Probabilistic modeling of nitrogen and carbon dynamics in water-limited ecosystems

The nitrogen and carbon dynamics of water-limited ecosystems are significantly controlled by the soil water content, which in turn depends on soil properties, climate, and vegetation characteristics. Because of its impact on soil aeration, microorganism environmental stress, and ion transport within the pore spaces, the soil water content controls the activity of microbial biomass with important effects on the rates of decomposition, mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification. Mineral nitrogen is mainly lost in the leaching and plant uptake processes, which are both controlled by the soil water content. To assess both the long-term and the short-term impact of soil moisture dynamics on the soil nitrogen and carbon budgets, models of the N and C cycles need to operate at daily resolutions (or higher). On the other hand, long-term projections require a stochastic modeling of the climate forcing to generate long replicates of the climate signal as well as to assess the system response to climate change. This paper reviews a modeling framework developed by the authors [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 455 (1999a) 3789; Adv. Water. Res. 26 (2003) 45; Adv. Water Resour. 26 (2003) 59; Sci. J. 5 (2003) 781] for the process-based analysis of soil moisture, nitrogen, and carbon dynamics, presenting a synthesis of the main results of those investigations.     

Sinks for nitrogen inputs in terrestrial ecosystems: a meta-analysis of 15N tracer field studies

Effects of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition and the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to store carbon (C) depend in part on the amount of N retained in the system and its partitioning among plant and soil pools. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies at 48 sites across four continents that used enriched 15N isotope tracers in order to synthesize information about total ecosystem N retention (i.e., total ecosystem 15N recovery in plant and soil pools) across natural systems and N partitioning among ecosystem pools. The greatest recoveries of ecosystem 15N tracer occurred in shrublands (mean, 89.5%) and wetlands (84.8%) followed by forests (74.9%) and grasslands (51.8%). In the short term (< 1 week after 15N tracer application), total ecosystem 15N recovery was negatively correlated with fine-root and soil 15N natural abundance, and organic soil C and N concentration but was positively correlated with mean annual temperature and mineral soil C:N. In the longer term (3-18 months after 15N tracer application), total ecosystem 15N retention was negatively correlated with foliar natural-abundance 15N but was positively correlated with mineral soil C and N concentration and C:N, showing that plant and soil natural-abundance 15N and soil C:N are good indicators of total ecosystem N retention. Foliar N concentration was not significantly related to ecosystem 15N tracer recovery, suggesting that plant N status is not a good predictor of total ecosystem N retention. Because the largest ecosystem sinks for 15N tracer were below ground in forests, shrublands, and grasslands, we conclude that growth enhancement and potential for increased C storage in aboveground biomass from atmospheric N deposition is likely to be modest in these ecosystems. Total ecosystem 15N recovery decreased with N fertilization, with an apparent threshold fertilization rate of 46 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1) above which most ecosystems showed net losses of applied 15N tracer in response to N fertilizer addition.     

Potential nitrogen constraints on soil carbon sequestration under low and elevated atmospheric CO2

The interaction between nitrogen cycling and carbon sequestration is critical in predicting the consequences of anthropogenic increases in atmospheric CO2 (hereafter, Ca). The progressive N limitation (PNL) theory predicts that carbon sequestration in plants and soils with rising Ca may be constrained by the availability of nitrogen in many ecosystems. Here we report on the interaction between C and N dynamics during a four-year field experiment in which an intact C3/C4 grassland was exposed to a gradient in Ca from 200 to 560 micromol/mol. There were strong species effects on decomposition dynamics, with C loss positively correlated and N mineralization negatively correlated with Ca for litter of the C3 forb Solanum dimidiatum, whereas decomposition of litter from the C4 grass Bothriochloa ischaemum was unresponsive to Ca. Both soil microbial biomass and soil respiration rates exhibited a nonlinear response to Ca, reaching a maximum at approximately 440 micromol/mol Ca. We found a general movement of N out of soil organic matter and into aboveground plant biomass with increased Ca. Within soils we found evidence of C loss from recalcitrant soil C fractions with narrow C:N ratios to more labile soil fractions with broader C:N ratios, potentially due to decreases in N availability. The observed reallocation of N from soil to plants over the last three years of the experiment supports the PNL theory that reductions in N availability with rising Ca could initially be overcome by a transfer of N from low C:N ratio fractions to those with higher C:N ratios. Although the transfer of N allowed plant production to increase with increasing Ca, there was no net soil C sequestration at elevated Ca, presumably because relatively stable C is being decomposed to meet microbial and plant N requirements. Ultimately, if the C gained by increased plant production is rapidly lost through decomposition, the shift in N from older soil organic matter to rapidly decomposing plant tissue may limit net C sequestration with increased plant production.     

Aspects and prospects of algal carbon capture and sequestration in ecosystems: a review

Long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other forms of carbon in non-atmospheric reservoirs is called carbon sequestration. Selective anthropogenic enrichment of the atmospheric carbon pool is causing dire environmental problems, thereby necessitating remediation by mitigation. Algae possess efficient carbon concentrating mechanisms and consequently high photosynthetic rates which make them suitable candidates for biosequestration of CO₂. Globally, nearly half of the atmospheric oxygen is generated by algal photosynthesis despite the fact that algae account for less than 1% of photosynthetic biomass. In water bodies, algae are responsible for creating the ‘biological pump’ that transports carbon from the upper sunlit waters to the depth below. A diverse array of photoautotrophs ranging from prokaryotic cyanobacteria to eukaryotic algae such as Chlorophytes, and even protists like euglenoids, contribute to this ‘biological pump’. It operates in a variety of aquatic ecosystems ranging from small freshwater ponds to the oceans where it has been most extensively studied. Two separate but intricately linked processes constitute this ‘biological pump’, viz. the ‘organic carbon pump’ and the ‘calcium carbonate pump’. The present review discusses the natural CO₂ sequestration processes carried out by algae and cyanobacteria in their native ecosystems.     

Phenology of mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystems following extreme events: net and differential responses

Ecosystem responses to key climate drivers are reflected in phenological dynamics such as the timing and degree of "green-up" that integrate responses over spatial scales from individual plants to ecosystems. This integration is clearest in ecosystems dominated by a single species or life form, such as seasonally dynamic grasslands or more temporally constant evergreen forests. Yet many ecosystems have substantial contribution of cover from both herbaceous and woody evergreen plants. Responses of mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystems to climate are of increasing concern due to their extensive nature, the potential for such systems to yield more complex responses than those dominated by a single life form, and projections that extreme climate and weather events will increase in frequency and intensity with global warming. We present responses of a mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystem type to an extreme event: regional-scale pi?on pine mortality following an extended drought and the subsequent herbaceous green-up following the first wet period after the drought. This example highlights how reductions in greenness of the slower, more stable evergreen woody component can rapidly be offset by increases associated with resources made available to the relatively more responsive herbaceous component. We hypothesize that such two-phase phenological responses to extreme events are characteristic of many mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystems.     

退耕土壤的碳、氮固存及其对CO2、N2O通量的影响

采样分析陇中黄土高原地区农田退耕种植苜蓿3 a、5 a、8 a后0～5、5～10、10～20 cm土层土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、活性有机碳(SAOC)及矿质氮(NO3-N、NH4-N)含/储量的变化,并用静态箱-气质联用法对样地的COO2、NO2O排放通量进行了测定,研究碳氮变化对土壤CO2、N2O排放通量的影响.结果表明:(1)SOC、TN基础含量很低的贫瘠土壤退耕后表现出明显的碳、氮固存效应,有很强碳、氮固存潜力.与未退耕休闲农田相比,退耕3 a、5 a、8 a后0～20 cm SOC储量分别提高了9.12%、20.18%、34.39%,SOC平均固存率分别为0.17、0.23、0.25mg/(hm2·a).TN储量在5～10、10～20 cm增加不明显,在0～5 cm退耕3 a、5 a、8 a后储量分别提高14.29%,35.71%和64.29%,各退耕年限0～20 cm TN平均固存率均为0.2 mg/(hm2.a);(2)退耕后各年限草地土壤活性有机碳(SAOC)含量有所增加,但各层含量变化不明显,其增加量远小于SOC的增加,说明退耕初期阶段积累了较多的土壤惰性碳;NO3-N含量增加明显,0～5、5～10 cm土壤各退耕年限含量达5%的显著性差异,但退耕前后NH4-N含量无明显变化.(3)土壤CO2通量与SOC含量、SAOC含量、TN含量及N2O通量显著正相关;N2O通量与SOC含量、矿质氮含量及CO2通量显著正相关.说明在环境因素稳定的条件下,退耕后土壤碳、氮含量的增加会导致CO2、N2O排放的加剧,表现出大气CO2、N2O的"源"效应.     

Progressive nitrogen limitation of ecosystem processes under elevated CO2 in a warm-temperate forest

A hypothesis for progressive nitrogen limitation (PNL) proposes that net primary production (NPP) will decline through time in ecosystems subjected to a step-function increase in atmospheric CO2. The primary mechanism driving this response is a rapid rate of N immobilization by plants and microbes under elevated CO2 that depletes soils of N, causing slower rates of N mineralization. Under this hypothesis, there is little long-term stimulation of NPP by elevated CO2 in the absence of exogenous inputs of N. We tested this hypothesis using data on the pools and fluxes of C and N in tree biomass, microbes, and soils from 1997 through 2002 collected at the Duke Forest free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment. Elevated CO2 stimulated NPP by 18-24% during the first six years of this experiment. Consistent with the hypothesis for PNL, significantly more N was immobilized in tree biomass and in the O horizon under elevated CO2. In contrast to the PNL hypothesis, microbial-N immobilization did not increase under elevated CO2, and although the rate of net N mineralization declined through time, the decline was not significantly more rapid under elevated CO2. Ecosystem C-to-N ratios widened more rapidly under elevated CO2 than ambient CO2 indicating a more rapid rate of C fixation per unit of N, a processes that could delay PNL in this ecosystem. Mass balance calculations demonstrated a large accrual of ecosystem N capital. Is PNL occurring in this ecosystem and will NPP decline to levels under ambient CO2? The answer depends on the relative strength of tree biomass and O-horizon N immobilization vs. widening C-to-N ratios and ecosystem-N accrual as processes that drive and delay PNL, respectively. Only direct observations through time will definitively answer this question.     

Methane flux in non-wetland soils in response to nitrogen addition: a meta-analysis

The controls on methane (CH4) flux into and out of soils are not well understood. Environmental variables including temperature, precipitation, and nitrogen (N) status can have strong effects on the magnitude and direction (e.g., uptake vs. release) of CH4 flux. To better understand the interactions between CH4-cycling microorganisms and N in the non-wetland soil system, a meta-analysis was performed on published literature comparing CH4 flux in N amended and matched control plots. An appropriate study index was developed for this purpose. It was found that smaller amounts of N tended to stimulate CH4 uptake while larger amounts tended to inhibit uptake by the soil. When all other variables were accounted for, the switch occurred at 100 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1). Managed land and land with a longer duration of fertilization showed greater inhibition of CH4 uptake with added N. These results support the hypotheses that large amounts of available N can inhibit methanotrophy, but also that methanotrophs in upland soils can be N limited in their consumption of CH4 from the atmosphere. There were interactions between other variables and N addition on the CH4 flux response: lower temperature and, to a lesser extent, higher precipitation magnified the inhibition of CH4 uptake due to N addition. Several mechanisms that may cause these trends are discussed, but none could be conclusively supported with this approach. Further controlled and in situ study should be undertaken to isolate the correct mechanism(s) responsible and to model upland CH4 flux.     

Modelling carbon and nitrogen dynamics in forest ecosystems of Central Russia under different climate change scenarios and forest management regimes

The individual-based stand-level model EFIMOD was used for large-scale simulations using standard data on forest inventories as model inputs. The model was verified for the case-study of field observations, and possible sources of uncertainties were analysed. The approach developed kept the ability for fine-tuning to account for spatial discontinuity in the simulated area. Several forest management regimes were simulated as well as forest wildfires and climate changes. The greatest carbon and nitrogen accumulations were observed for the regime without cuttings. It was shown that cuttings and wildfires strongly influence the processes of carbon and nitrogen accumulations in both soil and forest vegetation. Modelling also showed that the increase in annual average temperatures resulted in the partial relocation of carbon and nitrogen stocks from soil to plant biomass. However, forest management, particularly harvesting, has a greater effect on the dynamics of forest ecosystems than the prescribed climate change.     

高寒草甸土地退化及其恢复重建对土壤碳氮含量的影响

针对我国青藏高原草地大面积退化及由此引发的一系列生态环境问题,从土壤生态功能恢复和区域可持续发展的角度出发,将原生高寒嵩草草甸封育系统作为对照,研究了土地退化对土壤碳氮含量的影响,检验了不同人工重建措施(3个人工种植处理:混播、松耙单播、翻耕单播和1个自然恢复处理)对土壤碳含量的相对影响程度。研究结果如下:原生植被封育处理每平方米土壤平均碳、氮含量分别为7.47kg和0.647kg,而重度退化地碳、氮含量分别为3.67和0.448kg·m-2,可以推算,由于土地退化而造成的土壤(0~20cm层)碳氮丢失量分别为3.80kg·m-2和0.199kg·m-2,即高寒草甸土地退化导致0~20cm土壤层中50.87%的有机碳和30.75%的氮流失,可以看出高寒草甸土壤退化后流失的碳比氮多;混播处理、松耙单播处理、翻耕单播处理和自然恢复处理土壤单位面积有机碳含量分别是原生植被土壤有机碳的70.5%,69.0%,49.0%和80%,单位面积氮含量分别是原生植被土壤全氮的86.9%,88.7%,71.1%和91.7%。但是,与重度退化地相比,除翻耕单播处理外,其它恢复重建措施均能部分恢复系统的碳氮含量,因此,将重度退化地进行自然恢复或松耙混播重建多年生植被可以作为系统固定碳(碳汇)的一个途径。     

Atmospheric CO2 and O3 alter the flow of 15N in developing forest ecosystems

Anthropogenic O3 and CO2-induced declines in soil N availability could counteract greater plant growth in a CO2-enriched atmosphere, thereby reducing net primary productivity (NPP) and the potential of terrestrial ecosystems to sequester anthropogenic CO2. Presently, it is uncertain how increasing atmospheric CO2 and O3 will alter plant N demand and the acquisition of soil N by plants as well as the microbial supply of N from soil organic matter. To address this uncertainty, we initiated an ecosystem-level 15N tracer experiment at the Rhinelander (Wisconsin, USA) free air CO2-O3 enrichment (FACE) facility to understand how projected increases in atmospheric CO2 and 03 alter the distribution and flow of N in developing northern temperate forests. Tracer amounts of 15NH4+ were applied to the forest floor of developing Populus tremuloides and P. tremuloides-Betula papyrifera communities that have been exposed to factorial CO2 and O3 treatments for seven years. One year after isotope addition, both forest communities exposed to elevated CO2 obtained greater amounts of 15N (29%) and N (40%) from soil, despite no change in soil N availability or plant N-use efficiency. As such, elevated CO2 increased the ability of plants to exploit soil for N, through the development of a larger root system. Conversely, elevated O3 decreased the amount of 15N (-15%) and N (-29%) in both communities, a response resulting from lower rates of photosynthesis, decreases in growth, and smaller root systems that acquired less soil N. Neither CO2 nor 03 altered the amount of N or 15N recovery in the forest floor, microbial biomass, or soil organic matter. Moreover, we observed no interaction between CO2 and 03 on the amount of N or 15N in any ecosystem pool, suggesting that 03 could exert a negative effect regardless of CO2 concentration. In a CO2-enriched atmosphere, greater belowground growth and a more thorough exploitation of soil for growth-limiting N is an important mechanism sustaining the enhancement of NPP in developing forests (0-8 years following establishment). However, as CO2 accumulates in the Earth's atmosphere, future O3 concentrations threaten to diminish the enhancement of plant growth, decrease plant N acquisition, and lessen the storage of anthropogenic C in temperate forests.     

植物物候对模拟CO2浓度和温度升高的响应研究进展

以大气二氧化碳(CO2)浓度升高和全球变暖为主要特征的全球变化引起了各国政府和科学家的普遍关注.植物物候节律与气候等环境因子密切相关,已有大量研究表明,植物物候已经发生并正在发生着改变.植物物候与区域乃至全球气候变化之间存在密切关联,且其在全球碳循环中扮演着重要的角色.植物物候变化可能引起一系列生态效应.CO2浓度升高对植物物候的影响没有统一的规律,而温度升高一般加速植物物候过程,且在也同一功能群内,响应的方式有一定的趋同性,两者交互作用对植物物候影响的研究仍然匮乏.     

Nitrogen limitation of net primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems is globally distributed

Our meta-analysis of 126 nitrogen addition experiments evaluated nitrogen (N) limitation of net primary production (NPP) in terrestrial ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that N limitation is widespread among biomes and influenced by geography and climate. We used the response ratio (R approximately equal ANPP(N)/ANPP(ctrl)) of aboveground plant growth in fertilized to control plots and found that most ecosystems are nitrogen limited with an average 29% growth response to nitrogen (i.e., R = 1.29). The response ratio was significant within temperate forests (R = 1.19), tropical forests (R = 1.60), temperate grasslands (R = 1.53), tropical grasslands (R = 1.26), wetlands (R = 1.16), and tundra (R = 1.35), but not deserts. Eight tropical forest studies had been conducted on very young volcanic soils in Hawaii, and this subgroup was strongly N limited (R = 2.13), which resulted in a negative correlation between forest R and latitude. The degree of N limitation in the remainder of the tropical forest studies (R = 1.20) was comparable to that of temperate forests, and when the young Hawaiian subgroup was excluded, forest R did not vary with latitude. Grassland response increased with latitude, but was independent of temperature and precipitation. These results suggest that the global N and C cycles interact strongly and that geography can mediate ecosystem response to N within certain biome types.     

Application of CO2-porometer methods to assessment of components of photosynthetic production in estuarine ecosystems

A portable system for CO₂ gas exchange measurements is described that allows determination of net photosynthesis and transpiration rates as well as leaf conductance of salt marsh vascular plants, and photosynthesis rates of macrophytic algae and epibenthic algae of sediment cores during low tide periods of exposure. Carbon fixation processes of these several different types of organisms can be studied on the same day. Measurements may be carried out at an estuarine field site using controlled conditions of light, temperature, and air CO₂ partial pressure. Algal samples are enclosed in the cuvette for only a matter of minutes and do not dry significantly during measurement. The rapidity with which gas exchange rates of samples may be assessed will allow routine processing of many sediment cores. Thus, the distribution of producer populations can be studied with greater resolution than previously possible.     

Effect of nitrogen source on short-term light and dark CO2 uptake by a marine diatom

Based on a series of short-term incubations involving the marine diatom Chaetoceros simplex (Bbsm), precultured in NH ₄ ⁺ -, NO ₃ ^- -and urea-limited continuous cultures at several dilution rates, we found that both the short-term specific rate of ¹⁴CO₂ uptake and the amount of CO₂ fixed after 8- and 16-min incubations were unaffected by enrichment with NH ₄ ⁺ , urea, or NO ₃ ^- when NH ₄ ⁺ or urea were the preconditioning forms of N, but were slightly suppressed when the cells were first grown on NO ₃ ^- . Similar enrichments in the dark, however, led to significant CO₂ uptake under all conditions of NH ₄ ⁺ enrichment and to similarly enhanced CO₂ uptake, but only at high growth rates, when urea was the source of enrichment nitrogen. Our light results are contrary to some contemporary findings, but there does seem to be agreement that photosynthetic rates of rapidly growing phytoplankton will not be affected by exposure to pulses of nitrogen. Enhanced dark uptake, in contrast, appears to be characteristic of phytoplankton under all degrees of N limitation, and, as such, may be useful as an “all or nothing” index of the nitrogen status of natural waters. There is some indication that the index may be useful in determining both the form of and the degree of N limitation as well.     

Elevated CO2 affects the behavior of an ecologically and economically important coral reef fish

We tested the effect of near-future CO₂ levels (≈490, 570, 700, and 960 μatm CO₂) on the olfactory responses and activity levels of juvenile coral trout, Plectropomus leopardus, a piscivorous reef fish that is also one of the most important fisheries species on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Juvenile coral trout reared for 4 weeks at 570 μatm CO₂ exhibited similar sensory responses and behaviors to juveniles reared at 490 μatm CO₂ (control). In contrast, juveniles reared at 700 and 960 μatm CO₂ exhibited dramatically altered sensory function and behaviors. At these higher CO₂ concentrations, juveniles became attracted to the odor of potential predators, as has been observed in other reef fishes. They were more active, spent less time in shelter, ventured further from shelter, and were bolder than fish reared at 490 or 570 μatm CO₂. These results demonstrate that behavioral impairment of coral trout is unlikely if pCO₂ remains below 600 μatm; however, at higher levels, there are significant impacts on juvenile performance that are likely to affect survival and energy budgets, with consequences for predator–prey interactions and commercial fisheries.     

陆地碳平衡对大气CO_2升高的响应及其机制

研究陆地碳平衡对大气CO2浓度升高的响应,能为揭示碳失汇之迷提供有力证据,为制定缓解全球变化的合理政策措施提供理论依据.综述了陆地碳平衡对全球大气CO2升高的响应及其町能的机制,由于陆地生态系统的复杂性,以及不同的研究在具体的对象、时间、地点、方法和角度的差异,目前有关陆地碳平衡对全球大气CO2升高的响应还存在很大的分歧.陆地碳库主要可分为植被碳库和土壤碳库,大气CO2浓度升高主要是通过影响光合作用、土壤养分、水分供应、光照条件、群落组成、光合产物分配等方式影响植被碳库;而土壤碳库的响应机理主要包括光合产物向土壤的输入量、脱落物质量、养分循环、光合产物分配、根系周转期、微生物活性等的响应.关于陆地碳平衡对全球大气CO2升高的响应今后应该主要集中在:(1)不同生态系统影响全球植被碳库变化的主导因子;(2)大气CO2浓度升高与其他环境因子的互作效应;(3)大气CO2浓度升高对植物光合作用的促进效应与光合作用适应性间的关系;(4)地上碳库与地下碳库间的相关性,及其对大气CO2浓度升高的分别响应;(5)克服目前实验方法存在的局限性.     

土地利用方式对紫色土丘陵区土壤剖面碳、氮影响

采取野外调查与室内分析相结合的方法研究了紫色土丘陵区林地、撂荒地、水田、旱地土壤剖面(0～40 cm)有机碳、全氮变化特征.结果表明.有机碳、全氮均随土层深度增加而逐渐减小,且林地、撂荒地有机碳递减幅度高于水田、旱地.相对于撂荒地和旱地,水田、林地更利于有机碳、全氮的积累.林地有机碳和全氮在0～5 cm土层表现出绝对优势;随土层递增,与水田、撂荒地和旱地的差异逐渐减小.水田有机碳和全氮在大于10 cm土层显示最大值.而撂荒地有机碳和全氮仅在土壤表层高于旱地.有机碳与全氮存在显著正相关关系;w(C)/w(N)随土层深度增加而降低,且林地、撂荒地降低幅度较大.因此相对于水田、旱地,林地和撂荒地w(C)/w(N)仅在0～10 cm显示较大值.可见,土地利用方式对陆地生态系统碳、氮蓄积有明显影响,通过旱地还林或撂荒可以增加土壤特别是表层土壤对碳、氮的积累.     

Litterfall 15N abundance indicates declining soil nitrogen availability in a free-air CO2 enrichment experiment

Forest productivity increases in response to carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment of the atmosphere. However, in nitrogen-limited ecosystems, increased productivity may cause a decline in soil nitrogen (N) availability and induce a negative feedback on further enhancement of forest production. In a free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment, the response of sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) productivity to elevated CO2 concentrations [CO2] has declined over time, but documenting an associated change in soil N availability has been difficult. Here we assess the time history of soil N availability through analysis of natural 15N abundance in archived samples of freshly fallen leaf litterfall. Litterfall delta15N declined from 1998 to 2005, and the rate of decline was significantly faster in elevated [CO2]. Declining leaf litterfall delta15N is indicative of a tighter ecosystem N cycle and more limited soil N availability. By integrating N availability over time and throughout the soil profile, temporal dynamics in leaf litterfall delta15N provide a powerful tool for documenting changes in N availability and the critical feedbacks between C and N cycles that will control forest response to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations.     

中国农田生态系统土壤碳库的饱和水平及其固碳潜力

在利用反硝化-分解(DNDC)模型估算中国分县农田土壤碳库及其变化量的基础上,分析中国分省农田土壤碳库的饱和水平,估算各省市自治区农田土壤的固碳潜力,比较旱田与水田固碳能力的差异。结果表明:笔者所得到的中国农田土壤碳库的饱和水平可代表在1990年的土地利用方式、耕作措施、施肥水平和气候条件不变的情况下农田土壤经过耕种后所能达到的碳含量的平衡值,为农田选择土地利用方式、耕作栽培措施和施肥方式以固定更多的碳素提供依据。在分布上,中国农田土壤碳库的饱和水平以华北地区较低,以华北地区为中心向外呈辐射状递增。在1990年的土地利用方式、耕作措施、施肥水平和气候条件不变的情况下,中国农田土壤的固碳潜力为-0.969 Pg。从单位面积的固碳潜力看,以西藏自治区最高,黑龙江省最低;从分布看,从南向北有逐渐递减的趋势。中国水田比旱田有更大的固碳能力。