Net soil carbon input under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations: isotopic evidence after 4 years

Elevation of atmospheric CO2 concentration is predicted to increase net primary production, which could lead to additional C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil C input was determined under ambient and Free Atmospheric Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) conditions for Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. grown for four years in a sandy‐loam soil. The 13C content of the soil organic matter C had been increased by 5‰ compared to the native soil by prior cropping to corn (Zea mays) for > 20 years. Both species received low or high amounts of N fertilizer in separate plots. The total accumulated above‐ground biomass produced by L. perenne during the 4‐year period was strongly dependent on the amount of N fertilizer applied but did not respond to increased CO2. In contrast, the total accumulated above‐ground biomass of T. repens doubled under elevated CO2 but remained independent of N fertilizer rate. The C:N ratio of above‐ground biomass for both species increased under elevated CO2 whereas only the C:N ratio of L. perenne roots increased under elevated CO2. Root biomass of L. perenne doubled under elevated CO2 and again under high N fertilization. Total soil C was unaffected by CO2 treatment but dependent on species. After 4 years and for both crops, the fraction of new C (F‐value) under ambient conditions was higher (P= 0.076) than under FACE conditions: 0.43 vs. 0.38. Soil under L. perenne showed an increase in total soil organic matter whereas N fertilization or elevated CO2 had no effect on total soil organic matter content for both systems. The net amount of C sequestered in 4 years was unaffected by the CO2 concentration (overall average of 8.5 g C kg−1 soil). There was a significant species effect and more new C was sequestered under highly fertilized L. perenne. The amount of new C sequestered in the soil was primarily dependent on plant species and the response of root biomass to CO2 and N fertilization. Therefore, in this FACE study net soil C sequestration was largely depended on how the species responded to N rather than to elevated CO2.

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