Soil respiration under climate change: prolonged summer drought offsets soil warming effects

ABSTRACT: Climate change may considerably impact the carbon (C) dynamics and C stocks of forest soils. To assess the combined effects of warming and reduced precipitation on soil CO2 efflux, we conducted a two-way factorial manipulation experiment (4 °C soil warming + throughfall exclusion) in a temperate spruce forest from 2008 until 2010. Soil was warmed by heating cables throughout the growing seasons. Soil drought was simulated by throughfall exclusions with three 100 m2 roofs during 25 days in July/August 2008 and 2009. Soil warming permanently increased the CO2 efflux from soil, whereas throughfall exclusion led to a sharp decrease in soil CO2 efflux (45% and 50% reduction during roof installation in 2008 and 2009, respectively). In 2008, CO2 efflux did not recover after natural rewetting and

SUBMITTER: Schindlbacher A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3602719 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature