Effect of elevated temperature and enhanced drainage on carbon balance of tundra microcosms
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (United States)
We tested effects of temperature and drainage on C balance of intact soil and tundra vegetation over a simulated season. We measured C budgets (CO[sub 2] and CH[sub 4] emissions and dissolved CO[sub 2], CH[sub 4] and DOC in soil water) of Eriophorum vaginatum tussock and moss-dominated interussock microcosms at two temperatures (7[degrees] and 15[degrees]C, season maxima) and two water regimes (saturated and field capacity). Net ecosystem productivity was strongly affected by water. Averaged over temperature and microhabitat, the rate of net C loss from microcosms at field capacity was [approximately]5[times] the saturated microcosms. Only saturated, 15[degrees]C tussock microcosms showed net C storage integrated over the whole season. Ecosystem respiration was strongly affected by water and less by temperature. Respiration rates at field capacity were [approximately]2[times] the rates under saturated conditions. Elevated temperature caused a 1.5[times] increase. Other C components were <20% of gaseous CO[sub 2] losses. Results indicate that C in tundra exists in a fragile balance between storage and release that is controlled mainly by water regime.
- OSTI ID:
- 7015998
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940894-; CODEN: BECLAG
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States), Vol. 75:2; Conference: Annual Ecological Society of America (ESA) meeting: science and public policy, Knoxville, TN (United States), 7-11 Aug 1994; ISSN 0012-9623
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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