Composition and decomposition of soybean and sorghum tissues grown under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide
- Cooperative Ext. Serv., Dunwoody, GA (United States)
- Auburn Univ., AL (United States)
- National Soil Dynamics Lab., Auburn, AL (United States)
It has been hypothesized that changes in both quantity and quality of plant residue inputs to soils as atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) concentration increases may alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) turnover rates and pool sizes. We determined the effect of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} on plant tissue quality, and how modifications in tissue quality affect C and N mineralization. Soybean and sorghum were grown under elevated (704.96 {plus_minus} 0.33 {mu}mol CO{sub 2} mol{sup {minus}1}) and ambient (357.44 {plus_minus} 0.12 {mu}mol CO{sub 2} mol{sup {minus}1}) atmospheric CO{sub 2} in open-top chambers. Leaf and stem tissues were separated form harvested plants and analyzed for C,N, lignin, and cellulose. Tissues were applied to Norfolk loamy sand (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Kandiudult) and aerobically incubated for 70-d to determine C and N mineralization, C turnover, relative N mineralization, and C/N mineralized. Elevated CO{sub 2} had no effect on plant residue C concentration, but N concentration of soybean leaves and stems and sorghum stems was reduced; however, CO{sub 2} enrichment increased C/N ratio and lignin concentration for only sorghum stems and soybean leaves, respectively. Source of plant residue (i.e., produced under either elevated or ambient CO{sub 2}) had no impact on soil C turnover, relative N mineralization, cumulative C and N mineralization, and C/N mineralized. These data suggest that increasing atmospheric CO{sub 2} will have little effect on composition or decomposition of field crop residues. Thus, since CO{sub 2} enrichment results in increased photosynthetic C fixation, the possibility exists for increased soil C storage under field crops in an elevated CO{sub 2} world. 29 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 381008
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 25; ISSN JEVQAA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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