Abstract
Rates were measured at which C and N were released from labile organic matter within the forest floor and mineral soil of jack pine, red pine, balsam fir, sugar maple, and quaking aspen forests. Samples were assayed using a long-term laboratory incubation and pools and rate constants were compared among forests. Labile (respired) C pools in forest floor ranged from four to six times less than that measured in mineral soil. Annual in situ estimates of microbial respiration and N mineralization were far less than respired C and mineralized N pools, suggesting that only a fraction of labile soil organic matter is annually metabolized within these forests. Local climate appears to be an important factor. -from Authors
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1100-1106 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Soil Science Society of America Journal |
Volume | 57 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 1993 |
Externally published | Yes |