Carbon Pools and Fluxes of 25-Year Old Coniferous and Deciduous Stands in Middle Siberia

Abstract

Between 72 and 88% of carbon (C) loss in forest litter decomposition returns to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. The share of water-soluble organic products does not exceed 3–4%. Between 8% under spruce and 25% under aspen and pine of the total C loss from litter organic matter goes to the formation of humus. Decomposition intensity of the dead organic matter on the soil surface is close to annual litterfall income (except under cedar). The specific rate of decomposition processes among the coniferous litters is minimum for cedar (167 mg C g⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and maximum for larch (249 mg C g⁻¹ yr⁻¹). The specific rate of decomposition of organic residues under aspen and birch canopies are 344 and 362 mg C g⁻¹ yr⁻¹.