The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Freeze-thaw cycles simultaneously decrease peatland photosynthetic carbon uptake and ecosystem respiration

Freeze-thaw cycles simultaneously decrease peatland photosynthetic carbon uptake and ecosystem respiration
Freeze-thaw cycles simultaneously decrease peatland photosynthetic carbon uptake and ecosystem respiration

Decreasing snow cover in winter resulting from climate warming increases the incidence of freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs) in many ecosystems, including peatlands. As peatland ecosystems form a globally significant long-term carbon storage, understanding the effects of changing conditions in winter on carbon dynamics is essential. We studied how FTCs affect peatland carbon cycling by conducting mesocosm experiments with Sphagnum. Our results indicate an overall impeding effect of FTCs on Sphagnum photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, ecosystem respiration and enzymatic processes. A threefold reduction in photosynthesis in the FTC treatment was related to a decrease in chlorophyll content, showing that Sphagnum physiologically suffers from repeated FTCs. In the FTC treatment β-glucosidase and phosphatase enzymatic activities decreased by 50% and 30%, respectively, whilst alanine remained unaffected, indicating that in peat soils short-term FTCs affect the carbon and phosphorus cycles, but not the nitrogen cycle. Long-term effects of FTCs deserve further studies.

1239-6095
267-276
Küttim, Martin
7e6be476-dd0e-4d0f-9645-4b124de287ae
Hofsommer, Maaike L.
9549d082-b179-4879-81f7-dfe6f4f47b22
Robroek, Bjorn J.M.
06dcb269-687c-41db-ab73-f61899617f92
Signarbieux, Constant
8a752b84-cff1-4789-acd9-bda0d8c8c814
Jassey, Vincent E.J.
f6f6f690-1b5e-4f7f-9cb3-b5cf325585b8
Laine, Anna M.
2f28b5c0-c4c9-49f2-b6ba-fcbb3b50c316
Lamentowicz, Mariusz
f8e2ab1b-b595-4cdf-a65a-7f1e787f3369
Buttler, Alexandre
df5e7c83-0729-4d2c-9534-0331eb8155c8
Ilomets, Mati
bd5a6b8e-8564-41d1-8cb4-0a5ecae2e696
Mills, Robert T.E.
de1b113e-cf8f-4d3b-9011-106cde223c33
Küttim, Martin
7e6be476-dd0e-4d0f-9645-4b124de287ae
Hofsommer, Maaike L.
9549d082-b179-4879-81f7-dfe6f4f47b22
Robroek, Bjorn J.M.
06dcb269-687c-41db-ab73-f61899617f92
Signarbieux, Constant
8a752b84-cff1-4789-acd9-bda0d8c8c814
Jassey, Vincent E.J.
f6f6f690-1b5e-4f7f-9cb3-b5cf325585b8
Laine, Anna M.
2f28b5c0-c4c9-49f2-b6ba-fcbb3b50c316
Lamentowicz, Mariusz
f8e2ab1b-b595-4cdf-a65a-7f1e787f3369
Buttler, Alexandre
df5e7c83-0729-4d2c-9534-0331eb8155c8
Ilomets, Mati
bd5a6b8e-8564-41d1-8cb4-0a5ecae2e696
Mills, Robert T.E.
de1b113e-cf8f-4d3b-9011-106cde223c33

Küttim, Martin, Hofsommer, Maaike L., Robroek, Bjorn J.M., Signarbieux, Constant, Jassey, Vincent E.J., Laine, Anna M., Lamentowicz, Mariusz, Buttler, Alexandre, Ilomets, Mati and Mills, Robert T.E. (2017) Freeze-thaw cycles simultaneously decrease peatland photosynthetic carbon uptake and ecosystem respiration. Boreal Environment Research, 22, 267-276.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Decreasing snow cover in winter resulting from climate warming increases the incidence of freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs) in many ecosystems, including peatlands. As peatland ecosystems form a globally significant long-term carbon storage, understanding the effects of changing conditions in winter on carbon dynamics is essential. We studied how FTCs affect peatland carbon cycling by conducting mesocosm experiments with Sphagnum. Our results indicate an overall impeding effect of FTCs on Sphagnum photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, ecosystem respiration and enzymatic processes. A threefold reduction in photosynthesis in the FTC treatment was related to a decrease in chlorophyll content, showing that Sphagnum physiologically suffers from repeated FTCs. In the FTC treatment β-glucosidase and phosphatase enzymatic activities decreased by 50% and 30%, respectively, whilst alanine remained unaffected, indicating that in peat soils short-term FTCs affect the carbon and phosphorus cycles, but not the nitrogen cycle. Long-term effects of FTCs deserve further studies.

Text
2017_Kuttim et al Bor Env Res - Version of Record
Download (317kB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 16 May 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 May 2017
Organisations: University of Southampton, Biological Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 411953
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/411953
ISSN: 1239-6095
PURE UUID: fbe64d78-fd45-4a0e-833d-ecc8b0a2d5d9
ORCID for Bjorn J.M. Robroek: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6714-0652

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 03 Jul 2017 16:31
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 15:01

Export record

Contributors

Author: Martin Küttim
Author: Maaike L. Hofsommer
Author: Bjorn J.M. Robroek ORCID iD
Author: Constant Signarbieux
Author: Vincent E.J. Jassey
Author: Anna M. Laine
Author: Mariusz Lamentowicz
Author: Alexandre Buttler
Author: Mati Ilomets
Author: Robert T.E. Mills

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×