Shift in tree species from coniferous to broadleaf reduces soil organic matter stabilization in the short term

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00641817" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00641817 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929139325007061?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929139325007061?via%3Dihub</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106568" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106568</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Shift in tree species from coniferous to broadleaf reduces soil organic matter stabilization in the short term

Original language description

Climate change may eventually result in tree species shifts in temperate forests. However, little is known on further consequences to litter decomposition and stabilization in the soil. This study thus investigates the effects of the shift in tree species from coniferous to broadleaf on litter decomposition and soil organic matter (OM) stabilization in Central European temperate forest soils. Using a 12-month laboratory microcosm experiment, surface mineral soils from coniferous (spruce), mixed and broadleaf (beech) forests were incubated with and without beech leaf litter. Microbial activity as an indicator of litter decomposition was monitored during the whole incubation period and carbon (C) content in the soil OM fractions as an indicator of OM stabilization was analysed at the end. The results demonstrate that decomposition rates were 65 % lower in the coniferous soil than in the broadleaf soil, suggesting that the microbial community in the coniferous soil is less adapted to the high-quality beech litter. Regarding OM stabilization, beech litter addition increased free particulate OM in the coniferous soil by 140 %, but stabilization via mineral association was 60 % more efficient in the broadleaf soil, where beech litter was more readily incorporated. Overall, the findings indicate that the shift from coniferous to broadleaf forests may initially result in reduced soil OM stabilization in coniferous soils, most probably due to microbial adaptation constraints. These insights highlight the complex interactions between litter quality, microbial communities and soil C dynamics. Further research should focus on longer-term effects of the tree species shift.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40104 - Soil science

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA22-02550S" target="_blank" >GA22-02550S: SOMForClim: Soil organic matter fractions and soil carbon storage as affected by forest type and climate change</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Applied Soil Ecology

ISSN

0929-1393

e-ISSN

1873-0272

Volume of the periodical

216

Issue of the periodical within the volume

December

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

6

Pages from-to

106568

UT code for WoS article

001607068400002

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105020902291