Elevated CO2 and temperature impacts on different components of soil CO2 efflux in Douglas-fir terracosms

Although numerous studies indicate that increasing atmospheric CO2 or temperature data are available on the responses of three major components of soil respiration [i.e. rhizosphere respiration (root and root exudates), litter decomposition, and oxidation of soil organic matter] to different CO2 and temperature conditions. In this study, we applied a dual stable isotope approach to investigate the impact of elevated CO2 and elevated temperature on these components of soil CO2 efflux in Douglas-fir terracosms. We measured both soil CO2 efflux rates and the C-13 and O-18 isotopic compositions of soil CO2 efflux in 12 sun-lit and environmentally controlled terracosms with 4-year-old Douglas fir seedlings and reconstructed forest soils under two CO2 concentrations (ambient and 200 ppmv above ambient) and two air temperature regimes (ambient and 4 degrees C above ambient). The stable isotope data were used to estimate the relative contributions of different components to the overall soil CO2 efflux. In most cases, litter decomposition was the dominant component of soil CO2 efflux in this system, followed by rhizosphere respiration and soil organic matter oxidation. Both elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and elevated temperature stimulated rhizosphere respiration and litter decomposition. The oxidation of soil organic matter was stimulated only by increasing temperature. Release of newly fixed carbon as root respiration was the most responsive to elevated CO2, while soil organic matter decomposition was most responsive to increasing temperature. Although some assumptions associated with this new method need to be further validated, application of this dual-isotope approach can provide new insights into the responses of soil carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems to future climate changes.