Effects of forest regeneration practices on the flux of soil CO2 after clear-cutting in subtropical China

Yixiang Wang; Xudan Zhu; Shangbin Bai; Tingting Zhu; Wanting Qiu; Yujie You; Minjuan Wu; Frank Berninger; Zhibin Sun; Hui Zhang; Xiaohong Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.02.038

Effects of forest regeneration practices on the flux of soil CO₂ after clear-cutting in subtropical China

J Environ Manage. 2018 Apr 15:212:332-339. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.02.038. Epub 2018 Feb 22.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Key Laboratory of Carbon Cycling in Forest Ecosystems and Carbon Sequestration of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, 311300, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: w_yixiang@126.com.
² State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Key Laboratory of Carbon Cycling in Forest Ecosystems and Carbon Sequestration of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, 311300, Zhejiang, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Key Laboratory of Carbon Cycling in Forest Ecosystems and Carbon Sequestration of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, 311300, Zhejiang, China; Department of Forest Science, PO Box 27, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014, Finland.
⁴ Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
⁵ Research Institute of Forest Resource Information Techniques, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China.

PMID: 29453118
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.02.038

Abstract

Reforestation after clear-cutting is used to facilitate rapid establishment of new stands. However, reforestation may cause additional soil disturbance by affecting soil temperature and moisture, thus potentially influencing soil respiration. Our aim was to compare the effects of different reforestation methods on soil CO₂ flux after clear-cutting in a Chinese fir plantation in subtropical China: uncut (UC), clear-cut followed by coppicing regeneration without soil preparation (CC), clear-cut followed by coppicing regeneration and reforestation with soil preparation, tending in pits and replanting (CCR_P), and clear-cut followed by coppicing regeneration and reforestation with overall soil preparation, tending and replanting (CCR_O). Clear-cutting significantly increased the mean soil temperature and decreased the mean soil moisture. Compared to UC, CO₂ fluxes were 19.19, 37.49 and 55.93 mg m^-2 h^-1 higher in CC, CCR_P and CCR_O, respectively (P < 0.05). Differences in CO₂ fluxes were mainly attributed to changes in soil temperature, litter mass and the mixing of organic matter with mineral soil. The results suggest that, when compared to coppicing regeneration, reforestation practices result in additional CO₂ released, and that regarding the CO₂ emissions, soil preparation and tending in pits is a better choice than overall soil preparation and tending.

Keywords: Clear-cutting; Reforestation; Soil CO(2) flux; Soil-atmosphere exchange; Subtropical forest.

MeSH terms

Carbon Dioxide*
China
Forestry*
Forests
Soil / chemistry
Temperature

Substances

Soil
Carbon Dioxide