Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

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

Nature volume 460, pages 616–619 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Among the largest uncertainties in current projections of future climate is the feedback between the terrestrial carbon cycle and climate1. Northern peatlands contain one-third of the world’s soil organic carbon, equivalent to more than half the amount of carbon in the atmosphere2. Climate-warming-induced acceleration of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through enhanced respiration of thick peat deposits, centuries to millennia old, may form a strong positive carbon cycle–climate feedback. The long-term temperature sensitivity of carbon in peatlands, especially at depth, remains uncertain, however, because of the short duration or correlative nature of field studies3,4,5 and the disturbance associated with respiration measurements below the surface in situ or during laboratory incubations6,7. Here we combine non-disturbing in situ measurements of CO2 respiration rates and isotopic (13C) composition of respired CO2 in two whole-ecosystem climate-manipulation experiments in a subarctic peatland. We show that approximately 1 °C warming accelerated total ecosystem respiration rates on average by 60% in spring and by 52% in summer and that this effect was sustained for at least eight years. While warming stimulated both short-term (plant-related) and longer-term (peat soil-related) carbon respiration processes, we find that at least 69% of the increase in respiration rate originated from carbon in peat towards the bottom (25–50 cm) of the active layer above the permafrost. Climate warming therefore accelerates respiration of the extensive, subsurface carbon reservoirs in peatlands to a much larger extent than was previously thought6,7. Assuming that our data from a single site are indicative of the direct response to warming of northern peatland soils on a global scale, we estimate that climate warming of about 1 °C over the next few decades could induce a global increase in heterotrophic respiration of 38–100 megatonnes of C per year. Our findings suggest a large, long-lasting, positive feedback of carbon stored in northern peatlands to the global climate system.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Ecosystem respiration rates in a subarctic bog subjected to long-term experimental climate change or ambient conditions.
Figure 2: Ecosystem respiration rates and their heterotrophic and plant-related components in a subarctic bog subjected to experimental warming or ambient conditions.
Figure 3: Isotopic signatures of carbon respired as CO 2 in a subarctic bog subjected to experimental climate change or ambient conditions.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Friedlingstein, P. et al. Climate-carbon cycle feedback analysis: results from the C4MIP model intercomparison. J. Clim. 19, 3337–3353 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gorham, E. Northern peatlands: role in the carbon cycle and probable responses to climatic warming. Ecol. Appl. 1, 182–195 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Goulden, M. L. et al. Sensitivity of boreal forest carbon balance to soil thaw. Science 279, 214–217 (1998)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Updegraff, K., Bridgham, S. D., Pastor, J., Weishampel, P. & Harth, C. Response of CO2 and CH4 emissions from peatlands to warming and water table manipulation. Ecol. Appl. 11, 311–326 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lafleur, P. M., Moore, T. R., Roulet, N. T. & Frolking, S. Ecosystem respiration in a cool temperate bog depends on peat temperature but not water table. Ecosystems 8, 619–629 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hogg, E. H., Lieffers, V. J. & Wein, R. W. Potential carbon losses from peat profiles: effects of temperature, drought cycles, and fire. Ecol. Appl. 2, 298–306 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Christensen, T. R., Jonasson, S., Callaghan, T. V. & Havström, M. On the potential CO2 release from tundra soils in a changing climate. Appl. Soil Ecol. 11, 127–134 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Kirschbaum, M. U. F. The temperature dependence of soil organic matter decomposition, and the effect of global warming on soil organic C storage. Soil Biol. Biochem. 27, 753–760 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Luo, Y. Q., Wan, S. Q., Hui, D. F. & Wallace, L. L. Acclimatization of soil respiration to warming in a tall grass prairie. Nature 413, 622–625 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Melillo, J. M. et al. Soil warming and carbon-cycle feedbacks to the climate system. Science 298, 2173–2176 (2002)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bellamy, P. H., Loveland, P. J., Bradley, R. I., Lark, R. M. & Kirk, G. J. D. Carbon losses from all soils across England and Wales 1978–2003. Nature 437, 245–248 (2005)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Knorr, W., Prentice, I. C., House, J. I. & Holland, E. A. Long-term sensitivity of soil carbon turnover to warming. Nature 433, 298–301 (2005)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Davidson, E. A. & Janssens, I. A. Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change. Nature 440, 165–173 (2006)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bosatta, E. & Ågren, G. I. Soil organic matter quality interpreted thermodynamically. Soil Biol. Biochem. 31, 1889–1891 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Saleska, S. R. et al. Plant community composition mediates both large transient decline and predicted long-term recovery of soil carbon under climate warming. Glob. Biogeochem. Cycles 16, 1055–1072 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kattsov, V. M. et al. in Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (eds Symon, C., Arris, L. & Heal, B.) Ch. 4 99–150 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Biasi, C. et al. Temperature-dependent shift from labile to recalcitrant carbon sources of arctic heterotrophs. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 19, 1401–1408 (2005)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Fang, C. M., Smith, P., Moncrieff, J. B. & Smith, J. U. Similar response of labile and resistant soil organic matter pools to changes in temperature. Nature 433, 57–59 (2005)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Dorrepaal, E., Aerts, R., Cornelissen, J. H. C., Callaghan, T. V. & van Logtestijn, R. S. P. Summer warming and increased winter snow cover affect Sphagnum fuscum growth, structure and production in a sub-arctic bog. Glob. Change Biol. 10, 93–104 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Rustad, L. E. et al. A meta-analysis of the response of soil respiration, net nitrogen mineralization, and aboveground plant growth to experimental ecosystem warming. Oecologia 126, 543–562 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhou, X., Wan, S. Q. & Luo, Y. Q. Source components and interannual variability of soil CO2 efflux under experimental warming and clipping in a grassland ecosystem. Glob. Change Biol. 13, 761–775 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Šantrůčková, H., Bird, M. I., Frouz, J., Šustr, V. & Tajovský, K. Natural abundance of 13C in leaf litter as related to feeding activity of soil invertebrates and microbial mineralisation. Soil Biol. Biochem. 32, 1793–1797 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ekblad, A. & Högberg, P. Natural abundance of 13C in CO2 respired from forest soils reveals speed of link between tree photosynthesis and root respiration. Oecologia 127, 305–308 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Boone, R. D., Nadelhoffer, K. J., Canary, J. D. & Kaye, J. P. Roots exert a strong influence on the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration. Nature 396, 570–572 (1998)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Subke, J. A., Inglima, I. & Cotrufo, M. F. Trends and methodological impacts in soil CO2 efflux partitioning: a meta-analytical review. Glob. Change Biol. 12, 921–943 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Grogan, P. & Chapin, F. S. Initial effects of experimental warming on above- and belowground components of net ecosystem CO2 exchange in arctic tundra. Oecologia 125, 512–520 (2000)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Weltzin, J. F., Harth, C., Bridgham, S. D., Pastor, J. & Vonderharr, M. Production and microtopography of bog bryophytes: response to warming and water-table manipulations. Oecologia 128, 557–565 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Chapin, F. S. & Shaver, G. R. Physiological and growth responses of arctic plants to a field experiment simulating climatic change. Ecology 77, 822–840 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Dorrepaal, E., Aerts, R., Cornelissen, J. H. C., Van Logtestijn, R. S. P. & Callaghan, T. V. Sphagnum modifies climate-change impacts on subarctic vascular bog plants. Funct. Ecol. 20, 31–41 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ise, T., Dunn, A. L., Wofsy, S. C. & Moorcoft, P. R. High sensitivity of peat decomposition to climate change through water-table feedback. Nature Geosci. 1, 763–766 (2008)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Marion, G. M. et al. Open-top designs for manipulating field temperature in high-latitude ecosystems. Glob. Change Biol. 3, 20–32 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Hanson, P. J., Edwards, N. T., Garten, C. T. & Andrews, J. A. Separating root and soil microbial contributions to soil respiration: a review of methods and observations. Biogeochemistry 48, 115–146 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wallén, B. Methods for studying below-ground production in mire ecosystems. Suo 43, 155–162 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Keeling, C. D. The concentration and isotopic abundances of atmospheric carbon dioxide in rural areas. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 13, 322–334 (1958)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank J. H. C. Cornelissen, J. C. Douma, F. Keuper, U. Kokfelt and M. Sonesson for discussions, J. R. van Hal, M. van Leeuwen, J. C. Ordonez and the staff of the Abisko Naturvetenskapliga Station for technical assistance. We also thank E. van Munster for graphical support and T. R. Christensen and N. T. Roulet for comments on the manuscript. This work is funded partially by USF grant 98.24, ALW-NWO grant 854.00.019 and EU-ATANS grant Fp6 506004 to R.A. The County Administrative Board at Luleå gave permission to perform the field experiments in the Abisko National Park. This paper contributes to the Terrestrial Ecosystems Responses to Atmospheric and Climate Change (TERACC) network of GCTE-IGBP.

Author Contributions R.A., T.V.C. and E.D. designed the long-term climate-change experiment. E.D. designed the companion experiment. E.D., R.A. and R.S.P.v.L. developed the carbon isotope methods. E.D., S.T., R.S.P.v.L., E.S. and M.J.v.d.W. performed the respiration and environmental measurements in the field. E.D. and R.S.P.v.L. collected and analysed the stable isotope samples for the field and laboratory experiments. E.D., E.S., M.J.v.d.W. and S.T. performed the data analyses. E.D. wrote the manuscript, to which all authors contributed with discussion and text.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Sylvia Toet & Martine J. van de Weg

    Present address: 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.).,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Ecology, Institute of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands,

    Ellen Dorrepaal, Sylvia Toet, Richard S. P. van Logtestijn, Elferra Swart, Martine J. van de Weg & Rien Aerts

  2. Abisko Naturvetenskapliga Station, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, SE-98107 Abisko, Sweden

    Terry V. Callaghan

  3. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Sheffield Centre for Arctic Ecology, University of Sheffield, 26 Taptonville Road, Sheffield S10 5BR, UK,

    Terry V. Callaghan

Authors
  1. Ellen Dorrepaal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sylvia Toet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Richard S. P. van Logtestijn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elferra Swart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Martine J. van de Weg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Terry V. Callaghan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Rien Aerts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen Dorrepaal.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

This file contains Supplementary Figures 1-2 with Legends, Supplementary Methods, Supplementary Table 1, Supplementary Notes and Supplementary References. (PDF 482 kb)

PowerPoint slides

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dorrepaal, E., Toet, S., van Logtestijn, R. et al. Carbon respiration from subsurface peat accelerated by climate warming in the subarctic. Nature 460, 616–619 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08216

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08216

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing