RELOCATION OF CARBON FROM DECAYING LITTER IN DRAINED PEAT SOILS

Recent findings have indicated that the carbon density and store in pe at soil may increase after drainage for forestry, even if soil respira tion has clearly increased. This is caused by the increased organic C flow from tree stands into soil and consequent retention in the pear m atrix. Relocation of C-14-activity released from the labelled needle a nd fine root litter during 4- and 8-month incubation experiments showe d that, on average, only 60-80% of the activity lost from litter was e mitted to the atmosphere. The proportion retained in the moss layer wa s from 7 to 14%, in the pear soil from 7 to 18% and in the water perco lated through the peat from < 1 to 8%. The results thus support the hy pothesis that organic C flow may contribute to C storage in drained pe at soils. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.