Strip clear-cutting transformations increase soil N2O emissions in abandoned Moso bamboo forests

Abstract

Forest transformation can markedly impact soil greenhouse gas emissions and soil environmental factors. Due to increasing labor costs and declining bamboo prices, the abandonment of Moso bamboo forests is sharply escalating in recent years, which weakens the carbon sequestration capacity and decreases the ecological function of forests. To improve the ecological quality of abandoned Moso bamboo forests, transformations of abandoned bamboo forests have occurred. However, the impact of such transformations on N2O emissions remains elusive. To bridge the knowledge gap, we conducted a 23-month field experiment to compare the effects of various forest management practices on soil N2O emissions and soil environmental factors in abandoned Moso bamboo forests in subtropical China. These practices included uncut abandonment as a control, intensive management, three intensities (light, moderate, and heavy) of strip clear-cutting with replanting local tree species, and clear-cutting with replanting transformation. During the experimental period, the mean soil N2O flux in abandoned Moso bamboo forests was 13.2 ± 0.1 μg m-2 h-1, representing a 44% reduction compared to intensive management forests. In comparison to the uncut control, light, moderate, and heavy strip clear-cutting and clear-cutting transformations increased soil N2O emission rates by 20%, 43%, 64%, and 94%, respectively. Soil temperature (69-71%), labile C (2-6%) and N (3-8%) were the main factors that explain N2O emissions following the transformation of abandoned Moso bamboo forests. Additionally, replanting could decrease soil N2O emissions by increasing the contribution of soil moisture. Overall, the light strip clear-cutting transformation is suggested to convert abandoned Moso bamboo forests to mitigate N2O emissions.