Carbon pool structure and carbon density of soil in Pinus koraiensis plantation ecosystem

Abstract

The organic carbon contents, carbon density and carbon storage of the soil in the Pinus koraiensis plantation ecosystem were investigated in Maoershan experimental forest farm, Shangzhi County, Heilongjiang, on the west slope of the Zhangguangcai Mountains in northeastern China for providing data to evaluation of the carbon balance in forest ecosystem of northeastern China. These soil carbon indicators were measured in three forest types, pure P. koraiensis plantation, P. koraiensis and Betula platyphylla mixed forest, and the P. koraiensis and Quercus mongolica mixed forest. The soil carbon pool consisted of four compartments, namely L layer, F layer, H layer and B layer. With variance analysis, we found that both organic carbon content and carbon density of the soil were significantly affected by forest types, soil compartments and slope positions. The highest soil carbon density (278.63 Mg·ha⁻¹).was observed in the mixed forest of P. koraiensis and Q. mongolica. The B layer had the highest carbon density (212.28 Mg·ha⁻¹) among all the soil compartments. In terms of slope position, the highest soil carbon density (394.18 Mg·ha⁻¹) presented in the low slope. Besides, soil carbon content and carbon density had a marked change with the organic matter content and vertical depth of the soil in each compartment. The results of this study implied that in the temperate humid region, the mixed ecosystem of regional Pinus koraiensis plantations and natural forest had relatively high carbon storage capability.

Keywords

soil carbon pool / soil carbon density / soil carbon content / Pinus koraiensis plantation ecosystem / mixed forest

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