Intensive ground vegetation growth mitigates the carbon loss after forest disturbance

Bernhard Zehetgruber, Johannes Kobler, Thomas Dirnböck, Robert Jandl, Rupert Seidl, Andreas Schindlbacher

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: Slow or failed tree regeneration after forest disturbance is increasingly observed in the central European Alps, potentially amplifying the carbon (C) loss from disturbance. We aimed at quantifying C dynamics of a poorly regenerating disturbance site with a special focus on the role of non-woody ground vegetation. Methods: Soil CO2 efflux, fine root biomass, ground vegetation biomass, tree increment and litter input were assessed in (i) an undisturbed section of a ~ 110 years old Norway spruce stand, (ii) in a disturbed section which was clear-cut six years ago (no tree regeneration), and (iii) in a disturbed section which was clear-cut three years ago (no tree regeneration). Results: Total soil CO2 efflux was similar across all stand sections (8.5 ± 0.2 to 8.9 ± 0.3 t C ha−1 yr.−1). The undisturbed forest served as atmospheric C sink (2.1 t C ha−1 yr.−1), whereas both clearings were C sources to the atmosphere. The source strength three years after disturbance (−5.5 t C ha−1 yr.−1) was almost twice as high as six years after disturbance (−2.9 t C ha−1 yr.−1), with declining heterotrophic soil respiration and the high productivity of dense graminoid ground vegetation mitigating C loss. Conclusions: C loss after disturbance decreases with time and ground vegetation growth. Dense non-woody ground vegetation cover can hamper tree regeneration but simultaneously decrease the ecosystem C loss. The role of ground vegetation should be more explicitly taken into account in forest C budgets assessing disturbance effects.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)239-252
Number of pages14
JournalPlant and Soil
Volume420
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Clear-cut
  • Disturbance
  • Fine roots
  • Forest C cycling
  • Ground vegetation
  • Soil CO efflux

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