Soil carbon dynamics are linked to tree species growth strategy in a naturally regenerating tropical forest

Wallwork, Abby ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2189-4341; Castro-Trujillo, Biancolino; Banin, Lindsay F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1168-3914; Dent, Daisy H.; Skiba, Ute ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8659-6092; Kerdraon, Deirdre; Sayer, Emma J.. 2023 Soil carbon dynamics are linked to tree species growth strategy in a naturally regenerating tropical forest. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 6, 1232694. 16, pp. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1232694

Before downloading, please read NORA policies.

Preview

Text N535890JA.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract/Summary

Secondary tropical forests are increasingly important for their role in the global carbon (C) balance as they can rapidly accumulate aboveground biomass C during regrowth. Substantial amounts of plant-derived carbon are also incorporated into the soil through decomposition processes, but our understanding of soil C dynamics during forest regrowth is limited. Secondary succession is characterised by a shift in tree functional groups from light-demanding to shade-tolerant species over time, which can influence rates of C turnover via differences in litter quality and by modifying the decomposition environment. Changes in decomposition processes in turn affect the amount of organic C stored in the soil or released to the atmosphere as CO2. Consequently, understanding how tree functional composition influences C turnover during decomposition could help us predict soil C storage during tropical forest regrowth. We experimentally explored the relationship between tree functional groups and soil C dynamics (decomposition and respiration) by conducting a litter decomposition experiment across a successional gradient of naturally regenerating tropical forest. We created litter mixtures representing tree communities differing in their shade tolerance, as well as a functionally diverse litter mixture, and observed litter mass loss and soil respiration as measures of C turnover over a 6 month period. Litter from light-demanding species decomposed faster than litter from shade-tolerant species, which was reflected in the pattern of soil respiration. There were no clear patterns of increasing or decreasing rates of litter decay or soil respiration with increasing forest age, but there was an interaction between stand age and litter type which influenced both decomposition and soil respiration rates. Interestingly, soil respiration from the functionally diverse litter mixture was significantly higher in the younger than older forest stands, and the functionally diverse litter mixture decayed more rapidly than expected in one of the younger stands. Our findings highlight the potential importance of functionally diverse plant inputs, as well as the interaction between local environmental attributes and litter type, for soil C dynamics in tropical forests.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1232694
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2624-893X
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	light-demanding species, litter decomposition, secondary tropical forests, secondary succession, shade-tolerant species, soil carbon, soil respiration, tree functional groups
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Agriculture and Soil Science Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	09 Nov 2023 11:15 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/535890

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...