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Temperature dependence of carbon mineralization and nitrous oxide emission in a temperate forest ecosystem

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Abstract

The measurement of CO2 and N2O efflux from forest soils is of great importance in evaluating the role of forests as sequestering agents of atmospheric CO2 and nitrogen. To quantify the effect of site on temperature dependence of net C-mineralization and N2O-N emissions, three adjacent forest floors under beech, Norway spruce and mixed species stands were investigated at Solling forest, Germany, by an incubation experiment for three months. The investigated net C-mineralization and N2O-N emissions from all forest floors exhibited an exponential increase with respect to temperature elevation. The temperature coefficient function (Q10 value), was fitted to flux rates to describe the temperature sensitivity of forest floors on temperature in the range of 1–20°C. Comparing the fitted curves for temperature sensitivity of the forest floors in relation to net carbon mineralization and nitrous oxide emission rates revealed a strong positive correlation across all sites. For the whole data set of all stands, a Q10 value of 1.73–2.10 for net C-mineralization and 2.81–3.58 for N2O-N emissions per measured unit was found to describe the temperature dependency of net C-mineralization and N2O-N efflux at experimental site. The absence of clear differences between beech and spruce in mono and mixed species cultures on temperature dependencies of net C-mineralization and N2O-N emission rates indicated that the flux rates were not affected by species-specific differences of litter quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture, Azad University of Mashhad, Emamyeh Boulevard, P.O Box: 91735-413, Mashhad, Iran

    Ali Bagherzadeh

  2. Institute of Soil Science and Forest Nutrition, Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Buesgenweg 2, 37077, Goettingen, Germany

    Rainer Brumme & Friedrich Beese

Authors
  1. Ali Bagherzadeh
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  2. Rainer Brumme
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  3. Friedrich Beese
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Correspondence to Ali Bagherzadeh.

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Bagherzadeh, A., Brumme, R. & Beese, F. Temperature dependence of carbon mineralization and nitrous oxide emission in a temperate forest ecosystem. Journal of Forestry Research 19, 107–112 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-008-0018-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-008-0018-3

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