Pan‐Arctic soil moisture control on tundra carbon sequestration and plant productivity

Abstract

ZONA et al. | INTRODUC TI ONSatellite observations from the late 20th century and early 21st century suggested that plant productivity increased widely in northern high latitudes in response to warming (

Soil moisture impacts the tundra carbon balance in a changing climate

“…Similar responses were found for moss and graminoid‐dominated ecosystems as for shrub‐dominated ecosystems. Overall, Zona et al (2022) show tundra carbon fluxes are sensitive to not only summer air temperatures but also soil moisture, underscoring that warming alone may not increase net carbon uptake if soil moisture limits vegetation productivity during summer.…”

“…This is an important study that identifies temperature and moisture co‐limitations on tundra vegetation productivity and overall carbon balance using sophisticated environmental measurements. Zona et al (2022) bring together and analyze a novel collection of long‐term carbon flux, meteorological, and soil moisture measurements from a network of field sites in four Arctic countries. In addition, while prior research often focused on how warming affects tundra carbon cycling, Zona et al (2022) underscore the importance of soil moisture in regulating vegetation productivity and carbon balance in tundra ecosystems.…”

“…Zona et al (2022) bring together and analyze a novel collection of long‐term carbon flux, meteorological, and soil moisture measurements from a network of field sites in four Arctic countries. In addition, while prior research often focused on how warming affects tundra carbon cycling, Zona et al (2022) underscore the importance of soil moisture in regulating vegetation productivity and carbon balance in tundra ecosystems. Several recent studies complement these findings.…”

“…Similar responses were found for moss and graminoid-dominated ecosystems as for shrub-dominated ecosystems. Overall, Zona et al (2022) show tundra carbon fluxes are sensitive to not only summer air temperatures but also soil moisture, underscoring that warming alone may not increase net carbon uptake if soil moisture limits vegetation productivity during summer. This is an important study that identifies temperature and moisture co-limitations on tundra vegetation productivity and overall carbon balance using sophisticated environmental measurements.…”

“…In this issue, Zona et al (2022) examine how summer air temperatures and soil moisture affected carbon uptake and emissions by tundra ecosystems at 11 intensely measured field sites in the zone of continuous permafrost within the Arctic. Specifically, they analyzed net ecosystem exchange of CO 2 during summer months (June-August) using measurements from eddy covariance flux towers (Figure 1) and then estimated underlying carbon uptake by vegetation productivity (i.e., gross primary productivity) and carbon emissions by ecosystem respiration.…”