A Novel Experimental and Modelling Study of C and N Dynamics Between Litter, Soil and the Atmosphere as Affected by Soil Fauna and Litter Quality

受土壤动物群和凋落物质量影响的凋落物、土壤和大气之间的 C 和 N 动态的新颖实验和建模研究

• 批准号: 0918482
• 负责人: Francesca Cotrufo
• 金额: $ 79.87万
• 依托单位: Colorado State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0918482&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Novel; Experimental; Modelling; Study; Dynamics

The decay of dead plant material (litter) is a key process in terrestrial ecosystems. For example, as nutrients essential for soil fertility are released into the soil through decomposition, carbon (C) is released back to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), or stored belowground in stable forms. Annually, the CO2 released to the atmosphere by decomposition processes is an order of magnitude higher than the CO2 released by anthropogenic activities. Climate, litter quality and soil animals are key factors controlling litter decay. Current limited knowledge of litter decomposition processes is hampering model predictions of future changes in atmospheric greenhouse gases. The proposed research will result in novel understanding about the influence of soil animals on decomposition. It includes an innovative litter decay experiment in the field, using cutting-edge and traditional methods to unravel questions about carbon and nitrogen (N) transfers from litter to soil and atmosphere. A well designed experimental plan will result in clear demonstrations of the effect of litter quality and soil animals on decomposition processes. The mechanistic understanding of carbon and nitrogen fluxes during litter decomposition will improve ecosystem models and, ultimately, the ability to predict the impact of climate change on soil carbon budgets, nitrogen trace gas fluxes and net greenhouse gas fluxes from ecosystems. The project will be conducted at the Konza prairie, a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site, and thus will contribute to a long-term database on climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. A graduate class on potential uses of the tracers in ecology will be taught, and additional field and lab opportunities for training for post-doctoral associates, graduate and undergraduate students will be promoted. Further, a discussion group and lecture series on Soil Sustainability and Climate Change to integrate disciplines as part of the School of Global Environmental Sustainability will be initiated. This research will also contribute to the established NSF K-12 activities ongoing at Colorado State University's Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL).

植物凋落物的腐烂是陆地生态系统的一个关键过程。例如，土壤肥力所必需的养分通过分解释放到土壤中，碳(C)以二氧化碳（CO2）的形式释放回大气，或以稳定的形式储存在地下。每年，分解过程释放到大气中的二氧化碳比人为活动释放的二氧化碳高一个数量级。气候、凋落物质量和土壤动物是控制凋落物腐烂的关键因素。目前对凋落物分解过程的有限知识阻碍了模型对未来大气温室气体变化的预测。本研究将对土壤动物对土壤分解的影响产生新的认识。它包括一个创新的凋落物腐烂实验，使用尖端和传统的方法来解开碳和氮(N)从凋落物转移到土壤和大气的问题。一个设计良好的实验计划将会清楚地证明凋落物质量和土壤动物对分解过程的影响。对凋落物分解过程中碳和氮通量的机制理解将改进生态系统模型，并最终提高预测气候变化对土壤碳收支、氮微量气体通量和生态系统净温室气体通量的影响的能力。该项目将在康扎草原进行，这是一个长期生态研究点，因此将有助于建立一个关于气候变化、生物多样性和生态系统功能的长期数据库。将开设一门关于示踪剂在生态学中的潜在用途的研究生课程，并为博士后助理、研究生和本科生提供更多的实地和实验室培训机会。此外，将启动一个关于土壤可持续性和气候变化的讨论小组和系列讲座，以整合全球环境可持续性学院的学科。这项研究也将为科罗拉多州立大学自然资源生态实验室（NREL）正在进行的NSF K-12活动做出贡献。