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Changes in Ecosystem Carbon Following Afforestation of Native Sand Prairie
Author(s) -
Mellor N. J.,
Hellerich J.,
Drijber R.,
Morris S. J.,
Stromberger M. E.,
Paul E. A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj2012.0327
Subject(s) - environmental science , soil water , litter , ecosystem , afforestation , agronomy , plant litter , nutrient , soil carbon , vegetation (pathology) , biomass (ecology) , forest ecology , forestry , agroforestry , ecology , soil science , biology , geography , medicine , pathology
Determining the dynamics of carbon (C) as a function of vegetation and residue inputs is important for predicting changes in ecosystem functions and the global C cycle. Litter and soil samples were analyzed from plantations of eastern red cedar ( Juniperous virginiana ) and ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ) and native prairie at the Nebraska National Forest to evaluate the impact of different types of land management on soil C contents and turnover rates. Total soil C to a depth of 1 m was greatest in the cedar stands. Pine ecosystems stored more C in the tree biomass and litter but lost more native prairie C from the soil. The soil 13 C content showed 82% of the original, and prairie C remained under cedars compared with ∼45% under pine. Soil cation contents were greatest overall in cedar soils and lowest in pine. The C content in cedar soils was strongly related to Ca content. Differences in microbial community fatty acid profiles were related to vegetation type, and nutrients explained ∼60% of the variation in profiles. Our research indicates that changes in soil C and nutrient content following conversion from prairie to forest are dependent on tree species planted, characteristics of the plant litter, and cation cycling in the plant–soil system.