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Ecosystem carbon storage in arctic tundra reduced by long-term nutrient fertilization

Author

Listed:
  • Michelle C. Mack

    (University of Florida)

  • Edward A. G. Schuur

    (University of Florida)

  • M. Syndonia Bret-Harte

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Gaius R. Shaver

    (Marine Biological Laboratory)

  • F. Stuart Chapin

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

Abstract

Global warming is predicted to be most pronounced at high latitudes, and observational evidence over the past 25 years suggests that this warming is already under way1. One-third of the global soil carbon pool is stored in northern latitudes2, so there is considerable interest in understanding how the carbon balance of northern ecosystems will respond to climate warming3,4. Observations of controls over plant productivity in tundra and boreal ecosystems5,6 have been used to build a conceptual model of response to warming, where warmer soils and increased decomposition of plant litter increase nutrient availability, which, in turn, stimulates plant production and increases ecosystem carbon storage6,7. Here we present the results of a long-term fertilization experiment in Alaskan tundra, in which increased nutrient availability caused a net ecosystem loss of almost 2,000 grams of carbon per square meter over 20 years. We found that annual aboveground plant production doubled during the experiment. Losses of carbon and nitrogen from deep soil layers, however, were substantial and more than offset the increased carbon and nitrogen storage in plant biomass and litter. Our study suggests that projected release of soil nutrients associated with high-latitude warming may further amplify carbon release from soils, causing a net loss of ecosystem carbon and a positive feedback to climate warming.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle C. Mack & Edward A. G. Schuur & M. Syndonia Bret-Harte & Gaius R. Shaver & F. Stuart Chapin, 2004. "Ecosystem carbon storage in arctic tundra reduced by long-term nutrient fertilization," Nature, Nature, vol. 431(7007), pages 440-443, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:431:y:2004:i:7007:d:10.1038_nature02887
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02887
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Nicoletta Cannone & M. Guglielmin & P. Convey & M. R. Worland & S. E. Favero Longo, 2016. "Vascular plant changes in extreme environments: effects of multiple drivers," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 134(4), pages 651-665, February.
    2. Stavros D Veresoglou & Barry Thornton & George Menexes & Andreas P Mamolos & Demetrios S Veresoglou, 2012. "Soil Fertilization Leads to a Decline in Between-Samples Variability of Microbial Community δ13C Profiles in a Grassland Fertilization Experiment," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-8, September.
    3. Zhiping Zhang & Fuqiang Xia & Degang Yang & Yufang Zhang & Tianyi Cai & Rongwei Wu, 2019. "Comparative Study of Environmental Assessment Methods in the Evaluation of Resources and Environmental Carrying Capacity—A Case Study in Xinjiang, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-16, August.
    4. Jens Strauss & Christina Biasi & Tina Sanders & Benjamin W. Abbott & Thomas Schneider Deimling & Carolina Voigt & Matthias Winkel & Maija E. Marushchak & Dan Kou & Matthias Fuchs & Marcus A. Horn & Lo, 2022. "A globally relevant stock of soil nitrogen in the Yedoma permafrost domain," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Shiwei Gong & Tao Zhang & Jixun Guo, 2019. "Warming and Nitrogen Addition Change the Soil and Soil Microbial Biomass C:N:P Stoichiometry of a Meadow Steppe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-14, July.
    6. Nicoletta Cannone & M. Guglielmin & P. Convey & M. Worland & S. Favero Longo, 2016. "Vascular plant changes in extreme environments: effects of multiple drivers," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 134(4), pages 651-665, February.
    7. Neill, Cathy, 2011. "Impacts of crop residue management on soil organic matter stocks: A modelling study," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(15), pages 2751-2760.
    8. van Wijk, M.T., 2007. "Predicting ecosystem functioning from plant traits: Results from a multi-scale ecophysiological modeling approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 203(3), pages 453-463.
    9. Shelly Rayback & Gregory Henry & Andrea Lini, 2012. "Multiproxy reconstructions of climate for three sites in the Canadian High Arctic using Cassiope tetragona," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 593-619, October.
    10. Chen, Shuaihong & Zhang, Shaowu & Li, Hui & Hu, Tiantian & Sun, Guangzhao & Cui, Xiaolu & Liu, Jie, 2024. "Optimizing irrigation and nitrogen management improves soil soluble nitrogen pools and reduces nitrate residues in a drip-fertigated apple orchard on the Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).

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