Greenhouse gas production and consumption in High Arctic deserts

Author(s)
Brummell, Martin E
Farrell, Richard E
Hardy, Sarah P
Siciliano, Steven D
Publication Date
2014-01
Abstract
Polar deserts dominate the High Arctic covering over 1 358 000 km<sup>2</sup> but little is known about greenhouse gas (GHG) production or flux in polar desert soils. We measured soil-atmosphere GHG exchange for CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub>, and N<sub>2</sub>O, and net production of these gases in the active layer at 30 sites across three polar deserts in the High Arctic on Ellesmere Island, Canada for a total of 180 production/consumption estimates. There was inter-annual consistency in patterns of GHG net production and a consistent, significant, positive relationship (<i>r</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.91–0.93; <i>p</i> < 0.05) between CO<sub>2</sub> production and N<sub>2</sub>O production in Arctic desert sites. This differs from the negative correlations found in wet or moist tundra ecosystems and may arise from the large N<sub>2</sub>O emissions in dolomitic desert ecosystems. Global change processes that increase microbial activity in deserts will likely increase N<sub>2</sub>O emissions but increases in activity in wetter tundra will decrease N<sub>2</sub>O emissions. However, given the unusual co-consumption of CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O in the deserts, it is not clear if models of GHG production developed for other ecosystems will apply to these unique Arctic environments.
Citation
Soil Biology & Biochemistry, v.68, p. 158-165
ISSN
1879-3428
0038-0717
Link
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Title
Greenhouse gas production and consumption in High Arctic deserts
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

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