Effects of increased atmospheric CO2, temperature, and soil N availabilityon root exudation of dissolved organic carbon by a N-fixing tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)
Sm. Uselman et al., Effects of increased atmospheric CO2, temperature, and soil N availabilityon root exudation of dissolved organic carbon by a N-fixing tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), PLANT SOIL, 222(1-2), 2000, pp. 191-202
Root exudation has been hypothesized as one possible mechanism that may lea
d to increased inputs of organic C into the soil under elevated atmospheric
CO2, which could lead to greater long-term soil C storage. In this study,
we analyzed exudation of dissolved organic C from the roots of seedlings of
the N-fixing tree Robinia pseudoacacia L. in a full factorial design with
2 CO2 (35.0 and 70.0 Pa) x 2 temperature (26 degrees and 30 degrees C durin
g the day) x 2 N fertilizer (0 and 10.0 mM N concentration) levels. We also
analyzed the decomposition rates of root exudate to estimate gross rates o
f exudation. Elevated CO2 did not affect root exudation of organic C. A 4 d
egrees C increase in temperature and N fertilization did, however, signific
antly increase organic C exudation rates. Approximately 60% of the exudate
decomposed relatively rapidly, with a turnover rate of less than one day, w
hile the remaining 40% decomposed more slowly. These results suggest that w
armer climates, as predicted for the next century, may accelerate root exud
ation of organic C, which will probably stimulate rapid C cycling and may m
ake a minor contribution to intermediate to more long-term soil C storage.
However, as these losses to root exudation did not exceed 1.2% of the net C
fixed by Robinia pseudoacacia, root exudation of organic C appears to have
little potential to contribute to long-term soil C sequestration.