Stored carbon partly fuels fine‐root respiration but is not used for production of new fine roots

Abstract

The relative use of new photosynthate compared to stored carbon (C) for the production and maintenance of fine roots, and the rate of C turnover in heterogeneous fine-root populations, are poorly understood. We followed the relaxation of a (13)C tracer in fine roots in a Liquidambar styraciflua plantation at the conclusion of a free-air CO(2) enrichment experiment. Goals included quantifying the relative fractions of new photosynthate vs stored C used in root growth and root respiration, as well as the turnover rate of fine-root C fixed during [CO(2)] fumigation. New fine-root growth was largely from recent photosynthate, while nearly one-quarter of respired C was from a storage pool. Changes in the isotopic composition of the fine-root population over two full growing seasons indicated heterogeneous C pools; < 10% of root C had a residence time < 3 months, while a majority of root C had a residence time > 2 yr. Compared to a one-pool model, a two-pool model for C turnover in fine roots (with 5 and 0.37 yr(-1) turnover times) doubles the fine-root contribution to forest NPP (9-13%) and supports the 50% root-to-soil transfer rate often used in models.