Abstract
There is a general agreement that forest ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere function as significant sinks for atmospheric CO2; however, their magnitude and distribution remain large uncertainties. In this paper, we report the carbon (C) stock and its change of vegetation, forest floor detritus, and mineral soil, annual net biomass increment and litterfall production, and respiration of vegetation and soils between 1992 to 1994, for three temperate forest ecosystems, birch (Betula platyphylla) forest, oak (Quercus liaotungensis) forest and pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) plantation in Mt. Dongling, Beijing, China. We then evaluate the C budgets of these forest ecosystems. Our results indicated that total C density (organic C per hectare) of these forests ranged from 250 to 300 t C ha−1, of which 35–54 t C ha−1 from vegetation biomass C and 209–244 t C ha−1 from soil organic C (1 m depth, including forest floor detritus). Biomass C of all three forests showed a net increase, with 1.33–3.55 t C ha−1 a−1 during the study period. Litterfall production, vegetation autotrophic respiration, and soil heterotrophic respiration were estimated at 1.63–2.34, 2.19–6.93, and 1.81–3.49 t C ha−1 a−1, respectively. Ecosystem gross primary production fluctuated between 5.39 and 12.82 t C ha−1 a−1, about half of which (46%–59%, 3.20–5.89 t C ha−1 a−1) was converted to net primary production. Our results suggested that pine forest fixed C of 4.08 t ha−1 a−1, whereas secondary forests (birch and oak forest) were nearly in balance in CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and ecosystems.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schlesinger W H. Biogeochemistry: an analysis of global change, 2nd edition. New York: Academic Press, 1997
Battle M, Bender M L, Tans P P, et al. Global carbon sinks and their variability inferred from atmospheric O2 and delta C-13. Science, 2000, 287: 2467–2470
Myneni R B, Dong J, Tucker C J, et al. A large carbon sink in the woody biomass of Northern forests. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2001, 98: 14784–14789
Goodale C L, Apps M J, Birdsey R A, et al. Forest carbon sinks in the Northern Hemisphere. Ecol Appl, 2002, 12: 891–899
Fang J Y, Chen A P, Peng C H, et al. Changes in forest biomass carbon storage in China between 1949 and 1998. Science, 2001, 292: 2320–2322
Choi S D, Lee K, Chang Y S. Large rate of uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide by planted forest biomass in Korea. Glob Biogeoche Cycles, 2002, 16, 1089, doi:10.1029/2002GB001914
Fang J Y, Oikawa T, Kato T, et al. Biomass carbon accumulation by Japan’s forests from 1947 to 1995, Glob Biogeoche Cycles, 2005, 19, GB2004, doi:10.1029/2004GB002253
Valentini R, Matteuccl G, Dolman A J, et al. Respiration as the main determinant of carbon balance in European forests. Nature, 2000, 404: 861–865
Hamilton J G, DeLucia E H, George K, et al. Forest carbon balance under elevated CO2. Oecologia, 2002, 131: 250–260
Peng S L, Zhang Z P. Biomass, productivity and energy use efficiency of climax vegetation on Dinghu Mountains, Guangdong, China. Sci China Ser B-Chem, 1995, 1: 67–73
Fang J Y, Wang X K. Measurement of respiration amount of white birch (Betula platyphylla) population in the mountainous region of Beijing. J Environ Sci, 1995, 7: 391–398
Sang W G, Ma K P, Chen L Z. Primary study on carbon cycling in warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest. Acta Phytoecol Sin (in Chinese), 2002, 26: 543–548
Zhou G Y, Zhou C Y, Liu S G, et al. Belowground carbon balance and accumulative rate in a successional monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2005, 35: 502–510
Li Y D, Wu Z M, Zeng Q B, et al. Carbon pool and carbon dioxide dynamics of tropical mountain rain forest ecosystem at Jianfengling, Hainan Island. Acta Ecol Sin (in Chinese), 1998, 18: 371–378
Clark D A, Brown S, Kicklighter D W, et al. Measuring net primary production in forests: concepts and filed methods. Ecol Appl, 2001, 11: 356–370
Hogberg P, Nordgren A, Buchmann N, et al. Large-scale forest girdling shows that current photosynthesis drives soil respiration. Nature, 2001, 411: 789–792
Yu G R. Global Change, Carbon Cycle and Storage in Terrestrial Ecosystems (in Chinese). Beijing: Meteorology Press, 2003
Liu S H, Fang J Y, Kiyota M. Soil respiration of mountainous temperate forests in Beijing, China. Acta Phytoecol Sin (in Chinese), 1998, 22: 119–126
Fang J Y. An approach to estimating respiration of forest community and its application. Acta Bot Sin (in Chinese), 1999, 41: 88–94
Editorial Board of Vegetation of China. Vegetation of China (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1980
Chen L Z. Study on the Structure and Function of Warm Temperate Forest Ecosystems (in Chinese), Beijing: Science Press, 1997
Chen L Z, Huang J H, Yan C R. Nutrient Cycling in Chinese Forest Ecosystems (in Chinese). Beijing: Meteorology Press, 1997
Mao S S, Song F S. The study of the climatic characteristics of the research site of Beijing forest ecosystem research station (BRERS). In: Chen LZ, ed. Study on the Structure and Function of Warm Temperate Forest Ecosystems (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1997. 28–37
Fang J Y, Wang X K, Liu G H, et al. Measurement of respiration amount of trees in Quercus liaotungensis community. Acta Ecol Sin (in Chinese), 1995, 15: 235–244
Schulze E D, Wirth C, Heimann M. Managing forests after Kyoto, Science, 2000, 289: 2058–2059
Chapin F S III, Matson P A, Mooney H A. Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. New York: Springer-Verlag, 2002
Jiang H. Study on biomass of Quercus liaotungensis and Betula dahurica forest in Dongling Mountain. In: Chen L Z, ed. Study on the Structure and Function of Warm Temperate Forest Ecosystems (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1997, 104–115
Feng Z W, Wang X K, Wu G. Biomass and Production of Chinese Forest Ecosystems (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1999
Son Y, Park I H, Yi M J, et al. Biomass, production and nutrient distribution of a natural oak forest in central Korea. Ecological Research, 2004, 19: 21–28
Chen L Z, Ren J K, Bao X C. Studies on the sociological characteristic and biomass of pine plantation on Xishan in Beijing. Acta Phytoecol Geobot Sin (in Chinese), 1984, 8: 173–181
Dixon R K, Brown S, Houghton R A, et al. Carbon pools and flux of global forest ecosystems. Science, 1994, 263: 185–190
Jobbagy E G, Jackson R B. The vertical distribution of soil organic carbon and its relation to climate and vegetation. Ecol App, 2000, 10: 423–436
Wu H B, Guo Z T, Peng C H. Distribution and storage of soil organic carbon in China. Glob Biogeochemi Cycles, 2003, 17, 1048, doi:1029/2001GB001844
Foley J A. An equilibrium model of the terrestrial carbon budget. Tellus, Series B, 1995, 47: 310–319
Kawaguchi H. Carbon Cycle in Regeneration Processes of Deciduous Broadleaf Forests. Osaka: Osaka City Univ Press, 1987
Ryan M G, Hubbard R M, Pongracic S, et al. Foliage, fine-root, woody-tissue and stand respiration in Pinus radiata in relation to nitrogen status. Tree Phys, 1996, 16: 333–343
Raich J W, Schlesinger W H. The global carbon dioxide flux in soil respiration and its relationship to vegetation and climate. Tellus, Series B, 1992, 44: 81–99
Luo Y, Medlyn B, Hui D, et al. Gross primary productivity in Duke Forest: Modeling synthesis of CO2 experiment and eddy-flux data. Ecol Appl, 2001, 11: 239–252
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40228001, 40021101 and 90211016)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fang, J., Liu, G., Zhu, B. et al. Carbon budgets of three temperate forest ecosystems in Dongling Mt., Beijing, China. SCI CHINA SER D 50, 92–101 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-007-2031-3
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-007-2031-3