Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

CO2 enrichment increases carbon and nitrogen input from fine roots in a deciduous forest.

Journal Article · · New Phytologist
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. ORNL
+ Show Author Affiliations
Greater root production under elevated [CO2] may drive changes in soil C storage and N cycling. However, this depends on root population turnover and chemistry, and the soil depth at which the roots are produced.We assessed the effect of elevated [CO2] on root biomass and N inputs at several soil depths using a long-term minirhizotron data set combined with continuous, root-specific measurements of root mass per unit length and [N]. Our experiment was conducted in a Liquidambar styraciflua forest stand exposed to current or elevated atmospheric [CO2] for 9 years.CO2-enrichment had no effect on root tissue density or [N] within a given diameter class. Root biomass production, standing crop and mortality were doubled under elevated [CO2]. Over 9 years, root mortality resulted in 681 g m-2 of extra C and 9 g m-2 of extra N input to the soil system under elevated [CO2]. At least half of these inputs were below 30 cm soil depth. Quantification of the effects of elevated CO2 on root detritus, especially at depth in the soil, will provide critical information needed for predicting processes such as long-term soil C storage and N cycling.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
936288
Journal Information:
New Phytologist, Journal Name: New Phytologist Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 179; ISSN 0028-646X; ISSN NEPHAV
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (66)

Effects of enhanced atmospheric CO2 and nutrient supply on the quality and subsequent decomposition of fine roots of Betula pendula Roth. and Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. journal March 1995
Woody plants, carbon allocation and fine roots: Commentary journal May 2003
Irrigation and enhanced soil carbon input effects on below-ground carbon cycling in semiarid temperate grasslands journal June 2007
Root turnover as determinant of the cycling of C, N, and P in a dry heathland ecosystem journal January 1992
On the importance of including soil nutrient feedback effects for predicting ecosystem carbon exchange journal January 2003
Root-Derived Carbon and the Formation and Stabilization of Aggregates journal January 2000
Data-model integration is not magic: Meetings journal April 2005
Irreconcilable Differences: Fine-Root Life Spans and Soil Carbon Persistence journal January 2008
Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on fine root production and activity in an intact temperate forest ecosystem journal December 2000
Comparisons of Structure and life span in Roots and Leaves Among Temperate Trees journal August 2006
Stability of organic carbon in deep soil layers controlled by fresh carbon supply journal November 2007
Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide increases soil carbon journal December 2005
Elevated CO2 and conifer roots: effects on growth, life span and turnover: REVIEW Elevated CO2 and conifer roots journal July 2000
Carbon Dynamics of Surface Residue– and Root-derived Organic Matter under Simulated No-till journal January 2000
Metabolic Scaling and the Evolutionary Dynamics of Plant Size, Form, and Diversity: Toward a Synthesis of Ecology, Evolution, and Paleontology journal June 2007
Fine-root turnover patterns and their relationship to root diameter and soil depth in a 14 C-labeled hardwood forest journal November 2006
Disturbances During Minirhizotron Installation Can Affect Root Observation Data journal January 1999
Fine-root production dominates response of a deciduous forest to atmospheric CO2 enrichment journal June 2004
Optimal nitrogen allocation controls tree responses to elevated CO 2 journal June 2007
Influences of Root Diameter, Tree Age, Soil Depth and Season on Fine Root Survivorship in Prunus avium journal October 2005
Global patterns in root decomposition: comparisons of climate and litter quality effects journal November 2001
A global analysis of root distributions for terrestrial biomes journal November 1996
RISING ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE: Plants FACE the Future journal June 2004
Belowground Consequences of Vegetation Change and Their Treatment in Models journal April 2000
Estimates of Douglas-fir fine root production and mortality from minirhizotrons journal January 2005
Root dynamics and global change: seeking an ecosystem perspective: REVIEW Root dynamics and global change journal July 2000
A meta-analysis of elevated CO 2 effects on woody plant mass, form, and physiology journal January 1998
Can you believe what you see? Reconciling minirhizotron and isotopically derived estimates of fine root longevity journal December 2007
NITROGEN UPTAKE, DISTRIBUTION, TURNOVER, AND EFFICIENCY OF USE IN A CO 2 -ENRICHED SWEETGUM FOREST journal January 2006
Dynamics of C, N, P and S in grassland soils: a model journal February 1988
Review of mechanisms and quantification of priming effects journal October 2000
A global budget for fine root biomass, surface area, and nutrient contents journal July 1997
Forest response to elevated CO2 is conserved across a broad range of productivity journal December 2005
Nutrient retranslocation in temperate conifers journal July 1991
Fine root turnover in a northern hardwood forest: a direct comparison of the radiocarbon and minirhizotron methods journal September 2002
Impacts of Fine Root Turnover on Forest NPP and Soil C Sequestration Potential journal November 2003
Carbon Pools and Flux of Global Forest Ecosystems journal January 1994
A comparison of minirhizotron, core and monolith methods for quantifying barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and fababean (Vicia faba L.) root distribution journal January 1993
Building roots in a changing environment: implications for root longevity: REVIEW Building absorptive roots and root life span journal July 2000
Elevated CO 2 increases nitrogen rhizodeposition and microbial immobilization of root-derived nitrogen journal March 2007
Fine root dynamics in a loblolly pine forest are influenced by free-air-CO 2 -enrichment: a six-year-minirhizotron study journal March 2008
Elevated CO 2 reduces the nitrogen concentration of plant tissues journal January 1998
Fine root branch orders respond differentially to carbon source-sink manipulations in a longleaf pine forest journal June 2004
Increases in nitrogen uptake rather than nitrogen-use efficiency support higher rates of temperate forest productivity under elevated CO2 journal August 2007
Towards a rhizo‐centric view of plant‐microbial feedbacks under elevated atmospheric CO2 journal February 2007
Global patterns of root turnover for terrestrial ecosystems: RESEARCH Root turnover in terrestrial ecosystems journal July 2000
Statistical analysis of repeated measures data using SAS procedures. journal January 1998
Stabilization and destabilization of soil organic matter: mechanisms and controls journal November 1996
Relationships between fine root dynamics and nitrogen availability in Michigan northern hardwood forests journal November 2000
Fine root Architecture of nine North American Trees journal May 2002
Advancing fine root research with minirhizotrons journal June 2001
Nutrient Concentrations in fine Roots journal January 2000
Progressive Nitrogen Limitation of Ecosystem Responses to Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide journal January 2004
Fine root growth and mortality in different-aged ponderosa pine stands journal July 2008
Nitrogen limitation in a sweetgum plantation: implications for carbon allocation and storage journal May 2008
Modeling nitrogen saturation in forest ecosystems in response to land use and atmospheric deposition journal August 1997
Role of the soil matrix and minerals in protecting natural organic materials against biological attack journal July 2000
Elevated atmospheric CO2, fine roots and the response of soil microorganisms: a review and hypothesis: REVIEW Elevated CO2 and soil microorganisms journal July 2000
Elevated atmospheric CO2 and feedback between carbon and nitrogen cycles journal April 1993
Root system adjustments: regulation of plant nutrient uptake and growth responses to elevated CO2 journal February 2001
Measuring Fine Root Turnover in Forest Ecosystems journal October 2005
Allometric determination of tree growth in a CO2-enriched sweetgum stand journal May 2001
A Simulation Model for Decomposition in Grasslands journal May 1977
Marked Differences in Survivorship Among Apple Roots of Different Diameters journal March 2001
Fine roots of trees - a new perspective journal May 2002
Evaluating minirhizotron estimates of fine root longevity and production in the forest floor of a temperate broadleaf forest journal January 2001

Similar Records

Net mineralization of N at deeper soil depths as a potential mechanism for sustained forest production under elevated [CO2]
Journal Article · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2010 · Global Change Biology · OSTI ID:1001718
Fine root dynamics in species-rich calcareous meadows of the Swiss Jura under elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2}
Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America · OSTI ID:95740
Soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and storage throughout the soil profile in a sweetgum plantation after 11 years of CO2-enrichment
Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2011 · Global Change Biology · OSTI ID:1042824

Related Subjects