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Carbon respiration from subsurface peat accelerated by climate warming in the subarctic

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  • Ellen Dorrepaal

    (Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Sylvia Toet

    (Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    Present addresses: Environment Department, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK (S.T.); School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK (M.J.v.d.W.).)

  • Richard S. P. van Logtestijn

    (Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Elferra Swart

    (Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Martine J. van de Weg

    (Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    Present addresses: Environment Department, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK (S.T.); School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK (M.J.v.d.W.).)

  • Terry V. Callaghan

    (Abisko Naturvetenskapliga Station, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
    Sheffield Centre for Arctic Ecology, University of Sheffield, 26 Taptonville Road, Sheffield S10 5BR, UK)

  • Rien Aerts

    (Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Carbon released from peat Climate-warming-induced acceleration of CO2 emissions through enhanced respiration of centuries-to-millennia-old peat deposits may form a strong positive feedback to our climate. But the long-term temperature sensitivity of carbon in peatlands, especially at depth, remains uncertain. Now an experiment involving long-term (8 years plus) artificial warming of subarctic peatland shows that warming by about 1 °C stimulated ecosystem respiration rates by more than 50%, the bulk of the increase deriving from long-term, recalcitrant carbon towards the bottom of the active layer above the permafrost. The findings suggest that climate warming accelerates the respiration of subsurface carbon reservoirs in peatlands to a much larger extent than was previously thought, potentially offsetting much of the Kyoto Protocol targets for greenhouse-gas emission reductions for the whole European Union.

Suggested Citation

  • Ellen Dorrepaal & Sylvia Toet & Richard S. P. van Logtestijn & Elferra Swart & Martine J. van de Weg & Terry V. Callaghan & Rien Aerts, 2009. "Carbon respiration from subsurface peat accelerated by climate warming in the subarctic," Nature, Nature, vol. 460(7255), pages 616-619, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:460:y:2009:i:7255:d:10.1038_nature08216
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08216
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    Cited by:

    1. Na Guo & Shijie Lv & Guangyi Lv & Xuebao Xu & Hongyun Yao & Zhihui Yu & Xiao Qiu & Zhanyi Wang & Chengjie Wang, 2022. "Effects of Warming and Precipitation on Soil CO 2 Flux and Its Stable Carbon Isotope Composition in the Temperate Desert Steppe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Łukasz Radosz & Damian Chmura & Dariusz Prostański & Gabriela Woźniak, 2023. "The Soil Respiration of Coal Mine Heaps’ Novel Ecosystems in Relation to Biomass and Biotic Parameters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Gong, Jinnan & Kellomäki, Seppo & Wang, Kaiyun & Zhang, Chao & Shurpali, Narasinha & Martikainen, Pertti J., 2013. "Modeling CO2 and CH4 flux changes in pristine peatlands of Finland under changing climate conditions," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 263(C), pages 64-80.
    4. L. Bombonato & R. Gerdol, 2012. "Manipulating snow cover in an alpine bog: effects on ecosystem respiration and nutrient content in soil and microbes," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 261-272, September.
    5. Julia Bosiö & Margareta Johansson & Terry Callaghan & Bernt Johansen & Torben Christensen, 2012. "Future vegetation changes in thawing subarctic mires and implications for greenhouse gas exchange—a regional assessment," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 115(2), pages 379-398, November.

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