Impact of decade-long warming, nutrient addition and shading on emission and carbon isotopic composition of CO2 from two subarctic dwarf shrub heaths

Nynne R. Ravn; Per Lennart Ambus; Anders Michelsen

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.03.016

Impact of decade-long warming, nutrient addition and shading on emission and carbon isotopic composition of CO₂ from two subarctic dwarf shrub heaths

Nynne R. Ravn, Per Lennart Ambus, Anders Michelsen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study investigated ecosystem respiration, soil respiration and carbon isotopic composition in CO₂ emitted from two subarctic shrub heaths with contrasting moisture regimes. The reported measurements were conducted 22 years (mesic heath) and 12 years (wet heath) upon initiation of in situ climate change related manipulations of temperature, nutrient availability and light. The aim was to quantify expected climatic change effects on soil and ecosystem respiration, and to investigate whether the emitted CO₂ originates from old carbon stores in the soil or from newly fixed carbon. Ecosystem and soil respiration was measured using closed chambers and CO₂ in the soil profile was sampled with gas probes installed at different depths. At the mesic heath ecosystem respiration was increased 46% by warming while soil respiration increased 133% by nutrient addition. At the wet heath, warming increased ecosystem respiration by 99% and soil respiration by 58%. Litter addition, short time warming and shading generally did not change ecosystem- and soil respiration. The carbon isotope compositions of the sources to CO₂ were not significantly altered by any of the treatments at the two heaths across the growing season. However, there was a tendency across growing season towards an increased δ¹³C source value after 22 years of warming in the mesic shrub heath, and the effect was statistically significant in June, indicating increased decomposition of ¹³C enriched material. Hence, although more of the old carbon stock in the soil was possibly mineralized under warmed conditions, indicating a risk of long lasting positive feedback on climate warming, the effect was only periodically strong enough to gain statistical significance, despite strong warming-induced effect on ecosystem respiration, and may be counteracted by increased C gain by higher primary production.

Original language	English
Journal	Soil Biology & Biochemistry
Volume	111
Pages (from-to)	15-24
Number of pages	10
ISSN	0038-0717
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.03.016
Publication status	Published - 2017

Keywords

Carbon balance
Climate change
Ecosystem respiration
Priming
Soil respiration
Tundra

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10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.03.016

Cite this

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title = "Impact of decade-long warming, nutrient addition and shading on emission and carbon isotopic composition of CO2 from two subarctic dwarf shrub heaths",

abstract = "This study investigated ecosystem respiration, soil respiration and carbon isotopic composition in CO2 emitted from two subarctic shrub heaths with contrasting moisture regimes. The reported measurements were conducted 22 years (mesic heath) and 12 years (wet heath) upon initiation of in situ climate change related manipulations of temperature, nutrient availability and light. The aim was to quantify expected climatic change effects on soil and ecosystem respiration, and to investigate whether the emitted CO2 originates from old carbon stores in the soil or from newly fixed carbon. Ecosystem and soil respiration was measured using closed chambers and CO2 in the soil profile was sampled with gas probes installed at different depths. At the mesic heath ecosystem respiration was increased 46% by warming while soil respiration increased 133% by nutrient addition. At the wet heath, warming increased ecosystem respiration by 99% and soil respiration by 58%. Litter addition, short time warming and shading generally did not change ecosystem- and soil respiration. The carbon isotope compositions of the sources to CO2 were not significantly altered by any of the treatments at the two heaths across the growing season. However, there was a tendency across growing season towards an increased δ13C source value after 22 years of warming in the mesic shrub heath, and the effect was statistically significant in June, indicating increased decomposition of 13C enriched material. Hence, although more of the old carbon stock in the soil was possibly mineralized under warmed conditions, indicating a risk of long lasting positive feedback on climate warming, the effect was only periodically strong enough to gain statistical significance, despite strong warming-induced effect on ecosystem respiration, and may be counteracted by increased C gain by higher primary production.",

keywords = "Carbon balance, Climate change, Ecosystem respiration, Priming, Soil respiration, Tundra",

author = "Ravn, {Nynne R.} and Ambus, {Per Lennart} and Anders Michelsen",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of decade-long warming, nutrient addition and shading on emission and carbon isotopic composition of CO2 from two subarctic dwarf shrub heaths

AU - Ravn, Nynne R.

AU - Ambus, Per Lennart

AU - Michelsen, Anders

N1 - CENPERM[2017]

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - This study investigated ecosystem respiration, soil respiration and carbon isotopic composition in CO2 emitted from two subarctic shrub heaths with contrasting moisture regimes. The reported measurements were conducted 22 years (mesic heath) and 12 years (wet heath) upon initiation of in situ climate change related manipulations of temperature, nutrient availability and light. The aim was to quantify expected climatic change effects on soil and ecosystem respiration, and to investigate whether the emitted CO2 originates from old carbon stores in the soil or from newly fixed carbon. Ecosystem and soil respiration was measured using closed chambers and CO2 in the soil profile was sampled with gas probes installed at different depths. At the mesic heath ecosystem respiration was increased 46% by warming while soil respiration increased 133% by nutrient addition. At the wet heath, warming increased ecosystem respiration by 99% and soil respiration by 58%. Litter addition, short time warming and shading generally did not change ecosystem- and soil respiration. The carbon isotope compositions of the sources to CO2 were not significantly altered by any of the treatments at the two heaths across the growing season. However, there was a tendency across growing season towards an increased δ13C source value after 22 years of warming in the mesic shrub heath, and the effect was statistically significant in June, indicating increased decomposition of 13C enriched material. Hence, although more of the old carbon stock in the soil was possibly mineralized under warmed conditions, indicating a risk of long lasting positive feedback on climate warming, the effect was only periodically strong enough to gain statistical significance, despite strong warming-induced effect on ecosystem respiration, and may be counteracted by increased C gain by higher primary production.

AB - This study investigated ecosystem respiration, soil respiration and carbon isotopic composition in CO2 emitted from two subarctic shrub heaths with contrasting moisture regimes. The reported measurements were conducted 22 years (mesic heath) and 12 years (wet heath) upon initiation of in situ climate change related manipulations of temperature, nutrient availability and light. The aim was to quantify expected climatic change effects on soil and ecosystem respiration, and to investigate whether the emitted CO2 originates from old carbon stores in the soil or from newly fixed carbon. Ecosystem and soil respiration was measured using closed chambers and CO2 in the soil profile was sampled with gas probes installed at different depths. At the mesic heath ecosystem respiration was increased 46% by warming while soil respiration increased 133% by nutrient addition. At the wet heath, warming increased ecosystem respiration by 99% and soil respiration by 58%. Litter addition, short time warming and shading generally did not change ecosystem- and soil respiration. The carbon isotope compositions of the sources to CO2 were not significantly altered by any of the treatments at the two heaths across the growing season. However, there was a tendency across growing season towards an increased δ13C source value after 22 years of warming in the mesic shrub heath, and the effect was statistically significant in June, indicating increased decomposition of 13C enriched material. Hence, although more of the old carbon stock in the soil was possibly mineralized under warmed conditions, indicating a risk of long lasting positive feedback on climate warming, the effect was only periodically strong enough to gain statistical significance, despite strong warming-induced effect on ecosystem respiration, and may be counteracted by increased C gain by higher primary production.

KW - Carbon balance

KW - Climate change

KW - Ecosystem respiration

KW - Priming

KW - Soil respiration

KW - Tundra

U2 - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.03.016

DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.03.016

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85016631369

SN - 0038-0717

VL - 111

SP - 15

EP - 24

JO - Soil Biology & Biochemistry

JF - Soil Biology & Biochemistry

ER -