Global warming effects on soil carbon dynamics of forests

Soil warming leads to increased microbial respiration, the depleation of soil C and a transfer of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere. To simulate responses of soil systems to Climate Change, we studies a long term soil warming experiment in the Austian alps.

At the long term soil warming site in Achenkirch in the Austrian alps, Andreas Schindlbacher, Wolfgang Wanek Werner Borken and I have examined adaptations of microbial physiology and soil respiration to warming and the effects of soil warming on organic matter chemistry.

Publications
Schnecker J et al. 2016. Little effects on soil organic matter chemistry of density fractions after seven years of forest soil warming. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 103, 300-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.09.003

Schindlbacher A, et al. 2015. Microbial physiology and soil CO2 efflux after 9 years of soil warming in a temperate forest – no indications for thermal adaptations. Global Change Biology 21 (11), 4265-4277. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12996

Principal investigators
Andreas Schindlbacher, Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape; Wolfgang Wanek, University of Vienna; Werner Borken, University of Bayreuth