Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities
Recent vegetation changes in arctic-alpine tundra ecosystems may affect several ecosystem processes that regulate microbe and soil functions. Such changes can alter ecosystem carbon (C) cycling with positive feedback to the atmosphere if plant C uptake is less than the amount of soil C released. Her...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
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Series: | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1592649 |
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author | Mia Vedel Sørensen Bente Jessen Graae Aimee Classen Brian J. Enquist Richard Strimbeck |
author_facet | Mia Vedel Sørensen Bente Jessen Graae Aimee Classen Brian J. Enquist Richard Strimbeck |
author_sort | Mia Vedel Sørensen |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Recent vegetation changes in arctic-alpine tundra ecosystems may affect several ecosystem processes that regulate microbe and soil functions. Such changes can alter ecosystem carbon (C) cycling with positive feedback to the atmosphere if plant C uptake is less than the amount of soil C released. Here, we examine how differences in plant functional traits, microbial activity, and soil processes within and across Salix-dominated shrub, dwarf shrub–dominated heath, and herb- and cryptogam-dominated meadow communities influence C cycling. We develop a hypothesized framework based on a priori model selection of variation in daytime growing season gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP) and above- and belowground respiration. The fluxes were standardized to light and temperature. Gross ecosystem photosynthesis was primarily related to soil moisture and secondarily to plant functional traits and aboveground biomass, and belowground respiration was dependent on the community weighted mean of specific leaf area (SLACWM). Similarly, microbial activity was linked with SLACWM and was highest in meadows, and carbon-degrading microbial activity decreased with vegetation woodiness. These results suggest that shrub expansion may influence summer C cycling differently depending on plant community, as belowground respiration might increase in the heath and decrease in the meadow communities. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:39:26Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-d5ea2678c14c48ad82de03ec40001355 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1523-0430 1938-4246 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:39:26Z |
publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
record_format | Article |
series | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
spelling | doaj.art-d5ea2678c14c48ad82de03ec400013552022-12-22T01:58:50ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research1523-04301938-42462019-01-0151112814710.1080/15230430.2019.15926491592649Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communitiesMia Vedel Sørensen0Bente Jessen Graae1Aimee Classen2Brian J. Enquist3Richard Strimbeck4NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyNTNU, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyUniversity of VermontUniversity of Arizona, BioSciences WestNTNU, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyRecent vegetation changes in arctic-alpine tundra ecosystems may affect several ecosystem processes that regulate microbe and soil functions. Such changes can alter ecosystem carbon (C) cycling with positive feedback to the atmosphere if plant C uptake is less than the amount of soil C released. Here, we examine how differences in plant functional traits, microbial activity, and soil processes within and across Salix-dominated shrub, dwarf shrub–dominated heath, and herb- and cryptogam-dominated meadow communities influence C cycling. We develop a hypothesized framework based on a priori model selection of variation in daytime growing season gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP) and above- and belowground respiration. The fluxes were standardized to light and temperature. Gross ecosystem photosynthesis was primarily related to soil moisture and secondarily to plant functional traits and aboveground biomass, and belowground respiration was dependent on the community weighted mean of specific leaf area (SLACWM). Similarly, microbial activity was linked with SLACWM and was highest in meadows, and carbon-degrading microbial activity decreased with vegetation woodiness. These results suggest that shrub expansion may influence summer C cycling differently depending on plant community, as belowground respiration might increase in the heath and decrease in the meadow communities.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1592649gross ecosystem photosynthesisrespirationshrub expansionplant functional traitsenzyme activity |
spellingShingle | Mia Vedel Sørensen Bente Jessen Graae Aimee Classen Brian J. Enquist Richard Strimbeck Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research gross ecosystem photosynthesis respiration shrub expansion plant functional traits enzyme activity |
title | Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities |
title_full | Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities |
title_fullStr | Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities |
title_full_unstemmed | Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities |
title_short | Drivers of C cycling in three arctic-alpine plant communities |
title_sort | drivers of c cycling in three arctic alpine plant communities |
topic | gross ecosystem photosynthesis respiration shrub expansion plant functional traits enzyme activity |
url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1592649 |
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