Publication Date:
2021-03-29
Description:
Forest soils contribute ca. 70% to the global soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and thus are an
important element of the global carbon cycle. Forests also harbour a large part of the global
terrestrial biodiversity. It is not clear, however, whether tree species diversity affects SOC. By
measuring the carbon concentration of different soil particle size fractions separately, we were
able to distinguish between effects of fine particle content and tree species composition on the
SOC pool in oldgrowth
broadleaved
forest plots along a tree diversity gradient (1,
3and
5species).
Variation in clay content explained part of the observed SOC increase from
monospecific to mixed forests, but we show that the carbon concentration per unit clay or fine
silt in the subsoil was by 30–35% higher in mixed than monospecific stands indicating a
significant species identity or species diversity effect on C stabilization. Underlying causes
may be differences in fine root biomass and turnover, in leaf litter decomposition rate among
the tree species, and/or speciesspecific
rhizosphere effects on soil. Our findings may have
important implications for forestry offering management options through preference of mixed
stands that could increase forest SOC pools and mitigate climate warming.
Description:
Open-Access-Publikationsfonds 2014
Keywords:
carbon saturation; tree diversity; particle size fractionation; subsoil; soil organic carbon
;
551
Language:
English
Type:
article
,
publishedVersion
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