High nitrate variability on an Alaskan permafrost hillslope dominated by alder shrubs

McCaully, Rachael E.; Arendt, Carli A.; Newman, Brent D.; Salmon, Verity G.; Heikoop, Jeffrey M.; Wilson, Cathy J.; Sevanto, Sanna; Wales, Nathan A.; Perkins, George B.; Marina, Oana C.; Wullschleger, Stan D.

doi:10.5194/tc-16-1889-2022

Title: High nitrate variability on an Alaskan permafrost hillslope dominated by alder shrubs

Journal Article · Thu May 19 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · The Cryosphere (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1889-2022· OSTI ID:1868661

McCaully, Rachael E.;

; Newman, Brent D.;

; Heikoop, Jeffrey M.;

; Sevanto, Sanna;

; Perkins, George B.; Marina, Oana C.; Wullschleger, Stan D.

In Arctic ecosystems, increasing temperatures are driving the expansion of nitrogen (N) fixing shrubs across tundra landscapes. The implications of this expansion to the biogeochemistry of Arctic ecosystems are of critical importance and more work is needed to better understand the form, availability, and transportation potential of N from these shrubs across a variety of Arctic landscapes. To gain insights into the processes controlling N within a permafrost hillslope system, the spatiotemporal variability of nitrate (NO$$_{3}^{-}$$) and its environmental controls were investigated at an alder (Alnus viridis spp. fruticosa) dominated permafrost tundra landscape in the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, USA. Soil pore water was collected from locations within alder shrubland growing along a well-drained hillslope and was compared to soil pore water collected from locations outside (upslope, downslope, and between) the alder shrubland. Soil pore water collected within alder shrubland had an average NO_3^-N (nitrogen from nitrate) concentration of 4.27±8.02 mg L^-1 and differed significantly from locations outside alder shrubland (0.23±0.83 mg L^-1; p<0.05). Temporal variation in NO_3^-N within and downslope of alder shrubland co-occurred with precipitation events where NO$$_{3}^{-}$$ that accumulated in the soil was likely flushed downslope during rainfall. These findings have important implications for nutrient availability and mobility in N-limited permafrost systems that are experiencing shrub expansion in response to a warming Arctic.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

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

Grant/Contract Number:: Biological and Environmental Research program, as a part of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment, NGEE-Arctic; AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1868661

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1869134

Journal Information:: The Cryosphere (Online), Journal Name: The Cryosphere (Online) Vol. 16 Journal Issue: 5; ISSN 1994-0424

Publisher:: Copernicus GmbHCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Germany

Language:: English

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