Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Garten, Jr, C T; Cooper, L W; Post, III, W M; Hanson, P J

doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2

Title: Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

A large portion of terrestrial carbon (C) resides in soil organic carbon (SOC). The dynamics of this large reservoir depend on many factors, including climate. Measurements of {sup 13}C:{sup 12}C ratios, C concentrations, and C:N ratios at six forest sites in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (USA) were used to explore several hypotheses concerning the relative importance of factors that control soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and SOC turnover. Mean {delta}{sup 13}C values increased with soil depth and decreasing C concentrations along a continuum from fresh litter inputs to more decomposed soil constituents. Data from the six forest sites, in combination with data from a literature review, indicate that the extent of change in {delta}{sup 13}C values from forest litter inputs to mineral soil is significantly associated with mean annual temperature. The findings support a conceptual model of vertical changes in forest soil {delta}{sup 13}C values, C concentrations, and C:N ratios that are interrelated through climate controls on decomposition. The authors hypothesize that, if other environmental factors are not limiting, then temperature and litter quality indirectly control the extent of isotopic fractionation during SOM decomposition in temperate forest ecosystems.

Authors:: Garten, Jr, C T; Cooper, L W; Post, III, W M; Hanson, P J

Publication Date:: Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (US)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 20080420

DOE Contract Number:: AC05-96OR22464

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Ecology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 81; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: PBD: Apr 2000; Journal ID: ISSN 0012-9658

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; SOILS; CARBON CYCLE; FORESTS; APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS; ISOTOPE RATIO; CARBON 13; CARBON 12; CLIMATES

Citation Formats


                    Garten, Jr, C T, Cooper, L W, Post, III, W M, and Hanson, P J. Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  United States: N. p., 2000. 
        Web.  doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2.

Copy to clipboard


                    Garten, Jr, C T, Cooper, L W, Post, III, W M, & Hanson, P J. Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2

Copy to clipboard


                    Garten, Jr, C T, Cooper, L W, Post, III, W M, and Hanson, P J. 2000.  
        "Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the Southern Appalachian Mountains".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_20080420,

  title        = {Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the Southern Appalachian Mountains},

  author       = {Garten, Jr, C T and Cooper, L W and Post, III, W M and Hanson, P J},

  abstractNote = {A large portion of terrestrial carbon (C) resides in soil organic carbon (SOC). The dynamics of this large reservoir depend on many factors, including climate. Measurements of {sup 13}C:{sup 12}C ratios, C concentrations, and C:N ratios at six forest sites in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (USA) were used to explore several hypotheses concerning the relative importance of factors that control soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and SOC turnover. Mean {delta}{sup 13}C values increased with soil depth and decreasing C concentrations along a continuum from fresh litter inputs to more decomposed soil constituents. Data from the six forest sites, in combination with data from a literature review, indicate that the extent of change in {delta}{sup 13}C values from forest litter inputs to mineral soil is significantly associated with mean annual temperature. The findings support a conceptual model of vertical changes in forest soil {delta}{sup 13}C values, C concentrations, and C:N ratios that are interrelated through climate controls on decomposition. The authors hypothesize that, if other environmental factors are not limiting, then temperature and litter quality indirectly control the extent of isotopic fractionation during SOM decomposition in temperate forest ecosystems.},

  doi          = {10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20080420},
  journal      = {Ecology},

  issn         = {0012-9658},

  number       = 4,

  volume       = 81,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},

  month        = {Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}

}

Copy to clipboard

Journal Article:

https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2

Other availability

Find in Google Scholar

Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar records in OSTI.GOV collections:

Climate controls on forest soil C isotope ratios in the southern Appalachian Mountains

Journal Article Garten, Jr, Charles; Cooper, Lee; Post, Wilfred; ... - Ecology

A large portion of terrestrial carbon (C) resides in soil organic carbon (SOC). The dynamics of this large reservoir depend on many factors, including climate. Measurements of {sup 13}C:{sup 12}C ratios, C concentrations, and C:N ratios at six forest sites in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (USA) were used to explore several hypotheses concerning the relative importance of factors that control soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and SOC turnover. Mean {delta}{sup 13}C values increased with soil depth and decreasing C concentrations along a continuum from fresh litter inputs to more decomposed soil constituents. Data from the six forest sites, in combinationmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[1108:CCOFSC]2.0.CO;2
Forest soil carbon inventories and dynamics along an elevation gradient in the southern Appalachian Mountains

Journal Article Garten, Jr, Charles; Post, Wilfred; Hanson, Paul; ... - Biogeochemistry

Soil organic carbon (SOC) was partitioned between unprotected and protected pools in six forests along an elevation gradient in the southern Appalachian Mountains using two physical methods: flotation in aqueous CaCl{sub 2} (1.4 g/mL) and wet sieving through a 0.053 mm sieve. Both methods produced results that were qualitatively and quantitatively similar. Along the elevation gradient, 28 to 53% of the SOC was associated with an unprotected pool that included forest floor O-layers and other labile soil organic matter (SOM) in various stages of decomposition. Most (71 to 83%) of the C in the mineral soil at the six forestmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006121511680
Microbial inputs at the litter layer translate climate into altered organic matter properties

Journal Article Kohl, Lukas; Myers‐Pigg, Allison; Edwards, Kate; ... - Global Change Biology

Plant litter chemistry is altered during decomposition but it remains unknown if these alterations, and thus the composition of residual litter, will change in response to climate. Selective microbial mineralization of litter components and the accumulation of microbial necromass can drive litter compositional change, but the extent to which these mechanisms respond to climate remains poorly understood. We addressed this knowledge gap by studying needle litter decomposition along a boreal forest climate transect. Specifically, we investigated how the composition and/or metabolism of the decomposer community varies with climate, and if that variation is associated with distinct modifications of litter chemistrymore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15420

Full Text Available
Decadal-scale litter manipulation alters the biochemical and physical character of tropical forest soil carbon

Journal Article Cusack, Daniela; Halterman, Sarah; Tanner, Edmund; ... - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Climate change and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations are likely to alter tropical forest net primary productivity (NPP), potentially affecting soil C storage. We examined biochemical and physical changes in soil C fractions in a humid tropical forest where experimental litter manipulation changed total soil C stocks. We hypothesized that: (1.) low-density soil organic C (SOC) fractions are more responsive to altered litter inputs than mineral-associated SOC, because they cycle relatively rapidly. (2.) Any accumulation of mineral-associated SOC with litter addition is relatively stable (i.e. low leaching potential). (3.) Certain biomolecules, such as waxes (alkyl) and proteins (N-alkyl), formmore »« less
Cited by 27
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.06.005

Full Text Available
Lignin lags, leads, or limits the decomposition of litter and soil organic carbon

Journal Article Hall, Steven; Huang, Wenjuan; Timokhin, Vitaliy; ... - Ecology

Abstract Lignin’s role in litter and soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition remains contentious. Lignin decomposition was traditionally thought to increase during midstage litter decomposition, when cellulose occlusion by lignin began to limit mass loss. Alternatively, lignin decomposition could be greatest in fresh litter as a consequence of co‐metabolism, and lignin might decompose faster than bulk SOC. To test these competing hypotheses, we incubated 10 forest soils with C ₄ grass litter (amended with ¹³ C‐labeled or unlabeled lignin) over 2 yr and measured soil respiration and its isotope composition. Early lignin decomposition was greatest in 5 of 10 soils, consistentmore »« less
Cited by 34
https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3113

Full Text Available

Similar Records