Drought Effects on Vegetation Carbon Storage in a Moso Bamboo Forest in Northern Zhejiang: Results of a Throughfall Exclusion Experiment

Abstract

Soil water content is an important factor that influences plant growth of different forests, and then affecting the forest ecosystem carbon storage through the net primary productivity. In this study, a throughfall exclusion experiment was carried out to explore effects of drought on vegetation carbon storage in moso bamboo forest in North Zhejiang of China. The results were showed as follows. The vegetation carbon storage of moso bamboo forest under throughfall exclusion treatment was 14.35% lower than the control plots. And the net CO2 sequestration was 125.07% lower than the control plots. The litterfall in control plots has a tiny drop when compared with the throughfall exclusion plots. These results indicated that drought could reduce forest ecosystem carbon storage and carbon fixation capacity.