Whole-ecosystem labile carbon production in a north temperate deciduous forest

Labile carbon (C), which is principally comprised of non-structural carbohydrates, is an essential intermediary between C assimilation and structural growth in deciduous forests. We developed a new approach that combined meteorological and biometric C cycling data for a mixed deciduous forest in Mic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural and forest meteorology 2009-09, Vol.149 (9), p.1531-1540
Main Authors: Gough, Christopher M., Flower, Charles E., Vogel, Christoph S., Dragoni, Danilo, Curtis, Peter S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
biogeochemical cycles
Biological and medical sciences
carbohydrates
carbon
Carbon cycle
carbon dioxide
cell respiration
deciduous forests
Ecosystem
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
gas exchange
General agronomy. Plant production
Labile carbon
Net ecosystem production (NEP)
Net primary production (NPP)
Non-structural carbohydrates
Photosynthesis
Populus grandidentata
primary productivity
Quercus rubra
Respiration
seasonal variation
Synecology
tree growth
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Summary:Labile carbon (C), which is principally comprised of non-structural carbohydrates, is an essential intermediary between C assimilation and structural growth in deciduous forests. We developed a new approach that combined meteorological and biometric C cycling data for a mixed deciduous forest in Michigan, USA, to provide novel estimates of whole-ecosystem labile C production and reallocation to structural net primary production (NPP). We substantiated inferred seasonal patterns of labile C production and reallocation to structural NPP with measurements of Populus grandidentata and Quercus rubra wood non-structural carbohydrate concentration and mass over two years. Our analysis showed that 55% of annual net canopy C assimilate ( A c) was first allocated to labile C production rather than to immediate structural NPP. Labile C produced during the latter half of summer later supported dormant-season structural growth and respiration, with 34% of structural NPP in a given year requiring labile C stored during previous years. Seasonal changes in wood non-structural carbohydrate concentration and mass generally corroborated inferred temporal patterns of whole-ecosystem labile C production and reallocation to structural NPP. Our findings confirm that disparities can arise between same-year meteorological and biometric net ecosystem production when meteorologically measured C assimilation and biometrically measured growth are asynchronous because of temporary photosynthate allocation to labile C storage. We conclude that a broader understanding of labile C production and reallocation at the ecosystem scale is important to interpreting lagged canopy C cycling and structural growth processes.
ISSN:0168-1923
1873-2240
DOI:10.1016/j.agrformet.2009.04.006