Mature trees help to offset urban area problems caused by impervious pavement. Trees in paved areas remain unhealthy due to a poor root zone environment. The objective of this experiment was to test if soil under pervious concrete, with greater water and gas infiltration, would be more beneficial to existing mature trees during urban development. Root activity, root growth and soil chemistry of American sweetgum under standard concrete, pervious concrete and no concrete were measured. Soil CO2 efflux rates and soil CO2 concentrations were extremely high under both concrete treatments. Soil under standard concrete had lower oxygen concentrations than soil under pervious concrete and control treatments, particularly under wet conditions. There was no pavement effect on soil water content or soil chemistry. Under control treatment standing live root length was greater than under both concrete treatments. There were no major differences in soil conditions between impervious and pervious concrete treatments. The soil under the plots, a Ships clay, with very low permeability may have prevented soil water infiltration. Likely this overrode any potential treatment effects due to porosity of the concrete. To obtain root zone benefits out of pervious concrete, a different base soil with a higher permeability would be a better alternative.

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) occupies 13 million hectares in the United States and represents a critical component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Forest management alters C dynamics, affecting the C sequestration capacity of a site. Identifying drivers that influence C cycling, quantifying C fluxes, and determining how management alters processes involved in C cycling will allow for an understanding of C sequestration capacity in managed forests. Objectives of the first study included (1) investigating environmental, soil C, root, and stand influences on soil CO2 efflux on the South Carolina coastal plain and (2) quantifying soil CO2 efflux over a rotation in loblolly pine stands located on the South Carolina coastal plain and the Virginia piedmont. In relation to the first objective, temporal variation in soil CO2 efflux was most highly related to soil temperature. Spatial and temporal variability in soil CO2 efflux was weakly related to soil C and root biomass, and not related to coarse woody debris, stand age, stand volume, or site index [Chapter 2]. Soil CO2 efflux was not related to stand age on the South Carolina sites while efflux was positively related to age on the Virginia sites. Cumulative soil C efflux on the South Carolina sites over 20 years is an estimated 278.6 Mg C/ha compared with an estimated 210.9 Mg C/ha on the Virginia sites [Chapter 3]. Objectives of the second study were (1) to investigate short-term effects of fertilization on processes permitting enhanced growth in loblolly pine and (2) to determine the short-term effects of fertilization on autotrophic, heterotrophic, and soil respiration. Major results from the study include the finding that fertilization caused a transient rise in photosynthetic capacity, which paralleled changes in foliar nitrogen. Leaf area accumulation and enhanced growth following fertilization was partly due to enhanced C fixation capacity [Chapter 4]. Fertilization altered the contribution of autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration to total soil CO2 efflux. Enhanced specific root respiration was short-lived while suppressed microbial respiration following fertilization was maintained over the course of the nearly 200-day study. Respiring root biomass growth increased total soil respiration over time [Chapter 5]. / Ph. D.

Soils are a major component of the global carbon budget and may serve an important role in mitigating increasing atmospheric CO2 through their capacity to store carbon. In this regard, it is important to evaluate the implications of forest management on changes in carbon cycling and sequestration and to determine the magnitude by which the efflux of CO2 from the soil surface can vary in time and space. For this study, soil CO2 efflux was measured in 5 replicate blocks of naturally regenerated and planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) in a 50-acre clear-cut on the Virginia Piedmont. Rates of CO2 efflux were measured every 2 weeks immediately adjacent and away (1m) from newly planted seedlings and cut stumps using a dynamic, closed-chamber infrared gas analyzer system. For each measurement date, volumetric water content was taken in the top 17cm, using time domain reflectometry (TDR) and soil-surface temperature was recorded in the top 7cm, using a temperature probe. For the October measurement a 12cm depth soil core (7cm diameter) was collected for each location. Carbon, nitrogen, coarse fragments, roots, surface litter and coarse woody debris were measured separately for each core. Position (near and away from seedling) had a strong effect on soil CO2 efflux rates. For the first measurement date, rates were higher near the newly planted seedlings (3.09μmol/m2/s) than those taken away from the seedlings (2.29 μmol/m2/s).. The same trend was maintained for the CO2 efflux rates measured near a cut stumps (3.51μmol/m2/s) and those taken away from the stump base (2.56μmol/m2/s). Species proved to have no significant effect on respiration rates for any date and no interaction between species and position was observed. Regression analysis was used to model the influence of soil and plant factors on efflux rates. Temperature (29.2%), position (near and away from the seedlings and stumps base)* temperature, (7.7%), soil carbon (4.1%), organic matter (1.6%), and soil moisture (0.7%) proved to be the major drivers for soil respiration (R2 = 0.4329). When only data near seedlings or stumps were modeled, species had a significant effect on soil CO2 efflux rates. The largest seedlings, loblolly pine (100 cm3 seedling value), had on average the highest rates followed by shortleaf pine (30 cm3 seedling value) and eastern white pine, which were the smallest (9 cm3 seedling value). Stumps had the highest efflux rates. The mean soil respiration rate measured over a seven month sampling period was 2.58 μmol/m2/s,, while the calculated carbon loss from the soil over the same period added up to 575 g C/ m2. The annual carbon loss was estimated to be 675 g C/ m2. / Master of Science

Forests of the southeastern U.S. play an important role in meeting the increasing demand for forest products, and represent an important carbon (C) sink that can be managed as a potential tool for mitigating atmospheric CO2 concentrations and global climate change. However, realizing this potential depends on full accounting of the ecosystem carbon (C) budget. The separate evaluation of root-derived, autotrophic (RA) and microbially-derived heterotrophic (RH) soil respiration in response to management and climate change is important, as environmental and ecological factors often differentially affect these components, and RH can be weighed against net primary productivity (NPP) to estimate the C sink or source status of forest ecosystems. The objective of this research was to improve the quantitative and mechanistic understanding of soil respiratory fluxes in managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations of the southeastern U.S. To achieve this overall objective, three studies were implemented to: 1) estimate the proportion and seasonality of RH:RS in four stand age classes, and identify relationships between RH:RS and stand characteristics 2) evaluate the effects of forest nutrient management and throughfall reduction on factors that influence RH and decomposition dynamics, including litter quality, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity and 3) evaluate the sensitivity of sources of RH (mineral soil-derived heterotrophic respiration; RHM, and leaf litter-derived heterotrophic respiration; RHL) to varying soil and litter water content over the course of a dry down event, and assess whether fertilization influences RH. Stand age and measurement season each had a significant effect on RH:RS (P < 0.001), but there were no interactive effects (P = 0.202). Mean RH:RS during the 12-month study declined with stand age, and were 0.82, 0.73, 0.59, and 0.50 for 3-year-old, 9-year-old, 18- year-old, and 25-year-old stands, respectively. Across all age classes, the winter season had the highest mean RH:RS of 0.85 while summer had the lowest of 0.55. Additionally, there were highly significant (P < 0.001) and strong (r > 0.5) correlations between RH:RS and peak LAI, stem volume, and understory biomass. Fertilization improved litter quality by significantly decreasing lignin:N and lignin:P ratios, caused a shift in extracellular enzyme activity from mineral soil N- and P-acquiring enzyme activity to litter C-acquiring enzyme activity, and increased microbial biomass pools. Throughfall reduction decreased litter quality by increasing lignin:N and lignin:P, but also increased C-acquiring enzyme activity. RHL was more sensitive to water content than RHM, and increased linearly with increasing litter water content (R2 = 0.89). The contribution of RHL to RH was greatest immediately following the wetting event, and decreased rapidly to near-zero between three – 10 days. RHM also had a strong relationship with soil water content (R2 = 0.62), but took between 200 – 233 days to attain near-zero RHM rates. Fertilization had no effect on RHM (P = 0.657), but significantly suppressed RHL rates after the wetting event (P < 0.009). This research provides estimates of RH:RS in managed loblolly pine systems that can be used to improve regional ecosystem C modeling efforts, and demonstrates the need to consider the impact of stand age and seasonal patterns to identify the point at which plantations switch from functioning as C sources to C sinks. Additionally, it demonstrates that the controls over RH are dynamic and influenced in the short-term by fertilization and changed precipitation regimes, with the greatest impact on properties affecting litter RH compared to mineral soil. Future research should work to improve the mechanistic understanding of the seasonal and spatial variability of RH and related controlling biotic and abiotic parameters to remedy the variability in existing RS and ecosystem C models. Understanding how management and climate change may impact factors that control RH will ultimately improve our understanding of what drives changes in forest C fluxes. / Ph. D.

Forests play an important role in the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil respiration is often the major source of CO2 in forests and is greatly influenced by climatic variability and management practices. Spatial and temporal variations of soil respiration have been examined in a chronosequence (60, 30, 15, and 1 year-old) of temperate, afforested, white pine (Pinus strobus) forest stands in Southern Ontario, Canada, in order to investigate any age related differences. Spatial and temporal variations of soil respiration in a 74 year-old boreal, mixed-wood forest in Central Ontario, was also studied and compared with results from the 60 year-old, temperate, white pine, forest stand, in order to investigate any climate related differences. Soil CO2 flux, temperature, and moisture were measured for one year (June 2003 to May 2004, inclusive, for the chronosequence study, and August 2003 to July 2004, inclusive, for the boreal-temperate study). In all stands, temporal variability of soil respiration followed the seasonal pattern of soil temperature, reaching a minimum in winter and maximum in summer. Temporal variability of soil temperature was able to explain 80 to 96% of the temporal variability in soil respiration at all stands. Spatial variability in soil respiration was also observed at all stands and the degree of this variability was seasonal, following the seasonal trend of mean daily soil respiration. Spatial variability of some soil chemical properties was highly correlated with the spatial variability of soil respiration, while litter thickness was not. The location of soil respiration measurement with respect to tree trunks may also help to explain some of the spatial variability in soil respiration. Across the chronosequence, the highest mean daily CO2 efflux was observed during the growing season for the 15 year-old-stand (5.2 ± 1.3 to 0.4 ± 0.2 μmol CO2 m^-2 s^-1), which was comparable to the 60 year-old-stand (4.9 ± 1.3 to 0.2 ±0.1 μmol CO2 m^-2 s^-1), but higher than the 30 year (3.8 ± 0.9 to 0.2 ± 0.0 μmol CO2 m^-2 s^-1) and 1 year (2.9 ± 0.9 to 0.3 ± 0.3 μmol CO2 m^-2 s^-1) old stands. From boreal-temperate comparison, it was observed that mean daily soil respiration rates for the boreal stand (6.9 ± 1.7 to 0.5 ±0.1 μmol CO2 m^-2 s^-1) were higher during the growing season compared to the 60 year-old temperate forest stand. Understanding temporal and spatial variability of soil respiration and how it is controlled is essential to improving forest ecosystem carbon budget assessments, and subsequently, the global carbon budget. This study will contribute direct observations necessary for improving and validating forest ecosystem CO2 exchange models. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>This study explores the seasonal dynamics of soil CO₂ efflux (Rs) in a temperate pine plantation forest located in Southern Ontario, Canada. Rs was continuously measured from June 15, 2008 to December 31, 2010 at this site using an automated soil CO₂ chamber system. Component analysis of Rs conducted by making continuous measurements in a trenched plot where live roots were excised indicated that heterotrophic respiration (Rh) contributed approximately 72 and 80% (895 and 920 g C m^-2 year^-1) of annual Rs in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Similarly, continuous Rs measurement in a litterless plot where the surface litter layer was removed contributed 65 and 57% (800 and 655 g C m^-2 year^-1) of annual Rs in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Results of this study suggested that overall soil temperature was the dominant control on Rs in this forest, except during the severe dry conditions.</p> <p>In order to explore the impact of soil water limitations on Rs a through-fall exclusion experiment conducted from April 1 to July 3, 2009 - the spring and early summer season. Through-fall exclusion caused a large reduction in daily Rs. This experiment further suggested that Rs became less sensitive to temperature and increasingly more sensitive to water as soil water content depleted due to the through-fall exclusion. This study helps to better understand the seasonal dynamics of Rs, and its components and controls in temperate conifer forests in Eastern North America. These forests are considered a large sink of carbon, and changes in Rs dynamics in this region may have implications for the global carbon cycle.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

The thinning of loblolly pine plantations has a great potential to influence the fluxes and storage of carbon within managed stands. This study looked at the effects of thinning on aboveground carbon and mineral soil carbon storage, 14-years after the thinning of an 8-year-old loblolly pine plantation on the piedmont of Virginia. The study also examined soil respiration for one year following the second thinning of the same stand at age twenty-two. The study was conducted using three replicate .222 hectare stands planted using 3.05 by 3.05 meter spacing in 1980 at the Reynolds Homestead in Critz, VA. Using two different sample collection methods it was determined that soil carbon was evenly dispersed throughout thinned plots, and that random sampling techniques were adequate for capturing spatial variability. Soil carbon showed a significant negative correlation with soil depth (p=0.0001), and by testing the difference between intercepts in this relationship, it was determined that thinning significantly increased soil carbon by 31.9% across all depths (p=0.0004). However, after accounting for losses in aboveground wood production, thinning resulted in an overall 10% loss in stand carbon storage. However, this analysis did not take into account the fate of wood products following removal. Soil respiration, soil temperature, and soil moisture were measured every month for one year near randomly selected stumps and trees. In order to account for spatial variation, split plots were measured at positions adjacent to stumps and 1.5 meters away from stumps. Soil temperature and moisture were both significantly affected by thinning. Regression analysis was performed to determine significant drivers in soil CO2 efflux. Temperature proved to be the most significant driver of soil respiration, with a positive correlation in thinned and unthinned stands. When modeled using regression, thinning was a significant variable for predicting soil respiration (p < 0.0009), but explained only 3.4% of the variation. The effects of thinning were responsible for decreased respiration, however, when coupled with increased temperatures, soil respiration was elevated in thinned stands. / Master of Science

Orientador: Roberto Naves Domingos / Banca: Alberto Ibãnez Ruiz / Banca: Dermeval José Mazzini Sartori / Resumo: A cultura de cana-de-açúcar no Brasil ocupa uma extensa área, devido a sua importância econômica e seu potencial na obtenção de bioenergia. É importante saber como esta cultura irá responder ao aumento previsto na concentração de gás carbônico (CO2) atmosférico, uma vez que é um composto chave nos processos das mudanças climática globais. Sabendo que esse gás é emitido tanto pelas folhas como pelas raízes das plantas e difundido pelo solo, o objetivo desse trabalho foi desenvolver uma metodologia para a quantificação de CO2 de solo em condições de laboratório para simular as situações de campo em ambiente controlado. A abordagem utilizou 15 frascos de vidro com capacidade para 2,8 L, fechados com sistema de válvulas para entrada de ar e saída de CO2 acoplados a um analisador de gases LI-COR 840. O experimento também envolveu coleta de solos em área de Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico típico de textura argilosa, com cultura de cana-deaçúcar em três localidades, sendo uma área coberta com palhada e plantas adultas, outra área arada e gradeada com colmo em brota e outra área desnuda em descanso após colheita de soja. Estas amostras foram peneiradas com malhas de 2,5 mm e 5 mm e secas na sombra ao ar livre num período de 25 dias. Em cada frasco foi acondicionado 1300 g de solo por 20 dias para verificar a atividade do solo em formação de CO2, que foi medida pela câmara respirométrica a qual possui leitor ótico de raios infravermelho não dispersivo, capaz de medir CO2 ativo por vibrações moleculares. Os dados obtidos no sistema demonstraram formação de um valor médio de 483,85 ppm de emissão de CO2, valor este que condiz com o meio natural quando isento de vegetação / Abstract: The cultivation of sugar cane in Brazil occupies a large area due to the economic importance of this crop and its potential for bioenergy. It is important to know how the crop will respond to the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, since this gas is a key component in the processes of global climate change. This gas is emitted by both the leaves and the roots of plants and distributed throughout the soil. The objective of this study was to develop a methodology for the measurement of CO2 from soil in laboratory conditions to simulate field situations in a controlled environment. The approach used 15 glass bottles with a capacity of 2.8 L, closed with a valve system for air intake and CO2 output coupled to a gas analyzer LI-COR 840. The study also involved collection of soil in the area of Hapludox clayey, with growing sugar cane in three locations and an area covered with straw and adult plants, another area plowed and fenced with sprouts and in stem other denuded areas at rest after soybean harvest. These samples were sieved with meshes of 2.5 mm and 5 mm and dried in the shade outdoors in a period of 25 days. In each vial, samples were taken each day for 20 days consisting of 1300 g of soil to verify the activity of soil formation of CO2, which was measured by the respiration chamber, which has an optical reader of non-dispersive infrared rays, capable of measuring CO2 by active molecular vibrations. The data obtained in the system showed the formation of an average of 483.85 ppm of CO2 emissions, a figure that matches the natural environment when free of vegetation / Mestre

Fertilization is a common, cost effective treatment for increasing forest productivity within managed forests of the southeastern United States. However, little is known about how fertilization affects the below-ground processes that drive soil CO2 efflux in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). A thorough understanding of below-ground carbon dynamics is necessary for the estimation of net ecosystem productivity and the carbon storage potential of these managed systems. In April 2004, we began monitoring total soil CO2 efflux (EC), heterotrophic (RH), and root respiration (RR) in response to fertilization with diammonium phosphate (DAP). Respiratory components were measured prior to fertilization, weekly following fertilization, and bi-weekly after respiratory components stabilized using a dynamic closed chamber and an infrared gas analyzer. We found that EC differed significantly (P<0.0001) between fertilized and unfertilized plots, but the direction was dependent on date. In the early period of the study, fertilized plot values were lower than control plots. However, by the latter periods fertilized plot values returned to control levels except for one sampling date in March 2005 when fertilized plot values were greater then control plots. Heterotrophic respiration was consistently and significantly (P=0.0002) lower in fertilized plots. Root respiration was significantly (P=0.0597) increased in fertilized plots when analyzed over the study and showed a 20% increase due to fertilization. We concluded that an increase in RR and possibly root biomass was enough to balance the decrease in RH leading to no difference in EC later in the growing season. We performed a pair of greenhouse studies to observe the effects of fertilization in the form of diammonium phosphate (DAP) on RR. The objectives were to determine how nutrient additions initially affect RR in one-year-old loblolly pine seedlings. Secondly, we wanted to determine if Captan [N-(trichloromethylthio) cyclohex-4-ene-1, 2-dicarboximide], a mild fungicide, could be used to reduce or eliminate ecto-mycorrhizae upon visual inspection. Both studies showed that initially, at a high rate (100 ppm N and 49 ppm P) of fertilization, RR was significantly (P<0.10) increased relative to seedlings that did not receive fertilization. This increase was only temporary with rates returning to, or decreasing below, control levels by the end of the study. No consistent trend was found between low (25 ppm N and 13 ppm P) and moderate (50 ppm N and 25 ppm P) rates of fertilization. Captan was shown to generally have no affect on RR. Captan and fertilization both showed (visual inspection) a decrease in fine-roots and mycorrhizae, which could explain the reduction in respiration rates observed in these treatments by the end of the studies. / Master of Science

Climatic change is associated with the increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) concentration, including carbon dioxide (CO2). Among the most important strategies to decrease global warming are decrease emissions and increase biological capture of CO2 through carbon sequestration in the ecosystems. Therefore, soils are fundamental to this strategy because depending in its use and management, they could act as a carbon source or sink. A study was conducted in a Rhodic Hapludox, in a long-term (22 years) experiment, to evaluate CO2-C emissions from soil produced by management practices and its dependence on soil temperature and moisture. CO2-C emissions were intensively analysed with two soil cameras, a dynamic camera (Licor-6400-09) fabricated by LI-COR Company and a static camera (PVC camera) during an evaluation period of 30 days. A intensive cropping system were used in both tillage systems. Results suggest that tillage systems produced differences in the CO2-C emission. No-till system had the highest CO2-C efflux from soil, being 22% higher than the conventional tillage. In conventional tillage highest peaks of CO2-C emissions were verified after soil tillage with disk harrow and chisel plow, nevertheless they were of short duration. CO2-C emissions were influenced by variations in soil temperature and moisture. Higher CO2-C emissions from soil in the no-till system were related to higher soil carbon stocks, presence of soybean residues in the surface, higher contents of particulate organic carbon and higher microbial biomass that together with the higher soil moisture compared to conventional tillage explained the higher efflux. The CO2-C efflux in the long-term no-till reflected the higher soil quality in this system. These results suggest that in the long-term no-till system due to high biologic activity and high soil moisture, soybean residues won t increase soil organic matter content. / As mudanças climáticas contemporâneas estão sendo associadas ao aumento da concentração de gases de efeito estufa (GEE), entre eles o dióxido de carbono (CO2). Entre as estratégias para diminuir o aquecimento global destaca-se a diminuição das emissões e o incremento da absorção biológica de CO2 através do seqüestro de carbono em ecossistemas. Assim, os solos são fundamentais nessa estratégia uma vez que, dependendo do seu uso e manejo, podem ser um importante fonte ou sumidouro de carbono. Com o objetivo de avaliar as emissões de C-CO2 do solo causadas pelas práticas de manejo e sua dependência na temperatura e umidade do solo, desenvolveu-se um estudo em solo classificado como Latossolo Vermelho distrófico típico em experimento de longa duração (22 anos). As emissões de C-CO2 foram registradas e captadas com duas câmaras; uma dinâmica (Licor-6400-09) fabricada pela companhia LI-COR e outra estática (câmara de PVC) durante um período de avaliação de 30 dias. Os resultados demonstraram que os sistemas de preparo causaram diferenças na emissão de C-CO2 do solo e o plantio direto (PD) foi o que ocasionou o maior efluxo de CO2 do solo, sendo 22% superior ao preparo convencional (PC). Os maiores picos de emissões de C-CO2 foram verificados logo após o preparo do solo com arado e gradagem na parcela sob PC, porém tiveram curta duração. As emissões de C-CO2 foram influenciadas pelas variações da temperatura e umidade do solo, foi verificada correlação significativa (r=0,89) entre o fluxo de C-CO2 do solo e a temperatura do solo em PD, contrastando com o PC onde não houve correlação entre estas variáveis. As maiores emissões de C-CO2 do solo no PD foram relacionadas ao maior estoque de carbono, a presença de resíduos na superfície, a maior quantidade de carbono lábil e a maior biomassa microbiana que associados com maior umidade do solo explicam o efluxo, refletindo assim a maior qualidade do solo neste sistema. Os resultados sugerem que no PD de longa duração, devido à alta atividade biológica e altos conteúdos de umidade, os resíduos de soja não promoverão aumento de matéria orgânica do solo. As emissões de C-CO2 captadas com a câmara dinâmica foram correlacionadas significativamente com as emissões da câmara estática no PD. No entanto, não apresentaram relação no PC. Este projeto de pesquisa é o resultado de uma cooperação científica entre o grupo de pesquisa em Manejo do Solo da UFRGS, Departamento de Solos da UFSM e FUNDACEP.