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Title
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Below-ground carbon inputs contribute more than above-ground inputs to soil carbon accrual in a bioenergy poplar plantation
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Author
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Abstract
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| Background and aims Soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual is central to the discussion on active atmospheric CO2 removal strategies, but it requires a clear understanding of the mechanisms driving new SOC formation. SOC is formed from the decomposition of above- and below-ground plant inputs, yet their accurate quantification remains a major challenge. In the current study the in-growth soil core and δ13C methods were combined to quantify the net C input from single or combined above- and below-ground parts of a poplar (Populus) bioenergy plantation. Methods Three different mesh sizes were used for the in-growth cores in four different treatments designed to estimate the relative contributions of above-ground litter fall, fine roots and mycorrhizae (C3 input from the poplar) to the new C formation in cores filled with a C4 soil, by applying a mass balance equation. Results Soil C formation was higher in the treatments with roots as compared to the treatments with above-ground C inputs only (29 vs 16 g C m−2), despite the disproportionally lower root inputs as compared to above-ground C inputs (34 vs 175 g C m−2 y−1). Soil C formation from different sources (above- and below-ground) was additive; i.e. the observed soil C formation in the combined treatment was the sum of those in the single soil C input treatments. As a result, below-ground C-inputs had a high conversion efficiency to SOC of 76%. Above-ground plant inputs had a very low SOC formation efficiency of 9%, and were presumably mainly mineralized by microorganisms. Conclusion The higher soil C accumulation rates from below-ground C inputs are particularly important in bioenergy plantations where the above-ground biomass is frequently removed for biomass and energy production. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Plant and soil. - 's-Gravenhage
Plant and soil. - 's-Gravenhage
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Publication
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's-Gravenhage
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2019
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ISSN
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0032-079X
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Volume/pages
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434
:1-2
(2019)
, p. 363-378
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ISI
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000458270300023
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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Full text (open access)
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