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Temperature-associated increases in the global soil respiration record.
Ben Bond-Lamberty1, Allison Thomson
1Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Joint Global Change Research Institute at the University of Maryland-College Park, 5825 University Research Court, Suite 3500, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA. bondlamberty@pnl.gov
Nature
|March 26, 2010
Summary
Soil respiration (R(S)), a major carbon flux, is increasingly influenced by rising air temperatures. This study reveals a significant positive correlation between temperature anomalies and R(S), indicating a changing terrestrial carbon cycle.
Area of Science:
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Climate Science
- Ecology
Background:
- Soil respiration (R(S)) represents the second-largest terrestrial carbon flux, releasing carbon dioxide (CO(2)) from soils.
- Understanding R(S) dynamics is crucial for climate change modeling, yet global flux remains poorly constrained due to measurement challenges.
- Existing research suggests R(S) should respond to climate shifts, but observational evidence is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of climate, particularly air temperature, on global soil respiration rates.
- To identify temporal trends in soil respiration using a comprehensive global dataset.
- To quantify the sensitivity of soil respiration to temperature changes.
Main Methods:
- Compiled a global database of soil respiration (R(S)) measurements spanning four decades.
- Integrated R(S) data with high-resolution historical climate data.
- Utilized statistical analysis to account for factors like climate, leaf area, nitrogen deposition, and CO(2) measurement techniques.
Main Results:
- A previously unrecognized temporal trend in R(S) was identified after controlling for confounding variables.
- Air temperature anomalies showed a significant positive correlation with changes in soil respiration.
- Global R(S) in 2008 was estimated at 98 +/- 12 Pg C, with an increase of 0.1 Pg C yr(-1) from 1989-2008.
Conclusions:
- Global soil respiration is demonstrably sensitive to air temperature changes, with a Q(10) of 1.5.
- The observed increase in R(S) suggests an acceleration of the terrestrial carbon cycle.
- While not definitively a positive feedback, the findings are consistent with climate change impacting carbon dynamics.
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