CARBON STOCK AND ITS ALLOCATION IN FIVE FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN THE SUBALPINE CONIFEROUS FOREST ZONE OF WESTERN SICHUAN PROVINCE, SOUTHWEST CHINA

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2009.02.005

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Forest ecosystems are important carbon pools of the global terrestrial ecosystem and play a key role in sequestrating and reserving greenhouse gases. Our objectives were to quantify the carbon stock of different forest ecosystems in the subalpine coniferous forest in western Sichuan Province (SCFS) and identify short-term carbon sequestration potential.

Methods We investigated the forests of Wanglang National Natural Reserve, located in Pingwu County, Sichuan Province. Five similar altitude and slope ecosystems dominated byBetula platyphylla(BF), Betula spp. and Abies faxoniana(MF),Abies faxoniana (FF), Picea purpurea(SF) and Sabina saltuaria(CF) were selected to quantify ecosystem carbon stock and its allocation. We sampled eight replicate plots in each ecosystem. All plants in each plot were surveyed and sorted into three groups: tree layer (DBH ≥5 cm), understory ( DBH <5 cm), and herb layer. We surveyed the carbon stock of the tree layer using standard tree sampling methods, in which biomass and carbon stock of three newly up-rooted trees were measured. Carbon stock of understory, herb, ground cover (including litter, lichens and coarse woody debris <2 cm diameter) and soil was measured by destructive sampling.

Important findings Soil organism carbon (SOC) decreased significantly with increased soil depth (p<0.01). Carbon stock contributions of ground cover were similar (3%-4% of the total). The tree layer had the largest plant carbon pool, and root carbon reached 13%-19% of plant carbon. The main carbon stock was in plants in SF and FF and in soil in MF, BF and CF. Ecosystem carbon stock was SF (729.92±43.49) > FF (618.86±53.97) > MF (353.88±21.76) > BF (247.79±17.15) > CF (244.52±18.70) 10³ kgC·hm^-2, and the difference was significant (p<0.05). Plant recent carbon stock potentials were 2.97, 3.80, 5.15, 3.33 and 4.84 10³ kgC·hm^-2·a^-1, respectively. Therefore, the SCFS could play a key role in CO₂sequestration. This provides insight into forest carbon sequestration capacity and, hence, into understanding global carbon balance.

Key words: carbon stock, carbon sequestration capacity, forest ecosystem, subalpine

XIAN Jun-Ren, ZHANG Yuan-Bin, WANG Kai-Yun, HU Ting-Xing, YANG Hua. CARBON STOCK AND ITS ALLOCATION IN FIVE FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN THE SUBALPINE CONIFEROUS FOREST ZONE OF WESTERN SICHUAN PROVINCE, SOUTHWEST CHINA[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2009, 33(2): 283-290.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2009/V33/I2/283

Figures/Tables 5

References 30

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生态系统 Ecosystem	海拔 Altitude (m)	土壤类型 Soil type	平均胸径 Mean DBH (cm)	平均年龄 Mean age (a)	林木密度 Tree density (tree·hm^-2)	平均高度 Mean height (m)	郁闭度 Coverage
BF	2 605	棕壤 Brown soil	12.4	48.4	1975	13.5	0.6
MF	2 704	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	22.5	83.1	740	27.0	0.75
FF	2 854	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	28.3	213.7	230	35.0	0.7
SF	3 186	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	35.8	311.5	206	43.8	0.65
CF	3 350	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	21.5	136.4	519	8.8	0.50

生态系统 Ecosystem	海拔 Altitude (m)	土壤类型 Soil type	平均胸径 Mean DBH (cm)	平均年龄 Mean age (a)	林木密度 Tree density (tree·hm^-2)	平均高度 Mean height (m)	郁闭度 Coverage
BF	2 605	棕壤 Brown soil	12.4	48.4	1975	13.5	0.6
MF	2 704	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	22.5	83.1	740	27.0	0.75
FF	2 854	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	28.3	213.7	230	35.0	0.7
SF	3 186	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	35.8	311.5	206	43.8	0.65
CF	3 350	暗棕壤 Dark brown soil	21.5	136.4	519	8.8	0.50

生态系统 Ecosystems	土壤层次 Soil layer	碳含量 SOC content (g C·kg^-1)	碳贮量 SOC stock (10³ kg C·hm^-2)	土壤碳含量 Average SOC content (g C·kg^-1)	土壤碳贮量 SOC stock (10³ kg C·hm^-2)
BF	I	46.42±4.76^aA	76.64±10.94^aA	22.64±1.12^dD	165.89±11.60^bcB
	II	29.01±3.06^bB	63.20±4.32^bB
	III	7.55±2.10^cC	26.05±6.33^cC
MF	I	73.35±5.69^aA	101.75±12.18^aA	44.52±3.93^aA	222.20±18.44^aA
	II	42.29±7.89^bB	73.47±13.16^bB
	III	25.31±3.71^cC	46.99±7.90^cC
FF	I	65.43±6.86^aA	85.94±7.82^aA	37.71±2.42^bB	166.65±10.57^bB
	II	31.64±6.78^bB	47.07±9.27^bB
	III	21.09±3.05^cC	33.65±6.05^cC
SF	I	65.44±5.04^aA	84.16±5.87^aA	38.88±3.30^bB	170.58±6.53^bB
	II	34.82±4.62^bB	51.79±4.83^bB
	III	21.75±3.64^cC	34.62±2.97^cC
CF	I	47.55±5.94^aA	65.98±6.54^aA	30.00±2.83^cC	153.36±14.45^cB
	II	24.63±3.01^bB	52.07±8.14^bB
	III	22.26±5.40^cC	35.32±9.67^cC

生态系统 Ecosystems	土壤层次 Soil layer	碳含量 SOC content (g C·kg^-1)	碳贮量 SOC stock (10³ kg C·hm^-2)	土壤碳含量 Average SOC content (g C·kg^-1)	土壤碳贮量 SOC stock (10³ kg C·hm^-2)
BF	I	46.42±4.76^aA	76.64±10.94^aA	22.64±1.12^dD	165.89±11.60^bcB
	II	29.01±3.06^bB	63.20±4.32^bB
	III	7.55±2.10^cC	26.05±6.33^cC
MF	I	73.35±5.69^aA	101.75±12.18^aA	44.52±3.93^aA	222.20±18.44^aA
	II	42.29±7.89^bB	73.47±13.16^bB
	III	25.31±3.71^cC	46.99±7.90^cC
FF	I	65.43±6.86^aA	85.94±7.82^aA	37.71±2.42^bB	166.65±10.57^bB
	II	31.64±6.78^bB	47.07±9.27^bB
	III	21.09±3.05^cC	33.65±6.05^cC
SF	I	65.44±5.04^aA	84.16±5.87^aA	38.88±3.30^bB	170.58±6.53^bB
	II	34.82±4.62^bB	51.79±4.83^bB
	III	21.75±3.64^cC	34.62±2.97^cC
CF	I	47.55±5.94^aA	65.98±6.54^aA	30.00±2.83^cC	153.36±14.45^cB
	II	24.63±3.01^bB	52.07±8.14^bB
	III	22.26±5.40^cC	35.32±9.67^cC

生态系统 Ecosystems	乔木层 Tree layer (10³ kg C·hm^-2)			灌木层 Shrub layer (10³ kg C·hm^-2)			草本层 Herb layer (10³ kg C·hm^-2)			合计 Total (10³ kg C·hm^-2)
生态系统 Ecosystems	地上部分 Aboveground	根 Root	小计 Total	地上部分 Aboveground	根 Root	小计 Total	地上部分 Aboveground	根 Root	小计 Total	地上部分 Aboveground	根 Root	合计 Total
BF	58.38± 7.84 ^dCD	9.90± 1.33 ^dD	68.28± 9.17 ^dCD	3.46± 0.45 ^eE	1.09± 0.14^eE	4.55± 0.59^eE	0.70± 0.15 ^bcBC	0.21± 0.05 ^bcB	0.91± 0.20 ^bcBC	62.54± 8.52 ^dD	11.20± 1.50^dD	73.74± 10.02^dD
MF	91.48± 5.26 ^cC	16.02± 0.92 ^cC	107.50± 7.32 ^cC	8.54± 0.80 ^dD	2.68± 0.25^dD	11.22± 1.06^dD	0.91± 0.08^aA	0.27± 0.03 ^aA	1.18± 0.11 ^aA	100.93± 6.88 ^cC	18.97± 1.30^cC	119.90± 8.18^cC
FF	353.43± 39.94 ^bB	59.46± 6.72 ^bB	412.88± 49.59 ^bB	12.90± 0.55^cC	4.05± 0.17^cC	16.95± 0.72^cC	0.79± 0.06 ^bAB	0.24± 0.02 ^bAB	1.03± 0.08 ^bAB	367.12± 42.37 ^bB	63.74± 7.12^bB	430.86± 49.49^bB
SF	447.02± 36.71 ^aA	67.12± 5.51 ^aA	514.14± 43.61 ^aA	15.54± 1.21^bB	4.88± 0.38^bB	20.42± 1.58^bB	0.61± 0.06 ^cdC	0.20± 0.02 ^cC	0.81± 0.09 ^cC	463.18± 37.57 ^aA	72.19± 5.59^aA	535.37± 43.15^aA
CF	47.28± 11.10 ^dD	8.34± 1.96 ^dD	55.62± 13.06 ^dD	19.26± 1.11^aA	6.38± 0.37^aA	25.64± 1.47^aA	0.59± 0.09 ^dC	0.22± 0.04 ^bcB	0.81± 0.13 ^cC	67.12± 10.85 ^dCD	14.95± 1.89 ^cdCD	82.07± 12.73^dCD