Large Ecosystem Service Benefits of Assisted Natural Regeneration

China manages the largest monoculture plantations in the world, with 24% being Chinese fir plantations. Maximizing the ecosystem services of Chinese fir plantations has important implications in global carbon cycle and biodiversity protection. Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) is a practice to convert degraded lands into more productive forests with great ecosystems services. However, the quantitative understanding of ANR ecosystem service benefits is very limited. We conducted a comprehensive field manipulation experiment to evaluate the ANR potentials. We quantified and compared key ecosystem services including surface runoff, sediment yield, dissolved organic carbon export, plant diversity, and aboveground carbon accumulation of ANR of secondary forests dominated by Castanopsis carlesii to that of Chinese fir and C. carlesii plantations. Our results showed that ANR of C. carlesii forest reduced surface runoff and sediment yield up to 50% compared with other young plantations in the first 3 years and substantially increased plant diversity. ANR also reduced the export of dissolved organic carbon by 60–90% in the first 2 years. Aboveground biomass of the young ANR forest was approximately 3–4 times of that of other young plantations, while aboveground biomass of mature ANR forests was approximately 1.4 times of that of mature Chinese fir plantations of the same age. If all Chinese fir plantations in China were replaced by ANR forests, potentially 0.7 Pg more carbon will be stored in aboveground in one rotation (25 years). The results indicate that ANR triggers positive feedbacks among soil and water conservation, biodiversity protection, and biomass accumulation and thereby enhances ecosystem services

Enzyme stoichiometry indicates the variation of microbial nutrient requirements at different soil depths in subtropical forests.

Soil extracellular enzyme activities and associated enzymatic stoichiometry are considered sensitive indicators of nutrient availability and microbial substrate limitation. However, many of previous studies have been focusing on uppermost soil layer with a single enzyme as representative of the whole nutrient acquisition, leading to critical uncertainties in understanding soil nutrient availability and its relationship with microbial activities in deeper soils. In the current study, we investigated C-, N- and P-acquiring enzyme activities across a range of soil layers (0-10, 10-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm), and examined the microbial C, N and P limitation in natural secondary forests (NSF) and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation forests (CPF) in subtropical China. The results showed that microbial C and P co-limitation was detected in the two typical subtropical forests at all soil depths, rather than microbial N limitation. Microbial C and P limitation fluctuated along soil depth, but higher N was demanded by microbes in soil under 20 cm in both forests. The present results highlight the asymmetrical patterns of microbial nutrient limitation along the whole soil profile, and provide essential information in understanding nutrient limitations in deeper soils. These vertical and asymmetrical nutrient limitation patterns should be incorporated into future research studies priority

Patterns of mass, carbon and nitrogen in coarse woody debris in five natural forests in southern China

International audience• Context Coarse woody debris (CWD, ≥10 cm in diameter) is an important structural and functional component of forests. There are few studies that have estimated the mass and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks of CWD in subtropical forests. Evergreen broad-leaved forests are distributed widely in sub-tropical zones in China. • Aims This study aimed to evaluate the pools of mass, C and N in CWD in five natural forests of Altingia gracilipes Hemsl., Tsoongiodendron odorum Chun, Castanopsis carlesii (Hemsl.) Hayata, Cinnamomum chekiangense Nakai and Castanopsis fabri Hance in southern China. • Methods The mass of CWD was determined using the fixed-area plot method. All types of CWD (logs, snags, stumps and large branches) within the plot were measured. The species, length, diameter and decay class of each piece of CWD were recorded. The C and N pools of CWD were calculated by multiplying the concentrations of C and N by the estimated mass in each forest and decay category. • Results Total mass of CWD varied from 16.75 Mg ha −1 in the C. fabri forest to 40.60 Mg ha −1 in the A. gracilipes forest; of this CWD, the log contribution ranged from 54.75 to 94.86 %. The largest CWD (≥60 cm diameter) was found only in the A. gracilipes forest. CWD in the 40–60 cm size class represented above 65 % of total mass, while most of CWD accumulations in the C. carlesii, C. chekiangense and C. fabri forests were composed of pieces with diameter less than 40 cm. The A. gracilipes, T. odorum, C. carlesii and C. chekiangense forests contained the full decay classes (from 1 to 5 classes) of CWD. In the C. fabri forest, the CWD in decay classes 2–3 accounted for about 90 % of the total CWD mass. Increasing N concentrations and decreasing densities, C concentrations, and C:N ratios were found with stage of decay. Linear regression showed a strong correlation between the density and C:N ratio (R 2 =0.821). CWD C-stock ranged from 7.62 to 17.74 Mg ha −1 , while the N stock varied from 85.05 to 204.49 kg ha −1 . The highest overall pools of C and N in CWD were noted in the A. gracilipes forest. • Conclusion Differences among five forests can be attributed mainly to characteristics of the tree species. It is very important to preserve the current natural evergreen broad-leaved forest and maintain the structural and functional integrity of CWD

Allometry of fine roots in forest ecosystems

Theoretical predictions regarding fine root production are needed in many ecosystem models but are lacking. Here, we expand the classic pipe model to fine roots and predict isometric scaling relationships between leaf and fine root biomass and among all major biomass production components of individual trees. We also predict that fine root production scales more slowly against increases in leaf production across global forest ecosystems at the stand level. Using meta‐analysis, we show fine root biomass scales isometrically against leaf biomass both at the individual tree and stand level. However, despite isometric scaling between stem and coarse root production, fine root production scales against leaf production with a slope of about 0.8 at the stand level, which probably results from more rapid increase of turnover rate in leaves than in fine roots. These analyses help to improve our understandings of allometric theory and controls of belowground C processes

Photochemical degradation of hydroxy PAHs in ice: Implications for the polar areas

Hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) are derived from hydroxylated PAHs as contaminants of emerging concern. They are ubiquitous in the aqueous and atmospheric environments and may exist in the polar snow and ice, which urges new insights into their environmental transformation, especially in ice. In present study the simulated-solar (λ > 290 nm) photodegradation kinetics, products and pathways of four OH-PAHs (9-Hydroxyfluorene, 2-Hydroxyfluorene, 1-Hydroxypyrene and 9-Hydroxyphenanthrene) in ice were investigated, and the corresponding implications for the polar areas were explored. It was found that the kinetics followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics with the photolysis quantum yields (Φs) ranging from 7.48 × 10−3 (1-Hydroxypyrene) to 4.16 × 10−2 (2-Hydroxyfluorene). These 4 OH-PAHs were proposed to undergo photoinduced hydroxylation, resulting in multiple hydroxylated intermediates, particularly for 9-Hydroxyfluorene. Extrapolation of the lab data to the real environment is expected to provide a reasonable estimate of OH-PAH photolytic half-lives (t1/2,E) in mid-summer of the polar areas. The estimated t1/2,E values ranged from 0.08 h for 1-OHPyr in the Arctic to 54.27 h for 9-OHFl in the Antarctic. In consideration of the lower temperature and less microorganisms in polar areas, the photodegradation can be a key factor in determining the fate of OH-PAHs in sunlit surface snow/ice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the photodegradation of OH-PAHs in polar areas

Understory fine roots are more ephemeral than those of trees in subtropical Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) stands

International audienceAbstract Key messageWe tested the life span of fine roots of Chinese fir trees and understory plants in two stands in subtropical China. Fine roots from understory plants were much more ephemeral than those from trees. The life span of fine roots of understory plants and Chinese fir was shorter in the younger than in the older stand, although most of the factors affecting fine-root life spans were similar between trees and understory plants. ContextUnderstory fine root can contribute significantly to total fine root biomass and belowground carbon. AimsThe contribution of understory vegetation to belowground carbon and nutrient cycling is often neglected in forest stands. Potential differences in fine-root life span between understory and trees remain poorly known. This study aimed to document fine-root life spans in trees and understory plants in two Chinese fir plantations with different ages. MethodsWe measured fine-root (≤2 mm in diameter) life span for trees and understory vegetation in 16- and 88-year-old Chinese fir plantations in southern China during 4 years with minirhizotron. Factors controlling fine-root life spans were identified with Cox proportional hazards regression. ResultsFine roots were more ephemeral in understory plants than in trees in the two plantations. Fine-root life spans for both trees and understory plants were longer in the older than in the younger plantation. Root diameter at appearance, rooting depth, and season of emergence had a significant effect on fine-root life span. ConclusionThese results highlight the importance of taking into account understory fine-root life span estimates when assessing the dynamics of fine-root recycling in Chinese fir forests

Nitrogen Addition Affects Soil Respiration Primarily through Changes in Microbial Community Structure and Biomass in a Subtropical Natural Forest

Forest soil respiration plays an important role in global carbon (C) cycling. Owing to the high degree of C and nitrogen (N) cycle coupling, N deposition rates may greatly influence forest soil respiration, and possibly even global C cycling. Soil microbes play a crucial role in regulating the biosphere−atmosphere C exchange; however, how microbes respond to N addition remains uncertain. To better understand this process, the experiment was performed in the Castanopsis kawakamii Hayata Nature Reserve, in the subtropical zone of China. Treatments involved applying different levels of N (0, 40, and 80 kg ha−2 year−1) over a three-year period (January 2013−December 2015) to explore how soil physicochemical properties, respiration rate, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentration, and solid state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance responded to various N addition rate. Results showed that high levels of N addition significantly decreased soil respiration; however, low levels of N addition significantly increased soil respiration. High levels of N reduced soil pH and enhanced P and C co-limitation of microorganisms, leading to significant reductions in total PLFA and changes in the structure of microbial communities. Significant linear relationships were observed between annual cumulative respiration and the concentration of microbial biomass (total PLFA, gram-positive bacteria (G+), gram-negative bacteria (G−), total bacteria, and fungi) and the microbial community structure (G+: G− ratio). Taken together, increasing N deposition changed microbial community structure and suppressed microbial biomass, ultimately leading to recalcitrant C accumulation and soil C emissions decrease in subtropical forest

Aqueous photochemical degradation of hydroxylated PAHs:kinetics, pathways, and multivariate effects of main water constituents

Hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) are contaminants of emerging concern in the aquatic environment, so it is of great significance to understand their environmental transformation and toxicity. This study investigated the aqueous photochemical behavior of four OH-PAHs, 9-Hydroxyfluorene (9-OHFL), 2-Hydroxyfluorene, 9-Hydroxyphenanthrene and 1-Hydroxypyrene, under simulated sunlight irradiation (λ > 290 nm). It was observed that their photodegradation followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Based on the determined quantum yields, their calculated solar apparent photodegradation half-lives in surface waters at 45° N latitude ranged from 0.4 min for 9-Hydroxyphenanthrene to 7.5 × 103 min for 9-OHFL, indicating that the OH-PAHs would intrinsically photodegrade fast in sunlit surface waters. Furthermore, 9-OHFL as an example was found to undergo direct photolysis, and self-sensitized photooxidation via radical dotOH rather than 1O2 in pure water. The potential photoreactions involved photoinduced hydroxylation, dehydrogenation and isomerization based on product identification by GC–MS/MS. 9-OHFL photodegraded slower in natural waters than in pure water, which was attributed to the integrative effects of the most photoreactive species, such as Fe(III), NO3−, Cl− and humic acid. The photomodified toxicity was further examined using Vibrio fischeri, and it was found that the toxicity of photolyzed 9-OHFL did not decrease significantly (p > 0.05) either in pure water or in seawater, implying the comparable or higher toxicity of some intermediates. These results are important for assessing the fate and risks of OH-PAHs in surface waters