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Permafrost Distribution Drives Soil Organic Matter Stability in a Subarctic Palsa Peatland

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Abstract

Palsa peatlands, permafrost-affected peatlands characteristic of the outer margin of the discontinuous permafrost zone, form unique ecosystems in northern-boreal and arctic regions, but are now degrading throughout their distributional range due to climate warming. Permafrost thaw and the degradation of palsa mounds are likely to affect the biogeochemical stability of soil organic matter (that is, SOM resistance to microbial decomposition), which may change the net C source/sink character of palsa peatland ecosystems. In this study, we have assessed both biological and chemical proxies for SOM stability, and we have investigated SOM bulk chemistry with mid-infrared spectroscopy, in surface peat of three distinct peatland features in a palsa peatland in northern Norway. Our results show that the stability of SOM in surface peat as determined by both biological and chemical proxies is consistently higher in the permafrost-associated palsa mounds than in the surrounding internal lawns and bog hummocks. Our results also suggest that differences in SOM bulk chemistry is a main factor explaining the present SOM stability in surface peat of palsa peatlands, with selective preservation of recalcitrant and highly oxidized SOM components in the active layer of palsa mounds during intense aerobic decomposition over time, whereas SOM in the wetter areas of the peatland remains stabilized mainly by anaerobic conditions. The continued degradation of palsa mounds and the expansion of wetter peat areas are likely to modify the bulk SOM chemistry of palsa peatlands, but the effect on the future net C source/sink character of palsa peatlands will largely depend on moisture conditions and oxygen availability in peat.

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Acknowledgments

Karl Andreas Jensen and Peter Dörsch are highly acknowledged for helpful discussions and advice related to the C mineralization experiments. The study was funded by The Norwegian Soil and Peat Society, the research project “Organic matter in permafrost: molecular composition and associated response to increasing temperature (PERMASOM)” (Norwegian Research Council (NFR) Project No. 184754/S30), and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Aas, Norway

    Annelene Pengerud, Line Kristin Johnsen & Line Tau Strand

  2. Irstea, UR EMGR Ecosystèmes montagnards, 2 rue de la Papeterie, BP 76, 38402, Saint Martin d’Hères, France

    Lauric Cécillon

  3. Bioforsk, Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Fr. A. Dahls vei 20, 1432, Aas, Norway

    Daniel P. Rasse

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  1. Annelene Pengerud
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Correspondence to Annelene Pengerud.

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AP, LKJ, DPR and LTS: designed the study. AP, LKJ and LTS: performed research. AP and LC: analysed data. AP and LC: wrote the paper. All authors discussed the results and the structure of the paper, commented and revised the manuscript text.

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Pengerud, A., Cécillon, L., Johnsen, L.K. et al. Permafrost Distribution Drives Soil Organic Matter Stability in a Subarctic Palsa Peatland. Ecosystems 16, 934–947 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-013-9652-5

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