Evidence of old carbon used to grow new fine roots in a tropical forest

摘要: Summary • In this study, we explore how a hurricane disturbance influenced carbon allocation for the production of new fine roots.  Before and after hurricane, measured age (time since fixation from atmosphere) in root structural tissues using natural abundance radiocarbon ( 14 C) by accelerator mass spectrometry. Roots were sampled five seasonally dry tropical forests ranging 6 yr to mature forest. Structural combined live + dead roots picked soil cores 1 month before had mean ages 4 11 yr, whereas alone 1–2 yr. produced over period lasting 3 wk 2 months event between 10 Contrary expectations, our results showed that plants allocate long-lived storage pools canopy defoliation mortality. The allocated increased with forest above-ground biomass, suggesting an adaptation survive recover severe disturbances.