Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Novel Approaches to Study Climate Change Effects on Terrestrial Ecosystems in the Field: Drought and Passive Nighttime Warming

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Ecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article describes new approaches for manipulation of temperature and water input in the field. Nighttime warming was created by reflection of infrared radiation. Automatically operated reflective curtains covered the vegetation at night to reduce heat loss to the atmosphere. This approach mimicked the way climate change, caused by increased cloudiness and increased greenhouse gas emissions, alters the heat balance of ecosystems. Drought conditions were created by automatically covering the vegetation with transparent curtains during rain events over a 2–5-month period. The experimental approach has been evaluated at four European sites across a climate gradient. All sites were dominated (more than 50%) by shrubs of the ericaceous family. Within each site, replicated 4-m × 5-m plots were established for control, warming, and drought treatments and the effect on climate variables recorded. Results over a two-year period indicate that the warming treatment was successful in achieving an increase of the minimum temperatures by 0.4–1.2°C in the air and soil. The drought treatment resulted in a soil moisture reduction of 33%–82% at the peak of the drought. The data presented demonstrate that the approach minimizes unintended artifacts with respect to water balance, moisture conditions, and light, while causing a small but significant reduction in wind speed by the curtains. Temperature measurements demonstrated that the edge effects associated with the treatments were small. Our method provides a valuable tool for investigating the effects of climate change in remote locations with minimal artifacts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Figure 3.
Figure 4.
Figure 5.
Figure 6.
Figure 7.
Figure 8.
Figure 9.
Figure 10.
Figure 11.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. RD Alward JK Detling DG Milchunas (1999) ArticleTitleGrassland vegetation changes and nocturnal global warming Science 283 229–31 Occurrence Handle10.1126/science.283.5399.229 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXjtlelug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9880257

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. J Bergh S Linder (1999) ArticleTitleEffects of soil warming during spring on photosynthetic recovery in boreal Norway spruce stands Global Change Biol 5 245–53 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1999.00205.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. A Bootsma (1994) ArticleTitleLong-term (100 Yr) climatic trends for agriculture at selected locations in Canada Climatic Change 26 65–88

    Google Scholar 

  4. MK Cao FI Woodward (1998) ArticleTitleNet primary and ecosystem production and carbon stocks of terrestrial ecosystems and their responses to climate change Global Change Biol 4 185–98 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00125.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. FS Chapin GR Shaver AE Giblin KJ Nadelhoffer JA Laundre (1995) ArticleTitleResponses of arctic tundra to experimental and observed changes in climate Ecology 76 694–711

    Google Scholar 

  6. FS Chapin MS BretHarte SE Hobbie HL Zhong (1996) ArticleTitlePlant functional types as predictors of transient responses of arctic vegetation to global change J Veget Sci 7 347–58

    Google Scholar 

  7. BA Emmett C Beier M Estiarte A Tietema HL Kristensen D Williams J Penuelas IK Schmidt A Sowerby (2004) ArticleTitleThe response of soil processes to climate change: Results from manipulation studies of shrublands across an environmental gradient Ecosystems 7 .

    Google Scholar 

  8. EJ Farnsworth J NunezFarfan SA Careaga FA Bazzaz (1996) ArticleTitlePhenology and growth of three temperate forest life forms in response to artificial soil warming J Ecol 83 967–77

    Google Scholar 

  9. Freeman C, Hudson J, Lock MA, Reynolds B. 1993. A field-base approach to investigating potential impacts of climate change upon wetlands. Extreme Hydrological event: Precipitation, Floods and Droughts. IAHS Publ. No. 213, 151–5.

  10. P Gundersen AW Boxman N Lamersdorf F Moldan BR Andersen (1998) ArticleTitleExperimental manipulation of forest ecosystems: lessons from large roof experiments For Ecol Manage 101 339–52 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0378-1127(97)00148-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. J Harte MS Torn FR Chang B Feifarek AP Kinzig R Shaw K Shen (1995) ArticleTitleGlobal warming and soil microclimate—results from a meadow-warming experiment Ecol Applic 5 132–50

    Google Scholar 

  12. GW Heil R Bobbink (1993) Impact of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on dry heathlands. A stochastic model simulation competition between Calluna vulgaris and two grass species R Aerts GW Heil (Eds) Heathlands: Patterns and Processes in a Changing Environment. Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers The Netherlands 181–200

    Google Scholar 

  13. JT Houghton Y Ding DJ Griggs M Noguer PJ van der Lindern D Xiaosu (2001) Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  14. P Ineson K Taylor AF Harrison J Poskitt DG Benham E Tipping C Woof (1998a) ArticleTitleEffects of climate change on nitrogen dynamics in upland soils. 1. A transplant approach Global Change Biol 4 143–52 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00118.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. P Ineson DG Benham J Poskitt AF Harrison K Taylor C Woods (1998b) ArticleTitleEffects of climate change on nitrogen dynamics in upland soils. 2. A soil warming study Global Change Biol 4 153–61 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00119.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. IPCC. 1990. Impacts Assessment of climate Change – Report of working Group II. W.J. McG Tegart et al. (Eds) Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, Australia

  17. IPCC. 1995. Climate Change 1995 – Impacts, Adaptations and Mitigation of climate Change: Scientific-Technical Analyses. R.T Watson et al. (Eds) Cambridge University Press, UK. pp 878

  18. S Jonasson A Michelsen IK Schmidt EV Nielsen (1999) ArticleTitleResponses in microbes and plants to changed temperature, nutrient, and light regimes in the arctic Ecology 80 1828–43

    Google Scholar 

  19. AD Kennedy (1994) ArticleTitleSimulated climate-change—A field manipulation study of polar microarthropod community response to global warming Ecography 17 131–40

    Google Scholar 

  20. NP Lamersdorf C Beier K Blanck M Bredemeier EP Farrell K Kreutzer L Rasmussen M Ryan W Weis Y-J Xu (1998) ArticleTitleEffect of drought experiments using roof installations on acidification/nitrification of soils For Ecol Manage 101 95–109 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0378-1127(97)00128-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. L Llorens J Peñuelas C Beier BA Emmett M Estiarte A Tietema (2004) ArticleTitleEffects of an experimental increase of temperature and drought on the photosynthetic performance of two Ericaceous shrub species along a north–south European gradient Ecosystems 7 .

    Google Scholar 

  22. A Lindroth A Grelle AS Moren (1998) ArticleTitleLong-term measurements of boreal forest carbon balance reveal large temperature sensitivity Global Change Biol 4 443–50 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00165.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. A Lukewille RF Wright (1997) ArticleTitleExperimentally increased soil temperature causes release of nitrogen at a boreal forest catchment in southern Norway Global Change Biol 3 13–21 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1997.00088.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. RJ Luxmoore PJ Hanson JJ Beauchamp JD Joslin (1998) ArticleTitlePassive nighttime warming facility for forest ecosystem research Tree Physiol 18 615–23 Occurrence Handle12651350

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. GM Marion GHR Henry DW Freckman J Johnstone G Jones MH Jones E Levesque U Molau P Molgaard AN Parsons J Svoboda RA Virginia (1997) ArticleTitleOpen-top designs for manipulating field temperature in high-latitude ecosystems Global Change Biol 3 20–32 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1365-2486.1997.gcb136.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. PJ McHale MJ Mitchell (1996) ArticleTitleDisturbance effects on soil solution chemistry due to heating cable installation Biol Fertil Soils 22 40–4 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s003740050073 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK28XjsFWntL4%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. JE Miles JS Bale ID Hodkinson (1997) ArticleTitleEffects of temperature elevation on the population dynamics of the upland heather psyllid Strophingia ericae (Curtis) (Homoptera: Psylloidea) Global Change Biol 3 291–7 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1997.00079.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. RJ Norby NT Edwards JS Riggs CH Abner SD Wullschleger CA Gunderson (1997) ArticleTitleTemperature-controlled open-top chambers for global change research Global Change Biol 3 259–67 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1997.00072.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. J Peñuelas C Gordon L Llorens T Nielsen A Tietema C Beier P Bruna BA Emmet M Estiarte T Gorissen (2004) ArticleTitleNonintrusive field experiments show different plant responses to warming and drought among sites, seasons and species in a north–south European gradient Ecosystems 7 .

    Google Scholar 

  30. WT Peterjohn JM Mellillo FP Bowles PA Steudler (1993) ArticleTitleSoil warming and trace gas fluxes—experimental-design and preliminary flux results Oecologia 93 18–24

    Google Scholar 

  31. L Rasmussen C Beier A Bergstedt (2002) ArticleTitleExperimental manipulations of old pine forest ecosystems to predict the potential tree growth effects of increased CO2 and temperature in a future climate For Ecol Manage 158 179–88 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00677-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. WJ Roltsch FG Zalom AJ Strawn JF Strand MJ Pitcairn (1999) ArticleTitleEvaluation of several degree-day estimation methods in California climates Int J Biometeorol 42 169–76 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s004840050101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. InstitutionalAuthorNameSAS Institute (1987) SAS/STAT Guide for Personal Computers SAS Institute Inc Cary, NC 1028

    Google Scholar 

  34. ED Schulze RJ Scholes J Ehleringer LA Hunt J Canadell FS Chapin WL Steffen (1999) The study of ecosystems in the context of global change B Walker W Steffen J Canadell J Ingram (Eds) The terrestrial biosphere and global change—implications for natural and managed ecosystems Cambridge University Press Cambridge 19–44

    Google Scholar 

  35. GR Shaver WD Billings FS Chapin AE Giblin KJ Nadelhoffer WC Oechel EB Rastetter (1992) ArticleTitleGlobal change and the carbon balance of arctic ecosystems Bioscience 42 433–41

    Google Scholar 

  36. GR Shaver J Canadell FS Chapin J Gurevitch J Harte G Henry P Ineson S Jonasson J Melillo L Pitelka L Rustad (2000) ArticleTitleGlobal warming and terrestrial ecosystems: A conceptual framework for analysis Bioscience 50 871–82

    Google Scholar 

  37. D Tilman JA Downing (1994) ArticleTitleBiodiversity and stability in grasslands Nature 367 363–5 Occurrence Handle10.1038/367363a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. N Van Breemen A Jenkins RF Wright DJ Beerling WJ Arp F Berendse C Beier R Collins D van Dam L Rasmussen PSJ Verburg MA Wills (1998) ArticleTitleImpacts of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature on a boreal forest ecosystem (CLIMEX project) Ecosystems 1 345–51 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s100219900028 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXptFehuw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. S Wan Y Luo LL Wallace (2002) ArticleTitleChanges in microclimate induced by experimental warming and clipping in tallgrass prairie Global Change Biol 8 754–68 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.2002.00510.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. RT Watson H Rodhe H Oeschger U Siegentaler (1991) Greenhouse gases and aerosols JT Houghton GJ Jenkins JJ Ephraums (Eds) Climate change, the IPCC scientific assessment Cambridge University Press Cambridge 1–40

    Google Scholar 

  41. V Wolters WL Silver DE Bignell DC Coleman P Lavelle WH Van der Putten P De Ruiter J Rusek DH Wall DA Wardle L Brussaard JM Dangerfield VK Brown KE Giller DU Hooper O Sala J Tiedje JA Van Veen (2000) ArticleTitleEffects of global changes on above- and belowground biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems: Implications for ecosystem functioning Bioscience 50 1089–98

    Google Scholar 

  42. RF Wright (1998) ArticleTitleEffect of increased carbon dioxide and temperature on runoff chemistry at a forested catchment in southern Norway (CLIMEX project) Ecosystems 1 216–25 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s100219900017 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXptFejuw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. RF Wright C Beier BJ Cosby (1998) ArticleTitleEffects of nitrogen deposition and climate change on nitrogen runoff at Norwegian boreal forest catchments: the MERLIN model applied to the RAIN and CLIMEX projects Hydrol Earth Syst Sc 2 399–414

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by EU under the projects CLIMOOR (contract No. ENV4-CT97-0694) and VULCAN (contract No. EVK2-CT-2000-00094) and the participating research institutes. We want to thank Robbert Luxmore for sharing his ideas on passive nighttime warming as a research tool. The construction and manufacturing of the passive nighttime warming hardware was conducted by VEGA Montage, Aps, Denmark. We want to thank Jacob Pedersen (VEGA Montage Aps), Preben Jørgensen (Prenart Equipment Aps), and Ulrik Larsen (Erik Larsen & Søn, Aps) for their great and tireless support and advice in developing the technology and help in solving all the big and small problems during the course of the project. We also owe a lot of grateful thanks to all the technical staff at our institutes for their skillful help in running and maintaining the treatments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. RISØ National Laboratory, P.O. Boks 49, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Claus Beier

  2. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology–Bangor, Deiniol Rd., Bangor, Gwynedd LL572UP, United Kingdom

    Bridget Emmett

  3. Forest and Landscape, Denmark Royal Agricultural and Veterinary University, Hørshom Kongevej 11, DK-2970, Hørsholm, Denmark

    Per Gundersen

  4. Center for Geo-ecological Research (JCG), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED)–Physical Geography, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Albert Tietema

  5. Unitat Ecofisiologia CSIC–CEAB–CREAF, CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), Edifici C, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

    Josep Peñuelas, Marc Estiarte & Laura Llorens

  6. Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, United Kingdom

    Carmen Gordon

  7. Plant Research International, P.O. Box 16, Bornsesteeg 65, NL-6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Antonie Gorissen

  8. CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), Edifici C, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

    Ferran Roda

  9. Countryside Council for Wales, Hafod Elfyn, Ffordd Penrhos, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2LQ, United Kingdom

    Dylan Williams

Authors
  1. Claus Beier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bridget Emmett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Per Gundersen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Albert Tietema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Josep Peñuelas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Marc Estiarte
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Carmen Gordon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Antonie Gorissen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Laura Llorens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Ferran Roda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Dylan Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claus Beier.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Beier, C., Emmett, B., Gundersen, P. et al. Novel Approaches to Study Climate Change Effects on Terrestrial Ecosystems in the Field: Drought and Passive Nighttime Warming. Ecosystems 7, 583–597 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-004-0178-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-004-0178-8

Search

Navigation