Temperature influences carbon accumulation in moist tropical forests

Evergreen broad-leaved tropical forests can have high rates of productivity and large accumulations of carbon in plant biomass and soils. They can therefore play an important role in the global carbon cycle, influencing atmospheric CO2 concentrations if climate warms. We applied meta-analyses to published data to evaluate the apparent effects of temperature on carbon fluxes and storages in mature, moist tropical evergreen forest ecosystems. Among forests, litter production, tree growth, and belowground carbon allocation all increased significantly with site mean annual temperature (MAT); total net primary productivity (NPP) increased by an estimated 0.2-0.7 Mg C x ha(-1) x yr(-1) x degrees C(-1). Temperature had no discernible effect on the turnover rate of aboveground forest biomass, which averaged 0.014 yr(-1) among sites. Consistent with these findings, forest biomass increased with site MAT at a rate of 5-13 Mg C x ha(-1) x degrees C(-1). Despite greater productivity in warmer forests, soil organic matter accumulations decreased with site MAT, with a slope of -8 Mg C x ha(-1) x degrees C(-1), indicating that decomposition rates of soil organic matter increased with MAT faster than did rates of NPP. Turnover rates of surface litter also increased with temperature among forests. We found no detectable effect of temperature on total carbon storage among moist-tropical evergreen forests, but rather a shift in ecosystem structure, from low-biomass forests with relatively large accumulations of detritus in cooler sites, to large-biomass forests with relatively smaller detrital stocks in warmer locations. These results imply that, in a warmer climate, conservation of forest biomass will be critical to the maintenance of carbon stocks in moist tropical forests.     

Dissolved iron supply limits early growth of estuarine mangroves

Three mesocosm experiments were performed in an outdoor facility to quantify the responses of five mangrove species grown from seedling to sapling stage to increasing rates of dissolved iron supply. Stem extension and biomass of mangroves were measured in the first two experiments, and in the third experiment, rates of microbial iron reduction were measured in relation to stem extension of two mangrove species. In all experiments, mangrove growth was enhanced by increasing iron supply, although some species showed iron toxicity at the higher supply rates. In the first two experiments, stem extension rates of Rhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, and Xylocarpus moluccensis best fit Gaussian curves with maximal growth at supply rates of 50-60 mmol Fe x m(-2) x d(-1), whereas growth of Avicennia marina and Ceriops tagal increased to the highest rate (100 mmol Fe x m(-2) x d(-1)) of iron supply. Changes in leaf chlorophyll concentrations and iron content of roots mirrored the growth responses. In the third experiment, rates of microbial iron reduction were greater with R. apiculata and A. marina than in controls without plants; for both species, there was a positive relationship between stem extension and iron reduction. The rates of iron reduction and rates of iron supplied to the plants were well within the range of interstitial iron concentrations and rates of iron reduction found in the natural mangrove soils from which the seedlings were obtained. The responses of these species show that mangroves growing from seedling to sapling stage have a strong nutritional requirement for iron, and that there is a close relationship between plant roots and the activities of iron-reducing bacteria. These results suggest that mangrove growth may be limited in some natural forests by the rate at which iron is solubilized by iron-reducing bacteria. Such biogeochemical conditions have significant implications for successful recruitment, establishment, and early growth of mangroves.     

Influence of human-induced disturbance on benthic microbial metabolism in the Pichavaram mangroves,Vellar–Coleroon estuarine complex,India

Large areas of mangroves in India are heavily disturbed by cattle grazing, hypersalinity, and other human-induced impacts. In two disturbed Avicennia marina forests and two undisturbed A. marina and Rhizophora apiculata forests in the Pichavaram mangroves of the Vellar–Coleroon estuarine complex, southeast India, we measured the rates and pathways of microbial decomposition of soil organic matter to determine if human impact is altering biogeochemical activity within these stands. Rates of total carbon oxidation (T_COX) were higher in the undisturbed A. marina forest (mean 199 mol C m^–2 year^–1) than in the two impacted stands (43 and 79 mol C m^–2 year^–1); rates of total carbon oxidation in the R. apiculata forest averaged 75 mol C m^–2 year^–1. Sulphate reduction (range 21–319 mmol S m^–2 day^–1) was the major decomposition pathway (65–85% of T_COX), except at the most disturbed forest (30% of T_COX). Rates of sulphate reduction at all sites peaked in sub-surface soils to a depth of about 1 m, leading to little carbon burial (3–5% of total C input). There was some evidence of measurable iron and manganese reduction in association with tree roots. Rates of microbial activity were rapid in comparison with rates measured in other mangrove soils, reflecting high rates of phytoplankton production and organic matter retention in this lagoon. Human-induced disturbance creates a sharp zonation of dry, hypersaline soil overlying less saline, wetter soil, suppressing surface microbial and root growth. We conclude that this vertical alteration of soil characteristics and biogeochemistry shifts the cycling of nutrients between trees and microbes to a disequilibrium state, partly explaining why mangroves are stunted in these declining forests.Communicated by G. F. Humphrey, Sydney     

Elemental composition of Sal forest soils around Chhotanagpur Plateau,India

In recent decades, the Sal-dominated tropical deciduous forests (TDFs) were experiencing loss of regeneration due to lack of seed germination of native species. To understand this ecological problem, the present study dealt with the spatial and temporal variations in biogeochemical parameters of Sal forest soils. Twenty soil samples were collected from four TDF sites in the Chota Nagpur Plateau, India. The inventories of tree species in three life-cycle stages (seedling, sapling and adult) were carried out in four sites. Site-I (290?stems?ha^?1) showed occurrence of only one species (Shorea robusta) without seedling and sapling. The pH of forest soils was acidic to slightly acidic in nature. Seasonal variations in C/N ratio showed rapid mineralization of organic matter in the rainy season. ANOVA revealed that the degree of seasonal variation caused significant difference in pH, soil organic carbon, soil organic matter, total carbon, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn and P across four sites. The strong correlation of P with pH, Al, Fe, Mg and Mn indicated highly oxidised and exchangeable nature of dry forest soils. Factor analysis of soil parameters revealed that the different combinations of edaphic conditions in different seasons were important in the distribution of the dry tropical forests communities in Chota Nagpur Plateau.     

Nutrient regulation of organic matter decomposition in a tropical rain forest

Terrestrial biosphere-atmosphere CO2 exchange is dominated by tropical forests, so understanding how nutrient availability affects carbon (C) decomposition in these ecosystems is central to predicting the global C cycle's response to environmental change. In tropical rain forests, phosphorus (P) limitation of primary production and decomposition is believed to be widespread, but direct evidence is rare. We assessed the effects of nitrogen (N) and P fertilization on litter-layer organic matter decomposition in two neighboring tropical rain forests in southwest Costa Rica that are similar in most ways, but that differ in soil P availability. The sites contain 100-200 tree species per hectare and between species foliar nutrient content is variable. To control for this heterogeneity, we decomposed leaves collected from a widespread neotropical species, Brosimum utile. Mass loss during decomposition was rapid in both forests, with B. utile leaves losing >80% of their initial mass in <300 days. High organic matter solubility throughout decomposition combined with high rainfall support a model of litter-layer decomposition in these rain forests in which rapid mass loss in the litter layer is dominated by leaching of dissolved organic matter (DOM) rather than direct CO2 mineralization. While P fertilization did not significantly affect mass loss in the litter layer, it did stimulate P immobilization in decomposing material, leading to increased P content and a lower C:P ratio in soluble DOM. In turn, increased P content of leached DOM stimulated significant increases in microbial mineralization of DOM in P-fertilized soil. These results show that, while nutrients may not affect mass loss during decomposition in nutrient-poor, wet ecosystems, they may ultimately regulate CO2 losses (and hence C storage) by limiting microbial mineralization of DOM leached from the litter layer to soil.     

Changes in microbial community characteristics and soil organic matter with nitrogen additions in two tropical forests

Microbial communities and their associated enzyme activities affect the amount and chemical quality of carbon (C) in soils. Increasing nitrogen (N) deposition, particularly in N-rich tropical forests, is likely to change the composition and behavior of microbial communities and feed back on ecosystem structure and function. This study presents a novel assessment of mechanistic links between microbial responses to N deposition and shifts in soil organic matter (SOM) quality and quantity. We used phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and microbial enzyme assays in soils to assess microbial community responses to long-term N additions in two distinct tropical rain forests. We used soil density fractionation and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to measure related changes in SOM pool sizes and chemical quality. Microbial biomass increased in response to N fertilization in both tropical forests and corresponded to declines in pools of low-density SOM. The chemical quality of this soil C pool reflected ecosystem-specific changes in microbial community composition. In the lower-elevation forest, there was an increase in gram-negative bacteria PLFA biomass, and there were significant losses of labile C chemical groups (O-alkyls). In contrast, the upper-elevation tropical forest had an increase in fungal PLFAs with N additions and declines in C groups associated with increased soil C storage (alkyls). The dynamics of microbial enzymatic activities with N addition provided a functional link between changes in microbial community structure and SOM chemistry. Ecosystem-specific changes in microbial community composition are likely to have far-reaching effects on soil carbon storage and cycling. This study indicates that microbial communities in N-rich tropical forests can be sensitive to added N, but we can expect significant variability in how ecosystem structure and function respond to N deposition among tropical forest types.     

围湖造田不同土地利用方式土壤有机碳和易氧化碳

围湖造田是我国20世纪50年代后期开始大量出现的与水争地的人类干扰活动。以太湖流域肖甸湖区为试验地,测定分析了该围湖造田区香樟（Cinnamomum camphora）林、水杉（Metasequoia glyptostroboides）林、毛竹（Phyllostachys heterocycla）林和农田4种不同典型土地利用方式35年后0～10 cm、10～20 cm、20～40 cm土壤有机碳和易氧化碳含量的差异,以及土壤易氧化碳的季节动态。结果表明：表层（0～10 cm）土壤有机碳含量林地显著高于农田,阔叶林高于针叶林。土壤易氧化碳含量随季节与土层深度的变化而变化,香樟林与毛竹林春夏季节大于冬季,水杉林与农田季节波动较平缓。4种土地利用方式下土壤有机碳和易氧化碳均随土层增加含量递减。与围湖地区内的溪流底泥相比,林地与农田表层土壤有机碳含量均有明显增加;与旱地发育的植被土壤相比,围湖后的土壤有机碳含量较低,易氧化碳含量较高,土壤有机碳稳定性较差。围湖造田作为人类对自然生态系统的一种干扰方式,显著改变了原有生态系统的碳循环特征,因此在研究全球碳循环中,围湖造田对生态系统碳循环的影响应该给予充分考虑。     

海南热带橡胶园土壤易氧化有机碳空间变异特征研究

为了解热带橡胶园土壤活性有机碳状况,采集了海南全岛13个不同胶园土壤,用高锰酸钾氧化-比色法测定了土壤易氧化有机碳质量分数,分析了其影响因素。结果表明,海南橡胶园土壤易氧化有机碳质量分数平均为2.70 g.kg-1（以C计）,变化在0.92~6.82 g.kg-1之间,变幅达到641%。易氧化有机碳质量分数与土壤有机质、全磷和全氮显著正相关,同时受成土母质的强烈影响,玄武岩发育的土壤最有利于易氧化有机碳累积,砂页岩和花岗岩次之,而变质岩和浅海沉积物形成的土壤易氧化有机碳质量分数较低。土壤易氧化有机碳质量分数也受气候强烈影响,随湿度降低而下降。     

氮肥对土壤氧化大气甲烷影响的机制

综合评述了氮素对土壤氧化甲烷的抑制机制。包括 :( 1)竞争甲烷单氧化酶的竞争抑制机制 ,( 2 )代谢产物的毒害抑制机制 ,( 3)外源盐引起的微生物生理缺水抑制机制和 ( 4)氮素周转作用引起的抑制机制。提出了氧化菌竞争利用土壤空气有限O2 的竞争抑制机制 ,即氨氧化菌利用更多的土壤有限氧气→产生优势氨氧化菌→形成优势菌群→限制甲烷氧化菌繁殖和功能发挥的氨长期抑制土壤氧化大气甲烷的机制 ,并认为这种抑制作用是不可逆的     

铁循环微生物对环境中重金属的影响研究进展

铁循环微生物包括铁氧化菌(Fe(Ⅱ)-oxidizing bacteria,FeOB)和铁还原菌(Fe(Ⅲ)-reducing bacteria,FeRB),在由它们介导Fe²⁺(Fe³⁺)氧化(还原)的过程中,往往也伴随着一系列重金属元素的迁移转化,对重金属在环境中的生物有效性和迁移性方面有重要作用.本文综述了环境中的铁循环微生物,针对铁循环微生物驱动重金属迁移转化的作用机制,分别从铁氧化菌氧化亚铁生成铁矿物对重金属的固定,铁还原菌介导铁矿物还原溶解及次生矿物生成,以及铁循环微生物代谢耦合重金属形态转化方面进行阐述;进一步通过研究实例综述了铁循环微生物对环境中砷、镉、铬、铜、铅等重金属的作用及修复潜力;未来的研究可关注特定微生物的成矿机制,生物成矿对重金属固定的调控,以及重金属复合污染场地的铁循环微生物修复应用等方面.本文以期为基于铁循环微生物的重金属污染修复提供理论指导和应用依据.     

Spatially explicit models of land abandonment in the Amazon

Given growing concerns about biodiversity loss and carbon emissions stemming from tropical deforestation, it is important to identify the factors associated with land abandonment as they might indicate areas that were deforested but are unsuitable for long-term cultivation. This article utilizes a high-resolution, Landsat-based data-set called TerraClass to relate land abandonment to precipitation, slope, farmgate price of beef, market access, soil quality, and land tenure characteristics in the Brazilian Amazon. The spatially explicit statistical models reveal that rates of land abandonment increase with higher rainfall and slope values, even when controlling for distance to roads, farmgate prices, type of settlement, and soil quality. Moreover, land adjacent to a major road is more likely to be consistently cultivated, but land near large rivers and far from highways is more likely to be abandoned. Land ownership type also influences the likelihood of land abandonment as settlements based on communal property rights have higher rates of land abandonment than settlements with private lots. These results suggest that policies aimed at occupying tropical forests such as the Amazon must consider these biophysical and socioeconomic factors in order to foster human development aligned with sustainability principles.     

The environmental fate of thymol,a novel botanical pesticide,in tropical agricultural soil and water

In this study, the environmental fate of thymol, including hydrolysis, aqueous photolysis, soil sorption and soil degradation, was studied under conditions that simulated the tropical agricultural environment. This study was undertaken to supply basic information for evaluating the environmental risks of applying this new botanical pesticide to tropical crop production. The results showed that the hydrolysis of thymol was pH-dependent and accelerated by acidic conditions and high temperatures. However, the hydrolysis rate was far lower than the aqueous photolysis rate, indicating that direct photolysis is an important dissipation pathway for thymol in water. The sorption of thymol by three tropical soils was consistently well described by the Freundlich model, and the sorption coefficients increased in the order sandy soil < loamy soil < clay soil, a characterization that depended on the organic carbon contents of the soil. The soil degradation rate of thymol decreased in the order sandy soil > loamy soil > clay soil, which has a negative correlation with the sorption of thymol in soils. We concluded that the degradation rates of thymol in tropical soil and water are fast: thymol in water is photodegraded (50%) by sunlight within 28 h, and the thymol in soils is degraded (50%) within 8.4 d. Therefore, the environmental risk to the surrounding soils and water of thymol application for tropical crop production is low.     

淹水对酸性红壤磷吸附解吸特性的影响——以江西省旱地红壤和水稻土为例

采用室内培养法研究了淹水对2种酸性红壤（旱地红壤、水稻土）磷吸附解吸特性及草酸可提取态P的影响。淹水培养实验中,2种土壤分别淹水0（对照）,1、2、3、4、8周,淹水培养结束后进行P吸附解吸实验,解吸实验结束后测定土样中草酸可提取态P。结果表明：与氧化状态相比,淹水后旱地红壤P吸附量减少,水稻土淹水1、2、3周P吸附量高于氧化状态,继续淹水4和8周后P吸附量减少。淹水前后旱地红壤P吸附量均大于水稻土。用简单Langmuir方程拟合P等温吸附曲线,除淹水4周外,P最大缓冲容量（MBC）随淹水时间延长而降低。结合能常数（K）淹水前后的变化规律性差。2种土壤P解吸量随加入P量增加而增加。氧化、还原状态下,2种土壤酸性草酸铵可提取P均远远大于CaCl2解吸P,虽然水稻土吸附P量低于旱地红壤,但P解吸量无论是CaCl2解吸P还是酸性草酸铵可提取P均大于旱地红壤,主要原因在于水稻土全P及速效P含量大于旱地红壤。淹水后草酸可提取态P增加,吸附P的释放和被新近形成的铁氧化物再吸附是淹水后草酸可提取态P增加的主要原因。     

Are calcareous soils in uplands less prone to damage from road salting than acidic soils?

Previous studies of upland roadside soils in Cumbria, that would normally be naturally acidic, have highlighted that (a) runoff from roads subjected to long-term road salting can dramatically raise soil pH down slope in upland areas; (b) the soil pH increase dramatically changes N cycling in soils down slope, increasing mineralisation of organic matter, ammonification, ammonium leaching down slope and nitrification and nitrate leaching; (c) the increase in nitrification substantially increases nitrate leaching to down-slope rivers, and this is readily detectable in field studies; and (d) loss of soil organic matter over decades of salting is so great that organic matter is no longer substantially solubilised by high salt concentrations found in soil solution below road drains. This paper tests and supports the hypothesis that such effects are minimal for more calcareous soil ecosystems. It examines the soil and soil solution chemistry on another Cumbrian upland highway, the A686 near Leadgate, Alston. Sodium % of soil CEC values for soil transects affected by spray containing road salt are similar at both the A6 and A686 sites. However, spatial trends in calcium, magnesium, ammonium, and nitrate concentrations as well as pH differ, as a direct result of the higher weathering rate of parent material and possibly also the presence of limestone walls above both spray-affected and control transects at the A686 site.     

Seasonal variation of soil carbon and nitrogen under five typical Pinus massoniana forests

Five different typical Pinus massoniana forests were sampled in the Guizhou Province to evaluate the effects of seasons on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (STN), and inorganic nitrogen (SIN) in these forests. More seasonal variation occurred in the topsoil than in lower layers. The SOC and STN contents varied the least amongst the soil layers, but the SIN contents had the largest values and ranges during autumn. Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) exhibited neither a vertical change nor a seasonal trend. C/N was either maximal or minimal depending upon the sites during autumn, indicating that ecological process during summer soils would strongly change this. More gravel content resulted in higher litter stock, SOC, and STN level in low-productivity forests. A low phosphorus level might result in low SOC and STN contents in clay-rich soils. Low litter stock and clay content will result in low SOC and STN levels in coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests in contrast to pure forests. The SOC and soil N contents in P. massoniana forests are apparently affected by different sampling seasons, particularly in topsoil. This should be taken into account when evaluating C and N contents and their respective storages in other forest types.     

Seasonal Changes in Soil Atmospheric Co2 Concentrations in Two Upland Catchments and Associated Changes in River Water Chemistry

Seasonal changes in river water chemistry and in soil atmospheric CO₂ concentrations at two depths and drainage water solute composition at two upland peaty podzol sites in north east Scotland were monitored over 12 months. the CO₂ concentrations were controlled by changes in soil temperature and moisture status. Highest CO₂ concentrations were observed in late summer 1988 when both soil temperatures and the moisture status of the soils were high. Then maximum CO₂ concentrations of 4% (v/v) were recorded for one of the sites. No significant correlations between seasonal changes in soil CO₂ concentrations and river water solute composition were observed. Nevertheless the field results and laboratory experiments indicated that in upland areas, where soils with acid surface horizons are common, soil CO₂ substantially influences river water chemistry at baseflow, increasing the pH and cation concentration of the soil water draining into the river. the results suggest that transfer of carbon as dissolved CO₂ in drainage water is a significant pathway for CO₂ transfer to the atmosphere.     

森林土壤氧化（吸收）甲烷研究进展

甲烷是一种重要的温室气体,对全球气候变暖的贡献仅次于CO2,约为25%。大气甲烷可以被土壤中甲烷氧化细菌在有氧条件下吸收利用,陆地生态系统森林土壤氧化吸收甲烷的研究已有大量报道。甲烷氧化菌是以甲烷作为唯一的碳源和能源的一类细菌的总称。但森林土壤在全球甲烷核算中具有一定的不确定性,取决于产甲烷菌和甲烷氧化菌的相对活性。甲烷氧化菌的研究集中在环境对氧化能力的影响和自身氧化能力上。大气甲烷氧化过程为高氧化能力低亲力氧化,受到一些因子,如土壤温度、土壤通气状况、pH、氮肥等的影响,具体机理的研究还有待进一步深入。土壤通气状况受土壤质地与土壤水分影响,土地利用类型可能改变土壤容重、土壤结构和土壤水分,进而影响土壤甲烷氧化。植物可以通过自身对生境的作用或化感作用影响土壤甲烷氧化。土壤动物的研究则相对较少,目前排放清单中仅有白蚁是全球甲烷核算所包括的。从甲烷氧化菌的分类出发,对甲烷氧化菌氧化甲烷的机理、菌的生态分布及甲烷氧化的影响因素、时空异质性、观测方法等作出了综述,为正确认识和准确预测森林土壤在一定气候和土地利用类型条件下的甲烷氧化强度提供理论依据。     

我国农田土壤碳氮耦合特征的区域差异

利用中国第2次土壤普查数据,分析了稻作和旱作方式下农田耕层土壤有机碳和全氮特征及其区域差异。结果表明,水田土壤有机碳和全氮含量分别为旱地的147.8%和145.5%,但水田碳氮含量的区域变异低于旱地。全国水田和旱地土壤有机碳氮比值分别为10.8和9.9,各区域水田土壤碳氮比值普遍高于旱地,其中东北水田最高,而华东旱地和西北旱地最低。旱地碳氮比值的区域变异显著,水田则不显著。农田耕层土壤有机碳和全氮含量呈显著正相关,除华北地区外,各区域无论水田还是旱地其碳氮含量之间相关系数都超过0.8,达极显著水平。由此可见,我国农田耕层土壤有机碳和全氮含量之间存在显著耦合关系,而且不同利用方式和区域之间差异显著;相同氮水平下,水田土壤可能储存更多的有机碳。     

Systems model of carbon transformations in soil subsidence

A system model was designed to simulate the interaction of climatologic and biologic factors in the biological oxidation of organic soils in ordert to stimulate research on this diminishing resource and attendant water quality problems in the Florida Everglades area. This is a mass balance model in which carbon and nitrogen are conserved in the transformations. It was designed to test different management alternatives for slowing the rate of soil subsidence and to estimate their potential effect on water quality by simulating subsidence rates and the release rates of nitrates, nitrites, and organic acids to ground and surface waters.The biological submodel is structured about two major compartments — the total non-living carbon compartment and a living carbon compartment that includes the microbial biomass and functioning extracellular enzymes.Simulations of the model show the effects of temperature, organic composition, and water table height on carbon dioxide evolution from the soil.