Increased Belowground Carbon Allocation Reduces Soil Carbon Losses Under Long-Term Warming.

ABSTRACT: The response of the carbon cycle in forests to global warming could lead to a positive climate feedback if warming accelerates the mineralization of soil organic carbon (SOC), thereby causing net emissions of CO₂ into the atmosphere. In Europe, carbon-rich alpine forest soils could be particularly affected by global warming, as a greater rise in temperature is expected in this region than the global average. Here we show that nearly two decades of experimental soil warming (+4°C during the snow-free seasons) in a mountain forest in the Northern Limestone Alps significantly (~13% per 1°C warming) and persistently (no change in response over 18 years) increased soil CO₂ effluxes. The SOC stocks in the warmed plots decreased compared to controls, yet non-significantly, a

SUBMITTER: Schindlbacher A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12531474 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature