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

Cusack, Daniela F.; Halterman, Sarah M.; Tanner, Edmund V.J.; Wright, S. Joseph; Hockaday, William; Dietterich, Lee H.; Turner, Benjamin L.

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.06.005

Title: Decadal-scale litter manipulation alters the biochemical and physical character of tropical forest soil carbon

Journal Article · Sat Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Soil Biology and Biochemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.06.005· OSTI ID:1924482

^[1]; Halterman, Sarah M. ^[1]; Tanner, Edmund V.J. ^[2]; Wright, S. Joseph ^[3];

^[4]; Dietterich, Lee H. ^[1]; Turner, Benjamin L. ^[3]

Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom)
Smithsonian Tropical Research Inst., Ancon (Panama)
Baylor Univ., Waco, TX (United States)

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), form more stable mineral-associations than other biomolecules in strongly weathered soils. A decade of litter addition and removal affected bulk soil C content in the upper 5 cm by +32% and –31%, respectively. Most notably, C concentration in the mineral-associated SOC fraction was greater in litter addition plots relative to controls by 18% and 28% in the dry and wet seasons, respectively, accounting for the majority of greater bulk soil C stock. Radiocarbon and leaching analyses demonstrated that the greater mineral-associated SOC in litter addition plots consisted of new and relatively stable C, with only 3% of mineral-associated SOC leachable in salt solution. Solid-state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy indicated that waxes (alkyl C) and microbial biomass compounds (O-alkyl and N-alkyl C) in mineral-associated SOC are relatively stable, whereas plant-derived compounds (aromatic and phenolic C) are lost from mineral associations on decadal timescales. Here, we conclude that changes in tropical forest NPP will alter the quantity, biochemistry, and stability of C stored in strongly weathered tropical soils.

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Research Organization:: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0020669; SC0015898; BCS-1437591; 1132124

OSTI ID:: 1924482

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1809300

Journal Information:: Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 124; ISSN 0038-0717

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 27 works

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