Molecular level soil organic matter and nutrients dynamics under silvicultural management
Final Report Abstract
We could prove that the proposed method is a useful innovative tool to label trees in situ with 13C and 15N without large expenditure. The experimental approach for the investigation of litter decomposition seems to be feasible, which could be illustrated by the 13C and 15N enrichment of the soil after 2 months. The investigation of the enrichment in individual biomarkers (PLFA, sugar and black carbon) will be our future task. Up to now, the silvicultural management practices like conversion did not significantly influence soil organic cartoon and nutrient stocks in the mineral topsoil, only stocks in the organic floor and especially in the exploding ground vegetation increased. Most likely the length of time since the termination of the silvicultural experiment is too short and the effects of conversion will affect the mineral soil later. Probably cool and rainy weather conditions also influenced soil processes. Finally, thinning plus fencing caused an increase of the grass and shrub biomass, which likely assimilated most of the mineralised nutrients.
Publications
- (2007) Is black carbon a long-term C pool in Ethiopian forest soils? Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the German Association for Stable Isotope Research (G. Gebauer, ed.), Bayreuth
Glaser B, Freier K, Zech W
- (2007) Long-term turnover of plant-derived sugars in soils below natural forest and plantation in Ethiopia. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta, 71(15): A297-A297
Freier KP, Glaser B, Zech W
- (2008) C sequestration and turnover of soil organic matter pools under natural forest and forest plantations in Ethiopia. In "Consequences of Climate Change on Tropical Ecosystems" (M. M. Weiß, H. Dalitz, M. Küppers, M. Pfiz and R. Zimmermann, eds.), pp. 72-73. Institute of Botany and Botanical Gardens & Centre for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Hohenheim
Glaser B, Freier K, Zech W
- (2009) In situ tree labeling (13C and 15N) of natural and plantation tree species at Munessa forest, Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Glaser B, Benesch M, Zech W
- (2009) Mineral nutrition of trees in the Munessa Forest. Addis Ababa
Zech W, Ashagrie Y, Fritsche F, Pfister J, Kühnel A, Abate A, Glaser B
- (2010) Effects of silvicultural management practices on the soil and foliar nutrient status of tree species in the Munessa Forest, Ethiopia. Addis Ababa
Zech W, Pfister J, Kühnel A, Benesch M, Abate A, Ashagrie Y, Glaser B
- (2010) In situ 15N and 13C labeling for subsequent litter and soil organic matter turnover studies in Ethiopia, symposium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Benesch M, Glaser B, Zech W
- (2010) Mathematical modeling of soil carbon turnover in natural Podocarpus forest and Eucalyptus plantation in Ethiopia using compound specific δ13C analysis. Global Change Biology 16, 1487-1502
Freier K, Glaser B, and Zech W
