Carbon isotopic composition of forest soil respiration in the decade following bark beetle and stem girdling disturbances in the Rocky Mountains: Carbon isotopes of soil respiration following disturbance
Abstract
Bark beetle outbreaks are widespread in western North American forests, reducing primary productivity and transpiration, leading to forest mortality across large areas and altering ecosystem carbon cycling. Here the carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of soil respiration (δJ) was monitored in the decade after disturbance for forests affected naturally by mountain pine beetle infestation and artificially by stem girdling. The seasonal mean δJ changed along both chronosequences. We found (a) enrichment of δJ relative to controls (<1 ‰) in near-surface soils in the first 2 years after disturbance; (b) depletion (1‰ or no change) during years 3–7; and (c) a second period of enrichment (1–2‰) in years 8–10. Results were consistent with isotopic patterns associated with the gradual death and decomposition of rhizosphere organisms, fine roots, conifer needles and woody roots and debris over the course of a decade after mortality. Finally, δJ was progressively more 13C-depleted deeper in the soil than near the surface, while the bulk soil followed the well-established pattern of 13C-enrichment at depth. Overall, differences in δJ between mortality classes (<1‰) and soil depths (<3‰) were smaller than variability within a class or depth over a season (up to 6‰).
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
- Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1425454
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0010625
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Plant, Cell and Environment
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 39; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 0140-7791
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Citation Formats
Maurer, Gregory E., Chan, Allison M., Trahan, Nicole A., Moore, David J. P., and Bowling, David R. Carbon isotopic composition of forest soil respiration in the decade following bark beetle and stem girdling disturbances in the Rocky Mountains: Carbon isotopes of soil respiration following disturbance. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1111/pce.12716.
Maurer, Gregory E., Chan, Allison M., Trahan, Nicole A., Moore, David J. P., & Bowling, David R. Carbon isotopic composition of forest soil respiration in the decade following bark beetle and stem girdling disturbances in the Rocky Mountains: Carbon isotopes of soil respiration following disturbance. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12716
Maurer, Gregory E., Chan, Allison M., Trahan, Nicole A., Moore, David J. P., and Bowling, David R. Tue .
"Carbon isotopic composition of forest soil respiration in the decade following bark beetle and stem girdling disturbances in the Rocky Mountains: Carbon isotopes of soil respiration following disturbance". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12716. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1425454.
@article{osti_1425454,
title = {Carbon isotopic composition of forest soil respiration in the decade following bark beetle and stem girdling disturbances in the Rocky Mountains: Carbon isotopes of soil respiration following disturbance},
author = {Maurer, Gregory E. and Chan, Allison M. and Trahan, Nicole A. and Moore, David J. P. and Bowling, David R.},
abstractNote = {Bark beetle outbreaks are widespread in western North American forests, reducing primary productivity and transpiration, leading to forest mortality across large areas and altering ecosystem carbon cycling. Here the carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of soil respiration (δJ) was monitored in the decade after disturbance for forests affected naturally by mountain pine beetle infestation and artificially by stem girdling. The seasonal mean δJ changed along both chronosequences. We found (a) enrichment of δJ relative to controls (<1 ‰) in near-surface soils in the first 2 years after disturbance; (b) depletion (1‰ or no change) during years 3–7; and (c) a second period of enrichment (1–2‰) in years 8–10. Results were consistent with isotopic patterns associated with the gradual death and decomposition of rhizosphere organisms, fine roots, conifer needles and woody roots and debris over the course of a decade after mortality. Finally, δJ was progressively more 13C-depleted deeper in the soil than near the surface, while the bulk soil followed the well-established pattern of 13C-enrichment at depth. Overall, differences in δJ between mortality classes (<1‰) and soil depths (<3‰) were smaller than variability within a class or depth over a season (up to 6‰).},
doi = {10.1111/pce.12716},
journal = {Plant, Cell and Environment},
number = 7,
volume = 39,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Tue Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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