ARS | Publication request: Potential drivers for soil carbon pools in residential areas in Auburn, Alabama

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 13, 2011
Publication Date: April 13, 2011
Citation: Huyler, A., Chappelka, A., Prior, S.A., Somers, G. 2011. Potential drivers for soil carbon pools in residential areas in Auburn, Alabama [abstract]. 72nd Association of Southeastern Biologist Annual Meeting, April 13-16, 2011, Huntsville, Alabama. CDROM.

Technical Abstract: Metropolitan areas are expanding worldwide and residential zones are a major contributor. The turf ecosystems of residential yards can be highly productive and accumulate soil carbon undisturbed for decades. Because little is known about urban soil carbon (C) pools in the southeast, we performed this case study on the influence of time since lawn establishment on the soil C pools in residential yards in Auburn, Alabama. In our pure lawn dataset, yards were established between 1958 and 2008 (n=23) and soil C pools were positively related with lawn establishment in the 0-15cm (P<0.05, R2=0.37), but negatively related at the 15-30cm (P<0.05, R2= 0.14) and 30-50cm depths (P=0.08, R2=0.11). When yards with trees were included (n=88) and lawn establishment spanned years 1900 and 2008, the soil C pool was positively related with yard age only at the 0-15cm depth (P<0.05, R2= 0.31). These preliminary data are part of a larger study including yard maintenance, soil texture, nutrients, and tree biomass as potential drivers for the soil C pool in the residential areas of Auburn, Alabama.