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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2018, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (6): 1779-1786.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201806.006

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Responses of soil and aggregate-associated organic carbon mineralization to throughfall reduction in a Pinus massoniana plantation.

YANG Yu-jing1, LIU Shi-rong1*, CHEN Lin2,3, WANG Hui1   

  1. 1 State Forestry Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China;
    2Experimental Center of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Pingxiang 532600, Guangxi, China;
    3Guangxi Youyiguan Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Pingxiang 532600, Guangxi, China
  • Received:2017-12-20 Revised:2018-03-13 Online:2018-06-18 Published:2018-06-18
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the International Cooperation Program of Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2015DFA31440), and the National Forestry Public Welfare Industry Research Special Program (201404201).

Abstract: To examine the effects of altered precipitation pattern on the mechanism of forest soil carbon (C) emission under climate change scenarios, we established plots with 50% reduction in throughfall in a subtropical Pinus massoniana plantation. The effects of throughfall reduction on the mineralization of both soil and aggregate-associated organic C were quantified by laboratory incubation at constant temperature. The results showed that the cumulative mineralization of organic C in the 1-2 mm aggregates was higher than that in other sizes of aggregates. In the dry and wet seasons, the surface soil water content in the throughfall reduction plots was 82.1% and 82.7% of that in the control, but the mass fractions of 0.106-0.25 mm soil aggregates in the throughfall reduction plots increased by 1.8% and 4.2% than the control, respectively. The throughfall reduction treatment significantly reduced the mineralization rate of labile C pools (k1) of soil and micro-aggregates in the dry season, increased the mineralization rate of recalcitrant C pool (k2) of soil and <1 mm aggregates, and had no significant effects on the cumulative mineralization of soil organic C. Results from the correlation analyses revealed significant and positive correlations between k1 of soil and that of the micro-aggregates and between k2 of soil and that of the 0.25-1 mm aggregates. Under the influence of aggregate structure, water condition and soil organic carbon content, the throughfall reduction suppressed the mineralization of labile organic C while stimulated that of recalcitrant organic C.