Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Moisture Effects on Temperature Sensitivity of CO2 Exchange in a Subarctic Heath Ecosystem

  • Published:
Biogeochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Carbon fluxes between natural ecosystems and the atmosphere have received increased attention in recent years due to the impact they have on climate. In order to investigate independently how soil moisture and temperature control carbon fluxes into and out of a dry subarctic dwarf shrub dominated heath, monoliths containing soil and plants were incubated at three different moisture levels and subjected to four different temperature levels between 7 and 20 °C. Ecosystem CO2 exchange was monitored continuously day and night during the 16 to 18 days that each of three experiments lasted. Additionally, the carbon allocation pattern of the plants was investigated by labelling monoliths with 14CO2 followed by harvest of above and below ground plant parts. The results revealed that the three different soil moisture levels caused distinctly differing levels of CO2 fluxes. Also, both carbon fixation calculated as gross ecosystem production (GEP) and carbon release measured as ecosystem respiration (ER) increased with increasing temperatures, with ER increasing faster than GEP. Hence, short term carbon loss from the ecosystem accelerated with raised temperatures. Temperature sensitivity of the ecosystem was dependent on the soil moisture level, shown by differing Q10 values of both GEP and ER at different soil moisture levels. It is therefore highly important to take soil moisture levels into consideration when evaluating responses of ecosystem carbon balance to changes in temperature. The greatest C fixation took place via the two most dominant species of the ecosystem, Vaccinium uliginosum and Empetrum hermaphroditum, with the former being responsible for the different size of C fixation at the three moisture levels.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • W.D. Billings J.O. Luken D.A. Mortensen K.M. Peterson (1982) ArticleTitleArctic tundra: a source or sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in a changing environment? Oecologia 53 7–11 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00377129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L.C. Bliss N.V. Matveyeva (1992) Circumpolar Arctic vegetation F.S. Chapin SuffixIII R.L. Jefferies J.F. Reynolds G.R. Shaver J. Svoboda (Eds) Arctic Ecosystems in a Changing Climate. An Ecophysiological Perspective’ Academic Press Inc San Diego 59–89

    Google Scholar 

  • R.D. Bowden K.M. Newkirk G.M. Rullo (1998) ArticleTitleCarbon dioxide and methane fluxes by a forest soil under laboratory-controlled moisture and temperature conditions Soil Biol. Biochem. 30 1591–1597 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-0717(97)00228-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.R. Christensen A. Michelsen S. Jonasson I.K. Schmidt (1997) ArticleTitleCarbon dioxide and methane exchange of a subarctic health in response to climate change related environmental manipulations Oikos 79 34–44

    Google Scholar 

  • T.R. Christensen S. Jonasson A. Michelsen T.V. Callaghan M. Havsträm (1998) ArticleTitleEnvironmental controls on soil respiration in the Eurasian and Greenlandic Arctic J. Geophys. Res. 103 29015–29021 Occurrence Handle10.1029/98JD00084

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.R. Christensen S. Jonasson T.V. Callaghan M. Havsträm (1999) ArticleTitleOn the potential CO2 releases from tundra soils in a changing climate Appl. Soil Ecol. 11 127–134 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0929-1393(98)00146-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.R. Christensen T. Friborg M. Sommerkorn J. Kaplan L. Illeris H. Soegaard C. Nordstroem S. Jonasson (2000) ArticleTitleTrace gas exchange in a high-arctic valley 1. Variations in CO2 and CH4 flux between tundra vegetation types Global Biochem. Cycles 14 701–713 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1999GB001134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.R. Christensen N. Panikov M. Mastepanov A. Joabsson M. Öquist M. Sommerkorn S. Reynaud B. Svensson (2003) ArticleTitleBiotic controls on CO2 and CH4 exchange in wetlands – a closed environment study Biogeochemistry 64 337–354 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1024913730848

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B.J. Enquist J.J. Ebersole (1994) ArticleTitleEffects of added water on photosynthesis of Bistorta vivipara: the importance of water relations and leaf nitrogen in two alpine communities, Pikes Peak, Colorado, USA Arc. Alp. Res. 26 29–34

    Google Scholar 

  • P.W. Flanagan A.K. Veum (1974) Relationships between respiration, weight loss, temperature and moisture in organic residues on tundra A.J. Holding O.W. Heal S.W. MacLean SuffixJr. P.W. Flanagan (Eds) Soil Organisms and Decomposition in Tundra Tundra Biome Steering Committee Stockholm 249–277

    Google Scholar 

  • O.W. Heal P.W. Flanagan D.D. French JrS.F. MacLean (1981) Decomposition and accumulation of organic matter in tundra L.C. Bliss O.W. Heal J.J. Moore (Eds) Tundra Ecosystems: a Comparative Analysis. Cambridge University Press Cambridge 587–633

    Google Scholar 

  • S.E. Hobbie F.S. Chapin SuffixIII (1998) ArticleTitleThe response of tundra plant biomass, aboveground production, nitrogen, and CO2 flux to experimental warming Ecology 79 1526–1544

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Illeris S. Jonasson (1999) ArticleTitleSoil and plant CO2 emission in response to variations in soil moisture and temperature and to amendment with nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon in Northern Scandinavia Arc. Antarc. Alp. Res. 31 264–271

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameIPCC (2001) Climate change 2001 The scientific basis J.T. Houghton Y. Ding D.J. Griggs M. Noguer P.J. Linden Particlevan der X. Dai K. Maskell C.A. Johnson (Eds) Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the International Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press Cambridge 0–9

    Google Scholar 

  • L.C. Johnson G.R. Shaver A.E. Giblin K.J. Nadelhoffer E.R. Rastetter J.A. Laundre G.L. Murray (1996) ArticleTitleEffects of drainage and temperature on carbon balance of tussock tundra microcosms Oecologia 108 737–748 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00329050

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L.C. Johnson G.R. Shaver D.H. Cades E.B. Rastetter K.J. Nadelhoffer A.E. Giblin J.A. Laundre A. Stanley (2000) ArticleTitlePlant carbon-nutrient interactions control CO2 exchange in Alaskan wet sedge tundra ecosystems Ecology 81 453–469

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Jonasson F.S. Chapin SuffixIII G.R. Shaver (2001) Biogeochemistry in the Arctic: patterns, processes and controls E.D. Schulze S.P. Harrison M. Heimann E.A. Holland J.J. Lloyd I.C. Prentice D. Schimel (Eds) Global Biogeochemical Cycles in the Climate System Academic Press New York 139–150

    Google Scholar 

  • M.H. Jones J.T. Fahnestock D.A. Walker M.D. Walker J.M. Welker (1998) ArticleTitleCarbon dioxide fluxes in moist and dry arctic tundra during the snow free-season: responses to increases in summer temperature and winter snow accumulation Arc. Alp. Res. 30 373–380

    Google Scholar 

  • P.S. Karlsson (1985) ArticleTitleEffects of water and mineral nutrient supply on a deciduous and an evergreen dwarf shrub: Vaccinium uliginosum L., V. vitis-idaea L Holarc. Ecol. 8 1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • M.U.F. Kirschbaum (1995) ArticleTitleThe temperature dependence of soil organic matter decomposition, and the effect of global warming on soil organic storage Soil Biol. Biochem. 27 753–760 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0038-0717(94)00242-S

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Lindroth A. Grelle A. Morén (1998) ArticleTitleLong-term measurements of boreal forest carbon balance reveal large temperature sensitivity Global Change Biol. 4 443–450 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00165.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Lloyd J.A. Taylor (1994) ArticleTitleOn the temperature dependence of soil respiration Funct. Ecol. 8 315–323

    Google Scholar 

  • U. Matthes-Sears W.C. Mattehs-Sears J. Hastings W.C. Oechel (1988) ArticleTitleThe effects of topography and nutrient status on the biomass, vegetative characteristics, and gas exchange of two deciduous shrubs on an arctic tundra slope Arc. Alp. Res. 20 342–351

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Maxwell (1997) Recent climate patterns in the Arctic W.C. Oechel T.V. Callaghan T. Gilmanov J.I. Holten B. Maxwell U. Molau B. Sveinbjärnsson (Eds) Global Change and Arctic Terrestrial Ecosystems Springer-Verlag New York 21–46

    Google Scholar 

  • J.M. Melillo T.V. Callaghan F.I. Woodward E. Salati S.K. Sinha (1990) Effects on ecosystems J.T. Houghton G.J. Jenkins J.J. Ephraums (Eds) Climate Change, the IPCC Scientific Assessment Cambridge University Press Cambridge 282–310

    Google Scholar 

  • K.J. Nadelhoffer A.E. Giblin G.R. Shaver J.A. Laundre (1991) ArticleTitleEffects of temperature and substrate quality on element mineralization in six arctic soils Ecology: 72 242–253

    Google Scholar 

  • S.F. Oberbauer P.C. Miller (1982) ArticleTitleGrowth of Alaskan tundra plants in relation to water potential Holarc. Ecol. 5 194–199

    Google Scholar 

  • S.F. Oberbauer J.D. Tenhunen J.F. Reynolds (1991) ArticleTitleEnvironmental effects on CO2 efflux from water track and tussock tundra in arctic Alaska, USA Arc. Alp. Res. 23 162–169

    Google Scholar 

  • S.F. Oberbauer C.T. Gillespie W. Cheng A. Sala R. Gebauer J.D. Tenhunen (1996) ArticleTitleDiurnal and seasonal patterns of ecosystem CO2 efflux from upland tundra in the foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska, USA Arc. Alp. Res. 28 328–338

    Google Scholar 

  • W.C. Oechel S.J. Hastings G. Vourlitis M. Jenkins G. Riechers N. Grulke (1993) ArticleTitleRecent change of Arctic tundra ecosystems from a net carbon dioxide sink to a source Nature 361 520–523 Occurrence Handle10.1038/361520a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W.C. Oechel G.L. Vourlitis S.J. Hastings S.A. Bokharev (1995) ArticleTitleChange in arctic CO2 flux over two decades: effects of climate change at Barrow, Alaska Ecol. Appl. 5 846–855

    Google Scholar 

  • W.C. Oechel G.L. Vourlitis S.J. Hastings R.P. Ault P. Bryant (1998) ArticleTitleThe effects of water table manipulation and elevated temperature on the net CO2 flux of wet sedge tundra ecosystems Global Change Biol. 4 77–90 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00110.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W.C. Oechel G.L. Vourlitis S.J. Hastings R.C. Zulueta L. Hinzman D. Kane (2000) ArticleTitleAcclimation of ecosystem CO2 exchange in the Alaskan Arctic in response to decadal climate warming Nature 406 978–981 Occurrence Handle10.1038/35023137 Occurrence Handle10984048

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • E. Ögren G. Öquist (1985) ArticleTitleEffects of drought on photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and photoinhibition suspectibility in intact willow leaves Planta 166 380–388 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00401176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • N.S. Panikov (1995) Microbial Growth Kinetics Chapman & Hall London

    Google Scholar 

  • W.M. Post W.R. Emanuel P.J. Zinke A.G. Stangenberger (1982) ArticleTitleSoil Carbon Pools and World Life Zones Nature 298 156–159 Occurrence Handle10.1038/298156a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.H. Robinson P.A. Wookey A.N. Parsons J.A. Potter T.V. Callaghan J.A. Lee M.C. Press J.M. Welker (1995) ArticleTitleResponses of plant litter decomposition and nitrogen mineralisation to simulated environmental change in a high arctic polar semi-desert and a subarctic dwarf shrub heath Oikos 74 503–512

    Google Scholar 

  • C.H. Robinson A. Michelsen J.A. Lee S.J. Whitehead T.V. Callaghan M.C. Press S. Jonasson (1997) ArticleTitleElevated atmospheric CO2 affects decomposition of Festuca vivipara (L.) Sm. litter and roots in experiments simulating environmental change in two contrasting ecosystems Global Change Biol. 3 37–49 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1997.d01-133.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P.R. Rowntree (1997) Global and regional patterns of climate change: recent predictions for the Arctic W.C. Oechel T.V. Callaghan T. Gilmanov J.I. Holten B. Maxwell U. Molau B. Sveinbjärnsson (Eds) Global Change and Arctic Terrestrial Ecosystems Ecological Studies 124 Springer-Verlag New York 82–109

    Google Scholar 

  • O.A. Semikhatova T.V. Gerasimenko T.I. Ivanova (1992) Photosynthesis, respiration, and growth of plants in the Soviet Arctic F.S. Chapin SuffixIII R.L. Jefferies J.F. Reynolds G.R. Shaver J. Svoboda (Eds) Arctic Ecosystems in a Changing Climate. An Ecophysiological Perspective. Academic Press Inc. San Diego 169–192

    Google Scholar 

  • G.R. Shaver L.C. Johnson D.H. Cades G. Murray J.A. Laundre E.B. Rastetter K.J. Nadelhoffer A.E. Giblin (1998) ArticleTitleBiomass and CO2 flux in wet sedge tundras: responses to nutrients, temperature and light Ecol. Mon. 68 75–97

    Google Scholar 

  • G.R. Shaver J. Canadell F.S. Chapin SuffixIII 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 50 871–882

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Shevtsova E. Haukioja A. Ojala (1997) ArticleTitleGrowth response of subarctic dwarf shrubs, Empetrum nigrum and Vaccinium vitis-idaea, to manipulated environmental conditions and species removal Oikos 78 440–458

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Soegaard C. Nordstroem (1999) ArticleTitleCarbon dioxide exchange in a high arctic fen estimated by eddy covariance measurements and modelling Global Change Biol. 5 547–562

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Soegaard C. Nordstroem T. Friborg B.U. Hansen T.R. Christensen C. Bay (2000) ArticleTitleTrace gas exchange in a high-arctic valley 3. Integrating and scaling CO2 fluxes from canopy to landscape using flux data, footprint modeling, and remote sensing Global Biochem. Cycles 14 725–744 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1999GB001137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameStatistical Analysis Systems Institute (1997) SAS/STAT Users guide. Release 6.12 SAS Institute Cary, North Carolina

    Google Scholar 

  • M.G. Tjoelker J. Oleksyn P.B. Reich (2001) ArticleTitleModelling respiration of vegetation: evidence for a general temperature dependent Q10 Global Change Biol. 7 223–230 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.2001.00397.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J.M. Welker K.B. Brown J.T. Fahnestock (1999) ArticleTitleCO2 flux in Arctic and Alpine dry tundra: comparative field responses under ambient an experimentally warmed conditions Arc. Antarc. Alp. Res. 31 272–277

    Google Scholar 

  • J.M. Welker J.T. Fahnestock M.H. Jones (2000) ArticleTitleAnnual CO2 flux in dry and moist arctic tundra: fields responses to increases in summer temperatures and winter snow depth Climatic Change 44 139–150 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1005555012742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Xu Y. Qi (2001) ArticleTitleSpatial and seasonal variations of Q10 determined by soil respiration measurements at a Sierra Nevadan forest Global Biochem. Cycles 15 687–696 Occurrence Handle10.1029/2000GB001365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. Zamolodchikov D. Karelin A. Ivaschenko (2000) ArticleTitleSensitivity of tundra carbon balance to ambient temperature Water Air Soil Pollution 119 157–169 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1005194613088

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen, O. Farimagsgade 2D, DK-1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Lotte Illeris

  2. Climate Impacts Group, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, John Ericssons väg 1, S-223 62, Lund, Sweden

    Torben Røjle Christensen & Mihael Mastepanov

Authors
  1. Lotte Illeris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Torben Røjle Christensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mihael Mastepanov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lotte Illeris.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Illeris, L., Christensen, T.R. & Mastepanov, M. Moisture Effects on Temperature Sensitivity of CO2 Exchange in a Subarctic Heath Ecosystem. Biogeochemistry 70, 315–330 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-003-0855-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-003-0855-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation