Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya

Aims This study investigates, in a montane forest in Kenya, the changes in amount and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) as a consequence of: a) forest degradation, by comparing primary and degraded forests; b) the replacement of degraded forests with cypress and tea plantations, by considering...

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Autores principales: Chiti, T., Díaz Pinés, Eugenio, Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus, Marzaioli, F., Valentini, R.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Springer 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/92433
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author Chiti, T.
Díaz Pinés, Eugenio
Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus
Marzaioli, F.
Valentini, R.
author_browse Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus
Chiti, T.
Díaz Pinés, Eugenio
Marzaioli, F.
Valentini, R.
author_facet Chiti, T.
Díaz Pinés, Eugenio
Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus
Marzaioli, F.
Valentini, R.
author_sort Chiti, T.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Aims This study investigates, in a montane forest in Kenya, the changes in amount and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) as a consequence of: a) forest degradation, by comparing primary and degraded forests; b) the replacement of degraded forests with cypress and tea plantations, by considering sites installed at different time in the past. Methods The SOC concentrations and stocks were determined in different layers to 1 m depth, and the SOC turnover time (TT) derived by measuring the 14C concentration in the layers within the 0–30 cm depth. Results A significant SOC decline was evident in the 0–5 and 5–15 cm layers of degraded forest while, on the long term, both plantations induced a significant SOC increase in the 0–30 cm depth. The longer TT’s and lower SOC concentrations in the upper layers of degraded rather than primary forests imply an impact of forest degradation on the decomposition of the fast cycling SOC. Similarly, the shorter TT with increasing plantations age implies differences in SOC stabilization mechanisms between plantations and forests. Conclusions Cypress and tea plantations established on degraded forests stimulate a long term SOC accrual but at the same time decrease the stability of the SOC pool.
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spelling CGSpace924332024-05-01T08:16:44Z Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya Chiti, T. Díaz Pinés, Eugenio Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus Marzaioli, F. Valentini, R. crops soil natural resources management Aims This study investigates, in a montane forest in Kenya, the changes in amount and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) as a consequence of: a) forest degradation, by comparing primary and degraded forests; b) the replacement of degraded forests with cypress and tea plantations, by considering sites installed at different time in the past. Methods The SOC concentrations and stocks were determined in different layers to 1 m depth, and the SOC turnover time (TT) derived by measuring the 14C concentration in the layers within the 0–30 cm depth. Results A significant SOC decline was evident in the 0–5 and 5–15 cm layers of degraded forest while, on the long term, both plantations induced a significant SOC increase in the 0–30 cm depth. The longer TT’s and lower SOC concentrations in the upper layers of degraded rather than primary forests imply an impact of forest degradation on the decomposition of the fast cycling SOC. Similarly, the shorter TT with increasing plantations age implies differences in SOC stabilization mechanisms between plantations and forests. Conclusions Cypress and tea plantations established on degraded forests stimulate a long term SOC accrual but at the same time decrease the stability of the SOC pool. 2018-01 2018-05-01T10:58:16Z 2018-05-01T10:58:16Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/92433 en Open Access Springer Chiti, T., Díaz-Pinés, E., Butterbach-Bahl, K., Marzaioli, F. and Valentini, R. 2018. Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya. Plant and Soil 422(1–2):527–539.
spellingShingle crops
soil
natural resources management
Chiti, T.
Díaz Pinés, Eugenio
Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus
Marzaioli, F.
Valentini, R.
Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya
title Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya
title_full Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya
title_fullStr Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya
title_short Soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in Kenya
title_sort soil organic carbon changes following degradation and conversion to cypress and tea plantations in a tropical mountain forest in kenya
topic crops
soil
natural resources management
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/92433
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