Storage and turnover of carbon in grassland soils along an elevation gradient in the Swiss Alps
Abstract
Amount, composition, and rate of turnover of soil organic carbon (SOC) in mountainous cold regions is largely unknown, making predictions of future responses of this carbon (C) to changing environmental conditions uncertain. We hypothesized increasing amounts and declining turnover times of soil organic matter (SOM) under permanent grassland with increasing elevation and decreasing temperature. Samples from an irrigated transect in the Swiss Alps (880 to 2200 m elevation, mean annual temperatures +8.9 to +0.9 °C) were analyzed. Soil C stocks ranged from 49 to 96 t C ha −1 (0–20 cm) and were not related to elevation, though the highest site stored least C. Particulate organic carbon (POC) increased significantly with elevation and accounted for > 80% of the total soil C at 2200 m (0–5 cm). Mean residence times (MRTs) of POC computed by means of radiocarbon dating were in the order of years to decades and were positively related to elevation in the topsoil. At higher elevations, the estimated total C flux through the soil profile mainly depended on this fraction. MRT of mineral‐associated matter ranged from decades to centuries and was not systematically related to elevation, but positively related to the soil mineral surface area and it increased with soil depth. Turnover rates from simulations with the soil C model RothC exceeded those from 14 C measurements by a factor of 1.7–3.3 which suggests that C dynamics at these sites is overestimated by the model. Size of model pools and amount of C in soil fractions were only weakly correlated, thereby challenging previously postulated hypotheses concerning the correspondence of pools and fractions for grasslands at higher elevations.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Simulations were greatly improved when decomposition rates were calibrated using labelled C measurements and applied to experimental evidence for poplar litter.
“Simulations were greatly improved when decomposition rates were calibrated using labelled C measurements [173–175] and applied to the experimental evidence presented for poplar litter [78, 109].”
From Carbon Sequestration by Perennial Energy Crops: Is the Jury Still Out? (2015) · cites this paper as [175]
Cites
Particulate Soil Organic‐Matter Changes across a Grassland Cultivation Sequence
Cambardella, C. A., & Elliott, E. T. (1992) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1992.03615995005600030017x · Cited by 3,044 · see citing works
Lützow, M. V., Kögel‐Knabner, I., Ekschmitt, K., Matzner, E., Guggenberger, G., Marschner, B., & Flessa, H. (2006) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2006.00809.x · Cited by 2,950 · see citing works
Kirschbaum, M. U. F. (1995) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/0038-0717(94)00242-s · Cited by 2,022 · see citing works
Kögel‐Knabner, I., Guggenberger, G., Kleber, M., Kandeler, E., Kalbitz, K., Scheu, S., Eusterhues, K., & Leinweber, P. (2008) · Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science · doi:10.1002/jpln.200700048 · Cited by 1,331 · see citing works
Long-term sensitivity of soil carbon turnover to warming
Knorr, W., Prentice, I. C., House, J. I., & Holland, E. A. (2005) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature03226 · Cited by 1,253 · see citing works
High-Precision Radiocarbon Age Calibration for Terrestrial and Marine Samples
Stuiver, M., Reimer, P. J., & Braziunas, T. F. (1998) · Radiocarbon · doi:10.1017/s0033822200019172 · Cited by 1,136 · see citing works
RothC-26.3 - A Model for the turnover of carbon in soil
Coleman, K., & Jenkinson, D. (1996) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-61094-3_17 · Cited by 950 · see citing works
Stabilization of Soil Organic Matter: Association with Minerals or Chemical Recalcitrance?
Mikutta, R., Kleber, M., Torn, M. S., & Jahn, R. (2006) · Biogeochemistry · doi:10.1007/s10533-005-0712-6 · Cited by 868 · see citing works
Similar response of labile and resistant soil organic matter pools to changes in temperature
Fang, C., Smith, P., Moncrieff, J. B., & Smith, J. (2005) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature03138 · Cited by 787 · see citing works
Rapid Exchange Between Soil Carbon and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Driven by Temperature Change
Trumbore, S., Chadwick, O. A., & Amundson, R. (1996) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.272.5260.393 · Cited by 781 · see citing works
Körner, C. (1999) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-98018-3 · Cited by 704 · see citing works
Kätterer, T., Reichstein, M., Andrén, O., & Lomander, A. (1998) · Biology and Fertility of Soils · doi:10.1007/s003740050430 · Cited by 483 · see citing works
Measured soil organic matter fractions can be related to pools in the RothC model
Zimmermann, M., Leifeld, J., Schmidt, M. W. I., Smith, P., & Fuhrer, J. (2007) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2006.00855.x · Cited by 469 · see citing works
Self-citationSources and composition of soil organic matter fractions between and within soil aggregates
Six, J., Guggenberger, G., Paustian, K. H., Haumaier, L., Elliott, E. T., & Zech, W. (2001) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2389.2001.00406.x · Cited by 345 · see citing works
Carbon stocks in Swiss agricultural soils predicted by land-use, soil characteristics, and altitude
Leifeld, J., Bassin, S., & Fuhrer, J. (2004) · Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment · doi:10.1016/j.agee.2004.03.006 · Cited by 338 · see citing works
Self-citationEstimating organic carbon in the soils of Europe for policy support
Jones, R., Hiederer, R., Rusco, E., & Montanarella, L. (2005) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2005.00728.x · Cited by 331 · see citing works
Temperature Variations During the Last Century at High Elevation Sites
Díaz, H. F., & Bradley, R. S. (1997) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-015-8905-5_2 · Cited by 316 · see citing works
Falloon, P., Smith, P., Coleman, K., & Marshall, S. J. (1998) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(97)00256-3 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
Soil Organic Matter Dynamics Along Gradients in Temperature and Land Use on the Island of Hawaii
Townsend, A. R., Vitousek, P. M., & Trumbore, S. E. (1995) · Ecology · doi:10.2307/1939339 · Cited by 279 · see citing works
TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS DURING THE LAST CENTURY AT HIGH ELEVATION SITES
Díaz, H. F., & Bradley, R. S. (1997) · Climatic Change · doi:10.1023/a:1005335731187 · Cited by 263 · see citing works
The age of fine-root carbon in three forests of the eastern United States measured by radiocarbon
Gaudinski, J. B., Trumbore, S. E., Davidson, E. A., Cook, A. C., Markewitz, D., & Richter, D. D. (2001) · Oecologia · doi:10.1007/s004420100746 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Monthly air temperature trends in Switzerland 1901–2000 and 1975–2004
Rebetez, M., & Reinhard, M. (2007) · Theoretical and Applied Climatology · doi:10.1007/s00704-007-0296-2 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
Levin, I., Hammer, S., Kromer, B., & Meinhardt, F. (2008) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.10.019 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Leifeld, J., & Fuhrer, J. (2005) · Biogeochemistry · doi:10.1007/s10533-005-2237-4 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
Self-citationComparison of chemical fractionation methods for isolating stable soil organic carbon pools
Helfrich, M., Flessa, H., Mikutta, R., Dreves, A., & Ludwig, B. (2007) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2007.00926.x · Cited by 181 · see citing works
Quantifying soil organic carbon fractions by infrared-spectroscopy
Zimmermann, M., Leifeld, J., & Fuhrer, J. (2006) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.07.010 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Self-citationGobet, E., Tinner, W., Hochuli, P. A., van Leeuwen, J. F. N., & Ammann, B. (2003) · Vegetation History and Archaeobotany · doi:10.1007/s00334-003-0017-4 · Cited by 156 · see citing works
Warming mineralises young and old soil carbon equally
Conen, F., Leifeld, J., Seth, B., & Alewell, C. (2006) · Biogeosciences · doi:10.5194/bg-3-515-2006 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Self-citationSimpson, M. J., & Hatcher, P. G. (2004) · Organic Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2004.04.004 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Walse, C., Berg, B., & Sverdrup, H. U. (1998) · Environmental Reviews · doi:10.1139/a98-001 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Sodium hypochlorite separates an older soil organic matter fraction than acid hydrolysis
Zimmermann, M., Leifeld, J., Abiven, S., et al. (2007) · Geoderma · doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.01.014 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Temporal Distribution of ‘Bomb’ 14C in a Forest Soil
Harkness, D. D., Harrison, A. F., & Bacon, P. J. (1986) · Radiocarbon · doi:10.1017/s0033822200007426 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Relative stability of soil carbon revealed by shifts in δ 15 N and C:N ratio
Conen, F., Zimmermann, M., Leifeld, J., Seth, B., & Alewell, C. (2008) · Biogeosciences · doi:10.5194/bg-5-123-2008 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Self-citationRadiocarbon Signatures of Turnover Rates in Active Soil Organic Carbon Pools
Hsieh, Y. (1993) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1993.03615995005700040023x · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Bruun, S., Thomsen, I. K., Christensen, B. T., et al. (2008) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2007.00985.x · Cited by 49 · see citing works
The tillage effect in sustaining soil functions
Warkentin, B. P. (2001) · Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science · doi:10.1002/1522-2624(200108)164:4 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Estimating Turnover of Soil Organic Carbon Fractions Based on Radiocarbon Measurements
Bruun, S., Six, J., Jensen, L. S., & Paustian, K. H. (2005) · Radiocarbon · doi:10.1017/s0033822200052231 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Wang, L., Ouyang, H., ZHOUM, C., et al. (2005) · Journal of Integrative Plant Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1744-7909.2005.00085.x · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Walse, C., Berg, B., & Sverdrup, H. U. (1998) · Environmental Reviews · doi:10.1139/er-6-1-25 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Puhlmann, M., Kuka, K., & Franko, U. (2006) · Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems · doi:10.1007/s10705-006-9005-2 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Carbon Sequestration by Perennial Energy Crops: Is the Jury Still Out?
Agostini, F., Gregory, A. S., & Richter, G. M. (2015) · BioEnergy Research · doi:10.1007/s12155-014-9571-0 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
- Authors
- LEIFELD, J., ZIMMERMANN, M., FUHRER, J., & CONEN, F.
- Affiliations
- Agroscope (CH)
- University of Edinburgh (GB)
- University of Basel (CH)
- Corresponding author
- LEIFELD, JENS
- Venue
- Global Change Biology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-02-06
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 668-679
- ISSN
- 1354-1013 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2486
- OpenAlex
- W2139449145
- Cited by
- 148
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 8.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Global Change Biology (publishedVersion)
- ResearchOnline - JCU (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Bundesamt für Umwelt
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
- Keywords
- soil organic carbon, carbon turnover, elevation gradient, permanent grassland, particulate organic carbon, mean residence time, radiocarbon dating, mineral-associated organic matter, soil carbon stocks, soil carbon flux, RothC model, Swiss Alps
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
