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Volume 15, issue 12
Biogeosciences, 15, 3731–3742, 2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3731-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3731-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Biogeosciences, 15, 3731–3742, 2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3731-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3731-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Technical note 20 Jun 2018
Technical note | 20 Jun 2018
Technical note: Rapid image-based field methods improve the quantification of termite mound structures and greenhouse-gas fluxes
Philipp A. Nauer et al.
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Eva van Gorsel, James Cleverly, Jason Beringer, Helen Cleugh, Derek Eamus, Lindsay B. Hutley, Peter Isaac, and Suzanne Prober
Biogeosciences, 15, 349–352, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-349-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-349-2018, 2018
Rhys Whitley, Jason Beringer, Lindsay B. Hutley, Gabriel Abramowitz, Martin G. De Kauwe, Bradley Evans, Vanessa Haverd, Longhui Li, Caitlin Moore, Youngryel Ryu, Simon Scheiter, Stanislaus J. Schymanski, Benjamin Smith, Ying-Ping Wang, Mathew Williams, and Qiang Yu
Biogeosciences, 14, 4711–4732, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4711-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4711-2017, 2017
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This paper attempts to review some of the current challenges faced by the modelling community in simulating the behaviour of savanna ecosystems. We provide a particular focus on three dynamic processes (phenology, root-water access, and fire) that are characteristic of savannas, which we believe are not adequately represented in current-generation terrestrial biosphere models. We highlight reasons for these misrepresentations, possible solutions and a future direction for research in this area.
Nina Hinko-Najera, Peter Isaac, Jason Beringer, Eva van Gorsel, Cacilia Ewenz, Ian McHugh, Jean-François Exbrayat, Stephen J. Livesley, and Stefan K. Arndt
Biogeosciences, 14, 3781–3800, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3781-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3781-2017, 2017
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We undertook a 3-year study (2010–2012) of eddy covariance measurements in a dry temperate eucalypt (broadleaf evergreen) forest in southeastern Australia. The forest was a large and constant carbon sink, with the greatest uptake in early spring and summer. A strong seasonal pattern in environmental controls of daytime and night-time NEE was revealed. Our results show the potential of temperate eucalypt forests to sequester large amounts of carbon when not water limited.
Jason Beringer, Ian McHugh, Lindsay B. Hutley, Peter Isaac, and Natascha Kljun
Biogeosciences, 14, 1457–1460, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1457-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1457-2017, 2017
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Standardised, quality-controlled and robust data from flux networks underpin the understanding of ecosystem processes and tools to manage our natural resources. The Dynamic INtegrated Gap-filling and partitioning for OzFlux (DINGO) system enables gap-filling and partitioning of fluxes and subsequently provides diagnostics and results. Quality data from robust systems like DINGO ensure the utility and uptake of flux data and facilitates synergies between flux, remote sensing and modelling.
Benedikt J. Fest, Nina Hinko-Najera, Tim Wardlaw, David W. T. Griffith, Stephen J. Livesley, and Stefan K. Arndt
Biogeosciences, 14, 467–479, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-467-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-467-2017, 2017
Caitlin E. Moore, Jason Beringer, Bradley Evans, Lindsay B. Hutley, and Nigel J. Tapper
Biogeosciences, 14, 111–129, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-111-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-111-2017, 2017
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Separating tree and grass productivity dynamics in savanna ecosystems is vital for understanding how they function over time. We showed how tree-grass phenology information can improve model estimates of gross primary productivity in an Australian tropical savanna. Our findings will contribute towards improved modelling of productivity in savannas, which will assist with their management into the future.
Mila Bristow, Lindsay B. Hutley, Jason Beringer, Stephen J. Livesley, Andrew C. Edwards, and Stefan K. Arndt
Biogeosciences, 13, 6285–6303, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6285-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-6285-2016, 2016
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Northern Australian savanna landscapes are a region earmarked for potential agricultural expansion. Greenhouse gas emissions from savanna land use change were quantified to determine the relative impact of increased rates of deforestation on Australia's national greenhouse gas accounts. Emissions from historic rates of deforestation were similar to savanna burning, but expanded clearing across northern Australia could add 3 % to Australia’s national greenhouse gas emissions.
Eva van Gorsel, Sebastian Wolf, James Cleverly, Peter Isaac, Vanessa Haverd, Cäcilia Ewenz, Stefan Arndt, Jason Beringer, Víctor Resco de Dios, Bradley J. Evans, Anne Griebel, Lindsay B. Hutley, Trevor Keenan, Natascha Kljun, Craig Macfarlane, Wayne S. Meyer, Ian McHugh, Elise Pendall, Suzanne M. Prober, and Richard Silberstein
Biogeosciences, 13, 5947–5964, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5947-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5947-2016, 2016
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Temperature extremes are expected to become more prevalent in the future and understanding ecosystem response is crucial. We synthesised measurements and model results to investigate the effect of a summer heat wave on carbon and water exchange across three biogeographic regions in southern Australia. Forests proved relatively resilient to short-term heat extremes but the response of woodlands indicates that the carbon sinks of large areas of Australia may not be sustainable in a future climate.
Jason Beringer, Lindsay B. Hutley, Ian McHugh, Stefan K. Arndt, David Campbell, Helen A. Cleugh, James Cleverly, Víctor Resco de Dios, Derek Eamus, Bradley Evans, Cacilia Ewenz, Peter Grace, Anne Griebel, Vanessa Haverd, Nina Hinko-Najera, Alfredo Huete, Peter Isaac, Kasturi Kanniah, Ray Leuning, Michael J. Liddell, Craig Macfarlane, Wayne Meyer, Caitlin Moore, Elise Pendall, Alison Phillips, Rebecca L. Phillips, Suzanne M. Prober, Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, Susanna Rutledge, Ivan Schroder, Richard Silberstein, Patricia Southall, Mei Sun Yee, Nigel J. Tapper, Eva van Gorsel, Camilla Vote, Jeff Walker, and Tim Wardlaw
Biogeosciences, 13, 5895–5916, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5895-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5895-2016, 2016
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OzFlux is the regional Australian and New Zealand flux tower network that aims to provide a continental-scale national facility to monitor and assess trends, and improve predictions, of Australia’s terrestrial biosphere and climate. We describe the evolution, design, and status as well as an overview of data processing. We suggest that a synergistic approach is required to address all of the spatial, ecological, human, and cultural challenges of managing Australian ecosystems.
Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, Alfredo Huete, Kevin Davies, James Cleverly, Jason Beringer, Derek Eamus, Eva van Gorsel, Lindsay B. Hutley, and Wayne S. Meyer
Biogeosciences, 13, 5587–5608, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5587-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5587-2016, 2016
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We re-evaluated the connection between satellite greenness products and C-flux tower data in four Australian ecosystems. We identify key mechanisms driving the carbon cycle, and provide an ecological basis for the interpretation of vegetation indices. We found relationships between productivity and greenness to be non-significant in meteorologically driven evergreen forests and sites where climate and vegetation phenology were asynchronous, and highly correlated in phenology-driven ecosystems.
Caitlin E. Moore, Tim Brown, Trevor F. Keenan, Remko A. Duursma, Albert I. J. M. van Dijk, Jason Beringer, Darius Culvenor, Bradley Evans, Alfredo Huete, Lindsay B. Hutley, Stefan Maier, Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, Oliver Sonnentag, Alison Specht, Jeffrey R. Taylor, Eva van Gorsel, and Michael J. Liddell
Biogeosciences, 13, 5085–5102, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5085-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5085-2016, 2016
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Australian vegetation phenology is highly variable due to the diversity of ecosystems on the continent. We explore continental-scale variability using satellite remote sensing by broadly classifying areas as seasonal, non-seasonal, or irregularly seasonal. We also examine ecosystem-scale phenology using phenocams and show that some broadly non-seasonal ecosystems do display phenological variability. Overall, phenocams are useful for understanding ecosystem-scale Australian vegetation phenology.
Rhys Whitley, Jason Beringer, Lindsay B. Hutley, Gab Abramowitz, Martin G. De Kauwe, Remko Duursma, Bradley Evans, Vanessa Haverd, Longhui Li, Youngryel Ryu, Benjamin Smith, Ying-Ping Wang, Mathew Williams, and Qiang Yu
Biogeosciences, 13, 3245–3265, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3245-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3245-2016, 2016
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In this study we assess how well terrestrial biosphere models perform at predicting water and carbon cycling for savanna ecosystems. We apply our models to five savanna sites in Northern Australia and highlight key causes for model failure. Our assessment of model performance uses a novel benchmarking system that scores a model’s predictive ability based on how well it is utilizing its driving information. On average, we found the models as a group display only moderate levels of performance.
Caitlin E. Moore, Jason Beringer, Bradley Evans, Lindsay B. Hutley, Ian McHugh, and Nigel J. Tapper
Biogeosciences, 13, 2387–2403, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-2387-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-2387-2016, 2016
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Savannas cover 20 % of the global land surface and account for 25 % of global terrestrial carbon uptake. They support 20 % of the world’s human population and are one of the most important ecosystems on our planet. We evaluated the temporal partitioning of carbon between overstory and understory in Australian tropical savanna using eddy covariance. We found the understory contributed ~ 32 % to annual productivity, increasing to 40 % in the wet season, thus driving seasonality in carbon uptake.
V. Haverd, B. Smith, M. Raupach, P. Briggs, L. Nieradzik, J. Beringer, L. Hutley, C. M. Trudinger, and J. Cleverly
Biogeosciences, 13, 761–779, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-761-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-761-2016, 2016
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We present a new approach for modelling coupled phenology and carbon allocation in savannas, and test it using data from the OzFlux network. Model behaviour emerges from complex feedbacks between the plant physiology and vegetation dynamics, in response to resource availability, and not from imposed hypotheses about the controls on tree-grass co-existence. Results indicate that resource limitation is a stronger determinant of tree cover than disturbance in Australian savannas.
C. Werner, K. Reiser, M. Dannenmann, L. B. Hutley, J. Jacobeit, and K. Butterbach-Bahl
Biogeosciences, 11, 6047–6065, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6047-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6047-2014, 2014
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Atmospheric loss of N from savanna soil was dominated by N2 emissions (82-99% of total N loss to atmosphere). Nitric oxide emissions significantly contributed at 50% WFPS; high temperatures and N2O emissions were negligible. Based on a simple upscale approach we estimated annual loss of N to the atmosphere at 7.5kg yr-1. N2O emission was low for most samples, but high for a small subset of cores at 75% WFPS (due to short periods where such conditions occur this has little effect on totals).
H. Jamali, S. J. Livesley, L. B. Hutley, B. Fest, and S. K. Arndt
Biogeosciences, 10, 2229–2240, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2229-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2229-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function: Terrestrial
Soils from cold and snowy temperate deciduous forests release more nitrogen and phosphorus after soil freeze–thaw cycles than soils from warmer, snow-poor conditions
Response of carbon and water fluxes to meteorological and phenological variability in two eastern North American forests of similar age but contrasting species composition – a multiyear comparison
Drought resistance increases from the individual to the ecosystem level in highly diverse Neotropical rainforest: a meta-analysis of leaf, tree and ecosystem responses to drought
An analysis of forest biomass sampling strategies across scales
Comparing stability in random forest models to map Northern Great Plains plant communities in pastures occupied by prairie dogs using Pleiades imagery
African biomes are most sensitive to changes in CO2 under recent and near-future CO2 conditions
Validation of demographic equilibrium theory against tree-size distributions and biomass density in Amazonia
Soil carbon release responses to long-term versus short-term climatic warming in an arid ecosystem
Partitioning of canopy and soil CO2 fluxes in a pine forest at the dry timberline across a 13-year observation period
N : P stoichiometry and habitat effects on Mediterranean savanna seasonal root dynamics
Quantifying energy use efficiency via entropy production: a case study from longleaf pine ecosystems
Rapid response of habitat structure and above-ground carbon storage to altered fire regimes in tropical savanna
Dissolved organic matter characteristics of deciduous and coniferous forests with variable management: different at the source, aligned in the soil
Drought reduces tree growing season length but increases nitrogen resorption efficiency in a Mediterranean ecosystem
Varying relationships between fire radiative power and fire size at a global scale
Ecosystem responses to elevated CO2 using airborne remote sensing at Mammoth Mountain, California
Ideas and perspectives: Tree–atmosphere interaction responds to water-related stem variations
Life cycle of bamboo in the southwestern Amazon and its relation to fire events
Contrasting biosphere responses to hydrometeorological extremes: revisiting the 2010 western Russian heatwave
Long-term dynamics of monoterpene synthase activities, monoterpene storage pools and emissions in boreal Scots pine
The impacts of recent drought on fire, forest loss, and regional smoke emissions in lowland Bolivia
Algal richness in BSCs in forests under different management intensity with some implications for P cycling
The strategies of water–carbon regulation of plants in a subtropical primary forest on karst soils in China
Fungal loop transfer of nitrogen depends on biocrust constituents and nitrogen form
Estimating aboveground carbon density and its uncertainty in Borneo's structurally complex tropical forests using airborne laser scanning
Thermal acclimation of leaf photosynthetic traits in an evergreen woodland, consistent with the coordination hypothesis
Canopy area of large trees explains aboveground biomass variations across neotropical forest landscapes
Gap-filling a spatially explicit plant trait database: comparing imputation methods and different levels of environmental information
Wet season cyanobacterial N enrichment highly correlated with species richness and Nostoc in the northern Australian savannah
Species composition and forest structure explain the temperature sensitivity patterns of productivity in temperate forests
Climate effects on vegetation vitality at the treeline of boreal forests of Mongolia
Fire intensity impacts on post-fire temperate coniferous forest net primary productivity
Effects of storage temperature on the physiological characteristics and vegetative propagation of desiccation-tolerant mosses
Annual net primary productivity of a cyanobacteria-dominated biological soil crust in the Gulf Savannah, Queensland, Australia
Bryophyte-dominated biological soil crusts mitigate soil erosion in an early successional Chinese subtropical forest
Technical note: Application of geophysical tools for tree root studies in forest ecosystems in complex soils
Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation
Ecophysiological modeling of photosynthesis and carbon allocation to the tree stem in the boreal forest
Global consequences of afforestation and bioenergy cultivation on ecosystem service indicators
Detecting impacts of extreme events with ecological in situ monitoring networks
Initial shifts in nitrogen impact on ecosystem carbon fluxes in an alpine meadow: patterns and causes
Accumulation of soil organic C and N in planted forests fostered by tree species mixture
Net ecosystem carbon exchange of a dry temperate eucalypt forest
Growth responses of trees and understory plants to nitrogen fertilization in a subtropical forest in China
On the challenges of using field spectroscopy to measure the impact of soil type on leaf traits
Patterns in woody vegetation structure across African savannas
Geological nature of mineral licks and the reasons for geophagy among animals
Effects of long-term mowing on the fractions and chemical composition of soil organic matter in a semiarid grassland
The European forest sector: past and future carbon budget and fluxes under different management scenarios
Detecting climatically driven phylogenetic and morphological divergence among spruce (Picea) species worldwide
Juergen Kreyling, Rhena Schumann, and Robert Weigel
Biogeosciences, 17, 4103–4117, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4103-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4103-2020, 2020
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Temperate forest soils (sites dominated by European beech, Fagus sylvatica) from cold and snowy sites in northern Poland release more nitrogen and phosphorus after soil freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs) than soils from warmer, snow-poor conditions in northern Germany. Our data suggest that previously cold sites, which will lose their protective snow cover during climate change, are most vulnerable to
increasing FTC frequency and magnitude, resulting in strong shifts in nitrogen leaching.
Eric R. Beamesderfer, M. Altaf Arain, Myroslava Khomik, Jason J. Brodeur, and Brandon M. Burns
Biogeosciences, 17, 3563–3587, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3563-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3563-2020, 2020
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Temperate forests play a major role in the global carbon and water cycles, sequestering atmospheric CO2 on annual timescales. This research examined the annual carbon and water dynamics of two similar (age, soil, climate, etc.) eastern North American temperate forests of different species composition (i.e., broadleaf vs. needleleaf). Ultimately, fluxes of the deciduous forest were found to be less sensitive to temperature and water limitations – conditions expected with future climate warming.
Thomas Janssen, Katrin Fleischer, Sebastiaan Luyssaert, Kim Naudts, and Han Dolman
Biogeosciences, 17, 2621–2645, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2621-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2621-2020, 2020
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The frequency and severity of droughts are expected to increase in the tropics, impacting the functioning of tropical forests. Here, we synthesized observed responses to drought in Neotropical forests. We find that, during drought, trees generally close their leaf stomata, resulting in reductions in photosynthesis, growth and transpiration. However, on the ecosystem scale, these responses are not visible. This indicates that resistance to drought increases from the leaf to ecosystem scale.
Jessica Hetzer, Andreas Huth, Thorsten Wiegand, Hans Jürgen Dobner, and Rico Fischer
Biogeosciences, 17, 1673–1683, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1673-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1673-2020, 2020
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Due to limited accessibility in tropical regions, only small parts of the forest landscape can be surveyed in forest plots. Since there is an ongoing debate about how representative estimations based on samples are at larger scales, this study analyzes how many plots are needed to quantify the biomass of the entire South American tropical forest. Through novel computational and statistical investigations we show that the spatial plot positioning is crucial for continent-wide biomass estimations.
Jameson R. Brennan, Patricia S. Johnson, and Niall P. Hanan
Biogeosciences, 17, 1281–1292, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1281-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1281-2020, 2020
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Prairie dogs have been described as a keystone species and are important for grassland conservation, yet concerns exist over the impact of prairie dogs on livestock production. The aim of this study was to classify plant communities on and off prairie dog towns in South Dakota and determine the utility of using remote sensing to identity prairie dog colony extent. The results show that remote sensing is effective at determining prairie dog colony boundaries.
Simon Scheiter, Glenn R. Moncrieff, Mirjam Pfeiffer, and Steven I. Higgins
Biogeosciences, 17, 1147–1167, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1147-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1147-2020, 2020
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Current rates of climate and atmospheric change are likely higher than during the last millions of years. Vegetation cannot keep pace with these changes and lags behind climate. We used a vegetation model to study how these lags are influenced by CO2 and fire in Africa. Our results indicate that vegetation is most sensitive to CO2 change under current and near-future conditions and that vegetation will be committed to further change even if CO2 emissions are reduced and the climate stabilizes.
Jonathan R. Moore, Arthur P. K. Argles, Kai Zhu, Chris Huntingford, and Peter M. Cox
Biogeosciences, 17, 1013–1032, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1013-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1013-2020, 2020
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The distribution of tree sizes across Amazonia can be fitted very well (for both trunk diameter and tree mass) by a simple equilibrium model assuming power law growth and size-independent mortality. We find tree growth to mirror some aspects of metabolic scaling theory and that there may be a trade-off between fast-growing, short-lived and longer-lived, slow-growing ones. Our Amazon mortality-to-growth ratio is very similar to US temperate forests, hinting at a universal property for trees.
Hongying Yu, Zhenzhu Xu, Guangsheng Zhou, and Yaohui Shi
Biogeosciences, 17, 781–792, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-781-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-781-2020, 2020
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Climate change severely impacts grassland carbon cycling, especially in arid ecosystems, such as desert steppes. The current results highlight the great dependence of soil carbon emission on warming regimes of different duration and the important role of precipitation pulse during growing season in assessing the terrestrial ecosystem carbon balance and cycle.
Rafat Qubaja, Fyodor Tatarinov, Eyal Rotenberg, and Dan Yakir
Biogeosciences, 17, 699–714, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-699-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-699-2020, 2020
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This paper presents a study of the CO2 fluxes in a pine forest plantation at the dry timberline in the Negev, combining the present time with the long-term perspective. Two key issues that limit our understanding are the need to know the sources of CO2 fluxes and the need for long-term perspectives. We provide evidence that helps explain the forest plantation productivity under stressful conditions, which can assist in predicting the response of forest to future drying climate.
Richard K. F. Nair, Kendalynn A. Morris, Martin Hertel, Yunpeng Luo, Gerardo Moreno, Markus Reichstein, Marion Schrumpf, and Mirco Migliavacca
Biogeosciences, 16, 1883–1901, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1883-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1883-2019, 2019
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We investigated how nutrient availability affects seasonal timing of root growth and death in a Spanish savanna, adapted to a long summer drought. We found that nitrogen (N) additions led to more root biomass but number of roots was higher with N and phosphorus together. These effects were strongly affected by the time of year. In autumn root growth occurred after leaf production. This has implications for how we understand biomass production and carbon uptake in these systems.
Susanne Wiesner, Christina L. Staudhammer, Paul C. Stoy, Lindsay R. Boring, and Gregory Starr
Biogeosciences, 16, 1845–1863, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1845-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1845-2019, 2019
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We studied entropy production in longleaf savanna sites with variations in land use legacy, plant diversity, and soil water availability which experienced drought. Sites with greater land use legacy had lower metabolic energy use efficiency, which delayed recovery from drought. Sites with more hardwood captured less solar radiation but more efficiently used absorbed energy. Future management applications could use these methods to quantify energy use efficiency across global ecosystems.
Shaun R. Levick, Anna E. Richards, Garry D. Cook, Jon Schatz, Marcus Guderle, Richard J. Williams, Parash Subedi, Susan E. Trumbore, and Alan N. Andersen
Biogeosciences, 16, 1493–1503, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1493-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1493-2019, 2019
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We used airborne lidar to map the three-dimensional structure and model the biomass of plant canopies across a long-term fire experiment in the Northern Territory of Australia. Our results show that late season fires occurring every 2 years reduce the amount of carbon stored above-ground by 50 % relative to unburnt control plots. We also show how increased fire intensity removes the shrub layer from savannas and discuss the implications for biodiversity conservation.
Lisa Thieme, Daniel Graeber, Diana Hofmann, Sebastian Bischoff, Martin T. Schwarz, Bernhard Steffen, Ulf-Niklas Meyer, Martin Kaupenjohann, Wolfgang Wilcke, Beate Michalzik, and Jan Siemens
Biogeosciences, 16, 1411–1432, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1411-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1411-2019, 2019
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To improve our understanding of the effects of tree species selection and management intensity on dissolved organic matter (DOM), we studied solution samples along the water flow path through forests with spectroscopic methods and biodegradation tests. There are distinct changes in DOM composition and biodegradability following the water path. Aboveground DOM was influenced by tree species selection but not by management intensity. Differences became aligned in mineral soil.
Raquel Lobo-do-Vale, Cathy Kurz Besson, Maria Conceição Caldeira, Maria Manuela Chaves, and João Santos Pereira
Biogeosciences, 16, 1265–1279, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1265-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1265-2019, 2019
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By comparing the cork oak tree vegetative phenology in two contrasting precipitation years in a Mediterranean ecosystem, we showed the critical role of water availability in extending the length of the growing season and determining tree growth. The observed higher transfer of nitrogen from senescent to green leaves in response to drought might compensate for the limited nitrogen uptake by the roots. Our results improve our understanding of the ecosystem's responses to climate change.
Pierre Laurent, Florent Mouillot, Maria Vanesa Moreno, Chao Yue, and Philippe Ciais
Biogeosciences, 16, 275–288, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-275-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-275-2019, 2019
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Fire propagation and fire size are usually considered to be proportional to fire intensity. We used a global database of fire patch size and fire radiative power, used as a proxy of fire intensity, to test this relationship at a global scale. We showed that in some regions fire size tends to saturate when a regional fire intensity threshold is reached. We concluded that increasing landscape fragmentation limits fire propagation and this effect should be accounted for in global fire modules.
Kerry Cawse-Nicholson, Joshua B. Fisher, Caroline A. Famiglietti, Amy Braverman, Florian M. Schwandner, Jennifer L. Lewicki, Philip A. Townsend, David S. Schimel, Ryan Pavlick, Kathryn J. Bormann, Antonio Ferraz, Emily L. Kang, Pulong Ma, Robert R. Bogue, Thomas Youmans, and David C. Pieri
Biogeosciences, 15, 7403–7418, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-7403-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-7403-2018, 2018
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Carbon dioxide levels are rising globally, and it is important to understand how this rise will affect plants over long time periods. Volcanoes such as Mammoth Mountain, California, have been releasing CO2 from their flanks for decades, and this provides a test environment in order to study the way plants respond to long-term CO2 exposure. We combined several airborne measurements to show that plants may have fewer, more productive leaves in areas with increasing CO2.
Tim van Emmerik, Susan Steele-Dunne, Pierre Gentine, Rafael S. Oliveira, Paulo Bittencourt, Fernanda Barros, and Nick van de Giesen
Biogeosciences, 15, 6439–6449, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6439-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6439-2018, 2018
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Trees are very important for the water and carbon cycles. Climate and weather models often assume constant vegetation parameters because good measurements are missing. We used affordable accelerometers to measure tree sway of 19 trees in the Amazon rainforest. We show that trees respond very differently to the same weather conditions, which means that vegetation parameters are dynamic. With our measurements trees can be accounted for more realistically, improving climate and weather models.
Ricardo Dalagnol, Fabien Hubert Wagner, Lênio Soares Galvão, Bruce Walker Nelson, and Luiz Eduardo Oliveira e Cruz de Aragão
Biogeosciences, 15, 6087–6104, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6087-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6087-2018, 2018
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We used a time series of MODIS (MAIAC) satellite images from 2000 to 2017 to map the distribution of bamboo-dominated forests in the southwest Amazon and detect when the bamboo populations are suffering massive die-offs. The aim was to test if bamboo die-off is associated with higher fire probability, which could impact other plant species while promoting bamboo dominance. Our findings show 15.5 million ha of bamboo forests which are not directly associated with fire, except in drought years.
Milan Flach, Sebastian Sippel, Fabian Gans, Ana Bastos, Alexander Brenning, Markus Reichstein, and Miguel D. Mahecha
Biogeosciences, 15, 6067–6085, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6067-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6067-2018, 2018
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Northern forests enhanced their productivity during and before the 2010 Russian mega heatwave. We scrutinize this issue with a novel type of multivariate extreme event detection approach. Forests compensate for 54 % of the carbon losses in agricultural ecosystems due to vulnerable conditions in spring and better water management in summer. The findings highlight the importance of forests in mitigating climate change, while not alleviating the consequences of extreme events for food security.
Anni Vanhatalo, Andrea Ghirardo, Eija Juurola, Jörg-Peter Schnitzler, Ina Zimmer, Heidi Hellén, Hannele Hakola, and Jaana Bäck
Biogeosciences, 15, 5047–5060, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5047-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5047-2018, 2018
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We analysed the relationships between Scots pine needle monoterpene synthase activities, monoterpene storage pools and emissions of needles. The results showed changes in the monoterpene synthase activity of needles, linked to seasonality and needle ontogenesis, while the pool did not change considerably as a function of needle aging. Monoterpene emissions did not correlate with synthase activity or storage pool size. Additionally, we observed notably high plant-to-plant variation.
Joshua P. Heyer, Mitchell J. Power, Robert D. Field, and Margreet J. E. van Marle
Biogeosciences, 15, 4317–4331, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4317-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4317-2018, 2018
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A variety of data were explored to better understand relationships among climate, fire, smoke emissions, and human land use in lowland Bolivia. Paleosedimentary work and modern fire records have linked drought to fire in the southern Amazon. From 2000 to 2015, our results indicate drought was the dominant control on wildfire in lowland Bolivia and in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Note that fire was most common in the Cerrado and seasonally inundated wetland biomes.
Karin Glaser, Karen Baumann, Peter Leinweber, Tatiana Mikhailyuk, and Ulf Karsten
Biogeosciences, 15, 4181–4192, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4181-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4181-2018, 2018
Jing Wang, Xuefa Wen, Xinyu Zhang, and Shenggong Li
Biogeosciences, 15, 4193–4203, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4193-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4193-2018, 2018
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The different contributions of gs, gm, and Vcmax to A indicated that plants utilized diverse trade-offs between CO2 supply and demand to maintain relatively high A. The iWUE was relatively low, but ranged widely, indicating that plants used a "profligate/opportunistic" water use strategy to maintain their survival, growth, and the structure of the community. These findings highlight the importance of covariation of gs, gm, and Vcmax for the adaptation of plants to the harsh karst environment.
Zachary T. Aanderud, Trevor B. Smart, Nan Wu, Alexander S. Taylor, Yuanming Zhang, and Jayne Belnap
Biogeosciences, 15, 3831–3840, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3831-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3831-2018, 2018
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Besides performing multiple ecosystem services individually and collectively, biocrust constituents may also create biological networks connecting spatially and temporally distinct processes. We found evidence of fungal loops within biocrusts but only in cyanobacteria-dominated crusts for the inorganic N form NH4+. Combined with our sequencing effort, our findings suggest that even localized, minor rainfall events may allow dark septate Pleosporales to rapidly translocate N within biocrusts.
Tommaso Jucker, Gregory P. Asner, Michele Dalponte, Philip G. Brodrick, Christopher D. Philipson, Nicholas R. Vaughn, Yit Arn Teh, Craig Brelsford, David F. R. P. Burslem, Nicolas J. Deere, Robert M. Ewers, Jakub Kvasnica, Simon L. Lewis, Yadvinder Malhi, Sol Milne, Reuben Nilus, Marion Pfeifer, Oliver L. Phillips, Lan Qie, Nathan Renneboog, Glen Reynolds, Terhi Riutta, Matthew J. Struebig, Martin Svátek, Edgar C. Turner, and David A. Coomes
Biogeosciences, 15, 3811–3830, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3811-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3811-2018, 2018
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Efforts to protect tropical forests hinge on recognizing the ecosystem services they provide, including their ability to store carbon. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) captures information on the 3-D structure of forests, allowing carbon stocks to be mapped. By combining ALS with data from 173 field plots on the island of Borneo, we develop a simple yet general model for estimating forest carbon stocks from the air. Our model underpins ongoing efforts to restore Borneo's unique tropical forests.
Henrique Fürstenau Togashi, Iain Colin Prentice, Owen K. Atkin, Craig Macfarlane, Suzanne M. Prober, Keith J. Bloomfield, and Bradley John Evans
Biogeosciences, 15, 3461–3474, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3461-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3461-2018, 2018
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Ecosystem models commonly assume that photosynthetic traits, such as carboxylation capacity measured at a standard temperature, are constant in time and therefore do not acclimate. Optimality hypotheses suggest this assumption may be incorrect. We investigated acclimation by carrying out measurements on woody species during distinct seasons in Western Australia. Our study shows evidence that carboxylation capacity should acclimate so that it increases somewhat with growth temperature.
Victoria Meyer, Sassan Saatchi, David B. Clark, Michael Keller, Grégoire Vincent, António Ferraz, Fernando Espírito-Santo, Marcus V. N. d'Oliveira, Dahlia Kaki, and Jérôme Chave
Biogeosciences, 15, 3377–3390, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3377-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3377-2018, 2018
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This study shows how a simple lidar-derived metric measuring the area covered by large trees (> 27 m) can explain biomass variations across the Neotropics. The importance of this metric is in its relevance to the structural and ecological characteristics of large trees and their unique contribution in determining the biomass of forests. Our results point toward simplified ground data collection and potential algorithms for future space missions focusing on biomass estimation.
Rafael Poyatos, Oliver Sus, Llorenç Badiella, Maurizio Mencuccini, and Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
Biogeosciences, 15, 2601–2617, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2601-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2601-2018, 2018
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Plant traits are characteristics of plants that are easy to measure and that show how plants function. Values of these traits for many species and locations worldwide are available in trait databases, but these are often incomplete. Here we use different statistical methods to fill the gaps in a trait database of Mediterranean and temperate tree species. Combining traits and environmental information provides more plausible gap-filled databases and preserves the observed trait variability.
Wendy Williams, Burkhard Büdel, and Stephen Williams
Biogeosciences, 15, 2149–2159, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2149-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2149-2018, 2018
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The northern Australian savannah grasslands encompass 1.5 million square kilometres, where naturally occurring cyanobacteria cover the soil surface. During the wet season, photosynthetic cyanobacteria continually absorb nitrogen from the air and produce a nutrient-rich slime. This bioactive slime formed a protective biofilm on the soil in-between grass plants and provided nitrogen in a plant-available form. Cyanobacterial species richness increased biofertilisation and boosted soil fertility.
Friedrich J. Bohn, Felix May, and Andreas Huth
Biogeosciences, 15, 1795–1813, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1795-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1795-2018, 2018
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Rising temperature affect the wood production of forests. However, in some cases, we observe positive and in others negative changes. In this study, we used a new simulation approach to generate ~ 400 000 forest stands, which cover various types of temperate forests (low to high divers; young to old; even aged to uneven aged). We treated each forest with different temperature scenarios and analysed, which forest characteristics triggered the different reaction of forest to temperature change.
Michael Klinge, Choimaa Dulamsuren, Stefan Erasmi, Dirk Nikolaus Karger, and Markus Hauck
Biogeosciences, 15, 1319–1333, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1319-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1319-2018, 2018
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Treelines are one of the most obvious borders between vegetation units and can easily be detected by remote sensing. They provide information on climate conditions and human impact on forest distribution. Performing a GIS analysis by combining different datasets leads to detection of the major determining factors for current forest distribution and helps to evaluate past and future conditions for tree growth. This is especially feasible for regions without extensive forest management.
Aaron M. Sparks, Crystal A. Kolden, Alistair M. S. Smith, Luigi Boschetti, Daniel M. Johnson, and Mark A. Cochrane
Biogeosciences, 15, 1173–1183, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1173-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1173-2018, 2018
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Through landscape-scale satellite observations we demonstrate that fire intensity has a dose–response relationship with temperate forest net primary productivity. Increasing fire intensity resulted in persisting step-wise reductions in post-fire net primary productivity. Forests with higher proportions of fire-resistant species generally had lower reductions in post-fire net primary productivity. A conceptual framework for assessing spatiotemporal post-fire effects is presented.
Yuewei Guo and Yunge Zhao
Biogeosciences, 15, 797–808, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-797-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-797-2018, 2018
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This study is a preparatory work for inoculating artificial biological soil crusts (biocrusts). The response of the physiological characteristics and regenerative capacity of three mosses to storage temperatures were studied. Results showed that different temperature significantly influenced the physiological characteristics of the mosses, which caused alteration in their regenerative capacity. More focus should therefore be on the state of moss inocula when restoring biocrusts by inoculation.
Burkhard Büdel, Wendy J. Williams, and Hans Reichenberger
Biogeosciences, 15, 491–505, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-491-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-491-2018, 2018
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We report on the net primary productivity of a biological soil crust from the Boodjamulla NP, Queensland. Metabolic activity lasted from September 2010 to mid-April 2011, referring to 23.6 % of the total time of the year. The first months of activity had a respiratory loss of CO2. Of the metabolic active period, 48.6 % were photosynthesis and 51.4 % dark respiration. Carbon gain was 1.72 g m−2 yr−1. The gas exchange pattern was divided into metabolically inactive winter and active summer month.
Steffen Seitz, Martin Nebel, Philipp Goebes, Kathrin Käppeler, Karsten Schmidt, Xuezheng Shi, Zhengshan Song, Carla L. Webber, Bettina Weber, and Thomas Scholten
Biogeosciences, 14, 5775–5788, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5775-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5775-2017, 2017
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This study investigated biological soil crusts (biocrusts, e.g. cyanobacteria and mosses) within an early-stage mesic subtropical forest in China, where they were particularly abundant. Biocrust covers significantly decreased soil erosion and were more effective in erosion reduction than stone cover. Hence, they play an important role in mitigating soil erosion under forest and are of particular interest for erosion control in forest plantations.
Ulises Rodríguez-Robles, Tulio Arredondo, Elisabeth Huber-Sannwald, José Alfredo Ramos-Leal, and Enrico A. Yépez
Biogeosciences, 14, 5343–5357, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5343-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5343-2017, 2017
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The approach we present has the potential to contribute to the understanding of several types of plant interactions such as coexistence, competition and niche extent. By combining geophysical exploration techniques GPR and ERT we provide experimental evidence of horizontal roots located under exfoliated rocks and in water reservoirs. We also study how the roots access water retained in the weathered rock during droughty periods and the implications for survival and coexistence of forest species.
Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Miro Demol, Stijn Bruneel, Cys Taveirne, Dries Van der Heyden, Landry Cizungu, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 14, 5313–5321, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5313-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5313-2017, 2017
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We assessed community-weighted functional canopy traits and indicative δ15N shifts along two new altitudinal transects in the tropical forest biome of both South America and Africa. We found that the functional forest composition and δ15N response along both transects was parallel, with a species shift towards more nitrogen-conservative species at higher elevations.
Fabio Gennaretti, Guillermo Gea-Izquierdo, Etienne Boucher, Frank Berninger, Dominique Arseneault, and Joel Guiot
Biogeosciences, 14, 4851–4866, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4851-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4851-2017, 2017
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A model–data fusion approach is used to study how boreal forests assimilate and allocate carbon depending on weather/climate conditions. First, we adapted the MAIDEN ecophysiological forest model to consider important processes for boreal tree species. We tested the modifications on black spruce gross primary production and ring width data. We show that MAIDEN is a powerful tool for understanding how environmental factors interact with tree ecophysiology to influence boreal forest carbon fluxes.
Andreas Krause, Thomas A. M. Pugh, Anita D. Bayer, Jonathan C. Doelman, Florian Humpenöder, Peter Anthoni, Stefan Olin, Benjamin L. Bodirsky, Alexander Popp, Elke Stehfest, and Almut Arneth
Biogeosciences, 14, 4829–4850, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4829-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4829-2017, 2017
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Many climate change mitigation scenarios require negative emissions from land management. However, environmental side effects are often not considered. Here, we use projections of future land use from two land-use models as input to a vegetation model. We show that carbon removal via bioenergy production or forest maintenance and expansion affect a range of ecosystem functions. Largest impacts are found for crop production, nitrogen losses, and emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds.
Miguel D. Mahecha, Fabian Gans, Sebastian Sippel, Jonathan F. Donges, Thomas Kaminski, Stefan Metzger, Mirco Migliavacca, Dario Papale, Anja Rammig, and Jakob Zscheischler
Biogeosciences, 14, 4255–4277, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4255-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-4255-2017, 2017
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We investigate the likelihood of ecological in situ networks to detect and monitor the impact of extreme events in the terrestrial biosphere.
Bing Song, Jian Sun, Qingping Zhou, Ning Zong, Linghao Li, and Shuli Niu
Biogeosciences, 14, 3947–3956, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3947-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3947-2017, 2017
Yan Liu, Pifeng Lei, Wenhua Xiang, Wende Yan, and Xiaoyong Chen
Biogeosciences, 14, 3937–3945, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3937-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3937-2017, 2017
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Here we investigate soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in pairwise mixed plantations and corresponding monocultures at different stand ages to assess the effects of admixture on soil carbon and nitrogen over time. Our results showed that the admixtures created age-dependent positive effects on carbon sequestration and soil nitrogen stock, indicating that the capacity of carbon sequestration and nitrogen retention in mixed forests was age related, as was the magnitude of admixing effects.
Nina Hinko-Najera, Peter Isaac, Jason Beringer, Eva van Gorsel, Cacilia Ewenz, Ian McHugh, Jean-François Exbrayat, Stephen J. Livesley, and Stefan K. Arndt
Biogeosciences, 14, 3781–3800, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3781-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3781-2017, 2017
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We undertook a 3-year study (2010–2012) of eddy covariance measurements in a dry temperate eucalypt (broadleaf evergreen) forest in southeastern Australia. The forest was a large and constant carbon sink, with the greatest uptake in early spring and summer. A strong seasonal pattern in environmental controls of daytime and night-time NEE was revealed. Our results show the potential of temperate eucalypt forests to sequester large amounts of carbon when not water limited.
Di Tian, Peng Li, Wenjing Fang, Jun Xu, Yongkai Luo, Zhengbing Yan, Biao Zhu, Jingjing Wang, Xiaoniu Xu, and Jingyun Fang
Biogeosciences, 14, 3461–3469, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3461-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3461-2017, 2017
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Previous studies have mainly focused on the effects of N deposition on tree growth in temperate and tropical forests, however, the responses of different trees and understory plants in subtropical forests to N deposition remain unknown. We conducted a 3.4-year experimentally simulated N enrichment and found that small trees were hindered while medium and large trees were not significantly affected by N fertilization. Additionally, the growth of understories was suppressed by N fertilization.
Matheus H. Nunes, Matthew P. Davey, and David A. Coomes
Biogeosciences, 14, 3371–3385, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3371-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3371-2017, 2017
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The paper investigates whether variability in leaf traits is greater between tree species or soil type and whether field spectroscopy is effective at predicting intraspecific variation in leaf traits as well as interspecific differences. The influences of species identity on traits were generally much stronger than within-species differences related to soil type. This study demonstrates the value of spectroscopy, but highlights problems with predicting within-species variation indirectly.
Christoffer R. Axelsson and Niall P. Hanan
Biogeosciences, 14, 3239–3252, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3239-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3239-2017, 2017
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We used high-resolution satellite images to analyze woody vegetation (trees and shrubs) across African savannas. By delineating individual tree crowns we estimated the number of trees, sizes of crowns, and the spatial pattern of woody vegetation in the landscape. We find several interesting relationships for how vegetation properties (including the emergence of highly organized periodic vegetation patterns) are influenced by the local environment.
Alexander M. Panichev, Vladimir K. Popov, Igor Yu. Chekryzhov, Ivan V. Seryodkin, Alexander A. Sergievich, and Kirill S. Golokhvast
Biogeosciences, 14, 2767–2779, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2767-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2767-2017, 2017
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We considers the reasons for geophagy in two regions of the eastern Sikhote-Alin volcanic belt and show that one of the types of rock consumed is kudur, a natural landscape complex. Through comparative analysis of the composition of the rocks and of animal excrement, we establish that the rocks are hydrothermally altered rhyolitic tuffs. The data suggest that the main reason for geophagy may be connected with the animals' urge to discard excessive and toxic concentrations of certain elements.
Jiangye Li, Qichun Zhang, Yong Li, Yimeng Liu, Jianming Xu, and Hongjie Di
Biogeosciences, 14, 2685–2696, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2685-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2685-2017, 2017
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(1) Solid state 13C-NMR is a powerful tool to study the nature of soil organic carbon. (2) Moderate mowing improved the stability of the grassland soil organic carbon pool. (3) Heavy mowing decreased the stability of the grassland soil organic carbon pool. (4) Mowing once a year is the most recommended practice in the semiarid grassland. (5) Mowing twice a year should be avoided for the long term in the semiarid grassland.
Roberto Pilli, Giacomo Grassi, Werner A. Kurz, Giulia Fiorese, and Alessandro Cescatti
Biogeosciences, 14, 2387–2405, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2387-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2387-2017, 2017
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We modeled, for 26 European countries, the C budget and fluxes of the main forest pools from 2000 to 2030 under different management scenarios. Our findings show an incipient aging process for the existing forests, but specific conditions, such as the harvest rate and the current age structure, may have different impacts on the country-specific evolution of biomass stock. This provides a useful framework for more detailed analyses of the mitigation potential of the forest sector.
Guo-Hong Wang, He Li, Hai-Wei Zhao, and Wei-Kang Zhang
Biogeosciences, 14, 2307–2319, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2307-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2307-2017, 2017
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Spruces worldwide have been classified into groups based on morphological similarity and phylogenetic affinity. However, climatic influences on the divergence of spruces remain unknown. Using data from 3388 sites of spruces worldwide, we found that temperature parameters and precipitation parameters tended to be the main driving factors for the primary divergence of spruce phylogeny and morphology, respectively.
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Short summary
Termites perform important biogeochemical processes in tropical ecosystems, but the complex structure of their mounds impede an accurate quantitative description. We present two novel low-cost field methods, based on photogrammetry and image analysis, to quantify the volume, surface area and porosities of termite mounds. The methods are accurate, rapid to apply and superior to traditional methods, and thus improve biogeochemical rate estimates such as greenhouse-gas fluxes from termite mounds.
Termites perform important biogeochemical processes in tropical ecosystems, but the complex...
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