Decoupling of soil carbon and nitrogen turnover partly explains increased net ecosystem production in response to nitrogen fertilization.

ABSTRACT: During the last decade there has been an ongoing controversy regarding the extent to which nitrogen fertilization can increase carbon sequestration and net ecosystem production in forest ecosystems. The debate is complicated by the fact that increased nitrogen availability caused by nitrogen deposition has coincided with increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. The latter could further stimulate primary production but also result in increased allocation of carbon to root exudates, which could potentially 'prime' the decomposition of soil organic matter. Here we show that increased input of labile carbon to forest soil caused a decoupling of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, which was manifested as a reduction in respiration of soil organic matter that coincided with a substant

SUBMITTER: Ehtesham E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5390271 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature