Only scarce information is available on how organic C is incorporated into the soil during the decay and how (micro) climate influences this process. Therefore, we investigated the effect of exposure and elevation on the organic litter decomposition and C-stabilisation in acidic soils of an Alpine environment. An experiment with artificially 13C labelled Norway spruce needles was carried out at north- and south-exposed sites between 1200 and 2400 m a.s.l. in the Italian Alps using mesocosms. After 1 year, the 13C recoveries of the bulk soil were 18.6% at the north-facing slopes and 31.5% at the south-facing slopes. A density fractionation into a light (LF; ≤1.6 g cm−3) and a heavy fraction (HF; >1.6 g cm−3) of the soil helped to identify how the applied substrate was stabilised. At the northern slope, 10.5% of the substrate was recovered in the LF and 8.1% in the HF and at the south-facing slope 22.8% in the LF and 8.1% in the HF. The overall 13C recovery was higher at the south-facing sites due to restricted water availability. Although the climate is humid in the whole area, soil moisture availability becomes more important at south-facing sites due to higher evapotranspiration. However, at sites >1700 m a.s.l, the situation changed, as the northern slope had higher recovery rates. At such altitudes, temperature effects are more dominant. This highlights the importance of locally strongly varying edaphic factors when investigating the carbon cycle
Egli, M.; Hafner, S.; Derungs, C.; Ascher Jenull, J.; Camin, F.; Sartori, G.; Raab, G.; Bontempo, L.; Paolini, M.; Ziller, L.; Bardelli, T.; Petrillo, M.; Abiven, S. (2016). Decomposition and stabilisation of Norway spruce needle-derived material in Alpine soils using a 13C-labelling approach in the field. BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, 131 (3): 321-338. doi: 10.1007/s10533-016-0281-x handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/37211
Citation: | Egli, M.; Hafner, S.; Derungs, C.; Ascher Jenull, J.; Camin, F.; Sartori, G.; Raab, G.; Bontempo, L.; Paolini, M.; Ziller, L.; Bardelli, T.; Petrillo, M.; Abiven, S. (2016). Decomposition and stabilisation of Norway spruce needle-derived material in Alpine soils using a 13C-labelling approach in the field. BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, 131 (3): 321-338. doi: 10.1007/s10533-016-0281-x handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/37211 |
Internal authors: | |
Organization unit: | Food Quality and Nutrition Department # CRI_2011-JAN2016 |
Authors: | Egli, M.; Hafner, S.; Derungs, C.; Ascher Jenull, J.; Camin, F.; Sartori, G.; Raab, G.; Bontempo, L.; Paolini, M.; Ziller, L.; Bardelli, T.; Petrillo, M.; Abiven, S. |
Title: | Decomposition and stabilisation of Norway spruce needle-derived material in Alpine soils using a 13C-labelling approach in the field |
Journal: | BIOGEOCHEMISTRY |
Issue Date: | 2016 |
Scientific Disciplinary Area: | Settore CHIM/12 - Chimica Dell'Ambiente E Dei Beni Culturali |
Keywords ENG: | Alps Carbon stabilisation in soils Density fractionation Exposure Labelled 13C organic matter Picea abies |
Language: | English |
IF: | With Impact Factor ISI |
Publication status: | Published |
Nature of content: | Articolo in rivista/Article |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10533-016-0281-x |
Other types of funding: | DecAlp DACH project no. 205321L_141186; snf project 200021_162338; Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF) Austria (Project I989-B16) |
Appears in Collections: | 01 - Journal article |
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