I study how differences in structure and function among species interact with atmospheric and soil properties to produce the diversity of carbon balances observed among forest types.
Understanding mechanisms is my favourit topic responsible for the carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems in terms of patterns of carbon partitioning and allocation; uptake of nutrients and water; nutrition and growth of trees; soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics; and their interactions and feedbacks with a changing climate and forest management practices.
Under this framework, I employ various tools, including isotopes (14C, 13C, 15N, 2H), soil microdialysis technique (in situ monitoring of soil water and nitrogen fluxes), and statistical/process-based modelling.
I am currently working on two main projects. One examines factors controlling the fertilization response of forest nutrition and growth. I hypothesize that root uptake of nitrogen and, thus, growth of trees are interactivley affected by the chemical form of available soil nitrogen, soil water availability, and atmospheric water demand. A combination of greenhouse experiements and field based manupulation studies helps disentangle the combined effects and provide the mechanisms underlying the responses.
The second project quantifies forest carbon accumulation capacity in response to combinations of forest management, a changing climate, and disturbances (e.g., insect outbreaks). Forest fertilization generally increases both biomass and soil carbon accumulation. It is yet largely untested whether the accumulation would remain conserved even after forest disturbances or with a chaning climate. To tackle the task, I employ advanced techniques of carbon and nitrogen isotopes (13C,14C,15N), and unique archives of field-samples (1986-). I expect the project to advance understandings of coupled carbon-nitrogen dynamics between plants and soils that interact with a changing climate.
