Drivers of soil carbon in residential %26apos;pure lawns%26apos; in Auburn, Alabama

作者：Huyler Ann^*; Chappelka Arthur H; Prior Stephen A; Somers Greg L

来源：Urban Ecosystems, 2014, 17(1): 205-219.

DOI：10.1007/s11252-013-0294-3

• Urban soil carbon
• Yard maintenance
• Home age
• Residential lawns

Urban land area is expanding worldwide and may contribute to long-term carbon (C) storage; however, little is known about potential drivers of soil C in urban areas. Residential areas are one of the largest urban land use zones and lawns can provide stable chronosequences for studying soil C dynamics. In residential lawns containing no trees (n = 23), the relationships between soil C and four potential drivers [home age (1-51 years), yard maintenance practices (fertilization, irrigation, and bagging or mulching lawn clippings), soil nitrogen (N) and soil texture] were investigated. Soil C increased with home age at 0-15 cm depth by 0.026 kg C m(-2) yr(-1), declined by -0.011 kg C m(-2) yr(-1) at 15-30 cm depth, and was stable at 30-50 cm depth. Soil C had a positive relationship with soil N (R (2) = 0.55) at the 0-15 cm depth. Soil C and N were not related to yard maintenance practices or soil texture. The low soil C sequestration rate and limited relationships between soil C and home age, yard maintenance, soil N and soil texture may have resulted from the positive influence of Auburn%26apos;s humid, subtropical climate on residue decomposition.

• 出版日期2014-3