Journal Article

Spatial distribution of carbon dynamics and nutrient enrichment capacity in different layers and tree tissues of Castanopsis eyeri natural forest ecosystem

Kumar, Uttam, Shakoor, Awais, Shahzad, Sher Muhammad, Xincheng, Xen, Rashid, Muhammad Haroon U, Farhan Bashir, Muhammad, Farrakh Nawaz, Muhammad, Farooq, Taimoor Hassan, Yan, Wende

2022

Overview

Forest ecosystem carbon (C) storage primarily includes vegetation layers C storage, litter C storage, and soil C storage. The precise assessment of forest ecosystem C storage is a major concern that has drawn widespread attention in global climate change worldwide. This study explored the C storage of different layers of the forest ecosystem and the nutrient enrichment capacity of the vegetation layer to the soil in the Castanopsis eyeri natural forest ecosystem (CEF) present in the northeastern Hunan province, central China. The direct field measurements were used for the estimations. Results illustrate that trunk biomass distribution was 48.42% and 62.32% in younger and over-mature trees, respectively. The combined biomass of the understory shrub, herb, and litter layers was 10.46 t·hm−2, accounting for only 2.72% of the total forest biomass. On average, C content increased with the tree age increment. The C content of tree, shrub, and herb layers was 45.68%, 43.08%, and 35.76%, respectively. Litter C content was higher in the undecomposed litter (44.07 %). Soil C content continually decreased as the soil depth increased, and almost half of soil C was stored in the upper soil layer. Total C stored in CEF was 329.70 t·hm−2 and it follows the order: tree layer > soil layer > litter layer > shrub layer > herb layer, with C storage distribution of 51.07%, 47.80%, 0.78%, 0.25%, and 0.10%, respectively. Macronutrient enrichment capacity from vegetation layers to soil was highest in the herb layer and lowest in the tree layer, whereas no consistent patterns were observed for trace elements. This study will help understand the production mechanism and ecological process of the C. eyeri natural forest ecosystem and provide the basics for future research on climate mitigation, nutrient cycling, and energy exchange in developing and utilizing sub-tropical vegetation

• Publisher: Springer,Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aquatic Pollution / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Biomass / Carbon / Carbon - analysis / Carbon Sequestration / Castanopsis / China / climate / Climate change / Climate change mitigation / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecosystem / Ecosystems / Ecotoxicology / energy transfer / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental science / Forest biomass / Forest ecosystems / Forests / Global climate / ground vegetation / Herbs / Litter / Nutrient cycles / Nutrient dynamics / Nutrient enrichment / Nutrients / Research Article / shrubs / Soil / Soil depth / Soil layers / Soils / Spatial distribution / Terrestrial ecosystems / Trace elements / tree age / Trees / Understory / Vegetation / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control