Plant-derived compounds stimulate the decomposition of organic matter in arctic permafrost soils

Arctic ecosystems are warming rapidly, which is expected to promote soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. In addition to the direct warming effect, decomposition can also be indirectly stimulated via increased plant productivity and plant-soil C allocation and this so called “priming effect” migh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2016-05, Vol.6 (1), p.25607, Article 25607
Main Authors: Wild, Birgit, Gentsch, Norman, Čapek, Petr, Diáková, Kateřina, Alves, Ricardo J. Eloy, Bárta, Jiři, Gittel, Antje, Hugelius, Gustaf, Knoltsch, Anna, Kuhry, Peter, Lashchinskiy, Nikolay, Mikutta, Robert, Palmtag, Juri, Schleper, Christa, Schnecker, Jörg, Shibistova, Olga, Takriti, Mounir, Torsvik, Vigdis L., Urich, Tim, Watzka, Margarete, Šantrůčková, Hana, Guggenberger, Georg, Richter, Andreas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
704/158/2445
704/47/4113
carbon dioxide
Climate change
Decomposition
Ecology
Ecosystems
Ekologi
Feedback
Global warming
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
naturgeografi
Organic matter
Organic soils
Permafrost
permafrost carbon feedback
Physical Geography
Plants
priming
Science
Soil organic matter
Soil organic matter decomposition
Soil temperature
Soils
Subsoils
Temperature effects
tundra
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Summary:Arctic ecosystems are warming rapidly, which is expected to promote soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. In addition to the direct warming effect, decomposition can also be indirectly stimulated via increased plant productivity and plant-soil C allocation and this so called “priming effect” might significantly alter the ecosystem C balance. In this study, we provide first mechanistic insights into the susceptibility of SOM decomposition in arctic permafrost soils to priming. By comparing 119 soils from four locations across the Siberian Arctic that cover all horizons of active layer and upper permafrost, we found that an increased availability of plant-derived organic C particularly stimulated decomposition in subsoil horizons where most of the arctic soil carbon is located. Considering the 1,035 Pg of arctic soil carbon, such an additional stimulation of decomposition beyond the direct temperature effect can accelerate net ecosystem C losses and amplify the positive feedback to global warming.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep25607