Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology >
Contribution of litter-derived carbon to soil organic carbon fractions and its response to freezing-thaw cycling in a subalpine forest
- ZHANG Yu ,
- DU Ting ,
- CHEN Yu-Lian ,
- ZHU He-Meng ,
- TAN Bo ,
- YOU Cheng-Ming ,
- ZHANG Li ,
- XU Zhen-Feng ,
- LI Han
- Forestry Ecological Engineering in Upper Reaches of Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Received date: 2023-09-27
Accepted date: 2024-04-08
Online published: 2024-04-09
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(31901295);China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2023M732500);China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M722297);Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province(2024NSFSC0354)
Abstract
Aims The impact of global warming on soil freeze-thaw cycling in high-altitude area is increasing. However, the contribution of litter-derived carbon to various soil organic carbon fractions and its response to freeze-thaw cycling remains unclear.
Methods The study utilized an indoor simulated freeze-thaw cycling experiment and stable isotope tracing technique, using 13C-labeled Picea asperate litter (root, twig, leaf), to explore the contribution of litter-derived carbon to dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), humus carbon (HC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral associated organic carbon (MAOC) in soil under freeze-thaw cycles.
Important findings The results showed that: after 30 days of incubation, litter-derived carbon significantly contributed to soil POC and MBC, accounting for 13.1% and 9.0%, respectively. The contribution of litter to different soil organic carbon fractions varied among different organs, with roots exhibiting a significantly lower contribution rate to POC, MAOC, and HC compared to twigs and leaves. Under freeze-thaw cycles, litter carbon contributed more to soil DOC and MBC, while showing a lower contribution rate to soil POC, MAOC, and HC. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between soil carbon acquisition-related activity enzymes and the contribution of litter-derived carbon to soil organic carbon. These findings indicate that freeze-thaw processes facilitate the accumulation of litter-derived carbon in active organic carbon fractions such as soil DOC and MBC, but inhibit the sequestration of plant-derived carbon in stable soil organic carbon during the initial litter decomposition period in subalpine forests. The research findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the contribution of forest litter return to soil organic carbon fractions, providing a scientific basis for the management and operation of soil carbon pools in subalpine forests under the backdrop of climate change.
Key words： freeze-thaw cycle; litter decomposition; soil organic carbon; δ13C
Cite this article
ZHANG Yu , DU Ting , CHEN Yu-Lian , ZHU He-Meng , TAN Bo , YOU Cheng-Ming , ZHANG Li , XU Zhen-Feng , LI Han . Contribution of litter-derived carbon to soil organic carbon fractions and its response to freezing-thaw cycling in a subalpine forest[J]. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 2024 , 48(11) : 1422 -1433 . DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2023.0278
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