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Herbivore-shrub interactions influence ecosystem respiration and biogenic volatile organic compound composition in the subarctic

Brachmann, Cole G. LU ; Vowles, Tage ; Rinnan, Riikka LU ; Björkman, Mats P. ; Ekberg, Anna LU and Björk, Robert G. (2023) In Biogeosciences 20(19). p.4069-4086
Abstract

Arctic ecosystems are warming nearly 4 times faster than the global average, which is resulting in plant community shifts and subsequent changes in biogeochemical processes such as gaseous fluxes. Additionally, herbivores shape plant communities and thereby may alter the magnitude and composition of ecosystem respiration and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions. Here we determine the effect of large mammalian herbivores on ecosystem respiration and BVOC emissions in two southern and two northern sites in Swedish Scandes, encompassing mountain birch (LOMB) and shrub heath (LORI) communities in the south and low-herb meadow (RIGA) and shrub heath (RIRI) communities in the north. Herbivory significantly altered BVOC... (More)

Arctic ecosystems are warming nearly 4 times faster than the global average, which is resulting in plant community shifts and subsequent changes in biogeochemical processes such as gaseous fluxes. Additionally, herbivores shape plant communities and thereby may alter the magnitude and composition of ecosystem respiration and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions. Here we determine the effect of large mammalian herbivores on ecosystem respiration and BVOC emissions in two southern and two northern sites in Swedish Scandes, encompassing mountain birch (LOMB) and shrub heath (LORI) communities in the south and low-herb meadow (RIGA) and shrub heath (RIRI) communities in the north. Herbivory significantly altered BVOC composition between sites and decreased ecosystem respiration at RIGA. The difference in graminoid cover was found to have a large effect on ecosystem respiration between sites as RIGA, with the highest cover, had 35 % higher emissions than the next highest-emitting site (LOMB). Additionally, LOMB had the highest emissions of terpenes, with the northern sites having significantly lower emissions. Differences between sites were primarily due to differences in exclosure effects and soil temperature and the prevalence of different shrub growth forms. Our results suggest that herbivory has a significant effect on trace gas fluxes in a productive meadow community and that differences between communities may be driven by differences in shrub composition.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Biogeosciences
volume
20
issue
19
pages
18 pages
publisher
Copernicus GmbH
external identifiers
  • scopus:85177754224
ISSN
1726-4170
DOI
10.5194/bg-20-4069-2023
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Funding Information: This research has been supported by the Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas (grant no. 214-2010-1411), the Vetenskapsrådet (grant no. 2018-04202), the H2020 European Research Council (grant no. 771012), and the Elite Research Prize of the Danish Ministry for Higher Education and Science (grant no. 9095-00004). The article processing charges for this open-access publication were covered by the Gothenburg University Library. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Cole G. Brachmann et al.
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1d49dfe5-4471-4281-809f-005019b9abea
date added to LUP
2024-01-05 08:19:03
date last changed
2024-01-08 16:20:04
@article{1d49dfe5-4471-4281-809f-005019b9abea,
  abstract     = {{<p>Arctic ecosystems are warming nearly 4 times faster than the global average, which is resulting in plant community shifts and subsequent changes in biogeochemical processes such as gaseous fluxes. Additionally, herbivores shape plant communities and thereby may alter the magnitude and composition of ecosystem respiration and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions. Here we determine the effect of large mammalian herbivores on ecosystem respiration and BVOC emissions in two southern and two northern sites in Swedish Scandes, encompassing mountain birch (LOMB) and shrub heath (LORI) communities in the south and low-herb meadow (RIGA) and shrub heath (RIRI) communities in the north. Herbivory significantly altered BVOC composition between sites and decreased ecosystem respiration at RIGA. The difference in graminoid cover was found to have a large effect on ecosystem respiration between sites as RIGA, with the highest cover, had 35 % higher emissions than the next highest-emitting site (LOMB). Additionally, LOMB had the highest emissions of terpenes, with the northern sites having significantly lower emissions. Differences between sites were primarily due to differences in exclosure effects and soil temperature and the prevalence of different shrub growth forms. Our results suggest that herbivory has a significant effect on trace gas fluxes in a productive meadow community and that differences between communities may be driven by differences in shrub composition.</p>}},
  author       = {{Brachmann, Cole G. and Vowles, Tage and Rinnan, Riikka and Björkman, Mats P. and Ekberg, Anna and Björk, Robert G.}},
  issn         = {{1726-4170}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{19}},
  pages        = {{4069--4086}},
  publisher    = {{Copernicus GmbH}},
  series       = {{Biogeosciences}},
  title        = {{Herbivore-shrub interactions influence ecosystem respiration and biogenic volatile organic compound composition in the subarctic}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4069-2023}},
  doi          = {{10.5194/bg-20-4069-2023}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}