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Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Effects on Cotton Plant Residue Decomposition

USDA-ARS Blackland, Soil and Water Research Lab., 808 East Blackland Rd., Temple, TX 76502

S. A. Prior and H. H. Rogers

USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Lab., Box 3439, Auburn, AL 36831-3439

*Corresponding author (torbert{at}brcsun0.tamu.edu).

ABSTRACT

Assessing the impact of elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration on the global environment is hampered due to a lack of understanding of global C cycling. Carbon fixed within plant biomass ultimately enters the soil via plant residues, but the effects of elevated-CO₂-grown plant material on decomposition rates and long-term soil C storage are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the decomposition rate of plant residues grown under an elevated CO₂ environment as affected by soil type. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. ‘Delta Pine 77’) samples were collected from a free-air CO₂ enrichment (550 µL L^–1) experiment. The plant residues were incubated under ambient CO₂ conditions to determine decomposition rates of leaves, stems, and roots and potential N and P mineralization-immobilization in three soil series: a Blanton loamy sand (loamy siliceous, thermic Grossarenic Paleudult), a Decatur silt loam (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudult), and a Houston clay loam (very fine, montmorillonitic Typic Chromudert). No significant difference was observed between plant residue grown under CO₂ enrichment vs. ambient CO₂ conditions for soil respiration or P mineralization-immobilization. Significantly greater net N immobilization was observed during the incubation in all soil types for plant residue grown at elevated CO₂. These results indicate that while decomposition of plant residue may not be reduced by CO₂ enrichment, N dynamics may be markedly changed.

Received for publication July 28, 1994.

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