Soil respiration is a key process in forest biogeochemical cycling. Exploring the relationship between plant functional traits and soil respiration can help understand the effects of tree species conversion on soil carbon cycling. In this study, we selected 15 common subtropical tree species planted in the logging site of second-generation Chinese fir forest to measure soil CO2 emission fluxes, soil physicochemical properties, leaf and root functional traits of each species, and explored the effects of plant functional traits on soil respiration. The results showed that the annual flux of soil CO2 emissions varied from 7.93 to 22.52 Mg CO2·hm-2, with the highest value under Castanopsis carlesii (22.52 Mg CO2·hm-2) and the lowest value under Taxus wallichiana (7.93 Mg CO2·hm-2). Results of stepwise regression analysis showed that the annual flux of soil CO2 emission decreased with the increases of leaf nitrogen content and fine root diameter, and increased with increasing leaf non-structural carbohydrate. In the structural equation model, leaf non-structural carbohydrate had a direct and significant positive effect on soil CO2 emission fluxes, while leaf nitrogen content and fine root diameter had a direct negative effect by decreasing soil pH and soluble organic nitrogen content. Plantations of different tree species would affect soil CO2 emission directly by changing functional traits related to water and nutrient acquisition or indirectly through soil properties. When creating plantations, we should select tree species based on the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem functions, with a view to improving forest productivity and soil carbon sequestration potential.
土壤呼吸是森林生物地球化学循环的关键过程,探究植物功能性状与土壤呼吸的关系有助于了解森林树种转换对土壤碳循环的影响。本文选取在二代杉木林采伐迹地营造的亚热带15个常见树种,测定土壤CO2排放通量、土壤理化性质,以及各树种的叶片和根系功能性状,探讨植物功能性状对土壤呼吸的影响。结果表明: 各树种土壤CO2排放年通量在7.93～22.52 Mg CO2·hm-2,其中米槠的土壤CO2排放年通量最高(22.52 Mg CO2·hm-2),南方红豆杉最低(7.93 Mg CO2·hm-2)。逐步回归分析显示,土壤CO2排放年通量随着叶氮含量和细根直径的增加而降低,随叶片非结构性碳水化合物增大而提高。结构方程模型中,植物叶片非结构性碳水化合物对土壤CO2排放通量具有直接的、显著的正效应,而植物叶片氮含量和细根直径则通过显著降低土壤pH值和可溶性有机氮含量等对土壤CO2排放通量产生负效应。不同树种人工林利用与水分、养分获取相关的功能性状直接或间接通过土壤特性影响土壤碳排放。在营造人工林时,可以参考植物功能性状-生态系统功能的关系来选择树种,以期提高林地生产力和土壤固碳潜力。.
Keywords: non-structural carbohydrate; fine root diameter.; leaf N content; plant functional trait; soil respiration.