@article{fdi:010065403,
  title = {{W}arm and fertile sub-humid conditions enhance litterfall to sustain high soil respiration fluxes in a mediterranean cork oak forest},
  author = {{Z}ribi, {L}. and {M}ouillot, {F}lorent and {G}harbi, {F}. and {O}urcival, {J}. {M}. and {H}anchi, {B}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}oil respiration is a major component of the global carbon budget and {M}editerranean ecosystems have usually been studied in locations with shallow soils, mild temperatures, and a prolonged dry season. {T}his study investigates seasonal soil respiration rates and underlying mechanisms under wetter, warmer, and more fertile conditions in a {M}editerranean cork oak forest of {N}orthern {T}unisia ({A}frica), acknowledged as one of the most productive forests in the {M}editerranean basin. {W}e applied a soil respiration model based on soil temperature and relative water content and investigated how ecosystem functioning under these favorable conditions affected soil carbon storage through carbon inputs to the soil litter. {A}nnual soil respiration rates varied between 1774 g{C} m(-2) year(-1) and 2227 g{C} m(-2) year(-1), which is on the highest range of observations under {M}editerranean climate conditions. {W}e attributed this high soil carbon flux as a response to favorable temperatures and soil water content, but this could be sustained only by a small carbon allocation to roots (root/shoot ratio = 0.31-0.41) leading to a large allocation to leaves with a multiannual leaf production, enhanced annual twig elongation (11.5-28.5 cm) with a reduced leaf life span (<1 year) maintaining a low {LAI} (1.68-1.88) and generating a high litterfall (386-636 g{C} m(-2) year(-1)). {T}hus, the favorable climatic and edaphic conditions experienced by these {M}editerranean cork oak forests drove high soil respiration fluxes which balanced the high carbon assimilation leading to a relatively small overall contribution (10.96-14.79 kg{C} m(-2)) to soil carbon storage.},
  keywords = {modelling ; soil respiration ; cork oak forest ; {M}editerranean climate ; {TUNISIE} ; {ZONE} {MEDITERRANEENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}orests},
  volume = {6},
  numero = {9},
  pages = {2918--2940},
  ISSN = {1999-4907},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.3390/f6092918},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010065403},
}