Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2011, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (11): 1182-1191.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01182

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Contribution of fine root turnover to the soil organic carbon cycling in a Reaumuria soon- goricacommunity in an arid ecosystem of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China

PEI Zhi-Qin1,2, ZHOU Yong1,2, ZHENG Yuan-Run1, XIAO Chun-Wang1,*()   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
    2Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2011-04-18 Accepted:2011-07-18 Online:2011-04-18 Published:2011-11-07
  • Contact: XIAO Chun-Wang

Abstract:

Aims Our objective was to investigate the soil organic carbon stock, fine root turnover and its contribution to soil carbon cycling of Reaumuria soongorica community in an arid ecosystem in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.
Methods We selected a R. soongorica community, a typical local community, in natural areas around the Ecological Station of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We investigated the distribution and dynamics of soil organic carbon, monthly fine root dynamics, production and turnover rate throughout the 2010 growing season by means of sequential coring and ingrowth core. We calculated the soil organic carbon pool, fine roots carbon stocks and contribution of fine roots.
Important findings Soil water content increased with depth, but soil organic carbon decreased. The mean fine root mass in the community was 54.51 g·m-2, and annual fine root production was estimated to be 82.76-136.21 g·m-2·a-1. Fine root turnover rate in the community was 2.08 times·a-1, and annual inputs from fine root mortality to belowground soil organic carbon was 17 g·m-2·a-1. These results demonstrate that due to the high turnover rate of shrub fine root in the arid region, shrub fine root carbon is a crucial portion of soil organic carbon inputs.

Key words: arid ecosystem, fine root, Reaumuria soongorica community, soil organic carbon, soil water