Distinct temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition in forest organic layer and mineral soil.

ABSTRACT: The roles of substrate availability and quality in determining temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil carbon (C) decomposition are still unclear, which limits our ability to predict how soil C storage and cycling would respond to climate change. Here we determined Q10 in surface organic layer and subsurface mineral soil along an elevation gradient in a temperate forest ecosystem. Q10 was calculated by comparing the times required to respire a given amount of soil C at 15 and 25°C in a 350-day incubation. Results indicated that Q10 of the organic layer was 0.22-0.71 (absolute difference) higher than Q10 of the mineral soil. Q10 in both the organic layer (2.5-3.4) and the mineral soil (2.1-2.8) increased with decreasing substrate quality during the incubation. This enhancement of Q10 over incubation time in both layers suggested that Q10 of more labile C was lower than that of more recalcitrant C, consistent with the Arrhenius kinetics. No clear trend of Q10 was found along the elevation gradient. Because the soil organic C pool of the organic layer in temperate forests is large, its higher temperature sensitivity highlights its importance in C cycling under global warming.

SUBMITTER: Xu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4180824 | biostudies-other | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other