13C and 15N isotopic signatures of plant-soil continuum along a successional gradient in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2015.0478

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The optimal patterns of plant community for water use and nutrient utilization, the responses of soil carbon and nitrogen turnover processes to forest succession, and the mechanisms of soil organic carbon accumulation, are three critical issues in forest ecosystem study. It is difficult to accurately detect these ecological processes with conventional methodologies in the short term, yet the application of ¹³C and ¹⁵N natural abundance technique may yield important information about these processes.Methods This study was conducted in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve. We investigated the natural isotopic abundance of both ¹³C and ¹⁵N of plant-soil continuum along a successional gradient from Pinus massoniana forest (PF) to coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest (MF), and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (BF). We also analyzed the correlations of foliar stable carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) and stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) with foliar elemental contents and the variations of soil δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N along soil profiles at different successional stages.Important findings A significant positive correlation between foliar δ¹³C and foliar C:N was observed. In both litter and soil, the δ¹³C values tended to decrease along the forest succession, with the order as PF > MF > BF. Foliar δ¹⁵N was positively correlated with foliar N content. The δ¹⁵N values of litter and upper soil (0-10 cm) increased with successional status. Both soil δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values increased with increasing soil depth at all three forests. Our results imply that 1) trade-off between water use efficiency and nitrogen use efficiency did not necessarily exist in subtropical forests of China; 2) the application of isotopic technique could assist understanding of the mechanisms of soil carbon accumulation in subtropical forests, especially in old-grow forests; 3) the ¹⁵N natural abundance of plant-soil continuum could be a potential indicator of soil nitrogen availability and ecosystem nitrogen saturation status.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201606002

Key words: stable carbon isotope ratio, stable nitrogen isotope ratio, succession, forest, Dinghushan

Xin XIONG, Hui-Ling ZHANG, Jian-Ping WU, Guo-Wei CHU, Guo-Yi ZHOU, De-Qiang ZHANG. ¹³C and ¹⁵N isotopic signatures of plant-soil continuum along a successional gradient in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2016, 40(6): 533-542.

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References 46

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共有树种 Common species	林型 Forest type	稳定碳同位素比率 δ¹³C (‰)	稳定氮同位素比率 δ¹⁵N (‰)
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	松林 Pine forest	-29.28 (0.19)	-5.15 (0.24)
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	混交林 Mixed forest	-30.30 (0.10)^**	-4.07 (0.11)^*
木荷 Schima superba	混交林 Mixed forest	-30.77 (0.53)	-3.56 (0.18)
木荷 Schima superba	阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-29.19 (0.69)	-5.41 (0.09)^**
锥 Castanopsis chinensis	混交林 Mixed forest	-30.90 (0.21)	-2.73 (0.41)
锥 Castanopsis chinensis	阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-29.88 (0.79)	-3.09 (0.57)
厚壳桂 Cryptocarya chinensis	混交林 Mixed forest	-33.37 (0.12)	-3.75 (0.21)
厚壳桂 Cryptocarya chinensis	阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-32.94 (0.35)	-3.59 (0.40)

共有树种 Common species	林型 Forest type	稳定碳同位素比率 δ¹³C (‰)	稳定氮同位素比率 δ¹⁵N (‰)
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	松林 Pine forest	-29.28 (0.19)	-5.15 (0.24)
马尾松 Pinus massoniana	混交林 Mixed forest	-30.30 (0.10)^**	-4.07 (0.11)^*
木荷 Schima superba	混交林 Mixed forest	-30.77 (0.53)	-3.56 (0.18)
木荷 Schima superba	阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-29.19 (0.69)	-5.41 (0.09)^**
锥 Castanopsis chinensis	混交林 Mixed forest	-30.90 (0.21)	-2.73 (0.41)
锥 Castanopsis chinensis	阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-29.88 (0.79)	-3.09 (0.57)
厚壳桂 Cryptocarya chinensis	混交林 Mixed forest	-33.37 (0.12)	-3.75 (0.21)
厚壳桂 Cryptocarya chinensis	阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-32.94 (0.35)	-3.59 (0.40)

林型 Forest type	稳定碳同位素比率 δ¹³C (‰)	稳定氮同位素比率 δ¹⁵N (‰)	碳氮比 C:N
松林 Pine forest	-28.84 (0.09)^a	-5.19 (0.08)^b	46.11 (0.63)^a
混交林 Mixed forest	-29.78 (0.04)^b	-4.40 (0.06)^ab	41.39 (0.42)^b
阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-30.43 (0.19)^c	-4.02 (0.52)^a	31.73 (1.87)^c

林型 Forest type	稳定碳同位素比率 δ¹³C (‰)	稳定氮同位素比率 δ¹⁵N (‰)	碳氮比 C:N
松林 Pine forest	-28.84 (0.09)^a	-5.19 (0.08)^b	46.11 (0.63)^a
混交林 Mixed forest	-29.78 (0.04)^b	-4.40 (0.06)^ab	41.39 (0.42)^b
阔叶林 Broad-leaved forest	-30.43 (0.19)^c	-4.02 (0.52)^a	31.73 (1.87)^c

主效应和交互作用 Main effect or interaction	因变量 Dependent variable
主效应和交互作用 Main effect or interaction	稳定碳同位素比率 δ¹³C	稳定氮同位素比率 δ¹⁵N	土壤总有机碳生物 TOC	易氧化有机碳含量 ROC	微生物生物量碳含量 MBC	总氮含量 TN	碳氮比 C:N
林型 Forest type	F₂= 96.39^**	F₂= 2.02	F₂= 54.74^**	F₂= 24.81^**	F₂= 15.34^**	F₂= 92.32^**	F₂ = 25.77^**
土层 Soil layer	F₃= 53.77^**	F₃= 133.56^**	F₃= 233.24^**	F₃= 244.47^**	F₃= 23.74^**	F₃= 232.26^**	F₃= 162.36^**
林型×土层 Forest type × soil layer	F₁₁= 3.00^**	F₁₁= 1.65	F₁₁= 7.47^**	F₁₁= 4.62^**	F₁₁= 1.83	F₁₁= 6.99^**	F₁₁= 4.90^**

¹³C and ¹⁵N isotopic signatures of plant-soil continuum along a successional gradient in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve

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