Hydrological Regime and Plant Functional Traits Jointly Mediate the Influence of Salix spp. on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in a High Arctic Tundra

Lamarque, Laurent J.; Félix-Faure, Jim; Deschamps, Lucas; Lévesque, Esther; Cusson, Pier-Olivier; Fortier, Daniel; Giacomazzo, Matteo; Guillemette, François; Paillassa, Jennifer; Tremblay, Maxime; Maire, Vincent

doi:10.1007/s10021-023-00829-1

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…The interplay between percent C and bulk density illustrate how soil properties are inherited from vegetation types and control the size of the total C stored in each vegetation type. Vegetation composition and biomass can affect the amount of plant litter produced, and C quality affects the rate of decomposition of the organic matter (Atkinston & Treitz, 2012; Bradley‐Cook & Virginia, 2018; Lamarque et al., 2023; Mekonnen, Riley, Grant, et al., 2021). This is most pronounced in the study region in comparing the sparsely vegetated polar desert soils to the ecosystems having continuous vegetation cover, the mesic tundra and wet meadow soils.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To the extent that interactions between vegetation and moisture control Arctic soil C stocks, improving understanding of their spatial distribution can help constrain estimates of current and future Arctic C stocks and fluxes (Henkner et al., 2016; Hobbie et al., 2000; Lamarque et al., 2023; Osono et al., 2016). Vegetation factors such as species composition, density, leaf area index, C:N ratio, and C use efficiency exert control over surface soil C stocks by altering rates of productivity and soil respiration (Atkinston & Treitz, 2012; Lamarque et al., 2023; Mekonnen, Riley, Grant, et al., 2021). However, disagreement remains on which vegetation types store more C: several studies suggest that graminoid and wetland vegetation types store the most soil C in the Arctic (Bradley‐Cook & Virginia, 2018; Horwath Burnham & Sletten, 2010; Palmtag et al., 2015; Petrenko et al., 2016), but other studies have indicated that shrub tundras store more C (Elberling et al., 2004; Gries et al., 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using Relationships Between Vegetation and Surface Soil Biogeochemical Properties to Assess Regional Soil Carbon Inventories for South Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Gunther,

Camill,

Umbanhowar

et al. 2024

JGR Biogeosciences

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As Arctic regions warm rapidly, it is unclear whether high‐latitude soil carbon (C) will decrease or increase. Predicting future dynamics of Arctic soil C stocks requires a better understanding of the quantities and controls of soil C. We explore the relationship between vegetation and surface soil C in an understudied region of the Arctic: Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. We combined soil C data for three vegetation types—polar desert, mesic tundra, and wet meadow—with a vegetation classification to upscale soil C stocks. Surface soil C differed significantly across vegetation types, and interactions existed between vegetation type and soil depth. Polar desert soils were consistently mineral, with relatively thin organic layers, low percent C, and high bulk density. Mesic soils exhibited an organic‐rich epipedon overlying mineral soil. Wet meadows were consistently organic soil with low bulk density and high percent C. For the top 20 cm, polar desert contained the least soil C (2.17 ± 0.48 kg m−2); mesic tundra had intermediate C (8.92 ± 0.74 kg m−2); wet meadow stored the most C (13.07 ± 0.69 kg m−2). Extrapolating to the top 30 cm, our results suggest that approximately 44 Tg C is stored in the study region with a mean landscape soil C stock of 2.75 kg m−2 for non‐water areas. Combining vegetation mapping with local soil C stocks considerably narrows the range of estimates from other upscaling approaches (27–189 Tg) for soil C on South Baffin Island.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using Relationships Between Vegetation and Surface Soil Biogeochemical Properties to Assess Regional Soil Carbon Inventories for South Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Gunther,

Camill,

Umbanhowar

et al. 2024

JGR Biogeosciences

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Carbon dynamics in an alluvial fan in the eastern Canadian Arctic

Ola,

Gagnon,

Fortier

et al. 2024

Geoderma Regional

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Carboxylation capacity is the main limitation of carbon assimilation in High Arctic shrubs

Paillassa,

Pepin,

Ethier

et al. 2024

Plant Cell & Environment

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Increases in shrub height, biomass and canopy cover are key whole‐plant features of warming‐induced vegetation change in tundra. We investigated leaf functional traits underlying photosynthetic capacity of Arctic shrub species, particularly its main limiting processes such as mesophyll conductance. In this nutrient‐limited ecosystem, we expect leaf nitrogen concentration to be the main limiting factor for photosynthesis. We measured the net photosynthetic rate at saturated light (Asat) in three Salix species throughout a glacial valley in High‐Arctic tundra and used a causal approach to test relationships between leaf stomatal and mesophyll conductances (gsc, gm), carboxylation capacity (Vcmax), nitrogen and phosphorus concentration (Narea, Parea) and leaf mass ratio (LMA). Arctic Salix species showed no difference in Asat compared to a global data set, while being characterized by higher Narea, Parea and LMA. Vcmax, gsc and gm independently increased Asat, with Vcmax as its main limitation. We highlighted a nitrogen‐influenced pathway for increasing photosynthesis in the two prostrate mesic habitat species. In contrast, the erect wetland habitat Salix richardsonii mainly increased Asat with increasing gsc. Overall, our study revealed high photosynthetic capacities of Arctic Salix species but contrasting regulatory pathways that may influence shrub ability to respond to environmental changes in High Arctic tundra.

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Hydrological Regime and Plant Functional Traits Jointly Mediate the Influence of Salix spp. on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in a High Arctic Tundra

Cited by 5 publications

References 87 publications

Using Relationships Between Vegetation and Surface Soil Biogeochemical Properties to Assess Regional Soil Carbon Inventories for South Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Using Relationships Between Vegetation and Surface Soil Biogeochemical Properties to Assess Regional Soil Carbon Inventories for South Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Carbon dynamics in an alluvial fan in the eastern Canadian Arctic

Carboxylation capacity is the main limitation of carbon assimilation in High Arctic shrubs

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