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Spatial distribution of carbon dynamics and nutrient enrichment capacity in different layers and tree tissues of Castanopsis eyeri natural forest ecosystem

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Abstract

Forest ecosystem carbon (C) storage primarily includes vegetation layers C storage, litter C storage, and soil C storage. The precise assessment of forest ecosystem C storage is a major concern that has drawn widespread attention in global climate change worldwide. This study explored the C storage of different layers of the forest ecosystem and the nutrient enrichment capacity of the vegetation layer to the soil in the Castanopsis eyeri natural forest ecosystem (CEF) present in the northeastern Hunan province, central China. The direct field measurements were used for the estimations. Results illustrate that trunk biomass distribution was 48.42% and 62.32% in younger and over-mature trees, respectively. The combined biomass of the understory shrub, herb, and litter layers was 10.46 t·hm−2, accounting for only 2.72% of the total forest biomass. On average, C content increased with the tree age increment. The C content of tree, shrub, and herb layers was 45.68%, 43.08%, and 35.76%, respectively. Litter C content was higher in the undecomposed litter (44.07 %). Soil C content continually decreased as the soil depth increased, and almost half of soil C was stored in the upper soil layer. Total C stored in CEF was 329.70 t·hm−2 and it follows the order: tree layer > soil layer > litter layer > shrub layer > herb layer, with C storage distribution of 51.07%, 47.80%, 0.78%, 0.25%, and 0.10%, respectively. Macronutrient enrichment capacity from vegetation layers to soil was highest in the herb layer and lowest in the tree layer, whereas no consistent patterns were observed for trace elements. This study will help understand the production mechanism and ecological process of the C. eyeri natural forest ecosystem and provide the basics for future research on climate mitigation, nutrient cycling, and energy exchange in developing and utilizing sub-tropical vegetation.

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Acknowledgments

Apart from the research team, we would like to thank Xiang Zhang and Arfien Sayman for their help in conducting fieldwork. We also thank our friend Chris Ijeoma for the English language and grammar checking of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was financially supported by research funding from Central South University of Forestry and Technology and the Hunan province finance department (No.70702-45200003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bangor College China, a Joint Unit of Bangor University and Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Taimoor Hassan Farooq

  2. National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology in Forestry and Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Taimoor Hassan Farooq, Xen Xincheng & Wende Yan

  3. Department of Environment and Soil Sciences, University of Lleida, Avinguda Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain

    Awais Shakoor

  4. College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410000, Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China

    Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid

  5. Business School, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, People’s Republic of China

    Muhammad Farhan Bashir

  6. Department of Forestry and Range Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Farrakh Nawaz

  7. Institute of Applied Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China

    Uttam Kumar

  8. Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Punjab, 40100, Pakistan

    Sher Muhammad Shahzad

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Contributions

This collaboration work was carried out among all the authors. THF and MFN proposed original idea. XX and MFB carried out the experiment. THF and MHR wrote the original draft. UK prepared the figures. AS, SMS, and WY supervised and reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final submitted version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Taimoor Hassan Farooq or Wende Yan.

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Farooq, T.H., Xincheng, X., Shakoor, A. et al. Spatial distribution of carbon dynamics and nutrient enrichment capacity in different layers and tree tissues of Castanopsis eyeri natural forest ecosystem. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 10250–10262 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16400-1

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