologist 39:84–98
Kudo T, Sasaki H (2007) High-precision chronology of eruptive products during the post-caldera stage of Towada volcano, northeast Japan. J Geogr 116:653–663
Kumada K (1965) Studies on the colour of humic acids—part 1 on the concepts of humic substances and humification. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 11(4):11–16
Machida H, Arai F, Moriwaki H (1981) Tephra across the Japanese sea. Kagaku 51:562–569 The title is translated from the original Japanese
Mo W, Nishimura N, Soga Y, Yamada K, Yoneyama T (2004) Distribution of C3 and C4 plants and changes in plant and soil carbon isotope ratios with altitude in the Kirigamine Grassland, Japan. Grassland Sci 50:243–254
Nadelhoffer KJ, Fry B (1988) Controls on natural nitrogen-15 and carbon-13 abundances in forest soil organic matter. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52(6):1633–1640. doi:10.2136/sssaj1988.03615995005200060024x
O’Leary MH (1988) Carbon isotopes in photosynthesis. Bioscience 38:328–336
Ogura J (2006) The transition of grassland area in Japan. J Kyoto Seika Univ 30:160–172
Otsuka H, Kimiwada K, Uehara Y (1994) Genesis of humic acid derived from each plant residue of Susuki (Miscanthus sinensis), Sasa (Sasa nipponica), or Kashiwa (Quercus dentata) in fresh volcanic ash. Jpn J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 65:629–636
Sakaguchi Y (1987) Culture on the Black Soils. Kagaku 57:352–361
Sase T (1986) Plant opal analysis of Andisols in North Island, New Zealand. Pedologist 30:2–12
Sase T, Katoh Y, Makino S (1985) Plant opal analysis of volcanic ash soils at the foots of Mt Fuji and Mt. Amagi. Pedologist 29:44–59
Shindo H, Yoshida M, Yamamoto A, Honma H, Hiradate S (2005) δ13C values of organic constituents and possible source of humic substances in Japanese volcanic ash soils. Soil Sci 170(3):175–182
Soil Survey Staff (1999) Soil taxonomy. a basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys, agriculture handbook, 2nd edn. vol 436. US Government Printing Office, Washington. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_051232.pdf
Tieszen LL, Reed BC, Bliss NB, Wylie BK, DeJong DD (1997) NDVI, C-3 and C-4 production, and distributions in great plains grassland land cover classes. Ecol Appl 7(1):59–78. doi:10.1890/1051-07611997007
Wada K (1986) Ando Soils in Japan. Kyushu Univ Press, Fukuoka
Watanabe A, Takada H (2006) Structural stability and natural 13C abundance of humic acids in buried volcanic ash soils. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 52(2):145–152. doi:10.1111/j.1747-0765.2006.00029.x
Wittmer MHOM, Auerswald K, Bai Y, Schäufele R, Schnyder H (2010) Changes in the abundance of C3/C4 species of Inner Mongolia grassland: evidence from isotopic composition of soil and vegetation. Glob Change Biol 16(2):605–616. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.02033.x
Yoneyama T (1996) Clarify the vegetation change using δ13C values of organic carbon. Radioisotopes 45:659–660 The title is translated from the original Japanese
Yoneyama T, Yoshida M (2000) δ13C and δ15N values of tephra profiles at three sites in Southern Kyushu, Japan. Jpn J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 71(6):834–838
Yoneyama T, Nakanishi Y, Morita A, Liyanage BC (2001) δ13C values of organic carbon in cropland and forest soils in Japan. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 47(1):17–26
Acknowledgments
We thank Drs. H. Minami, M. Kawai, and N. Okada for their assistance with measuring 13C ratios using mass spectrometry. We also thank Drs. H. Sakai, T. Tanikawa, T. Okamoto, M. Nakata, S. Ikeda, H. Kubotera, R. Noguchi, and I. Yamada for supplying us with their soil samples. We thank Dr. S. Hashimoto for statistical assistance. Dr. J Koarashi gave us valuable suggestions through proof reading. We are also grateful to N. Tanaka for valuable discussion, and H. Takahashi, R. Takeuchi, and Y. Sakai for their field and laboratory assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible Editor: M. Arthur.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ishizuka, S., Kawamuro, K., Imaya, A. et al. Latitudinal gradient of C4 grass contribution to Black Soil organic carbon and correlation between δ13C and the melanic index in Japanese forest stands. Biogeochemistry 118, 339–355 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-013-9936-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-013-9936-z