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Extreme heat events heighten soil respiration
Hassan Anjileli1, Laurie S Huning2,3, Hamed Moftakhari2,4
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA. hassan.a@uci.edu.
Scientific Reports
|March 24, 2021
Summary
Extreme heatwaves significantly increase soil respiration (Rs) rates by 26% across the US. This finding highlights the critical impact of heatwaves on the terrestrial carbon cycle, potentially leading to underestimations in current climate models.
Area of Science:
- * Terrestrial biosphere responses to climate change.
- * Carbon cycle dynamics and soil respiration.
- * Impact of extreme weather events on ecosystems.
Background:
- * Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heatwaves.
- * Heatwaves are significant drivers of terrestrial biosphere activity.
- * The effect of heatwaves on soil respiration (Rs) remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the impact of extreme heatwaves on soil respiration (Rs).
- * To quantify the relationship between heatwaves and Rs using high-frequency in-situ measurements.
- * To assess the broader implications for the terrestrial carbon cycle.
Main Methods:
- * Utilized continuous, high-frequency in-situ measurements of soil respiration.
- * Analyzed data from a dedicated field site and ten additional sites across the contiguous United States (CONUS).
- * Employed a probabilistic framework to analyze the Rs response to heatwave events.
Main Results:
- * Soil respiration rates increased significantly during heatwave conditions.
- * On average, Rs rates were approximately 26% higher during heatwaves compared to non-heatwave periods across the CONUS.
- * High-frequency data revealed a substantial Rs response to extreme heat events.
Conclusions:
- * Extreme heatwaves cause a significant increase in terrestrial soil respiration.
- * Current terrestrial carbon cycle feedbacks may be underestimated due to a lack of high-frequency heatwave data.
- * Accurate modeling of climate change impacts requires capturing the effects of extreme heat events on soil respiration.
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