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

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01182

Abstract

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

PEI Zhi-Qin, ZHOU Yong, ZHENG Yuan-Run, XIAO Chun-Wang. 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[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(11): 1182-1191.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01182

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Figures/Tables 9

Table 1 Formula of monthly fine root production and mortality

	活细根 Live fine root
	增加 Increase	减少 Decrease
死细根 Dead fine root		ΔB^dead > ΔB^live	ΔB^live > Δ B^dead
增加 Increase	P = ΔB^live + ΔB^dead M = ΔB^dead	P = ΔB^live + ΔB^dead M = ΔB^dead	P= 0 M =-ΔB^live
减少 Decrease	P= ΔB^live M = 0	P= 0 M =-ΔB^live

Fig. 1 Monthly variations of fine root biomass of Reaumuria soongorica community (mean ± SE). Left figure: live root; Right figure: dead root.

Fig. 2 Monthly variations of soil water content (SWC) of Reaumuria soongorica community (mean ± SE) (Higher SWC in soil surface layer was observed in June and September due to sampling after the rains.

Table 2 F values of the effects of sampling time (ST) and soil layer (SL) on soil water content (SWC), soil organic carbon (SOC), fine root biomass, necromass and production by ANOVA

因素 Factor	土壤含水量 SWC	土壤有机碳 SOC	活细根生物量 Live fine root biomass	死细根生物量 Fine root necromass	细根生产量 Fine root production
ST	196.16***	2.64*	9.89***	6.21***	2.62*
SL	179.07***	47.99***	2.44^NS	2.90^NS	0.45^NS
ST × SL	33.46***	0.77^NS	1.41^NS	3.58**	1.30^NS

Fig. 3 Monthly variations of fine root production of Reaumuria soongorica community (calculated by using the method of Decision matrix, mean ± SE).

Fig. 4 Annual fine root production of Reaumuria soongorica community (mean ± SE).

Fig. 5 Fine root mortality of Reaumuria soongorica community (mean ± SE).

Fig. 6 Fine root turnover rate and mortality rate of Reaumuria soongorica community (mean ± SE).

Fig. 7 Soil organic carbon (SOC) content of Reaumuria soongorica community (mean ± SE).

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