The storage of carbon in forest ecosystems has received special attention in the Kyoto protocol of the Climate Convention, which attempts to equilibrate fossil fuel emissions with biological sinks. This volume quantifies carbon storage in managed forest ecosystems not only in biomass, but also in all soil compartments. It investigates the interaction between the carbon and nitrogen cycles by working along a north-south transect through Europe which starts in northern Sweden, passes through a N-deposition maximum in central Europe and ends in Italy. Surprisingly, C storage in soils increases with N deposition; in addition, not young reforestations, but old growth forests have the highest rate of carbon sequestration. For the first time biogeochemical processes are linked to biodiversity on a large geographic scale and with special focus on soil organisms. The enclosed CD-ROM provides a complete database of all flux, storage and species observations for modellers.

A Introduction to the European Transect.- 1 The Carbon and Nitrogen Cycle of Forest Ecosystems.- 2 Experimental Sites in the NIPHYS/CANIF Project.- B Plant-Related Processes.- 3 Tree Biomass, Growth and Nutrient Pools.- 4 Linking Plant Nutrition and Ecosystem Processes.- 5 Root Growth and Response to Nitrogen.- 6 Nitrogen Uptake Processes in Roots and Mycorrhizas.- 7 The Fate of 15N-Labelled Nitrogen Inputs to Coniferous and Broadleaf Forests.- 8 Canopy Uptake and Utilization of Atmospheric Pollutant Nitrogen.- 9 Biotic and Abiotic Controls Over Ecosystem Cycling of Stable Natural Nitrogen, Carbon and Sulphur Isotopes.- C Heterotrophic Processes.- 10 Soil Respiration in Beech and Spruce Forests in Europe: Trends, Controlling Factors, Annual Budgets and Implications for the Ecosystem Carbon Balance.- 11 Annual Carbon and Nitrogen Fluxes in Soils Along the European Forest Transect, Determined Using the 14C-Bomb.- 12 Carbon Mineralisation in European Forest Soils.- 13 Litter Decomposition.- 14 Soil Nitrogen Turnover - Mineralisation, Nitrification and Denitrification in European Forest Soils.- 15 Nitrogen and Carbon Interactions of Forest Soil Water.- D Diversity-Related Processes.- 16 Fungal Diversity in Ectomyccorhizal Communities of Norway Spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Along North-South Transects in Europe.- 17 Diversity and Role of the Decomposer Food Web.- 18 Diversity and Role of Microorganisms.- E Integration.- 19 Spatial Variability and Long-Term Trends in Mass Balance of Nand S in Central European Forested Catchments.- 20 Model Analysis of Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in Picea and Fagus Forests.- 21 Interactions Between the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycle and the Role of Biodiversity: A Synopsis of a Study Along a North-South Transect Through Europe.- Species Index.