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Net Primary Production and Carbon Stocks for Subarctic Mesic–Dry Tundras with Contrasting Microtopography, Altitude, and Dominant Species

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Abstract

Mesic–dry tundras are widespread in the Arctic but detailed assessments of net primary production (NPP) and ecosystem carbon (C) stocks are lacking. We addressed this lack of knowledge by determining the seasonal dynamics of aboveground vascular NPP, annual NPP, and whole-ecosystem C stocks in five mesic–dry tundras in Northern Sweden with contrasting microtopography, altitude, and dominant species. Those measurements were paralleled by the stock assessments of nitrogen (N), the limiting nutrient. The vascular production was determined by harvest or in situ growing units, whereas the nonvascular production was obtained from average species growth rates, previously assessed at the sites. Results showed that aboveground vascular NPP (15–270 g m−2), annual NPP (214–282 g m−2 or 102–137 g C m−2) and vegetation biomass (330–2450 g m−2) varied greatly among communities. Vegetation dominated by Empetrum hermaphroditum is more productive than Cassiope tetragona vegetation. Although the large majority of the apical NPP occurred in early-mid season (85%), production of stems and evergreen leaves proceeded until about 2 weeks before senescence. Most of the vascular vegetation was belowground (80%), whereas most of the vegetation production occurred aboveground (85%). Ecosystem C and N stocks were 2100–8200 g C m−2 and 80–330 g N m−2, respectively, stored mainly in the soil turf and in the fine organic soil. Such stocks are comparable to the C and N stocks of moister tundra types, such as tussock tundra.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Special Research Fund (BOF) of Ghent University through a PhD Grant to the first author (011D07004), by the Danish Research Council for Nature and Universe, and by the EU ATANS Grant (FP6 506004). Special thanks are due to the Abisko Scientific Research Station for provision of the meteorological data and the logistic support. We thank Thomas Maere and Philipp Theuring for field and laboratory assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Department of Applied Ecology and Environmental Biology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Matteo Campioli, Andreas Demey, Annemie Vermeulen & Raoul Lemeur

  2. Section of Terrestrial Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2 D, 1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Anders Michelsen

  3. Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium

    Roeland Samson

  4. Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Matteo Campioli

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  1. Matteo Campioli
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Correspondence to Matteo Campioli.

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Matteo Campioli, Anders Michelsen, Roeland Samson, Raoul Lemeur—conceived and designed study, Matteo Campioli, Anders Michelsen, Andreas Demey, Annemie Vermeulen—performed research, Matteo Campioli—analyzed data, and Matteo Campioli—wrote the paper.

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Campioli, M., Michelsen, A., Demey, A. et al. Net Primary Production and Carbon Stocks for Subarctic Mesic–Dry Tundras with Contrasting Microtopography, Altitude, and Dominant Species. Ecosystems 12, 760–776 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-009-9255-3

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