Management impacts on the dissolved organic carbon release from deadwood, ground vegetation and the forest floor in a temperate Oak woodland.

The forest floor is often considered the most important source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in forest soils, yet little is known about the relative contribution from different forest floor layers, understorey vegetation and deadwood. Here, we determine the carbon stocks and potential DOC production from forest materials: deadwood, ground vegetation, leaf litter, the fermentation layer and top mineral soil (Ah horizon), and further assess the impact of management. Our research is based on long-term monitoring plots in a temperate deciduous woodland, with one set of plots actively managed by thinning, understorey scrub and deadwood removal, and another set that were not managed in 23 years. We examined long-term data and a spatial survey of forest materials to estimate the relative carbon stocks and concentrations and fluxes of DOC released from these different pools. Long-term soil water monitoring revealed a large difference in median DOC concentrations between the unmanaged (43.8 mg L-1) and managed (18.4 mg L-1) sets of plots at 10 cm depth over six years, with the median DOC concentration over twice as high in the unmanaged plots. In our spatial survey, a significantly larger cumulative flux of DOC was released from the unmanaged than the managed site, with 295.5 and 230.3 g m-2, respectively. Whilst deadwood and leaf litter released the greatest amount of DOC per unit mass, when volume of the material was considered, leaf litter contributed most to DOC flux, with deadwood contributing least. Likewise, there were significant differences in the carbon stocks held by different forest materials that were dependent on site. Vegetation and the fermentation layer held more carbon in the managed site than unmanaged, whilst the opposite occurred in deadwood and the Ah horizon. These findings indicate that management affects the allocation of carbon stored and DOC released between different forest materials.

Sources of errors and uncertainties in the assessment of forest soil carbon stocks at different scales-review and recommendations.

Spatially explicit knowledge of recent and past soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in forests will improve our understanding of the effect of human- and non-human-induced changes on forest C fluxes. For SOC accounting, a minimum detectable difference must be defined in order to adequately determine temporal changes and spatial differences in SOC. This requires sufficiently detailed data to predict SOC stocks at appropriate scales within the required accuracy so that only significant changes are accounted for. When designing sampling campaigns, taking into account factors influencing SOC spatial and temporal distribution (such as soil type, topography, climate and vegetation) are needed to optimise sampling depths and numbers of samples, thereby ensuring that samples accurately reflect the distribution of SOC at a site. Furthermore, the appropriate scales related to the research question need to be defined: profile, plot, forests, catchment, national or wider. Scaling up SOC stocks from point sample to landscape unit is challenging, and thus requires reliable baseline data. Knowledge of the associated uncertainties related to SOC measures at each particular scale and how to reduce them is crucial for assessing SOC stocks with the highest possible accuracy at each scale. This review identifies where potential sources of errors and uncertainties related to forest SOC stock estimation occur at five different scales-sample, profile, plot, landscape/regional and European. Recommendations are also provided on how to reduce forest SOC uncertainties and increase efficiency of SOC assessment at each scale.

Short and long term changes in carbon, nitrogen and acidity in the forest soils under oak at the Alice Holt Environmental Change Network site.

The dynamics of soil properties within a 70 year old oak plot were assessed every five years (1994-2009), by depth and by horizon to identify short term changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks, and acidity. The findings were set within a study of long term changes in soil properties in a 180 year chronosequence of oak plots from the same forest. Carbon stock increased significantly in the top mineral horizon - overall increase was 5 t C ha(-1), at a mean accumulation rate of 0.34 t C ha(-1)y(-1), which was mainly due to increase in horizon thickness. No increase was seen when soils were sampled by depth. Differences obtained by depth or horizon sampling due to changes in horizon thickness over time highlight the importance of horizon in the correct evaluation of soil property change in small scale sampling programs. This is particularly important in forest soils with high litter accumulation and low turnover rates when compared to other land uses. Nitrogen stock increases below 10cm soil depth were attributed to insect activity, litterfall variation and a change in water table. Findings were confirmed in the chronosequence study of oak across the forests; increases in soil C stocks of 0.1-0.2 t C ha(-1)y(-1) were calculated across young (~25 years), mid-rotation (~60 years) and old (120+ years) stands. Soil nitrogen increased significantly with canopy age whilst pH increased significantly between young-mid rotation stands but decreased between mid rotation and old stands. Significant increases in pH were also recorded before 2004 in the ECN 70 year old oak plots reflecting overall pollution recovery.

The effects of phytophagous insects on water and soil nutrient concentrations and fluxes through forest stands of the Level II monitoring network in the UK.

The effects of insect defoliators on throughfall and soil nutrient fluxes were studied in coniferous and deciduous stands at five UK intensive monitoring plots (1998 to 2008). Links were found between the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fluxes through the forest system to biological activity within the canopy. Underlying soil type determined the leaching or accumulation of these elements. Under oak, monitored at two sites, frass from caterpillars of Tortrix viridana and Operophtera brumata added direct deposition of ~16kgha(-1)extra N during defoliation. Peaks of nitrate (NO(3)-N) flux between 5 and 9kgha(-1) (×5 usual winter values) were recorded in consecutive years in shallow soil waters. Synchronous rises in deep soil NO(3)-N fluxes at the Grizedale sandy site indicate downward flushing, not seen at the clay site. Under three Sitka spruce stands, generation of honeydew (DOC) was attributed to two aphid species (Elatobium abietinum and Cinara pilicornis) with distinctive feeding strategies. Throughfall DOC showed mean annual fluxes (6 seasons) ~45-60kgha(-1) compared with rainfall values of 14-22kgha(-1). Increases of total N in throughfall and NO(3)-N fluxes in shallow soil solution were detected - soil water fluxes reached 8kgha(-1) in Llyn Brianne, ~25kgha(-1) in Tummel, and ~40kg NO(3)-Nha(-1) in Coalburn. At Tummel, on sandy soil, NO(3)-N leaching showed increased concentration at depth, attributed to microbiological activity within the soil. By contrast, at Coalburn and Llyn Brianne, sites on peaty gleys, soil water NO(3)-N was retained mostly within the humus layer. Soil type is thus key to predicting N movement and retention patterns. These long term analyses show important direct and indirect effects of phytophagous insects in forest ecosystems, on above and below ground processes affecting tree growth, soil condition, vegetation and water quality.

Chemical fluxes in time through forest ecosystems in the UK - soil response to pollution recovery.

Long term trend analysis of bulk precipitation, throughfall and soil solution elemental fluxes from 12 years monitoring at 10 ICP Level II forest sites in the UK reveal coherent national chemical trends indicating recovery from sulphur deposition and acidification. Soil solution pH increased and sulphate and aluminium decreased at most sites. Trends in nitrogen were variable and dependant on its form. Dissolved organic nitrogen increased in bulk precipitation, throughfall and soil solution at most sites. Nitrate in soil solution declined at sites receiving high nitrogen deposition. Increase in soil dissolved organic carbon was detected - a response to pollution recovery, changes in soil temperature and/or increased microbial activity. An increase of sodium and chloride was evident - a possible result of more frequent storm events at exposed sites. The intensive and integrated nature of monitoring enables the relationships between climate/pollutant exposure and chemical/biological response in forestry to be explored.