Figures & data
Table 1 Physical and stand characteristics of a subalpine coniferous forest of four ages in Miyaluo region, western Sichuan province, China
Figure 1 Seasonal changes in soil temperature and water content at 5 cm depth for forests of different age during 2007 and 2008. The error bars represent standard errors (n = 3).
Figure 2 Leaf area index (LAI) and litter accumulation for forests of different ages. The error bars represent standard errors (n = 3).
Figure 3 Seasonal pattern of total, heterotrophic and autotrophic soil respiration rate, annual carbon flux (Rtot, Rh and Ra) and the contributions in the four ages of dragon spruce (Picea asperata Mast.) forests (n = 3). CO2: carbon dioxide.
Figure 4 Contribution rates of heterotrophic and autotrophic carbon flux to total soil carbon flux (R h/R tot). The error bars represent standard errors (n = 3).
Figure 5 Chronosequence of the concentrations of soil total organic carbon (TOC), easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) at soil depths of 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm. The error bars represent standard errors (n = 3).
Table 2 Correlation coefficients of factors Total organic carbon (TOC), Easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC), Microbial biomass carbon (MBC), Particulate organic carbon (POC), Leaf area index (LAI) and litter accumulation with annual total soil carbon flux (R tot), heterotrophic soil carbon flux (R h) and autotrophic carbon flux (R a)