Increased Belowground Carbon Allocation Reduces Soil Carbon Losses Under Long-Term Warming

DOI zum Zitieren der Version auf EPub Bayreuth: https://doi.org/10.15495/EPub_UBT_00008876
URN to cite this document: urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-8876-6

Title data

Schindlbacher, Andreas ; Kwatcho Kengdo, Steve ; Heinzle, Jakob ; Tian, Ye ; Mayer, Mathias ; Gadermaier, Josef ; Shi, Chupei ; Urbina Malo, Caro ; Liu, Xiaofei ; Inselsbacher, Erich ; Jandl, Robert ; Sierra, Carlos A. ; Wanek, Wolfgang ; Borken, Werner:
Increased Belowground Carbon Allocation Reduces Soil Carbon Losses Under Long-Term Warming.
In: Global Change Biology. Vol. 31 (2025) Issue 10 . - e70561.
ISSN 1365-2486
DOI der Verlagsversion: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70561

	Format: PDF Name: Schindlbacher et al. 2025 Global Change Biology.pdf Version: Published Version Available under License Creative Commons BY 4.0: Attribution
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Project information

Project title:	Project's official title Project's id Bodenerwärmungs-Experiment Achenkirch 397643203 Open Access Publizieren No information
Project financing:	Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Abstract

The response of the carbon cycle in forests to global warming could lead to a positive climate feedback if warming accelerates the mineralization of soil organic carbon (SOC), thereby causing net emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere. In Europe, carbon-rich alpine forest soils could be particularly affected by global warming, as a greater rise in temperature is expected in this region than the global average. Here we show that nearly two decades of experimental soil warming (+4°C during the snow-free seasons) in a mountain forest in the Northern Limestone Alps significantly (~13% per 1°C warming) and persistently (no change in response over 18 years) increased soil CO2 effluxes. The SOC stocks in the warmed plots decreased compared to controls, yet non-significantly, and quantitatively much less than the surplus carbon outflux from warmed soil suggests. We attribute the increase in soil CO2 efflux primarily to stimulation of root respiration, which was most sensitive to long-term warming. Furthermore, increased root production, faster fine root turnover, and increased root exudation likely not only facilitated autotrophic respiration but also replenished the SOC pool. The radiocarbon age of SOC indicates a rejuvenation of SOC likely by increased input of root carbon into the lower topsoil. Overall, our findings suggest that increased C allocation into the rhizosphere can at least partially compensate for the C loss through increased SOC mineralization with rising temperatures over many years.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Keywords:	radiocarbon; root respiration; roots; soil CO2 efflux; soil organic carbon; warming
DDC Subjects:	500 Science > 550 Earth sciences, geology
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences > Chair Soil Ecology Research Institutions > Central research institutes > Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research- BayCEER Faculties Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences Research Institutions Research Institutions > Central research institutes
Language:	English
Originates at UBT:	Yes
URN:	urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-8876-6
Date Deposited:	11 Feb 2026 12:49
Last Modified:	11 Feb 2026 12:50
URI:	https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/8876

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