1. Changes in soil carbon sequestration in Pinus massoniana forests along an urban-to-rural gradient of southern China.
- Author
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H. Chen, W. Zhang, Gilliam, F., L. Liu, J. Huang, T. Zhang, W. Wang, and J. Mo
- Subjects
FORESTS & forestry ,CARBON in soils ,CARBON sequestration ,PINE ,CITIES & towns ,URBANIZATION ,GLOBAL environmental change ,ATMOSPHERIC carbon dioxide ,ATMOSPHERIC nitrogen ,ATMOSPHERIC temperature - Abstract
Urbanization is accelerating globally, causing a variety of environmental changes such as increases in air temperature, precipitation, atmospheric CO
2 , and nitrogen (N) deposition. However, effects of these changes on forest soil carbon (C) sequestration remain largely unclear. Here we used urban-to-rural environmental gradients in Guangdong Province, southern China, to address the potential effects of these environmental changes on soil C sequestration in Pinus massoniana forests. In contrast with our expectations and earlier observations, soil C content in urban sites was significantly lower than those in suburban and rural sites. Lower soil C pools in urban sites were correlated with a significant decrease in fine root biomass and a potential increase in soil organic C decomposition. Variation of soil C pools was also a function of change in soil C fractions. Heavy fraction C content in urban sites was significantly lower than those in suburban and rural sites. By contrast, light fraction C content did not vary significantly along the urban-to-rural gradient. Our results suggest that urbanization-induced environmental changes may have negative effect on forest soil C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2013
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