Soil heterotrophic CO 2 emissions from tropical high-elevation ecosystems (Páramos) and their sensitivity to temperature and moisture fluctuations

Yuste, Jorge Curiel; Hereş, Ana‐Maria; Ojeda, G.; Paz, Andrea; Pizano, Camila; García-Angulo, D.; Lasso, Eloisa

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.02.016

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…However, translocation experiments set up along an elevation gradient in the Peruvian Andes (Salinas et al, 2011;Zimmermann and Bird, 2012;Nottingham et al, 2015) have provided some evidence of the temperature sensibility of soil organic matter decomposition in these high-elevation grasslands, which are drier than the páramos. Our previous work with páramos' incubated soils also points to a strong soil microbial responses to artificial warming (Curiel Yuste et al, 2017). These findings suggest that the response of heterotrophic respiration to warming in tropical mountain ecosystems could be stronger than predicted.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 51%

“…These environmental conditions, e.g., low temperatures and waterlogged soils, have led to low decomposition rates and a large buildup of organic matter through centuries (Podwojewski et al, 2002;Poulenard et al, 2003). Consequently, páramos are one of the most important carbon sinks in the tropics, storing up to six-fold more carbon per area than tropical forests (Hofstede, 1999), and globally they contain some of the largest stocks of soil organic carbon (Curiel Yuste et al, 2017). However, climatic factors that have favored soil organic carbon accumulation are likely to change by the end of this century, potentially shifting páramos from sinks to greenhouse gas emissions sources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These findings suggest that the response of heterotrophic respiration to warming in tropical mountain ecosystems could be stronger than predicted. More studies are needed to fill the unexplored gap in our understanding of carbon dynamics in páramos, where large quantities of soil organic carbon are present (Hofstede, 1999;Curiel Yuste et al, 2017;Hribljan et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Homeostatic Response to Three Years of Experimental Warming Suggests High Intrinsic Natural Resistance in the Páramos to Warming in the Short Term

et al. 2021

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Páramos, tropical alpine ecosystems, host one of the world’s most diverse alpine floras, account for the largest water reservoirs in the Andes, and some of the largest soil carbon pools worldwide. It is of global importance to understand the future of this extremely carbon-rich ecosystem in a warmer world and its role on global climate feedbacks. This study presents the result of the first in situ warming experiment in two Colombian páramos using Open-Top Chambers. We evaluated the response to warming of several ecosystem carbon balance-related processes, including decomposition, soil respiration, photosynthesis, plant productivity, and vegetation structure after 3 years of warming. We found that OTCs are an efficient warming method in the páramo, increasing mean air temperature by 1.7°C and mean daytime temperature by 3.4°C. The maximum air temperature differences between OTC and control was 23.1°C. Soil temperature increased only by 0.1°C. After 3 years of warming using 20 OTC (10 per páramo) in a randomized block design, we found no evidence that warming increased CO2 emissions from soil respiration, nor did it increase decomposition rate, photosynthesis or productivity in the two páramos studied. However, total C and N in the soil and vegetation structure are slowly changing as result of warming and changes are site dependent. In Sumapaz, shrubs, and graminoids cover increased in response to warming while in Matarredonda we observed an increase in lichen cover. Whether this change in vegetation might influence the carbon sequestration potential of the páramo needs to be further evaluated. Our results suggest that páramos ecosystems can resist an increase in temperature with no significant alteration of ecosystem carbon balance related processes in the short term. However, the long-term effect of warming could depend on the vegetation changes and how these changes alter the microbial soil composition and soil processes. The differential response among páramos suggest that the response to warming could be highly dependent on the initial conditions and therefore we urgently need more warming experiments in páramos to understand how specific site characteristics will affect their response to warming and their role in global climate feedbacks.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 51%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Homeostatic Response to Three Years of Experimental Warming Suggests High Intrinsic Natural Resistance in the Páramos to Warming in the Short Term

et al. 2021

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“…Elevation at this park ranges from 3,100 to 3,600 m.a.s.l. The mean annual temperature (MAT) at the study site is 8.8°C [26]; mean annual precipitation is 1,178 mm and the mean relative humidity is 88% [45]. To better describe the actual climate experienced by plants (microclimate) at the study site, we recorded air temperature at 30 cm above the soil surface every 30 minutes from December 2017 to December 2018 using an automatic recording system consisting of an EM-50 data logger (Decagon Devices, Inc., Pullman, WA) connected to a VP-4 humidity and temperature sensor with a radiation shield installed (Decagon Devices, Inc., Pullman, WA).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High heat tolerance in plants from the Andean highlands: Implications for paramos in a warmer world

Leon-Garcia

Lasso

2019

PLoS ONE

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Tropical plant species are expected to have high heat tolerance reflecting phenotypic adjustments to warm regions or their evolutionary adaptation history. However, tropical highland specialists adapted to the colder temperatures found in the highlands, where short and prostrated vegetation decouples plants from ambient conditions, could exhibit different upper thermal limits than those of their lowland counterparts. Here we evaluated leaf heat tolerance of 21 tropical alpine paramo species to determine: 1) whether species with restricted distribution (i.e., highland specialists) have lower heat tolerance and are more vulnerable to warming than species with widespread distribution; 2) whether different growth forms have different heat tolerance; and 3) whether species height (i.e., microhabitat) influences its heat tolerance. We quantified heat tolerance by evaluating T50, which is the temperature that causes a reduction in 50% of initial Fv/Fm values and reflects an irreversible damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. Additionally, we estimated the thermal safety margins as the difference between T50 and the maximum leaf temperature registered for the species. All species presented high T50 values ranging between 45.4°C and 53.9°C, similar to those found for tropical lowland species. Heat tolerance was not correlated with species distributions or plant height, but showed a strong relationship with growth form, with rosettes having the highest heat tolerance. Thermal safety margins ranged from 12.1 to 31.0°C. High heat tolerance and broad thermal safety margins suggest low vulnerability of paramo species to warming as long as plants are capable of regulating the leaf temperature within this threshold. Whether paramo plants would be able to regulate leaf temperature if drought episodes become more frequent and transpirational cooling is compromised is the next question that needs to be answered.

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“…The increase in the soil microbial activities enhances soil respiration and aeration, which tend to physically boost the production of CO 2 [15,18] and N 2 O [20]. The onset of precipitation also directly influences the soil microbes [53], through reducing the water limitations to the soil microbes and, hence, increasing their respiration and releasing oxidized soil carbon in the form of CO 2 [54]. Högberg et al [55] further explained that the increasing precipitation tends to increase soil respiration indirectly by increasing plant photosynthesis, causing further physical changes in the micro soil environment.…”

Section: The Effect Of Daily Precipitation On the Soil Greenhouse-gasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations in Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Response to Short-Term Changes in Weather Variables at Three Elevation Ranges, Wakiso District, Uganda

Fatumah

Ndakidemi

2019

Atmosphere

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Weather conditions are among the major factors leading to the increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from the agricultural soils. In this study, variations in the soil GHG fluxes with precipitation and soil temperatures at different elevation ranges in banana–coffee farms, in the Wakiso District, Uganda, were evaluated. The soil GHG fluxes were collected weekly, using the chamber method, and analyzed by using gas chromatography. Parallel soil temperature samples were collected by using a REOTEMP soil thermometer. Daily precipitation was measured with an automated weather station instrument installed on-site. The results showed that CO2, N2O, and CH4 fluxes were significantly different between the sites at different elevation ranges. Daily precipitation and soil temperatures significantly (p < 0.05) affected the soil GHG fluxes. Along an elevation gradient, daily precipitation and soil temperatures positively associated with the soil GHG fluxes. The combined factors of daily precipitation and soil temperatures also influence the soil GHG fluxes, but their effect was less than that of the single effects. Overall, daily precipitation and soil temperatures are key weather factors driving the soil GHG fluxes in time and space. This particular study suggests that agriculture at lower elevation levels would help reduce the magnitudes of the soil GHG fluxes. However, this study did not measure the soil GHG fluxes from the non-cultivated ecosystems. Therefore, future studies should focus on assessing the variations in the soil GHG fluxes from non-cultivated ecosystems relative to agriculture systems, at varying elevation ranges.

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Soil heterotrophic CO 2 emissions from tropical high-elevation ecosystems (Páramos) and their sensitivity to temperature and moisture fluctuations

Cited by 18 publications

References 22 publications

Homeostatic Response to Three Years of Experimental Warming Suggests High Intrinsic Natural Resistance in the Páramos to Warming in the Short Term

Homeostatic Response to Three Years of Experimental Warming Suggests High Intrinsic Natural Resistance in the Páramos to Warming in the Short Term

High heat tolerance in plants from the Andean highlands: Implications for paramos in a warmer world

Variations in Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Response to Short-Term Changes in Weather Variables at Three Elevation Ranges, Wakiso District, Uganda

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