Abstract
Limitations in the techniques used to separate root-derived and soil-organic-matter (SOM)-derived respiration have hampered the understanding of forest carbon cycling. Tree girdling is considered to be a robust approach with little disturbance to the root–soil system. Using this approach, we tried to separate root-derived respiration from SOM-derived respiration under Acacia crassicarpa and Eucalyptus urophylla plantations in South China. We found that girdling reduced soil respiration and temperature sensitivity of respiration (Q 10) under both plantations compared to controls, but the intensity of girdling effects was species specific. Six months after girdling, live fine root biomass was lower than the control in A. crassicarpa but not in E. urophylla. Soil microbial biomass (C mic) under A. crassicarpa was increased by girdling 17 days after treatment, but decreased thereafter. In contrast, there was no difference in C mic between girdled and control treatments under E. urophylla. Girdling significantly decreased soil organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) under A. crassicarpa, but not under E. urophylla. We ascribe differences in girdling effects on belowground carbon between the two species to differences in resprouting traits.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB42110), National Science Foundation of China (30630015) and “100 Elites Project” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We thank the editor and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments. We also thank Profs. Howard Ferris and Hua Chen for polishing the language and for comments on the manuscript.
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Chen, D., Zhang, Y., Lin, Y. et al. Changes in belowground carbon in Acacia crassicarpa and Eucalyptus urophylla plantations after tree girdling. Plant Soil 326, 123–135 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-9986-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-9986-0