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Long-term warming restructures Arctic tundra without changing net soil carbon storage
Seeta A Sistla1, John C Moore, Rodney T Simpson
1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93108, USA. sistla@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Nature
|May 17, 2013
Summary
Arctic tundra warming accelerates plant growth and deep soil decomposition, increasing carbon storage. This study reveals a
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Soil Science
- Climate Change Research
Background:
- High-latitude soils store significant global carbon.
- Low temperatures limit Arctic soil biota activity, decomposition, and nutrient release.
- Rising temperatures are expected to alter Arctic terrestrial carbon balance.
Observation:
- A two-decade tundra warming experiment in Alaska was conducted.
- Warming effects on plant biomass, soil temperature, and microbial activity were monitored.
- Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks were assessed across different soil horizons.
Findings:
- Warming increased plant biomass and woody plant dominance.
- Winter soil temperatures rose indirectly, and soil trophic structure homogenized.
- Surface decomposer activity was suppressed, but deeper mineral horizons showed increased microbial activity and carbon stocks.
- Total soil carbon and nitrogen stocks remained unchanged, leading to increased net ecosystem carbon storage.
Implications:
- Arctic tundra ecosystems may transition to becoming stronger carbon sinks under continued warming.
- The 'biotic awakening' in deeper soil layers is a key mechanism driving this shift.
- These findings highlight the complex, non-linear responses of permafrost ecosystems to climate change.
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