Abstract
Purpose
The decomposition and transformation of woody debris (WD) generated during forest growth and management have a significant impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and carbon balance. However, our understanding of the impact of WD on SOC in urban plantations remains limited. To fill this gap, we conducted this study.
Materials and methods
In this study, we established four treatments involving the addition of fine woody debris (FWD) on the soil of six urban plantations in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China, to investigate changes in SOC. The four treatments for adding FWD were as follows: Control, low-dose carbon addition (LC), medium-dose carbon addition (MC), and high-dose carbon addition (HC). The added carbon content in the four treatments was 0 g m−2, 250 g m−2, 500 g m−2,1000 g m−2. After 13 months, we measured the dynamic changes of SOC and nitrogen fractions as well as the characteristics of the carbon pool in the 0–10 cm thick soil layer.
Results
The study results indicate that, when compared with the control group, the addition of FWD had a noteworthy impact on basic soil parameters such as soil water content, pH, and total nitrogen. This addition resulted in an augmentation of labile organic carbon fractions, including microbial biomass carbon and easily oxidizable organic carbon. However, no significant effect was observed on the content and storage of SOC. In addition, it is found that adding FWD has a significant positive effect on carbon pool management index (CPMI), while CPMI has a significant negative effect on SOC.
Conclusions
The addition of FWD to urban plantations in Heilongjiang Province, China, for 13 months can increase the turnover of SOC and improve soil quality. However, the increase in SOC storage is limited and a longer decomposition time might be necessary to see a significant SOC sequestration effect.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
References
Adamczyk S, Kitunen V, Lindroos AJ, Adamczyk B, Smolander A (2017) Soil carbon and nitrogen cycling processes and composition of terpenes five years after clear-cutting a Norway spruce stand: Effects of logging residues. For Ecol Manage 406:427–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.08.026
Bani A, Pioli S, Ventura M, Panzacchi P, Borruso L, Tognetti R, Tonon G, Brusetti L (2018) The role of microbial community in the decomposition of leaf litter and deadwood. Appl Soil Ecol 126:75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2018.02.017
Bell JM, Smith JL, Bailey VL Jr, Bolton H (2003) Priming effect and C storage in semi-arid no-till spring crop rotations. Soil Biol Biochem 37:237–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0587-4
Blagodatskaya EV, Blagodatsky SA, Anderson TH, Kuzyakov Y (2007) Priming effects in Chernozem induced by glucose and N in relation to microbial growth strategies. Appl Soil Ecol 37:95–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2007.05.002
Blonska E, Piaszczyk W, Staszel K, Lasota J (2021) Enzymatic activity of soils and soil organic matter stabilization as an effect of components released from the decomposition of litter. Appl Soil Ecol 157:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103723
Boddy L (1993) Saprotrophic cord-forming fungi: warfare strategies and other ecological aspects. Mycol Res 97:641–655. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0953-7562(09)80141-X
Bradford MA, Fierer N, Reynolds JF (2008) Soil carbon stocks in experimental mesocosms are dependent on the rate of labile carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to soils. Funct Ecol 22:964–974. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2008.01404.x
Brunel C, Gros R, Lerch TZ, Da Silva AMF (2020) Changes in soil organic matter and microbial communities after fine and coarse residues inputs from Mediterranean tree species. Appl Soil Ecol 149:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103516
Chang Z, Feng Q, Si J, Su Y, ** H (2007) Carbon storage of plant debris under different types of vegetation in qilian mountains. J Mt Sci 25:714–720. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1008-2786.2007.06.011
Chatterjee S, Bandyopadhyay KK, Pradhan S, Singh R, Datta SP (2018) Effects of irrigation, crop residue mulch and nitrogen management in maize (Zea mays L.) on soil carbon pools in a sandy loam soil of Indo-gangetic plain region. CATENA 165:207–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2018.02.005
Chen ZH, Shen Y, Tan B, Li H, You CM, Xu ZF, Wei XY, Ni XY, Yang YL, Zhang L (2021) Decreased soil organic carbon under litter input in three subalpine forests. Forests 12:1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12111479
Chen X, Zhang X, Liu M, Xu Z, Wei H (2022) Urbanization induced changes in the accumulation mode of organic carbon in the surface soil of subtropical forests. CATENA 214:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106264
Clarke N, Gundersen P, Jonsson-Belyazid U, Kjonaas OJ, Persson T, Sigurdsson BD, Stupak I, Vesterdal L (2015) Influence of different tree-harvesting intensities on forest soil carbon stocks in boreal and northern temperate forest ecosystems. For Ecol Manage 351:9–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.04.034
Cotrufo MF, Soong JL, Horton AJ, Campbell EE, Haddix ML, Wall DH, Parton AJ (2015) Formation of soil organic matter via biochemical and physical pathways of litter mass loss. Nat Geosci 8:776–779. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2520
de São José JFB, Cherubin MR, Vargas LK, Lisboa BB, Zanatta JA, Araújo EF, Bayer C (2023) A soil quality index for subtropical sandy soils under different Eucalyptus harvest residue managements. J Forest Res 34:243–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01507-z
Dong X, Du X, Sun Z, Chen X (2021) Effects of residue retention and removal following thinning on soil bacterial community composition and diversity in a larix olgensis plantation, Northeast China. Forests 12:1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12050559
Han MZ, Wang MM, Zhai GQ, Li YJ, Yu SP, Wang EH (2022) Difference of soil aggregates composition, stability, and organic carbon content between eroded and depositional areas after adding exogenous organic materials. Sustainability 14:1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042143
Kahl T, Mund M, Bauhus J, Schulze E-D (2012) Dissolved organic carbon from European beech logs: Patterns of input to and retention by surface soil. Écoscience 19:364–373. https://doi.org/10.2980/19-4-3501
Landi L, Valori F, Ascher J, Renella G, Falchini L, Nannipieri P (2006) Root exudate effects on the bacterial communities, CO2 evolution, nitrogen transformations and ATP content of rhizosphere and bulk soils. Soil Biol Biochem 38:509–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.05.021
Lehmann J, Rillig MC, Thies J, Masiello CA, Hockaday WC, Crowley D (2011) Biochar effects on soil biota - A review. Soil Biol Biochem 43:1812–1836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.04.022
Lesturgez G, Poss R, Noble A, Grunberger O, Chintachao W, Tessier D (2006) Soil acidification without pH drop under intensive crop** systems in Northeast Thailand. Agr Ecosyst Environ 114:239–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2005.10.020
Li J, Wen YC, Li XH, Li YT, Yang XD, Lin Z, Song ZZ, Cooper JM, Zhao BQ (2018a) Soil labile organic carbon fractions and soil organic carbon stocks as affected by long-term organic and mineral fertilization regimes in the North China Plain. Soil Till Res 175:281–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2017.08.008
Li ZQ, Zhao BZ, Olk DC, Jia ZJ, Mao JD, Cai YF, Zhang JB (2018b) Contributions of residue-C and -N to plant growth and soil organic matter pools under planted and unplanted conditions. Soil Biol Biochem 120:91–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.005
Ling L, Luo Y, Jiang B, Lv JT, Meng CM, Liao YH, Reid BJ, Ding F, Lu ZJ, Kuzyakov Y, Xu JM (2022) Biochar induces mineralization of soil recalcitrant components by activation of biochar responsive bacteria groups. Soil Biol Biochem 172:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108778
Liu WH, Bryant DM, Hutyra LR, Saleska SR, Hammond-Pyle E, Curran D, Wofsy SC (2006) Woody debris contribution to the carbon budget of selectively logged and maturing mid-latitude forests. Oecologia 148:108–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0356-9
Liu XY, Wang WQ, Penuelas J, Sardans J, Chen XX, Fang YY, Alrefaei AF, Zeng FJ, Tariq A (2022) Effects of nitrogen-enriched biochar on subtropical paddy soil organic carbon pool dynamics. Sci Total Environ 851:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158322
Magnusson RI, Tietema A, Cornelissen JHC, Hefting MM, Kalbitz K (2016) Tamm Review: Sequestration of carbon from coarse woody debris in forest soils. For Ecol Manage 377:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2016.06.033
Mendoza O, De Neve S, Deroo H, Li H, Sleutel S (2022) Do interactions between application rate and native soil organic matter content determine the degradation of exogenous organic carbon? Soil Biol Biochem 164:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108473
Mi WH, Wu LH, Brookes PC, Liu YL, Zhang X, Yang X (2016) Changes in soil organic carbon fractions under integrated management systems in a low-productivity paddy soil given different organic amendments and chemical fertilizers. Soil & Tillage Research 163:64–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2016.05.009
Nazari M, Eteghadipour M, Zarebanadkouki M, Ghorbani M, Dippold MA, Bilyera N, Zamanian K (2021) Impacts of logging-associated compaction on forest soils: a meta-analysis. Front for Glob Change 04:1–15. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.780074
Nazari M, Pausch J, Bickel S, Bilyera N, Rashtbari M, Razavi BS, Zamanian K, Sharififar A, Shi L, Dippold MA, Zarebanadkouki M (2023) Kee** thinning-derived deadwood logs on forest floor improves soil organic carbon, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity in a temperate spruce forest. Eur J Forest Res 142:287–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-022-01522-z
Ojanen P, Makiranta P, Penttila T, Minkkinen K (2017) Do logging residue piles trigger extra decomposition of soil organic matter? For Ecol Manage 405:367–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.09.055
Palviainen M, Finer L, Kurka AM, Mannerkoski H, Piirainen S, Starr M (2004) Decomposition and nutrient release from logging residues after clear-cutting of mixed boreal forest. Plant Soil 263:53–67. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PLSO.0000047718.34805.fb
Pang DB, Cui M, Liu YG, Wang GZ, Cao JH, Wang XR, Dan XQ, Zhou JX (2019) Responses of soil labile organic carbon fractions and stocks to different vegetation restoration strategies in degraded karst ecosystems of southwest China. Ecol Eng 138:391–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.08.008
Perron T, Kouakou A, Simon C, Mareschal L, Frederic G, Soumahoro M, Kouassi D, Rakotondrazafy N, Rapidel B, Laclau JP, Brauman A (2022) Logging residues promote rapid restoration of soil health after clear-cutting of rubber plantations at two sites with contrasting soils in Africa. Sci Total Environ 816:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151526
Piaszczyk W, Lasota J, Blonska E, Foremnik K (2022) How habitat moisture condition affects the decomposition of fine woody debris from different species. CATENA 208:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105765
Pisani O, Lin LH, Lun OOY, Lajtha K, Nadelhoffer KJ, Simpson AJ, Simpson MJ (2016) Long-term doubling of litter inputs accelerates soil organic matter degradation and reduces soil carbon stocks. Biogeochemistry 127:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0171-7
Rai AK, Basak N, Dixit AK, Rai SK, Das SK, Singh JB, Kumar S, Kumar TK, Chandra P, Sundha P, Bedwal S (2023) Changes in soil microbial biomass and organic C pools improve the sustainability of perennial grass and legume system under organic nutrient management. Front Microbiol 14:1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1173986
Ridgeway JR, Morrissey EM, Brzostek ER (2022) Plant litter traits control microbial decomposition and drive soil carbon stabilization. Soil Biol Biochem 175:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108857
Smolander A, Saarsalmi A, Tamminen P (2015) Response of soil nutrient content, organic matter characteristics and growth of pine and spruce seedlings to logging residues. For Ecol Manage 357:117–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.07.019
Smolander A, Tormanen T, Kitunen V, Lindroos A-J (2019) Dynamics of soil nitrogen cycling and losses under Norway spruce logging residues on a clear-cut. For Ecol Manage 449:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.06.041
Trottier-Picard A, Thiffault E, DesRochers A, Paré D, Thiffault N, Messier C (2014) Amounts of logging residues affect planting microsites: A manipulative study across northern forest ecosystems. For Ecol Manage 312:203–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.10.004
Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biol Biochem 19(6):703–707. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(87)90052-6
Wang JJ, Zhang HW, Li XY, Su ZC, Li X, Xu MK (2014) Effects of tillage and residue incorporation on composition and abundance of microbial communities of a fluvo-aquic soil. Eur J Soil Biol 65:70–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2014.10.003
Wang W, Lu J, Du H, Wei C, Wang H, Fu Y, He X (2017) Ranking thirteen tree species based on their impact on soil physiochemical properties, soil fertility, and carbon sequestration in Northeastern China. For Ecol Manage 404:214–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.08.047
Wang Q, Yang W, Li H, Wang Z, Chang C, Cao R, Tan B (2021a) Changes in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in decaying logs with gap positions in a subalpine forest. J Plant Ecol 14:692–701. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtab023
Wang Y, Chen X, Zou D, Lei J, Wu X, Wang J, Yan W, Liang X (2022) Biomass, carbon storage and nutrient content of coarse woody debris in secondary-growth forests in southern Hunan. Acta Ecol Sin 42:3441–3448. https://doi.org/10.5846/stxb202009262498
Wang HY, Wu JQ, Li G, Yan LJ, Liu SA (2023) Effects of extreme rainfall frequency on soil organic carbon fractions and carbon pool in a wet meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Ecol Ind 146:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109853
Wang X, Liu Y, Zhou Y, Wang L, Si R, Lu J, Jia Z (2021b) Effects of different treatments on decomposition of Larix principis-rupprechtii tending residue. J Bei**g For Univ 43(5):15–23. https://doi.org/10.12171/j.1000-1522.20200345
Webster KL, Hazlett PW, Brand G, Nelson SA, Primavera MJ, Weldon TP (2021) The effect of boreal jack pine harvest residue retention on soil environment and processes. For Ecol Manage 497:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119517
Weintraub SR, Wieder WR, Cleveland CC, Townsend AR (2013) Organic matter inputs shift soil enzyme activity and allocation patterns in a wet tropical forest. Biogeochemistry 114:313–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-012-9812-2
**e YC, Hou ZM, Liu HJ, Cao C, Qi JG (2021) The sustainability assessment of CO2 capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and the conversion of cropland to forestland program (CCFP) in the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) framework towards China’s carbon neutrality by 2060. Environ Earth Sci 80:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09762-9
Xu MG, Lou YL, Sun XL, Wang W, Baniyamuddin M, Zhao K (2011) Soil organic carbon active fractions as early indicators for total carbon change under straw incorporation. Biol Fertil Soils 47:745–752. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0579-8
Zalamea M, Gonzalez G, Lodge DJ (2016) Physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil under decaying wood in a tropical wet forest in Puerto Rico. Forests 7:1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/f7080168
Zhang Y, Zhang M, Tang L, Che R, Chen H, Blumfield T, Boyd S, Nouansyvong M, Xu Z (2018) Long-term harvest residue retention could decrease soil bacterial diversities probably due to favouring oligotrophic lineages. Microb Ecol 76:771–781. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-018-1162-8
Zhang H, Ying BB, Hu YJ, Wang YX, Yu XH, Tang CX (2022) Response of soil respiration to thinning is altered by thinning residue treatment in Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations. Agric for Meteorol 324:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2022.109089
Zhao JH, Liu ZX, Lai HJ, Yang DQ, Li XD (2022) Optimizing residue and tillage management practices to improve soil carbon sequestration in a wheat-peanut rotation system. J Environ Manage 306:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114468
Zhou Z, Wang C, ** Y, Sun Z (2019) Impacts of thinning on soil carbon and nutrients and related extracellular enzymes in a larch plantation. For Ecol Manage 450:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117523
Zhou J, Guillaume T, Wen Y, Blagodatskaya E, Shahbaz M, Zeng Z, Peixoto L, Zang H, Kuzyakov Y (2022) Frequent carbon input primes decomposition of decadal soil organic matter. Soil Biol Biochem 175:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108850
Zhu LQ, Hu NJ, Zhang ZW, Xu JL, Tao BR, Meng YL (2015) Short-term responses of soil organic carbon and carbon pool management index to different annual straw return rates in a rice-wheat crop** system. CATENA 135:283–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.08.008
Funding
This research was funded by grants from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, grant number 2572022AW14.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Y. L conceived and designed the study. X. HL collected materials and prepared samples for analysis. X. HL and Z. H analyzed the results for experiments. X. HL, T. GR and Y. TH contributed to the writing of the manuscript and data analyses. S. HL revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible editor: Armando Gómez-Guerrero
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
**ng, H., Zhang, H., Tang, G. et al. Adding fine woody debris accelerates the turnover of soil carbon pool in high-latitude urban plantations in China. J Soils Sediments 24, 2467–2480 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03823-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03823-9