Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality
Short-rotation intensive cultures (SRICs) of willows can potentially sequester carbon (C) in soil. However, there is limited information regarding the factors governing soil organic C (Corg) accumulation following afforestation. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine whether willow lead...
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doaj-0dcece60cb514a8b83b954fc638c2f902020-11-24T23:54:51ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072015-03-016376979310.3390/f6030769f6030769Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter QualityBenoit Lafleur0Michel Labrecque1Alexandre A. Arnold2Nicolas Bélanger3Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, CanadaInstitut de recherche en biologie végétale, Jardin Botanique de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke East, Montréal, QC H1X 2B2, CanadaNanoQam, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, CanadaCentre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, CanadaShort-rotation intensive cultures (SRICs) of willows can potentially sequester carbon (C) in soil. However, there is limited information regarding the factors governing soil organic C (Corg) accumulation following afforestation. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine whether willow leads to Corg accumulation in the topsoil (0–10 cm) two to six years after establishment in five SRICs located along a large climatic/productivity gradient in southern Quebec, and (ii) assess the influence of leaf litter decomposition and soil organic matter (OM) quality on Corg accumulation in the topsoil. Topsoil Corg concentrations and pools under SRICs were, on average, 25% greater than reference fields, and alkyls concentrations were higher under SRICs. On an annualized basis, Corg accumulation rates in the topsoil varied between 0.4 and 4.5 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Estimated annual litterfall C fluxes were in the same order of magnitude, suggesting that SRICs can accumulate Corg in the topsoil during early years due to high growth rates. Leaf litter decomposition was also related to Corg accumulation rates in the topsoil. It was positively correlated to growing season length, degree-days, and growing season average air and topsoil temperature (r > 0.70), and negatively correlated to topsoil volumetric water content (r = −0.55). Leaf litter decomposition likely occurred more quickly than that of plants in reference fields, and as it progressed, OM became more decay resistant, more stable and accumulated as Corg in the topsoil.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/3/769Litterfall C fluxesNuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopyPedoclimatic gradient Salix miyabeana (SX67)Short-rotation intensive cultureSoil organic matter recalcitranceSoil microclimate |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Benoit Lafleur Michel Labrecque Alexandre A. Arnold Nicolas Bélanger |
spellingShingle |
Benoit Lafleur Michel Labrecque Alexandre A. Arnold Nicolas Bélanger Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality Forests Litterfall C fluxes Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Pedoclimatic gradient Salix miyabeana (SX67) Short-rotation intensive culture Soil organic matter recalcitrance Soil microclimate |
author_facet |
Benoit Lafleur Michel Labrecque Alexandre A. Arnold Nicolas Bélanger |
author_sort |
Benoit Lafleur |
title |
Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality |
title_short |
Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality |
title_full |
Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality |
title_fullStr |
Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality |
title_full_unstemmed |
Organic Carbon Accumulation in Topsoil Following Afforestation with Willow: Emphasis on Leaf Litter Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Quality |
title_sort |
organic carbon accumulation in topsoil following afforestation with willow: emphasis on leaf litter decomposition and soil organic matter quality |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Forests |
issn |
1999-4907 |
publishDate |
2015-03-01 |
description |
Short-rotation intensive cultures (SRICs) of willows can potentially sequester carbon (C) in soil. However, there is limited information regarding the factors governing soil organic C (Corg) accumulation following afforestation. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine whether willow leads to Corg accumulation in the topsoil (0–10 cm) two to six years after establishment in five SRICs located along a large climatic/productivity gradient in southern Quebec, and (ii) assess the influence of leaf litter decomposition and soil organic matter (OM) quality on Corg accumulation in the topsoil. Topsoil Corg concentrations and pools under SRICs were, on average, 25% greater than reference fields, and alkyls concentrations were higher under SRICs. On an annualized basis, Corg accumulation rates in the topsoil varied between 0.4 and 4.5 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Estimated annual litterfall C fluxes were in the same order of magnitude, suggesting that SRICs can accumulate Corg in the topsoil during early years due to high growth rates. Leaf litter decomposition was also related to Corg accumulation rates in the topsoil. It was positively correlated to growing season length, degree-days, and growing season average air and topsoil temperature (r > 0.70), and negatively correlated to topsoil volumetric water content (r = −0.55). Leaf litter decomposition likely occurred more quickly than that of plants in reference fields, and as it progressed, OM became more decay resistant, more stable and accumulated as Corg in the topsoil. |
topic |
Litterfall C fluxes Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Pedoclimatic gradient Salix miyabeana (SX67) Short-rotation intensive culture Soil organic matter recalcitrance Soil microclimate |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/3/769 |
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