EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON SOIL RESPIRATION IN LARIX GMELINII AND FRAXINUS MANDSHURICA PLANTATIONS IN CHINA

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2007.0045

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Soil respiration is important in carbon flux and changes in carbon cycling in forest soil. Understanding belowground response to fertilization is critical in assessing soil carbon dynamics and atmospheric nitrogen deposition. The objectives of this study were to: 1) compare soil respiration rates between Larix gmelinii and Fraxinus mandshurica plantations in the same field site, 2) examine the effects of nitrogen fertilization on soil respiration rate in both plantations, and 3) analyze the relationships between soil respiration rate and soil temperature, fine root biomass and nitrogen contents.
Methods In May 2002, we established six plots in each plantation type at the Maoershan Forest Research Station, and from 2003 to 2005 we fertilized three plots and left three unfertilized as the control. We placed ten soil chambers randomly in each plot in July 2004 and measured soil respiration rates using a soil chamber system from August 2004 to October 2005. At the same time, we estimated fine root standing biomass in each plot by sampling eight soil cores monthly, calculated dry mass and analyzed nitrogen content for each fine root sample.
Important findings Fine root standing biomass of F. mandshurica (229 g·m^-2) was greater than that of L. gmelinii (158 g·m^-2), and the average difference in soil respiration rates during the growing season was 19.8%. Nitrogen fertilization significantly decreased fine root standing biomass 27.4% in F. mandshurica and 18.4% in L. gmelinii; soil respiration rate was decreased 25.8% and 34.9% respectively. However, nitrogen fertilization did not change fine root nitrogen contents. In both plantation types, soil respiration rate exhibited significant exponential relationships with soil temperature (R ²=0.93-0.98). The range of Q₁₀ values was 2.45-2.62 for F. mandshurica and 3.02-3.29 for L. gmelinii. Nonetheless, nitrogen fertilization did not impact Q₁₀ values in either plantation type; the difference of Q₁₀ between fertilized and unfertilized was less 1%. Nitrogen fertilization in L. gmelinii and F. mandshurica did not alter nitrogen contents in fine roots or Q₁₀ values, but decreased fine root standing biomass, which suggests that reduction of soil respiration rate in fertilized plantations was caused by the decreases of fine root standing biomass.

Key words: nitrogen fertilization, fine root biomass, fine root nitrogen contents, soil respiration, Larix gmelinii, Fraxinus mandshurica

JIA Shu-Xia, WANG Zheng-Quan, MEI Li, SUN Yue, QUAN Xian-Kui, SHI Jian-Wei, YU Shui-Qiang, SUN Hai-Long, GU Jia-Cun. EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON SOIL RESPIRATION IN LARIX GMELINII AND FRAXINUS MANDSHURICA PLANTATIONS IN CHINA[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2007, 31(3): 372-379.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2007.0045

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2007/V31/I3/372

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 The effects of fertilizer on soil respiration rate of Fraxinus mandshurica (FM) and Larix gmelinii (LG) plantation Letter “s” represents significant difference (p<0.05)

Fig.2 The effects of fertilizer on fine root biomass of Fraxinus mandshurica and Larix gmelinii plantation Letter “s" represents significant difference (p<0.05), “ns" represents no significant difference

Fig.3 The effects of fertilizer on necromass (diameter<2 mm) of Fraxinus mandshurica (FM) and Larix gmelinii (LG) plantation Notes see Fig. 1

Fig.4 The effects of fertilizer on the N content of root of Fraxinus mandshurica and Larix gmelinii plantation Notes see Fig. 2

Fig.5 The effects of fertilizer on seasonal dynamics of soil respiration rate of Fraxinus mandshurica and Larix gmelinii plantation

Fig.6 The relationship of soil respiration rate and soil temperature at 5 and 10 cm in fertilized and unfertilized plot of Fraxinus mandshurica and Larix gmelinii plantation

Table 1 Soil respiration rate Arrhenius models and Q10 in Fraxinus mandshurica and Larix gmelinii plantations

树种 Species	处理 Treatment	土壤深度 Soil depth (cm)	a	b	R²	p	Q₁₀
水曲柳	对照Unfertlized	5	0.981 1	0.089 6	0.98	0.000 2	2.45
Fraxinus mandshurica		10	1.037 3	0.095 6	0.93	0.001 8	2.60
	施肥Fertilized	5	0.697 5	0.090 4	0.98	0.001 8	2.47
		10	0.739 0	0.096 4	0.93	0.001 8	2.62
落叶松	对照Unfertlized	5	0.600 7	0.111 5	0.97	0.000 5	3.05
Larix gmelinii		10	0.653 7	0.119 1	0.94	0.001 3	3.29
	施肥Fertilized	5	0.453 7	0.110 5	0.97	0.000 4	3.02
		10	0.494 9	0.117 9	0.95	0.001 1	3.25

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