Impact of forest disturbances on decomposition, mineralization and soil nutrient release in the Northern Limestone Alps
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems are especially vulnerable to climate change, since these areas will experience stronger temperature fluctuations than the global climate. As a consequence, the intensity and frequency of natural forest disturbance in Central Europe is set to increase, raising serious questions over the future provision of key ecosystem services. Stand-replacing forest disturbance (e.g., windthrow, insect infestations, and harvest) can cause abrupt and long-lasting changes in ecosystem structure and function over huge spatial areas, but empirical data on disturbance impacts on nutrient cycling is lacking, particularly in the context of the Limestone Alps. In these mountains, shallow soils with only small pools of exchangeable nutrients can frequently be met on pure limestone or dolomite and nutrient cycling is restricted to the organic soil layer and the vegetation. Thus, the interruption of the nutrient uptake by the arboreal vegetation after disturbance may cause accelerated nutrient losses with seepage water, associated with detrimental effects on nutrition and productivity status of the regenerating forest. A potential disturbance-driven nutrient loss may add to nitrate levels in drinking water, already critical from the viewpoint of human health. We propose to study disturbance impacts on decomposition, mineralization and soil nutrient release at forested manipulation sites in Upper Austria, which will be artificially disturbed after a short pre-treatment period. Replacement disturbances will be mimicked by clearcut with and without deadwood left on site, and by girdling. We hypothesize that i) forest disturbances affect nutrient release and retention and may cause severe depletions of nutrient pools, ii) rates of decomposition and mineralization (processes, releasing nutrients) are different between leaf litter, root litter, hol organic- and mineral soil, and iii) a net soil carbon source or sink can be attributed to individual biogeochemical processes and soil depths as function of the specific forest disturbance regime. After measuring nutrient losses in the field via input-output balances (solute fluxes via throughfall and soil solution) over 2.5 years (and relating them to nutrient soil and biomass pools), we will explain how disturbance affects nutrient cycling. Field incubations of leaf- and root litter in mesh bags, as well as holorganic and mineral soil in polyethylene bags, will be used to identify possible sources of nutrient release. Finally, we try to calculate a relatively short term soil carbon balance. Our goals are to i) develop guidelines for post-disturbance management of nutrient release and retention after ii) elucidating the impact of forest disturbances on soil biogeochemical processes, and iii) estimating net soil C sequestration under varying disturbance regimes. Investigating sites with and without deadwood left on site, the project will reveal how post-disturbance management can influence ecosystem nutrient loss.
Publikationen
Soil emissions of CO2, CH4 and N2O of disturbed and undisturbed beech stands, affected by decomposing foliage litter
Autoren: Hipfinger, C.; Berger, T.W Jahr: 2018
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Linking litter decomposition to soil carbon stocks under non-native and native tree species
Autoren: Bischofer, L.M; Berger, T.W; Mayer, M Jahr: 2018
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Linking litter decomposition to soil carbon stocks under Norway spruce, Douglas fir and European larch
Autoren: Bischofer, L.M.; Berger, T.W.; Mayer, M. Jahr: 2018
Journal articles
Reconstructing Soil Recovery from Acid Rain in Beech (Fagus sylvatica) Stands of the Vienna Woods as Indicated by Removal of Stemflow and Dendrochemistry
Autoren: Turtscher, S; Grabner, M; Berger, TW Jahr: 2019
Journal articles
Litter decomposition and soil carbon storage in Norway spruce, Douglas fir, and European larch stands
Autoren: Bischofer, L.; Berger, T.W.; Mayer, M. Jahr: 2019
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Do Norway spruce, Douglas fir and European larch stands differ in litter decomposition and belowground carbon storage?
Autoren: Bischofer, L; Berger, TW; Godbold, DL; Mayer, M Jahr: 2019
Journal articles
Soil fertility relates to fungal-mediated decomposition and organic matter turnover in a temperate mountain forest.
Autoren: Mayer, M; Rewald, B; Matthews, B; Sandén, H; Rosinger, C; Katzensteiner, K; Gorfer, M; Berger, H; Tallian, C; Berger, TW; Godbold, DL; Jahr: 2021
Journal articles
Soil fertility determines whether ectomycorrhizal fungi accelerate or decelerate decomposition in a temperate forest
Autoren: Mayer, M; Matthews, B; Sanden, H; Katzensteiner, K; Hagedorn, F; Gorfer, M; Berger, H; Berger, TW; Godbold, DL; Rewald, B Jahr: 2023
Journal articles
Einfluss unterschiedlicher Baumarten auf Elementflüsse mit dem Bestandesniederschlag
Autoren: Morgenbesser, D., Berger, T.W. Jahr: 2023
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Project staff
Torsten Winfried Berger
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Torsten Winfried Berger
torsten.berger@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91217
Project Leader
04.07.2016 - 03.01.2022