Long-term pattern and magnitude of soil carbon feedback to the climate system in a warming world
Marine Biological Laboratory · University of New Hampshire · +3 more institutions
Abstract
In a 26-year soil warming experiment in a mid-latitude hardwood forest, we documented changes in soil carbon cycling to investigate the potential consequences for the climate system. We found that soil warming results in a four-phase pattern of soil organic matter decay and carbon dioxide fluxes to the atmosphere, with phases of substantial soil carbon loss alternating with phases of no detectable loss. Several factors combine to affect the timing, magnitude, and thermal acclimation of soil carbon loss. These include depletion of microbially accessible carbon pools, reductions in microbial biomass, a shift in microbial carbon use efficiency, and changes in microbial community composition. Our results support…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 49.98
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 31
Authors
9Topics & keywords
- Carbon cycle
- Global warming
- Environmental science
- Context (archaeology)
- Soil carbon
- Climate change
- Carbon fibers
- Term (time)
- Climate action