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Title: Geochemical drivers of organic matter decomposition in Arctic tundra soils

Abstract

Climate change is warming tundra ecosystems in the Arctic, resulting in the decomposition of previously-frozen soil organic matter (SOM) and release of carbon (C) to the atmosphere; however, the processes that control SOM decomposition and C emissions remain highly uncertain. In this study, we evaluate geochemical factors that influence anaerobic production of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the active layers of four ice-wedge polygons. Surface and soil pore waters were collected during the annual thaw season over a two-year period in an area containing waterlogged, low-centered polygons and well-drained, high-centered polygons. We report spatial and seasonal patterns of dissolved gases in relation to the geochemical properties of Fe and organic C as determined using spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. Iron was present as Fe(II) in soil solution near the permafrost boundary but enriched as Fe(III) in the middle of the active layer, similar to dissolved aromatic-C and organic acids. Dissolved CH4 increased relative to dissolved CO2 with depth and varied with soil moisture in the middle of the active layer in patterns that were positively correlated with the proportion of dissolved Fe(III) in transitional and low-centered polygon soils but negatively correlated in the drier flat- and high-centered polygons. Thesemore » results suggest that microbial-mediated Fe oxidation and reduction influence respiration/fermentation of SOM and production of substrates (e.g., low-molecular-weight organic acids) for methanogenesis. As a result, we infer that geochemical differences induced by water saturation dictate microbial products of SOM decomposition, and Fe geochemistry is an important factor regulating methanogenesis in anoxic tundra soils.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kent State Univ., Kent, OH (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  3. SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  4. Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1235820
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Biogeochemistry
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 126; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0168-2563
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; iron biogeochemistry; Tundra soil; active layer; soil organic matter; methane

Citation Formats

Herndon, Elizabeth M., Yang, Ziming, Graham, David E., Wullschleger, Stan D., Gu, Baohua, Liang, Liyuan, Bargar, John, Janot, Noemie, and Regier, Tom Z. Geochemical drivers of organic matter decomposition in Arctic tundra soils. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1007/s10533-015-0165-5.
Herndon, Elizabeth M., Yang, Ziming, Graham, David E., Wullschleger, Stan D., Gu, Baohua, Liang, Liyuan, Bargar, John, Janot, Noemie, & Regier, Tom Z. Geochemical drivers of organic matter decomposition in Arctic tundra soils. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0165-5
Herndon, Elizabeth M., Yang, Ziming, Graham, David E., Wullschleger, Stan D., Gu, Baohua, Liang, Liyuan, Bargar, John, Janot, Noemie, and Regier, Tom Z. 2015. "Geochemical drivers of organic matter decomposition in Arctic tundra soils". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0165-5. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1235820.
@article{osti_1235820,
title = {Geochemical drivers of organic matter decomposition in Arctic tundra soils},
author = {Herndon, Elizabeth M. and Yang, Ziming and Graham, David E. and Wullschleger, Stan D. and Gu, Baohua and Liang, Liyuan and Bargar, John and Janot, Noemie and Regier, Tom Z.},
abstractNote = {Climate change is warming tundra ecosystems in the Arctic, resulting in the decomposition of previously-frozen soil organic matter (SOM) and release of carbon (C) to the atmosphere; however, the processes that control SOM decomposition and C emissions remain highly uncertain. In this study, we evaluate geochemical factors that influence anaerobic production of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the active layers of four ice-wedge polygons. Surface and soil pore waters were collected during the annual thaw season over a two-year period in an area containing waterlogged, low-centered polygons and well-drained, high-centered polygons. We report spatial and seasonal patterns of dissolved gases in relation to the geochemical properties of Fe and organic C as determined using spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. Iron was present as Fe(II) in soil solution near the permafrost boundary but enriched as Fe(III) in the middle of the active layer, similar to dissolved aromatic-C and organic acids. Dissolved CH4 increased relative to dissolved CO2 with depth and varied with soil moisture in the middle of the active layer in patterns that were positively correlated with the proportion of dissolved Fe(III) in transitional and low-centered polygon soils but negatively correlated in the drier flat- and high-centered polygons. These results suggest that microbial-mediated Fe oxidation and reduction influence respiration/fermentation of SOM and production of substrates (e.g., low-molecular-weight organic acids) for methanogenesis. As a result, we infer that geochemical differences induced by water saturation dictate microbial products of SOM decomposition, and Fe geochemistry is an important factor regulating methanogenesis in anoxic tundra soils.},
doi = {10.1007/s10533-015-0165-5},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1235820}, journal = {Biogeochemistry},
issn = {0168-2563},
number = 3,
volume = 126,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Non‐cyanobacterial diazotrophs dominate nitrogen‐fixing communities in permafrost thaw ponds
journal, January 2020


Increasing Organic Carbon Biolability With Depth in Yedoma Permafrost: Ramifications for Future Climate Change
journal, July 2019


Influence of pH on the balance between methanogenesis and iron reduction
journal, November 2018


Isotopic insights into methane production, oxidation, and emissions in Arctic polygon tundra
journal, June 2016


Life on the thermodynamic edge: Respiratory growth of an acetotrophic methanogen
journal, August 2019


The Controls of Iron and Oxygen on Hydroxyl Radical (•OH) Production in Soils
journal, December 2018


Impacts of temperature and soil characteristics on methane production and oxidation in Arctic tundra
journal, January 2018


Microbial Community and Functional Gene Changes in Arctic Tundra Soils in a Microcosm Warming Experiment
journal, September 2017