Warming and elevated CO 2 promote rapid incorporation and degradation of plant‐derived organic matter in an ombrotrophic peatland

Ofiti, Nicholas O. E.; Solly, Emily F.; Hanson, Paul J.; Malhotra, Avni; Wiesenberg, Guido L. B.; Schmidt, Michael W. I.

doi:10.1111/gcb.15955

Warming and elevated CO ₂ promote rapid incorporation and degradation of plant‐derived organic matter in an ombrotrophic peatland

Journal Article · Sun Nov 07 23:00:00 EST 2021 · Global Change Biology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15955· OSTI ID:1829403

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Department of Geography University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
Group for Sustainable Agroecosystems Department of Environmental Systems Science ETH Zurich Zurich Switzerland
Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge Tennessee USA

Abstract

Rising temperatures have the potential to directly affect carbon cycling in peatlands by enhancing organic matter (OM) decomposition, contributing to the release of CO ₂ and CH ₄ to the atmosphere. In turn, increasing atmospheric CO ₂ concentration may stimulate photosynthesis, potentially increasing plant litter inputs belowground and transferring carbon from the atmosphere into terrestrial ecosystems. Key questions remain about the magnitude and rate of these interacting and opposing environmental change drivers. Here, we assess the incorporation and degradation of plant‐ and microbe‐derived OM in an ombrotrophic peatland after 4 years of whole‐ecosystem warming (+0, +2.25, +4.5, +6.75 and +9°C) and two years of elevated CO ₂ manipulation (500 ppm above ambient). We show that OM molecular composition was substantially altered in the aerobic acrotelm, highlighting the sensitivity of acrotelm carbon to rising temperatures and atmospheric CO ₂ concentration. While warming accelerated OM decomposition under ambient CO ₂ , new carbon incorporation into peat increased in warming × elevated CO ₂ treatments for both plant‐ and microbe‐derived OM. Using the isotopic signature of the applied CO ₂ enrichment as a label for recently photosynthesized OM, our data demonstrate that new plant inputs have been rapidly incorporated into peat carbon. Our results suggest that under current hydrological conditions, rising temperatures and atmospheric CO ₂ levels will likely offset each other in boreal peatlands.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1829403

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1829405
OSTI ID: 1843684

Journal Information:: Global Change Biology, Journal Name: Global Change Biology Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 28; ISSN 1354-1013

Publisher:: Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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