Effects of increased nutrients and warming on CO{sub 2} exchanges in Alaskan wet sedge tundras: Mechanism of response
- Ecosystems Center, Woods Hole, MA (United States); and others
We measured ecosystem- and leaf-level CO{sub 2} exchanges in Alaskan wet sedge tundra that had been warmed or fertilized for 6 years. Gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP), both diurnally and seasonally, was nearly double in N+P fertilizer additions. With N+P additions, GEP greatly exceeded ecosystem respiration, thereby increasing ecosystem C storage. Warming for 6 years (in a field greenhouse) had little effect on GEP, ecosystem respiration, or ecosystem C storage compared to controls.(Controls stored {approximately}90 gC m{sup -2} season{sup -1}.) In the N+P additions, higher canopy photosynthetic rates (P{sub max}) under saturating light conditions accounted for the higher GEP; under low light, GEP was similar among treatments. The increased canopy P{sub max} with N+P additions was due more to increased leaf mass than to increased photosynthesis per unit leaf area. Ecosystem respiration (plant plus microbial) strongly increased in response to greater nutrient availability. This increase was due to a stimulation of plant respiration (mostly aboveground) because the microbial component of the gaseous CO{sub 2} flux was small and unresponsive to treatments. In summary, ecosystem response to increased nutrients appears to be primarily dominated by aboveground plant response.
- OSTI ID:
- 95818
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9507129-; ISSN 0012-9623; TRN: 95:004728-0083
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, Vol. 76, Issue 2; Conference: 80. anniversary of the transdisciplinary nature of ecology, Snowbird, UT (United States), 30 Jul - 3 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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