Simulated Hydrological Dynamics and Coupled Iron Redox Cycling Impact Methane Production in an Arctic Soil
Abstract
Abstract The fate of organic carbon (C) in permafrost soils is important to the climate system due to the large global stocks of permafrost C. Thawing permafrost can be subject to dynamic hydrology, making redox processes an important factor controlling soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition rates and greenhouse gas production. In iron (Fe)‐rich permafrost soils, Fe(III) can serve as a terminal electron acceptor, promoting anaerobic respiration of SOM and increasing pH. Current large‐scale models of Arctic C cycling do not include Fe cycling or pH interactions. Here, a geochemical reaction model was developed by coupling Fe redox reactions and C cycling to simulate SOM decomposition, Fe(III) reduction, pH dynamics, and greenhouse gas production in permafrost soils subject to dynamic hydrology. We parameterized the model using measured CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes as well as changes in pH, Fe(II), and dissolved organic C concentrations from oxic and anoxic incubations of permafrost soils from polygonal permafrost sites in northern Alaska, United States. In simulations of repeated oxic‐anoxic cycles, Fe(III) reduction during anoxic periods enhanced CO 2 production, while the net effect of Fe(III) reduction on cumulative CH 4 fluxes depended on substrate C availability. With lower substrate availability, Fe(III) reduction decreasedmore »
- Authors:
-
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[2];
[1];
[1]
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1892429
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1894959
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725; AC05-76RL01830; DE‐AC05‐00OR22725; DE‐AC05‐76RL01830
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 127; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-8953
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Arctic; methane; iron reduction; anaerobic decomposition; modeling; carbon
Citation Formats
Sulman, Benjamin N., Yuan, Fengming, O'Meara, Teri, Gu, Baohua, Herndon, Elizabeth M., Zheng, Jianqiu, Thornton, Peter E., and Graham, David E. Simulated Hydrological Dynamics and Coupled Iron Redox Cycling Impact Methane Production in an Arctic Soil. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1029/2021jg006662.
Sulman, Benjamin N., Yuan, Fengming, O'Meara, Teri, Gu, Baohua, Herndon, Elizabeth M., Zheng, Jianqiu, Thornton, Peter E., & Graham, David E. Simulated Hydrological Dynamics and Coupled Iron Redox Cycling Impact Methane Production in an Arctic Soil. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jg006662
Sulman, Benjamin N., Yuan, Fengming, O'Meara, Teri, Gu, Baohua, Herndon, Elizabeth M., Zheng, Jianqiu, Thornton, Peter E., and Graham, David E. Mon .
"Simulated Hydrological Dynamics and Coupled Iron Redox Cycling Impact Methane Production in an Arctic Soil". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jg006662. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1892429.
@article{osti_1892429,
title = {Simulated Hydrological Dynamics and Coupled Iron Redox Cycling Impact Methane Production in an Arctic Soil},
author = {Sulman, Benjamin N. and Yuan, Fengming and O'Meara, Teri and Gu, Baohua and Herndon, Elizabeth M. and Zheng, Jianqiu and Thornton, Peter E. and Graham, David E.},
abstractNote = {Abstract The fate of organic carbon (C) in permafrost soils is important to the climate system due to the large global stocks of permafrost C. Thawing permafrost can be subject to dynamic hydrology, making redox processes an important factor controlling soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition rates and greenhouse gas production. In iron (Fe)‐rich permafrost soils, Fe(III) can serve as a terminal electron acceptor, promoting anaerobic respiration of SOM and increasing pH. Current large‐scale models of Arctic C cycling do not include Fe cycling or pH interactions. Here, a geochemical reaction model was developed by coupling Fe redox reactions and C cycling to simulate SOM decomposition, Fe(III) reduction, pH dynamics, and greenhouse gas production in permafrost soils subject to dynamic hydrology. We parameterized the model using measured CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes as well as changes in pH, Fe(II), and dissolved organic C concentrations from oxic and anoxic incubations of permafrost soils from polygonal permafrost sites in northern Alaska, United States. In simulations of repeated oxic‐anoxic cycles, Fe(III) reduction during anoxic periods enhanced CO 2 production, while the net effect of Fe(III) reduction on cumulative CH 4 fluxes depended on substrate C availability. With lower substrate availability, Fe(III) reduction decreased total CH 4 production by further limiting available substrate. With higher substrate availability, Fe(III) reduction enhanced CH 4 production by increasing pH. Our results suggest that interactions among Fe‐redox reactions, pH and methanogenesis are important factors in predicting CH 4 and CO 2 production as well as SOM decomposition rates in Fe‐rich, frequently waterlogged Arctic soils.},
doi = {10.1029/2021jg006662},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences},
number = 10,
volume = 127,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2022},
month = {Mon Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2022}
}
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