10.5061/DRYAD.VD129
Wang, Peng
Wageningen University & Research
Limpens, Juul
Wageningen University & Research
Mommer, Liesje
Wageningen University & Research
van Ruijven, Jasper
Wageningen University & Research
Nauta, Ake L.
Wageningen University & Research
Berendse, Frank
Wageningen University & Research
Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela
University of Zurich
Blok, Daan
Lund University
Maximov, Trofim C.
North-Eastern Federal University
Heijmans, Monique M. P. D.
Wageningen University & Research
Heijmans, Monique M.P.D.
Wageningen University & Research
Data from: Above and belowground responses of four tundra plant functional
types to deep soil heating and surface soil fertilization
Dryad
dataset
2016
Carex bigelowii
Rhododendron tomentosum
Plant functional types
Eriophorum vaginatum
vegetation composition
Betula nana
active layer thickness
Arctic tundra
Calamagrostis holmii
accelerating thawing
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
root biomass
vertical root distribution
Holocene
Arctagrostis latifolia
nutrient availability
2016-11-29T19:53:06Z
2016-11-29T19:53:06Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12718
198471 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1.Climate warming is faster in the Arctic than the global average.
Nutrient availability in the tundra soil is expected to increase by
climate warming through 1) accelerated nutrient mobilization in the
surface soil layers, and 2) increased thawing depths during the growing
season which increases accessibility of nutrients in the deeper soil
layers. Both processes may initiate shifts in tundra vegetation
composition. It is important to understand the effects of these two
processes on tundra plant functional types. 2.We manipulated soil thawing
depth and nutrient availability at a Northeast-Siberian tundra site to
investigate their effects on above and belowground responses of four plant
functional types (grasses, sedges, deciduous shrubs and evergreen shrubs).
Seasonal thawing was accelerated with heating cables at ~15 cm depth
without warming the surface soil, whereas nutrient availability was
increased in the surface soil by adding slow-release NPK fertilizer at ~5
cm depth. A combination of these two treatments was also included. This is
the first field experiment specifically investigating the effects of
accelerated thawing in tundra ecosystems. 3.Deep soil heating increased
the aboveground biomass of sedges, the deepest-rooted plant functional
type in our study, but did not affect biomass of the other plant
functional types. In contrast, fertilization increased aboveground biomass
of the two dwarf shrub functional types, which both had very shallow root
systems. Grasses showed the strongest response to fertilization, both
above and belowground. Grasses were deep-rooted, and they showed the
highest plasticity in terms of vertical root distribution, as grass root
distribution shifted to deep and surface soil in response to deep soil
heating and surface soil fertilization, respectively. 4.Synthesis - Our
results indicate that increased thawing depth can only benefit deep-rooted
sedges, while the shallow-rooted dwarf shrubs as well as flexible-rooted
grasses take advantage of increased nutrient availability in the upper
soil layers. Our results suggest that grasses have the highest root
plasticity, which enables them to be more competitive in rapidly changing
environments. We conclude that root vertical distribution strategies are
important for vegetation responses to climate-induced increases in soil
nutrient availability in Arctic tundra, and that future shifts in
vegetation composition will depend on the balance between changes in
thawing depth and nutrient availability in the surface soil.
2015.05.18_weighing results abovegroundaboveground biomass of each plant
functional type in each treatment2015.04.15_weighing results
belowgroundbelowground biomass of each plant functional type in each
treatmentplant abundanceplant abundance of each plant functional type in
each treatment measured by point quadrat in 2010 and 2013abioticsabiotic
factors in each treatment in 2014, including active layer thickness,
summer temperature (June-August), annual temperature at different depths,
concentrations of NH4, NO3, PO4 and K measured by resin bags.temperature
completemonthly average temperature of each treatment from Aug 2011 to Jul
2014 measured at 0cm, 5cm, 15cm, 25cm
Northeast Siberian tundra