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Soil microbial respiration in arctic soil does not acclimate to temperature
Iain P Hartley1, David W Hopkins, Mark H Garnett
1School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK94LA, UK. i.p.hartley@stir.ac.uk
Ecology Letters
|July 17, 2008
Summary
Arctic soil warming accelerates climate change by releasing carbon dioxide. Contrary to expectations, microbial communities do not acclimate, leading to increased carbon loss and amplified climate change.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Climate Science
Background:
- Arctic soils store vast amounts of carbon, and warming can release this as CO2, potentially accelerating climate change.
- Previous studies on soil respiration responses to warming are controversial due to potential substrate depletion confounding thermal acclimation evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether microbial communities in Arctic soils undergo thermal acclimation to warming.
- To clarify the role of microbial acclimation in regulating carbon loss from Arctic soils under changing temperatures.
Main Methods:
- A cooling experiment was conducted on Arctic soil samples from Sweden.
- Soil respiration rates were monitored over 90 days after cooling and during subsequent re-warming.
Main Results:
- Cooling Arctic soils did not lead to an increase in respiration rates, refuting thermal acclimation.
- Soil respiration rates further decreased after cooling, indicating a persistent effect.
- Extended re-warming was required to reverse the reduced respiration rates.
Conclusions:
- Warming-induced changes in Arctic soil microbial communities amplify CO2 production, not reduce it through acclimation.
- Arctic soil carbon loss is likely to increase with warming, accelerating climate change.
- The findings highlight the critical role of microbial dynamics in predicting climate change impacts.
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