Abstract
Afforestation and ecological restoration have often been carried out with fast-growing exotic tree species because of their high apparent growth and yield. Moreover, fast-growing forest plantations have become an important component of mitigation measures to offset greenhouse gas emissions. However, information on the long-term performance of exotic and fast-growing species is often lacking especially with respect to their vulnerability to disturbance compared to native species. We compared carbon (C) storage and C accumulation rates in vegetation (above- and belowground) and soil in 21-year-old exotic slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) and native Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) plantations, as well as their responses to a severe ice storm in 2008. Our results showed that mean C storage was 116.77 ± 7.49 t C ha−1 in slash pine plantation and 117.89 ± 8.27 t C ha−1 in Masson pine plantation. The aboveground C increased at a rate of 2.18 t C ha−1 year−1 in Masson pine and 2.23 t C ha−1 year−1 in slash pine plantation, and there was no significant difference in C storage accumulation between the two plantation types. However, we observed significant differences in ice storm damage with nearly 7.5 % of aboveground biomass loss in slash pine plantation compared with only 0.3 % loss in Masson pine plantation. Our findings indicated that the native pine species was more resistant to ice storm because of their adaptive biological traits (tree shape, crown structure, and leaf surface area). Overall, the native pine species might be a safer choice for both afforestation and ecological restoration in our study region.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen CD, Macalady AK, Chenchouni H, Bachelet D, McDowell N, Vennetier M, Kitzberger T, Rigling A, Breshears DD, Hogg EH, Gonzalez P, Fensham R, Zhang Z, Castro J, Demidova N, Lim JH, Allard G, Running SW, Semerci A, Cobb N (2010) A global overview of drought and heat-induced tree mortality reveals emerging climate change risks for forests. For Ecol Manag 259(4):660–684
Bert D, Danjon F (2006) Carbon concentration variations in the roots, stem and crown of mature Pinus pinaster (Ait.). For Ecol Manag 222(1–3):279–295. doi:10.1016/J.Foreco.10.030
Bragg DC, Shelton MG, Zeide B (2003) Impacts and management implications of ice storms on forests in the southern United States. For Ecol Manag 186(1–3):99–123
Brown S (2002) Measuring carbon in forests: current status and future challenges. Environ Pollut 116(3):363–372. doi:10.1016/s0269-7491(01)00212-3
Butterfield RP (1995) Promoting biodiversity—advances in evaluating native species for reforestation. For Ecol Manag 75(1–3):111–121
Canadell JG, Raupach MR (2008) Managing forests for climate change mitigation. Science 320(5882):1456–1457. doi:10.1126/Science.1155458
Carnus JM, Parrotta J, Brockerhoff E, Arbez M, Jactel H, Kremer A, Lamb D, O’Hara K, Walters B (2006) Planted forests and biodiversity. J For 104(2):65–77
Chazdon RL (2008) Beyond deforestation: restoring forests and ecosystem services on degraded lands. Science 320(5882):1458–1460. doi:10.1126/science.1155365
Chen QJ, Shu ZZ, Pan W, Long YZ, Wei BS (1995) The cultivation zoning and base-layout of slash pine in China. For Sci Technol Guangdong Prov 11(4):1–6
Chen DM, Zhang CL, Wu JP, Zhou LX, Lin YB, Fu SL (2011) Subtropical plantations are large carbon sinks: evidence from two monoculture plantations in South China. Agric For Meteorol 151(9):1214–1225. doi:10.1016/J.Agrformet.04.011
Clark KL, Gholz HL, Castro MS (2004) Carbon dynamics along a chronosequence of slash pine plantations in north Florida. Ecol Appl 14(4):1154–1171
Del Lungo A, Ball J, Carle J (2006) Global planted forests thematic study: results and analysis. Planted Forests and Trees Working Paper 38. FAO, Rome
Dodet M, Collet C (2012) When should exotic forest plantation tree species be considered as an invasive threat and how should we treat them? Biol Invasions 14(9):1765–1778. doi:10.1007/S10530-012-0202-4
Engelmark O, Sjoberg K, Andersson B, Rosvall O, Agren GI, Baker WL, Barklund P, Bjorkman C, Despain DG, Elfving B, Ennos RA, Karlman M, Knecht MF, Knight DH, Ledgard NJ, Lindelow A, Nilsson C, Peterken GF, Sorlin S, Sykes MT (2001) Ecological effects and management aspects of an exotic tree species: the case of lodgepole pine in Sweden. For Ecol Manag 141(1–2):3–13. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00498-9
FAO (2010) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000, Main Report. FAO Forestry Paper 163 FAO, Rome
Finch OD, Szumelda A (2007) Introduction of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) into Western Europe: Epigaeic arthropods in intermediate-aged pure stands in northwestern Germany. For Ecol Manag 242(2–3):260–272. doi:10.1016/J.Foreco.01.039
Galik CS, Jackson RB (2009) Risks to forest carbon offset projects in a changing climate. For Ecol Manag 257(11):2209–2216. doi:10.1016/J.Foreco.03.017
Gholz HL, Fisher RF (1982) Organic matter production and distribution in slash pine Pinus elliottii plantations. Ecology 63(6):1827–1839
Guo LB, Gifford RM (2002) Soil carbon stocks and land use change: a meta analysis. Global Change Biol 8(4):345–360
Guo LB, Wang MB, Gifford RM (2007) The change of soil carbon stocks and fine root dynamics after land use change from a native pasture to a pine plantation. Plant Soil 299(1–2):251–262. doi:10.1007/s11104-007-9381-7
Haggar JP, Briscoe CB, Butterfield RP (1998) Native species: a resource for the diversification of forestry production in the lowland humid tropics. For Ecol Manag 106(2–3):195–203
Hall JM, Van Holt T, Daniels AE, Balthazar V, Lambin EF (2012) Trade-offs between tree cover, carbon storage and floristic biodiversity in reforesting landscapes. Landsc Ecol 27(8):1135–1147. doi:10.1007/S10980-012-9755-Y
Hartley MJ (2002) Rationale and methods for conserving biodiversity in plantation forests. For Ecol Manag 155(1–3):81–95
Hartmann H, Daoust G, Bigue B, Messier C (2010) Negative or positive effects of plantation and intensive forestry on biodiversity: a matter of scale and perspective. For Chron 86(3):354–364
Hebb E (1971) Resistance to ice damage—a consideration in reforestation. Tree Planters’ Notes 22(2):24–25
Huang M, Ji JJ, Li KR, Liu YF, Yang FT, Tao B (2007) The ecosystem carbon accumulation after conversion of grasslands to pine plantations in subtropical red soil of South China. Tellus B 59(3):439–448. doi:10.1111/J.1600-0889.2007.00280.X
IPCC (2007) Climate change 2007: synthesis report the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. IPCC, Geneva
Jandl R, Lindner M, Vesterdal L, Bauwens B, Baritz R, Hagedorn F, Johnson DW, Minkkinen K, Byrne KA (2007) How strongly can forest management influence soil carbon sequestration? Geoderma 137(3–4):253–268. doi:10.1016/J.Geoderma.09.003
Jobbagy EG, Jackson RB (2000) The vertical distribution of soil organic carbon and its relation to climate and vegetation. Ecol Appl 10(2):423–436. doi:10.2307/2641104
Kirby KR, Potvin C (2007) Variation in carbon storage among tree species: implications for the management of a small-scale carbon sink project. For Ecol Manag 246(2–3):208–221. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2007.03.072
Kourtev PS, Ehrenfeld JG, Haggblom M (2002) Exotic plant species alter the microbial community structure and function in the soil. Ecology 83(11):3152–3166. doi:10.2307/3071850
Kramer C, Trumbore S, Froberg M, Dozal LMC, Zhang DC, Xu XM, Santos GM, Hanson PJ (2010) Recent (<4 year old) leaf litter is not a major source of microbial carbon in a temperate forest mineral soil. Soil Biol Biochem 42(7):1028–1037. doi:10.1016/J.Soilbio.02.021
Kurz WA, Stinson G, Rampley GJ, Dymond CC, Neilson ET (2008) Risk of natural disturbances makes future contribution of Canada’s forests to the global carbon cycle highly uncertain. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105(5):1551–1555
Lamb D, Erskine PD, Parrotta JA (2005) Restoration of degraded tropical forest landscapes. Science 310(5754):1628–1632. doi:10.1126/Science.1111773
Lemma B, Kleja DB, Nilsson I, Olsson M (2006) Soil carbon sequestration under different exotic tree species in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Geoderma 136(3–4):886–898. doi:10.1016/J.Geoderma.06.008
Li X, Liu Q, Hu L, Yang F (2006) Aboveground biomass of three conifers in Qianyanzhou plantation. Chin J Appl Ecol 17(8):1382–1388
Li X, Liu Q, Cai Z, Ma Z (2007) Specific leaf area and leaf area index of conifer plantations in Qianyanzhou station of subtropical China. Chin J Plant Ecol 31(1):93–101
Liu Q, Hu L, Li X (2005) Plant diversity in Qianyanzhou after 20 years of small watershed treatment. Chin J Plant Ecol 29(5):766–774
Liu YF, Xu SG, Cui YG, Pei ZY (2011) Litter decomposition in a subtropical plantation in Qianyanzhou, China. J For Res-Jpn 16(1):8–15. doi:10.1007/s10310-010-0206-9
Ma Z, Liu Q, Wang H, Li X, Zeng H, Xu W (2008) Observation and modeling of NPP for Pinus elliottii plantation in subtropical China. Sci China Ser D 51(7):955–965. doi:10.1007/S11430-008-0075-7
Ma Z, Wang H, Wang S, Li Q, Wang Y, Wang H (2010) Impact of a severe ice storm on subtropical plantations at Qianyanzhou, Jiangxi, China. Chin J Plant Ecol 34(2):204–212
Neary DG, Rockwood DL, Comerford NB, Swindel BF, Cooksey TE (1990) Importance of weed-control, fertilization, irrigation, and genetics in slash and loblolly pine early growth on poorly drained spodosols. For Ecol Manag 30(1–4):271–281. doi:10.1016/0378-1127(90)90142-X
Pan Z, Zheng Y (1990) Research on slash pine provenance test. For Res 3(4):314–322
Paquette A, Messier C (2010) The role of plantations in managing the world’s forests in the Anthropocene. Front Ecol Environ 8(1):27–34. doi:10.1890/080116
Paul KI, Polglase PJ, Nyakuengama JG, Khanna PK (2002) Change in soil carbon following afforestation. For Ecol Manag 168(1–3):241–257. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(01)00740-X
R Development Core Team (2012) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. ISBN 3-900051-07-0
Richter DD, Markewitz D, Trumbore SE, Wells CG (1999) Rapid accumulation and turnover of soil carbon in a re-establishing forest. Nature 400(6739):56–58
Scheiner D (1976) Determination of ammonia and Kjeldahl nitrogen by indophenol method. Water Res 10(1):31–36
Schulze ED, Wirth C, Heimann M (2000) Climate change—managing forests after Kyoto. Science 289(5487):2058–2059. doi:10.1126/Science.289.5487.2058
SFA State Forestry Administration P.R. China (2005) National forest resources statistics (1999–2003). NFI 6th. State Forestry Administration P.R. China, Beijing
Shan J, Morris LA, Hendrick RL (2001) The effects of management on soil and plant carbon sequestration in slash pine plantations. J Appl Ecol 38(5):932–941
Silver WL, Kueppers LM, Lugo AE, Ostertag R, Matzek V (2004) Carbon sequestration and plant community dynamics following reforestation of tropical pasture. Ecol Appl 14(4):1115–1127
SITCAS (Scientific Investigation Team of Chinese Academy of Sciences for Southern Mountainous Areas), Management office of natural resources in Ji’an Prefecture of Jiangxi Province (1989) Management and development of red hilly area experimental study in Qianyanzhou. Chinese Science Press, Beijing
Stone R (2008) Natural disasters—ecologists report huge storm losses in China’s forests. Science 319(5868):1318–1319. doi:10.1126/Science.319.5868.1318
Sun JH, DeBarr GL, Liu TX, Berisford CW, Clarke SR (1996) An unwelcome guest in China—a pine-feeding mealybug. J For 94(10):27–32
Sun Y, Gu LH, Dickinson RE, Zhou BZ (2012) Forest greenness after the massive 2008 Chinese ice storm: integrated effects of natural processes and human intervention. Environ Res Lett 7(3). doi:10.1088/1748-9326/7/3/035702
Tian D, Xiang W, Yan W (2004) Comparison of biomass dynamic and nutrient cycling between Pinus massomiana plantation and Pinus elliottii plantation. Acta Ecologica Sinica 24(10):2207–2210
Trumbore SE, Czimczik CI (2008) Geology—an uncertain future for soil carbon. Science 321(5895):1455–1456
Van Dyke O (1999) A literature review of ice storm impacts on forests in eastern North America. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Sciences Section, Pembroke, Ontario. Technical Report No. 112
Wang QK, Wang SL, Zhang JW (2009) Assessing the effects of vegetation types on carbon storage fifteen years after reforestation on a Chinese fir site. For Ecol Manag 258(7):1437–1441. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2009.06.050
Wang SQ, Liu JY, Zhang C, Yi CX, Wu WX (2011) Effects of afforestation on soil carbon turnover in China’s subtropical region. J Geogr Sci 21(1):118–134. doi:10.1007/S11442-011-0833-X
Wen XS, Kuang YY, Shi MQ, Li HZ, Luo LS, Deng RL (2004) Biology of Hylobitelus xiaoi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a new pest of slash pine, Pinus elliottii. J Econ Entomol 97(6):1958–1964
Wilson LF (1993) China’s Masson pine forests: cure or curse. J For 91(1):30–33
Xu J (2011) China’s new forests aren’t as green as they seem. Nature 477:371
Yang FT (2005) The effect of land-use change on the terrestrial carbon cycle: an example of Qian Yanzhou red earth hilly area. Dissertation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yang Y, Chen G, Lin P, Xie J, Guo J (2004) Fine root distribution, seasonal pattern and production in four plantations compared with a natural forest in Subtropical China. Ann For Sci 61(7):617–627
Yuan XH (1999) Effects of land use on terrestrial ecosystem organic C in red soil hilly region in subtropical China. Dissertation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhang YX, Song CH (2006) Impacts of afforestation, deforestation, and reforestation on forest cover in China from 1949 to 2003. J For 104(7):383–387
Zhang K, Xu XN, Wang Q, Liu B (2010) Biomass, and carbon and nitrogen pools in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in eastern China. J For Res-Jpn 15(4):274–282
Zhao T, Zhao W, Gao R, Zhang Q, Li G, Liu X (2007) Induced outbreaks of indigenous insect species by exotic tree species. Acta Entomologica Sinica 50(8):826–833
Zheng H, Ouyang ZY, Wang XK, Fang ZG, Zhao TQ, Miao H (2005) Effects of regenerating forest cover on soil microbial communities: a case study in hilly red soil region, Southern China. For Ecol Manag 217(2–3):244–254. doi:10.1016/J.Foreco.06.005
Zheng H, Ouyang ZY, Xu WH, Wang XK, Miao H, Li XQ, Tian YX (2008) Variation of carbon storage by different reforestation types in the hilly red soil region of southern China. For Ecol Manag 255(3–4):1113–1121
Zhou BZ, Gu LH, Ding YH, Shao L, Wu ZM, Yang XS, Li CZ, Li ZC, Wang XM, Cao YH, Zeng BS, Yu MK, Wang MY, Wang SK, Sun HG, Duan AG, An YF, Wang X, Kong WJ (2011) The great 2008 Chinese ice storm: its socioeconomic-ecological impact and sustainability lessons learned. B Am Meteorol Soc 92(1):47–60
Acknowledgments
We would like to express our deepest thanks to Prof. Susan Trumbore for her helpful suggestions in composing this paper. We greatly appreciate Dali Guo and Luke McCormack, for their advice in this study. The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their comments that helped improve the manuscript. This work is financially supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Climate Change: Carbon Budget and Relevant Issues (XDA05070302), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31100324, 31070559), as well as the MPG-CAS doctoral training program.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Communicated by A. Weiskittel.
Appendix
Appendix
Land-use history and ecosystem characteristics in research site
Natural vegetation in the study area is broadleaf forest. However, deforestation and other human disturbances caused massive soil erosion in the past and prevented successful natural regeneration. In the 1970s, residual Masson pine forests were cut and replaced with sugar cane (Saccharum sinense Roxb.) cultures, but this kind of vegetation was not well suited for the site conditions and the cultures failed completely and were abandoned (SITCAS 1989).
A lot of land became barren and grasslands until, in the 1980s, projects of reforestation and sustainable land-use management were initiated to restore ecosystem functioning and to meet the economic needs of the population. A wide variety of tree species were planted in this watershed (SITCAS 1989), some of them crop species (e.g., Citrus reticulata Blanco., Castanea mollissima Blume.) but mostly forest species such as Slash pine (P. elliottii Engelm.), Masson pine (P. massoniana Lamb.), and Chinese fir [C. lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.] in either monocultures or mixed plantations. The understory shrub vegetation is dominated by Quercus fabric Hance., Loropetalum chinense (R. Br.) Oliver., Lespedeza formosa (Vog.) Koehne., and the herbal layer is composed of about 20–30 species, mainly Adiantum flabellulatum Linn., Woodwardia japonica (L. F.) Sm., Dicranopteris dichotoma (Thunb.) Bernh., Dryopteris championi (Benth.) C. Chr. apud Ching (Liu et al. 2005) (Figs. 7, 8; Tables 4, 5).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, Z., Hartmann, H., Wang, H. et al. Carbon dynamics and stability between native Masson pine and exotic slash pine plantations in subtropical China. Eur J Forest Res 133, 307–321 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-013-0763-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-013-0763-5