Root‐derived inputs are major contributors to soil carbon in temperate forests, but vary by mycorrhizal type
Top Cited Papers
- 25 January 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Ecology Letters
- Vol. 24 (4), 626-635
- https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13651
Abstract
Roots promote the formation of slow-cycling soil carbon (C), yet we have a limited understanding of the magnitude and controls on this flux. We hypothesised arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM)- and ectomycorrhizal (ECM)-associated trees would exhibit differences in root-derived C accumulation in the soil, and that much of this C would be transferred into mineral-associated pools. We installed δ13C-enriched ingrowth cores across mycorrhizal gradients in six Eastern U.S. forests (n = 54 plots). Overall, root-derived C was 54% greater in AM versus ECM-dominated plots. This resulted in nearly twice as much root-derived C in putatively slow-cycling mineral-associated pools in AM compared to ECM plots. Given that our estimates of root-derived inputs were often equal to or greater than leaf litter inputs, our results suggest that variation in root-derived soil C accumulation due to tree mycorrhizal dominance may be a key control of soil C dynamics in forests.Keywords
Funding Information
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (2019‐67011‐29507)
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