Whole-Ecosystem Labile Carbon Production in a North Temperate Deciduous Forest

Management for forest carbon (C) sequestration requires knowledge of the fate of photosynthetic C. Labile C is an essential intermediary between C assimilation and growth in deciduous forests, accumulating when photosynthetic C supply exceeds demand and later depleting when reallocated to growth during periods of depressed photosynthesis. We developed a new approach that combined meteorological and biometric C cycling data for a mixed deciduous forest in Michigan, USA, to provide novel estimates of whole-ecosystem labile C production (PLC) and reallocation to growth inferred from the temporal imbalance between carbon supply from canopy net C assimilation (Ac) and C demand for net primary production (NPP). We substantiated these estimates with measurements of Populus grandidentata and Quercus rubra wood non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration and mass over two years. Our analysis showed that half of annual Ac was allocated to PLC rather than to immediate growth. Labile C produced during the latter half of summer later supported dormant-season growth and respiration, with 35% of NPP in a given year requiring labile C stored during previous years. Seasonal changes in wood NSC concentration and mass generally corroborated patterns of labile C production and reallocation to growth. We observed a negative relationship between current-year PLC and NPP, indicating that disparities between same-year meteorological and biometric net ecosystem production (NEP) estimates can arise when C assimilated via photosynthesis, a flux incorporated into meteorological NEP estimates, is diverted away from NPP, a flux included in biometric NEP estimates, and instead allocated to PLC. A large, annually recharging pool of labile C also may buffer growth from climate conditions that immediately affect Ac. We conclude that a broader understanding of labile C production and reallocation across ecosystems may be important to interpreting lagged canopy C cycling and growth processes.