Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem
Abstract Ecological theory predicts a pulse disturbance results in loss of soil organic carbon and short-term respiration losses that exceed recovery of productivity in many ecosystems. However, fundamental uncertainties remain in our understanding of ecosystem recovery where spatiotemporal variatio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26849-w |
| _version_ | 1797973634151612416 |
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| author | Kathleen A. Lohse Derek Pierson Nicholas R. Patton Jonathan Sanderman David P. Huber Bruce Finney Jeremy Facer Jared Meyers Mark S. Seyfried |
| author_facet | Kathleen A. Lohse Derek Pierson Nicholas R. Patton Jonathan Sanderman David P. Huber Bruce Finney Jeremy Facer Jared Meyers Mark S. Seyfried |
| author_sort | Kathleen A. Lohse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Ecological theory predicts a pulse disturbance results in loss of soil organic carbon and short-term respiration losses that exceed recovery of productivity in many ecosystems. However, fundamental uncertainties remain in our understanding of ecosystem recovery where spatiotemporal variation in structure and function are not adequately represented in conceptual models. Here we show that wildfire in sagebrush shrublands results in multiscale responses that vary with ecosystem properties, landscape position, and their interactions. Consistent with ecological theory, soil pH increased and soil organic carbon (SOC) decreased following fire. In contrast, SOC responses were slope aspect and shrub-microsite dependent, with a larger proportional decrease under previous shrubs on north-facing aspects compared to south-facing ones. In addition, respiratory losses from burned aspects were not significantly different than losses from unburned aspects. We also documented the novel formation of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) with wildfire that differed significantly with aspect and microsite scale. Whereas pH and SIC recovered within 37 months post-fire, SOC stocks remained reduced, especially on north-facing aspects. Spatially, SIC formation was paired with reduced respiration losses, presumably lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), and increased calcium availability, consistent with geochemical models of carbonate formation. Our findings highlight the formation of SIC after fire as a novel short-term sink of carbon in non-forested shrubland ecosystems. Resiliency in sagebrush shrublands may be more complex and integrated across ecosystem to landscape scales than predicted based on current theory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:07:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-66fd475b56b24031811e4f0f34b0760f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:07:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-66fd475b56b24031811e4f0f34b0760f2023-01-01T12:19:04ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111210.1038/s41598-022-26849-wMultiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystemKathleen A. Lohse0Derek Pierson1Nicholas R. Patton2Jonathan Sanderman3David P. Huber4Bruce Finney5Jeremy Facer6Jared Meyers7Mark S. Seyfried8Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Idaho State UniversityDepartment of Geosciences, Idaho State UniversityWoodwell Climate Research CenterDepartment of Biological Sciences, Idaho State UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Idaho State UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Idaho State UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Idaho State UniversityNorthwest Watershed Research Center, USDA ARSAbstract Ecological theory predicts a pulse disturbance results in loss of soil organic carbon and short-term respiration losses that exceed recovery of productivity in many ecosystems. However, fundamental uncertainties remain in our understanding of ecosystem recovery where spatiotemporal variation in structure and function are not adequately represented in conceptual models. Here we show that wildfire in sagebrush shrublands results in multiscale responses that vary with ecosystem properties, landscape position, and their interactions. Consistent with ecological theory, soil pH increased and soil organic carbon (SOC) decreased following fire. In contrast, SOC responses were slope aspect and shrub-microsite dependent, with a larger proportional decrease under previous shrubs on north-facing aspects compared to south-facing ones. In addition, respiratory losses from burned aspects were not significantly different than losses from unburned aspects. We also documented the novel formation of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) with wildfire that differed significantly with aspect and microsite scale. Whereas pH and SIC recovered within 37 months post-fire, SOC stocks remained reduced, especially on north-facing aspects. Spatially, SIC formation was paired with reduced respiration losses, presumably lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), and increased calcium availability, consistent with geochemical models of carbonate formation. Our findings highlight the formation of SIC after fire as a novel short-term sink of carbon in non-forested shrubland ecosystems. Resiliency in sagebrush shrublands may be more complex and integrated across ecosystem to landscape scales than predicted based on current theory.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26849-w |
| spellingShingle | Kathleen A. Lohse Derek Pierson Nicholas R. Patton Jonathan Sanderman David P. Huber Bruce Finney Jeremy Facer Jared Meyers Mark S. Seyfried Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem Scientific Reports |
| title | Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem |
| title_full | Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem |
| title_short | Multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem |
| title_sort | multiscale responses and recovery of soils to wildfire in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26849-w |
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