Abstract
Background and aim
Nutrient distribution and carbon fluxes upon spring thaw are compared in mesocosms from high arctic and subarctic ecosystems dominated by Cassiope tetragona or Salix hastata/Salix arctica, in order to evaluate the possibility of plant and microbial utilization of an organic compound in thawing permafrost and surface soil.
Methods
Double labeled glycine (13C15N) was added to soil columns with vegetation and to permafrost. During thaw conditions ecosystem respiration 13C was measured and 13C and 15N distribution in the ecosystem pools was quantified one day and one month after glycine addition.
Results
Near-surface soil microbes were more efficient in the uptake of intact glycine immediately upon thaw than plants. After one month plants had gained more 15N whereas microbes seemed to lose 15N originating from glycine. We observed a time lag in glycine degradation upon permafrost thaw, in contrast to surface soil thaw.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that both arctic plants and microorganisms acquire amino acids released upon spring and permafrost thaw. Despite indications of more efficient utilization of added substrate in the High Arctic than the Subarctic, we conclude that patterns of nutrient distribution are similar and predictions based on subarctic data valid for high arctic settings.
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Acknowledgments
We acknowledge The Danish Council for Independent Research and The Danish National Research Foundation (CENPERM DNRF100) for financial support. We thank Simone Gress Hansen and Sille Juline Høgly Petersen for assistance with sorting of mesocosms and sample preparation, and Gosha Sylvester for assistance with nutrient analysis. We also thank Per Ambus for internal review and constructive comments.
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Ravn, N.M.R., Elberling, B. & Michelsen, A. The fate of 13C15N labelled glycine in permafrost and surface soil at simulated thaw in mesocosms from high arctic and subarctic ecosystems. Plant Soil 419, 201–218 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3322-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3322-x