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Title: Stoichiometry and temperature sensitivity of methanogenesis and CO 2 production from saturated polygonal tundra in Barrow, Alaska

Abstract

Abstract Arctic permafrost ecosystems store ~50% of global belowground carbon (C) that is vulnerable to increased microbial degradation with warmer active layer temperatures and thawing of the near surface permafrost. We used anoxic laboratory incubations to estimate anaerobic CO 2 production and methanogenesis in active layer (organic and mineral soil horizons) and permafrost samples from center, ridge and trough positions of water‐saturated low‐centered polygon in Barrow Environmental Observatory, Barrow AK , USA . Methane ( CH 4 ) and CO 2 production rates and concentrations were determined at −2, +4, or +8 °C for 60 day incubation period. Temporal dynamics of CO 2 production and methanogenesis at −2 °C showed evidence of fundamentally different mechanisms of substrate limitation and inhibited microbial growth at soil water freezing points compared to warmer temperatures. Nonlinear regression better modeled the initial rates and estimates of Q 10 values for CO 2 that showed higher sensitivity in the organic‐rich soils of polygon center and trough than the relatively drier ridge soils. Methanogenesis generally exhibited a lag phase in the mineral soils that was significantly longer at −2 °C in all horizons. Such discontinuity in CH 4 production between −2 °C and the elevated temperatures (+4 and +8 °C) indicated the insufficientmore » representation of methanogenesis on the basis of Q 10 values estimated from both linear and nonlinear models. Production rates for both CH 4 and CO 2 were substantially higher in organic horizons (20% to 40% wt. C) at all temperatures relative to mineral horizons (<20% wt. C). Permafrost horizon (~12% wt. C) produced ~5‐fold less CO 2 than the active layer and negligible CH 4 . High concentrations of initial exchangeable Fe( II ) and increasing accumulation rates signified the role of iron as terminal electron acceptors for anaerobic C degradation in the mineral horizons.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
OSTI Identifier:
1185515
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1401357
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Global Change Biology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 21; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1354-1013
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 58 GEOSCIENCES; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; anaerobic mineralization; methanogenesis; soil carbon; permafrost; Q10; tundra biogeochemistry; climate models

Citation Formats

Roy Chowdhury, Taniya, Herndon, Elizabeth M., Phelps, Tommy J., Elias, Dwayne A., Gu, Baohua, Liang, Liyuan, Wullschleger, Stan D., and Graham, David E. Stoichiometry and temperature sensitivity of methanogenesis and CO 2 production from saturated polygonal tundra in Barrow, Alaska. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1111/gcb.12762.
Roy Chowdhury, Taniya, Herndon, Elizabeth M., Phelps, Tommy J., Elias, Dwayne A., Gu, Baohua, Liang, Liyuan, Wullschleger, Stan D., & Graham, David E. Stoichiometry and temperature sensitivity of methanogenesis and CO 2 production from saturated polygonal tundra in Barrow, Alaska. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12762
Roy Chowdhury, Taniya, Herndon, Elizabeth M., Phelps, Tommy J., Elias, Dwayne A., Gu, Baohua, Liang, Liyuan, Wullschleger, Stan D., and Graham, David E. Wed . "Stoichiometry and temperature sensitivity of methanogenesis and CO 2 production from saturated polygonal tundra in Barrow, Alaska". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12762. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1185515.
@article{osti_1185515,
title = {Stoichiometry and temperature sensitivity of methanogenesis and CO 2 production from saturated polygonal tundra in Barrow, Alaska},
author = {Roy Chowdhury, Taniya and Herndon, Elizabeth M. and Phelps, Tommy J. and Elias, Dwayne A. and Gu, Baohua and Liang, Liyuan and Wullschleger, Stan D. and Graham, David E.},
abstractNote = {Abstract Arctic permafrost ecosystems store ~50% of global belowground carbon (C) that is vulnerable to increased microbial degradation with warmer active layer temperatures and thawing of the near surface permafrost. We used anoxic laboratory incubations to estimate anaerobic CO 2 production and methanogenesis in active layer (organic and mineral soil horizons) and permafrost samples from center, ridge and trough positions of water‐saturated low‐centered polygon in Barrow Environmental Observatory, Barrow AK , USA . Methane ( CH 4 ) and CO 2 production rates and concentrations were determined at −2, +4, or +8 °C for 60 day incubation period. Temporal dynamics of CO 2 production and methanogenesis at −2 °C showed evidence of fundamentally different mechanisms of substrate limitation and inhibited microbial growth at soil water freezing points compared to warmer temperatures. Nonlinear regression better modeled the initial rates and estimates of Q 10 values for CO 2 that showed higher sensitivity in the organic‐rich soils of polygon center and trough than the relatively drier ridge soils. Methanogenesis generally exhibited a lag phase in the mineral soils that was significantly longer at −2 °C in all horizons. Such discontinuity in CH 4 production between −2 °C and the elevated temperatures (+4 and +8 °C) indicated the insufficient representation of methanogenesis on the basis of Q 10 values estimated from both linear and nonlinear models. Production rates for both CH 4 and CO 2 were substantially higher in organic horizons (20% to 40% wt. C) at all temperatures relative to mineral horizons (<20% wt. C). Permafrost horizon (~12% wt. C) produced ~5‐fold less CO 2 than the active layer and negligible CH 4 . High concentrations of initial exchangeable Fe( II ) and increasing accumulation rates signified the role of iron as terminal electron acceptors for anaerobic C degradation in the mineral horizons.},
doi = {10.1111/gcb.12762},
journal = {Global Change Biology},
number = 2,
volume = 21,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Nov 26 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Wed Nov 26 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}

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