Rapid loss of an ecosystem engineer: Sphagnum decline in an experimentally warmed bog

Norby, Richard J.; Childs, Joanne; Hanson, Paul J.; Warren, Jeffrey M.

doi:10.1002/ece3.5722

Title: Rapid loss of an ecosystem engineer: Sphagnum decline in an experimentally warmed bog

Journal Article · Wed Oct 30 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Ecology and Evolution

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5722· OSTI ID:1572571

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Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge TN USA

Abstract Sphagnum mosses are keystone components of peatland ecosystems. They facilitate the accumulation of carbon in peat deposits, but climate change is predicted to expose peatland ecosystem to sustained and unprecedented warming leading to a significant release of carbon to the atmosphere. Sphagnum responses to climate change, and their interaction with other components of the ecosystem, will determine the future trajectory of carbon fluxes in peatlands. We measured the growth and productivity of Sphagnum in an ombrotrophic bog in northern Minnesota, where ten 12.8‐m‐diameter plots were exposed to a range of whole‐ecosystem (air and soil) warming treatments (+0 to +9°C) in ambient or elevated (+500 ppm) CO ₂ . The experiment is unique in its spatial and temporal scale, a focus on response surface analysis encompassing the range of elevated temperature predicted to occur this century, and consideration of an effect of co‐occurring CO ₂ altering the temperature response surface. In the second year of warming, dry matter increment of Sphagnum increased with modest warming to a maximum at 5°C above ambient and decreased with additional warming. Sphagnum cover declined from close to 100% of the ground area to <50% in the warmest enclosures. After three years of warming, annual Sphagnum productivity declined linearly with increasing temperature (13–29 g C/m ² per °C warming) due to widespread desiccation and loss of Sphagnum . Productivity was less in elevated CO ₂ enclosures, which we attribute to increased shading by shrubs. Sphagnum desiccation and growth responses were associated with the effects of warming on hydrology. The rapid decline of the Sphagnum community with sustained warming, which appears to be irreversible, can be expected to have many follow‐on consequences to the structure and function of this and similar ecosystems, with significant feedbacks to the global carbon cycle and climate change.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: DE‐AC05–00OR22725; AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1572571

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1572572; OSTI ID: 1607271

Journal Information:: Ecology and Evolution, Journal Name: Ecology and Evolution Vol. 9 Journal Issue: 22; ISSN 2045-7758

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Cited by: 73 works

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