Drought effects on allocation of recent carbon: from beech leaves to soil CO2 efflux

Abstract

• Recent studies have highlighted a direct, fast transfer of recently assimilated C from the tree canopy to the soil. However, the effect of environmental changes on this flux remains largely unknown. • We investigated the effects of drought on the translocation of recently assimilated C, by pulse-labelling 1.5-yr-old beech tree mesocosms with ¹³CO₂. ¹³C signatures were then measured daily for 1 wk in leaves, twigs, coarse and fine root water-soluble and total organic matter, phloem organic matter, soil microbial biomass and soil CO₂ efflux. • Drought reduced C assimilation and doubled the residence time of recently assimilated C in leaf biomass. In phloem organic matter, the ¹³C label peaked immediately after labelling then decayed exponentially in the control treatment, while under drought it peaked 4 d after labelling. In soil microbial biomass, the label peaked 1 d after labelling in the control treatment, whereas under drought no peak was measured. Two days after labelling, drought decreased the contribution of recently assimilated C to soil CO₂ efflux by 33%. • Our study showed that drought reduced the coupling between canopy photosynthesis and belowground processes. This will probably affect soil biogeochemical cycling, with potential consequences including slower soil nitrogen cycling and changes in C-sequestration potential under future climate conditions.