Articles | Volume 13, issue 19
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5677-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5677-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Oct 2016
Research article |
| 13 Oct 2016
Microbial dynamics in a High Arctic glacier forefield: a combined field, laboratory, and modelling approach
Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
BRIDGE, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8
1SS, UK
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Sandra Arndt
BRIDGE, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8
1SS, UK
Marie Šabacká
Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Liane G. Benning
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Gary L. Barker
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Joshua J. Blacker
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
Marian L. Yallop
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Katherine E. Wright
Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Christopher M. Bellas
Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Jonathan Telling
School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, UK
Martyn Tranter
Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Alexandre M. Anesio
Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
Related authors
Mihai O. Cimpoiasu, Oliver Kuras, Harry Harrison, Paul B. Wilkinson, Philip Meldrum, Jonathan E. Chambers, Dane Liljestrand, Carlos Oroza, Steven K. Schmidt, Pacifica Sommers, Lara Vimercati, Trevor P. Irons, Zhou Lyu, Adam Solon, and James A. Bradley
The Cryosphere, 19, 401–421, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-401-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-401-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Young Arctic sediments, uncovered by retreating glaciers, are in continuous development, shaped by how water infiltrates and is stored in the near subsurface. Harsh weather conditions at high latitudes make direct observation of these environments very difficult. To address this, we deployed two automated sensor installations in August 2021 on a glacier forefield in Svalbard. These sensors recorded continuously for 1 year, revealing unprecedented images of the ground’s freeze–thaw transition.
J. A. Bradley, A. M. Anesio, J. S. Singarayer, M. R. Heath, and S. Arndt
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3441–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3441-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3441-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Recent climate warming causing ice retreat exposes new terrestrial ecosystems that have potentially significant yet largely unexplored roles on large-scale biogeochemical cycling and climate. SHIMMER (Soil biogeocHemIcal Model for Microbial Ecosystem Response) is a new numerical model designed to simulate microbial community establishment and elemental cycling (C, N and P) during initial soil formation in exposed glacier forefields. It is also transferable to other extreme ecosystem types.
Lou-Anne Chevrollier, Adrien Wehrlé, Joseph M. Cook, Norbert Pirk, Liane G. Benning, Alexandre M. Anesio, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 19, 1527–1538, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1527-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1527-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Light-absorbing particles (LAPs) are often present as a mixture on snow surfaces and are important to disentangle because their darkening effects vary but also because the processes governing their presence and accumulation on snow surfaces are different. This study presents a novel method to retrieve the concentration and albedo-reducing effect of different LAPs present at the snow surface from surface spectral albedo. The method is then successfully applied to ground observations on seasonal snow.
Mihai O. Cimpoiasu, Oliver Kuras, Harry Harrison, Paul B. Wilkinson, Philip Meldrum, Jonathan E. Chambers, Dane Liljestrand, Carlos Oroza, Steven K. Schmidt, Pacifica Sommers, Lara Vimercati, Trevor P. Irons, Zhou Lyu, Adam Solon, and James A. Bradley
The Cryosphere, 19, 401–421, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-401-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-401-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Young Arctic sediments, uncovered by retreating glaciers, are in continuous development, shaped by how water infiltrates and is stored in the near subsurface. Harsh weather conditions at high latitudes make direct observation of these environments very difficult. To address this, we deployed two automated sensor installations in August 2021 on a glacier forefield in Svalbard. These sensors recorded continuously for 1 year, revealing unprecedented images of the ground’s freeze–thaw transition.
Eva L. Doting, Ian T. Stevens, Anne M. Kellerman, Pamela E. Rossel, Runa Antony, Amy M. McKenna, Martyn Tranter, Liane G. Benning, Robert G. M. Spencer, Jon R. Hawkings, and Alexandre M. Anesio
Biogeosciences, 22, 41–53, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-41-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-41-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides the first evidence for biogeochemical cycling of supraglacial dissolved organic matter (DOM) in meltwater flowing through the porous crust of weathering ice that covers glacier ice surfaces during the melt season. Movement of water through the weathering crust is slow, allowing microbes and solar radiation to alter the DOM in glacial meltwaters. This is important as supraglacial meltwaters deliver DOM to downstream aquatic environments.
Beatriz Gill-Olivas, Jon Telling, Mark Skidmore, and Martyn Tranter
Biogeosciences, 20, 929–943, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-929-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-929-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Microbial ecosystems have been found in all subglacial environments sampled to date. Yet, little is known of the sources of energy and nutrients that sustain these microbial populations. This study shows that crushing of sedimentary rocks, which contain organic carbon, carbonate and sulfide minerals, along with previously weathered silicate minerals, produces a range of compounds and nutrients which can be utilised by the diverse suite of microbes that inhabit glacier beds.
Outi Meinander, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Pavel Amosov, Elena Aseyeva, Cliff Atkins, Alexander Baklanov, Clarissa Baldo, Sarah L. Barr, Barbara Barzycka, Liane G. Benning, Bojan Cvetkovic, Polina Enchilik, Denis Frolov, Santiago Gassó, Konrad Kandler, Nikolay Kasimov, Jan Kavan, James King, Tatyana Koroleva, Viktoria Krupskaya, Markku Kulmala, Monika Kusiak, Hanna K. Lappalainen, Michał Laska, Jerome Lasne, Marek Lewandowski, Bartłomiej Luks, James B. McQuaid, Beatrice Moroni, Benjamin Murray, Ottmar Möhler, Adam Nawrot, Slobodan Nickovic, Norman T. O’Neill, Goran Pejanovic, Olga Popovicheva, Keyvan Ranjbar, Manolis Romanias, Olga Samonova, Alberto Sanchez-Marroquin, Kerstin Schepanski, Ivan Semenkov, Anna Sharapova, Elena Shevnina, Zongbo Shi, Mikhail Sofiev, Frédéric Thevenet, Throstur Thorsteinsson, Mikhail Timofeev, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, Andreas Uppstu, Darya Urupina, György Varga, Tomasz Werner, Olafur Arnalds, and Ana Vukovic Vimic
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11889–11930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
High-latitude dust (HLD) is a short-lived climate forcer, air pollutant, and nutrient source. Our results suggest a northern HLD belt at 50–58° N in Eurasia and 50–55° N in Canada and at >60° N in Eurasia and >58° N in Canada. Our addition to the previously identified global dust belt (GDB) provides crucially needed information on the extent of active HLD sources with both direct and indirect impacts on climate and environment in remote regions, which are often poorly understood and predicted.
William D. Smith, Stuart A. Dunning, Stephen Brough, Neil Ross, and Jon Telling
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 1053–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1053-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1053-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Glacial landslides are difficult to detect and likely underestimated due to rapid covering or dispersal. Without improved detection rates we cannot constrain their impact on glacial dynamics or their potential climatically driven increases in occurrence. Here we present a new open-access tool (GERALDINE) that helps a user detect 92 % of these events over the past 38 years on a global scale. We demonstrate its ability by identifying two new, large glacial landslides in the Hayes Range, Alaska.
Miranda J. Nicholes, Christopher Williamson, Martyn Tranter, Alexandra Holland, Marian Yallop, and Alexandre Anesio
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2020-227, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2020-227, 2020
Publication in BG not foreseen
Short summary
Short summary
This incubation experiment assessed the role of solar radiation and heterotrophic bacteria in the degradation of organic carbon in surface ice of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Although ultraviolet radiation was found to alter carbon composition, heterotrophic degradation caused the greatest changes to both carbon composition and quantity. Both processes are likely interlinked within the surface ice and are fundamental to controlling the composition of carbon exported to downstream environments.
Matteo Puglini, Victor Brovkin, Pierre Regnier, and Sandra Arndt
Biogeosciences, 17, 3247–3275, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3247-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-3247-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A reaction-transport model to assess the potential non-turbulent methane flux from the East Siberian Arctic sediments to water columns is applied here. We show that anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is an efficient filter except for high values of sedimentation rate and advective flow, which enable considerable non-turbulent steady-state methane fluxes. Significant transient methane fluxes can also occur during the building-up phase of the AOM-performing biomass microbial community.
Andrew J. Tedstone, Joseph M. Cook, Christopher J. Williamson, Stefan Hofer, Jenine McCutcheon, Tristram Irvine-Fynn, Thomas Gribbin, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 14, 521–538, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-521-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-521-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Albedo describes how much light that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed. Low-albedo ice surfaces melt more quickly. There are large differences in the albedo of bare-ice areas of the Greenland Ice Sheet. They are caused both by dark glacier algae and by the condition of the underlying ice. Changes occur over centimetres to metres, so satellites do not always detect real albedo changes. Estimates of melt made using satellite measurements therefore tend to be underestimates.
Joseph M. Cook, Andrew J. Tedstone, Christopher Williamson, Jenine McCutcheon, Andrew J. Hodson, Archana Dayal, McKenzie Skiles, Stefan Hofer, Robert Bryant, Owen McAree, Andrew McGonigle, Jonathan Ryan, Alexandre M. Anesio, Tristram D. L. Irvine-Fynn, Alun Hubbard, Edward Hanna, Mark Flanner, Sathish Mayanna, Liane G. Benning, Dirk van As, Marian Yallop, James B. McQuaid, Thomas Gribbin, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 14, 309–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-309-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-309-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is a major source of uncertainty for sea level rise projections. Ice-darkening due to the growth of algae has been recognized as a potential accelerator of melting. This paper measures and models the algae-driven ice melting and maps the algae over the ice sheet for the first time. We estimate that as much as 13 % total runoff from the south-western GrIS can be attributed to these algae, showing that they must be included in future mass balance models.
Alexandra T. Holland, Christopher J. Williamson, Fotis Sgouridis, Andrew J. Tedstone, Jenine McCutcheon, Joseph M. Cook, Ewa Poniecka, Marian L. Yallop, Martyn Tranter, Alexandre M. Anesio, and The Black & Bloom Group
Biogeosciences, 16, 3283–3296, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3283-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3283-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a preliminary data set for dissolved nutrient abundance in the Dark Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This 15-year marked darkening has since been attributed to glacier algae blooms, yet has not been accounted for in current melt rate models. We conclude that the dissolved organic phase dominates surface ice environments and that factors other than macronutrient limitation control the extent and magnitude of the glacier algae blooms.
Fabiola Murguia-Flores, Sandra Arndt, Anita L. Ganesan, Guillermo Murray-Tortarolo, and Edward R. C. Hornibrook
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 2009–2032, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2009-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2009-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Soil bacteria known as methanotrophs are the only biological sink for atmospheric methane (CH4). Their activity depends on climatic and edaphic conditions, thus varies spatially and temporarily. Based on this, we developed a model (MeMo v1.0) to assess the global CH4 consumption by soils. The global CH4 uptake was 33.5 Tg CH4 yr-1 for 1990–2009, with an increasing trend of 0.1 Tg CH4 yr-2. The regional analysis proved that warm and semiarid regions represent the most efficient CH4 sink.
Joseph M. Cook, Andrew J. Hodson, Alex S. Gardner, Mark Flanner, Andrew J. Tedstone, Christopher Williamson, Tristram D. L. Irvine-Fynn, Johan Nilsson, Robert Bryant, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 11, 2611–2632, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2611-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2611-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Biological growth darkens snow and ice, causing it to melt faster. This is often referred to as
bioalbedo. Quantifying bioalbedo has not been achieved because of difficulties in isolating the biological contribution from the optical properties of ice and snow, and from inorganic impurities in field studies. In this paper, we provide a physical model that enables bioalbedo to be quantified from first principles and we use it to guide future field studies.
Andrew J. Tedstone, Jonathan L. Bamber, Joseph M. Cook, Christopher J. Williamson, Xavier Fettweis, Andrew J. Hodson, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 11, 2491–2506, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2491-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2491-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The bare ice albedo of the south-west Greenland ice sheet varies dramatically between years. The reasons are unclear but likely involve darkening by inorganic particulates, cryoconite and ice algae. We use satellite imagery to examine dark ice dynamics and climate model outputs to find likely climatological controls. Outcropping particulates can explain the spatial extent of dark ice, but the darkening itself is likely due to ice algae growth controlled by meltwater and light availability.
Goulven Gildas Laruelle, Nicolas Goossens, Sandra Arndt, Wei-Jun Cai, and Pierre Regnier
Biogeosciences, 14, 2441–2468, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2441-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2441-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The C-GEM generic reactive-transport model is applied to each tidal estuary of the US East Coast. Seasonal simulations are performed, which allows the understanding and quantification of the effect of the estuarine filter on the lateral fluxes of carbon coming from rivers.
Sophie L. Nixon, Jon P. Telling, Jemma L. Wadham, and Charles S. Cockell
Biogeosciences, 14, 1445–1455, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1445-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1445-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Despite their permanently cold and dark characteristics, subglacial environments (glacier ice–sediment interface) are known to harbour active microbial communities. However, the role of microbial iron cycling in these environments is poorly understood. Here we show that subglacial sediments harbour active iron-reducing microorganisms, and they appear to be cold-adapted. These results may have important implications for global biogeochemical iron cycling and export to marine ecosystems.
Robert Raiswell, Jon R. Hawkings, Liane G. Benning, Alex R. Baker, Ros Death, Samuel Albani, Natalie Mahowald, Michael D. Krom, Simon W. Poulton, Jemma Wadham, and Martyn Tranter
Biogeosciences, 13, 3887–3900, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3887-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3887-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Iron is an essential nutrient for plankton growth. One important source of iron is wind-blown dust. The polar oceans are remote from dust sources but melting icebergs supply sediment that contains iron which is potentially available to plankton. We show that iceberg sediments contain more potentially bioavailable iron than wind-blown dust. Iceberg sources will become increasingly important with climate change and increased plankton growth can remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Emily C. O'Donnell, Jemma L. Wadham, Grzegorz P. Lis, Martyn Tranter, Amy E. Pickard, Marek Stibal, Paul Dewsbury, and Sean Fitzsimons
Biogeosciences, 13, 3833–3846, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3833-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3833-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We use a novel ion chromatographic analysis that provides the first identification and quantification of major low-molecular-weight dissolved organic carbon (LMW-DOC) compounds in basal ice. LMW-DOC concentrations were dependent on the bioavailability of the overridden organic carbon, which in turn was influenced by the type of overridden material. The overridden material may thus act as a direct (abiotic leaching) and indirect (microbial cycling) source of DOC to the subglacial environment.
Chiara Volta, Goulven Gildas Laruelle, Sandra Arndt, and Pierre Regnier
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 991–1030, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-991-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-991-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
A generic estuarine model is applied to three idealized tidal estuaries representing the main hydro-geometrical estuarine classes. The study provides insight into the estuarine biogeochemical dynamics, in particular the air-water CO2/sub> flux, as well as the potential response to future environmental changes and to uncertainties in model parameter values. We believe that our approach could help improving upscaling strategies to better integrate estuaries in regional/global biogeochemical studies.
J. A. Bradley, A. M. Anesio, J. S. Singarayer, M. R. Heath, and S. Arndt
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3441–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3441-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3441-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Recent climate warming causing ice retreat exposes new terrestrial ecosystems that have potentially significant yet largely unexplored roles on large-scale biogeochemical cycling and climate. SHIMMER (Soil biogeocHemIcal Model for Microbial Ecosystem Response) is a new numerical model designed to simulate microbial community establishment and elemental cycling (C, N and P) during initial soil formation in exposed glacier forefields. It is also transferable to other extreme ecosystem types.
E. C. Lawson, J. L. Wadham, M. Tranter, M. Stibal, G. P. Lis, C. E. H. Butler, J. Laybourn-Parry, P. Nienow, D. Chandler, and P. Dewsbury
Biogeosciences, 11, 4015–4028, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-4015-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-4015-2014, 2014
C. Volta, S. Arndt, H. H. G. Savenije, G. G. Laruelle, and P. Regnier
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 1271–1295, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1271-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1271-2014, 2014
H. C. Price, B. J. Murray, J. Mattsson, D. O'Sullivan, T. W. Wilson, K. J. Baustian, and L. G. Benning
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 3817–3830, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3817-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3817-2014, 2014
V. Krumins, M. Gehlen, S. Arndt, P. Van Cappellen, and P. Regnier
Biogeosciences, 10, 371–398, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-371-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-371-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Biogeochemistry: Soils
Exploring microscale heterogeneity as a driver of biogeochemical transformations and gas transport in peat
Dissolved organic matter fosters core mercury-methylating microbiomes for methylmercury production in paddy soils
A microbially driven and depth-explicit soil organic carbon model constrained by carbon isotopes to reduce parameter equifinality
Earth observation reveals reduced winter wheat growth and the importance of plant available water during drought
Plutonium concentrations link soil organic matter decline to wind erosion in ploughed soils of South Africa
A synthesis of Sphagnum litterbag experiments: initial leaching losses bias decomposition rate estimates
Effect of straw retention and mineral fertilization on P speciation and P-transformation microorganisms in water- extractable colloids of a Vertisol
A new approach to continuous monitoring of carbon use efficiency and biosynthesis in soil microbes from measurement of CO2 and O2
Validating laboratory insights into the drivers of soil rewetting respiration pulses with field measurements
Diverse organic carbon dynamics captured by radiocarbon analysis of distinct compound classes in a grassland soil
Effects of basalt, concrete fines, and steel slag on maize growth and heavy metal accumulation in an enhanced weathering experiment
The effects of land use on soil carbon stocks in the UK
Technical note: A validated correction method to quantify organic and inorganic carbon in soils using Rock-Eval® thermal analysis
Depth Effects of Long-term Organic Residue Application on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Central Kenya
Distinct changes in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling in the litter layer across two contrasting forest-tundra ecotones
Vegetation patterns associated with nutrient availability and supply in high-elevation tropical Andean ecosystems
Technical note: An open-source, low-cost system for continuous monitoring of low nitrate concentrations in soil and open water
Solubility characteristics of soil humic substances as a function of pH
Long-term fertilization increases soil but not plant or microbial N in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland
Factors controlling spatiotemporal variability of soil carbon accumulation and stock estimates in a tidal salt marsh
Moisture and temperature effects on the radiocarbon signature of respired carbon dioxide to assess stability of soil carbon in the Tibetan Plateau
Non-mycorrhizal root-associated fungi increase soil C stocks and stability via diverse mechanisms
Drought counteracts soil warming more strongly in the subsoil than in the topsoil according to a vertical microbial SOC model
Nine years of warming and nitrogen addition in the Tibetan grassland promoted loss of soil organic carbon but did not alter the bulk change in chemical structure
Soil priming effects and involved microbial community along salt gradients
Adjustments to the Rock-Eval® thermal analysis for soil organic and inorganic carbon quantification
Ecosystem-specific patterns and drivers of global reactive iron mineral-associated organic carbon
Dark septate endophytic fungi associated with pioneer grass inhabiting volcanic deposits and their functions in promoting plant growth
Global patterns and drivers of phosphorus fractions in natural soils
Reviews and syntheses: Iron – a driver of nitrogen bioavailability in soils?
How well does ramped thermal oxidation quantify the age distribution of soil carbon? Assessing thermal stability of physically and chemically fractionated soil organic matter
Differential temperature sensitivity of intracellular metabolic processes and extracellular soil enzyme activities
Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty
Technical note: The recovery rate of free particulate organic matter from soil samples is strongly affected by the method of density fractionation
Deforestation for agriculture leads to soil warming and enhanced litter decomposition in subarctic soils
Temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon respiration along a forested elevation gradient in the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
The influence of elevated CO2 and soil depth on rhizosphere activity and nutrient availability in a mature Eucalyptus woodland
The paradox of assessing greenhouse gases from soils for nature-based solutions
Management-induced changes in soil organic carbon on global croplands
Pore network modeling as a new tool for determining gas diffusivity in peat
Temperature sensitivity of dark CO2 fixation in temperate forest soils
Effects of precipitation seasonality, irrigation, vegetation cycle and soil type on enhanced weathering – modeling of cropland case studies across four sites
Stable isotope profiles of soil organic carbon in forested and grassland landscapes in the Lake Alaotra basin (Madagascar): insights in past vegetation changes
Reviews and syntheses: The promise of big diverse soil data, moving current practices towards future potential
Dynamics of rare earth elements and associated major and trace elements during Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) litter degradation
To what extent can soil moisture and soil Cu contamination stresses affect nitrous species emissions? Estimation through calibration of a nitrification–denitrification model
Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry of organic matter in Swedish forest soils and its relationship with climate, tree species, and soil texture
Soil geochemistry as a driver of soil organic matter composition: insights from a soil chronosequence
Leaching of inorganic and organic phosphorus and nitrogen in contrasting beech forest soils – seasonal patterns and effects of fertilization
Age and chemistry of dissolved organic carbon reveal enhanced leaching of ancient labile carbon at the permafrost thaw zone
Lukas Kohl, Petri Kiuru, Marjo Palviainen, Maarit Raivonen, Markku Koskinen, Mari Pihlatie, and Annamari Laurén
Biogeosciences, 22, 1711–1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1711-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1711-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present an assay to illuminate heterogeneity in biogeochemical transformations within peat samples. For this, we injected isotope-labeled acetate into peat cores and monitored the release of label-derived gases, which we compared to microtomography images. The fraction of label converted to CO2 and the rapidness of this conversion were linked to injection depth and air-filled porosity.
Qiang Pu, Bo Meng, Jen-How Huang, Kun Zhang, Jiang Liu, Yurong Liu, Mahmoud A. Abdelhafiz, and Xinbin Feng
Biogeosciences, 22, 1543–1556, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1543-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1543-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines the effect of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on microbial mercury (Hg) methylation in paddy soils. It uncovers that DOM regulates Hg methylation mainly through altering core Hg-methylating microbiome composition and boosting the growth of core Hg-methylating microorganisms. The study highlights that in the regulation of methylmercury formation in paddy soils, more attention should be paid to changes in DOM concentration and composition.
Marijn Van de Broek, Gerard Govers, Marion Schrumpf, and Johan Six
Biogeosciences, 22, 1427–1446, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1427-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1427-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon models are used to predict how soils affect the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. We show that equifinality – the phenomenon that different parameter values lead to correct overall model outputs, albeit with a different model behaviour – is an important source of model uncertainty. Our results imply that adding more complexity to soil organic carbon models is unlikely to lead to better predictions as long as more data to constrain model parameters are not available.
Hanna Sjulgård, Lukas Valentin Graf, Tino Colombi, Juliane Hirte, Thomas Keller, and Helge Aasen
Biogeosciences, 22, 1341–1354, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1341-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1341-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study showed that stress-related crop response to changing environmental conditions can be detected by monitoring crops using satellite images at the landscape level. This could be useful for farmers to identify when stresses occur. Our results also suggest that satellite imagery can be used to discover soil impacts on crop development at farm fields. The inclusion of soil properties in satellite image analyses could further improve the accuracy of the prediction of drought stress on crops.
Joel Mohren, Hendrik Wiesel, Wulf Amelung, L. Keith Fifield, Alexandra Sandhage-Hofmann, Erik Strub, Steven A. Binnie, Stefan Heinze, Elmarie Kotze, Chris Du Preez, Stephen G. Tims, and Tibor J. Dunai
Biogeosciences, 22, 1077–1094, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1077-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1077-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We measured concentrations of nuclear fallout in soil samples taken from arable land in South Africa. We find that during the second half of the 20th century, the data strongly correlate with the organic matter content of the soils. The finding implies that wind erosion strongly influenced the loss of organic matter in the soils we investigated. Furthermore, the exponential decline of fallout concentrations and organic matter content over time peaks shortly after native grassland is ploughed.
Henning Teickner, Edzer Pebesma, and Klaus-Holger Knorr
Biogeosciences, 22, 417–433, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-417-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-417-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Decomposition rates for Sphagnum mosses, the main peat-forming plants in northern peatlands, are often derived from litterbag experiments. Here, we estimate initial leaching losses from available Sphagnum litterbag experiments and analyze how decomposition rates are biased when initial leaching losses are ignored. Our analyses indicate that initial leaching losses range between 3 to 18 mass-% and that this may result in overestimated mass losses when extrapolated to several decades.
Shanshan Bai, Yifei Ge, Dongtan Yao, Yifan Wang, Jinfang Tan, Shuai Zhang, Yutao Peng, and Xiaoqian Jiang
Biogeosciences, 22, 135–151, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-135-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-135-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Mineral fertilization led to increases in total P, available P, high-activity inorganic P fractions, and organic P but reduced the abundance of P-cycling genes by decreasing soil pH and increasing P in bulk soil. Straw retention enhanced organic carbon, total P, and available P concentrations in water-extractable colloids (WECs). Abundances of the phoD gene and phoD-harboring Proteobacteria in WECs were elevated under straw retention, suggesting an increase in P-mineralization capacity.
Kyle E. Smart, Daniel O. Breecker, Christopher B. Blackwood, and Timothy M. Gallagher
Biogeosciences, 22, 87–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-87-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-87-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
When microbes consume carbon within soils, it is important to know how much carbon is respired and lost as carbon dioxide versus how much is used to make new biomass. We used a new approach of monitoring carbon dioxide and oxygen to track the fate of consumed carbon during a series of laboratory experiments where sugar was added to moistened soil. Our approach allowed us to estimate how much sugar was converted to dead microbial biomass, which is more likely to be preserved in soils.
Xiankun Li, Marleen Pallandt, Dilip Naidu, Johannes Rousk, Gustaf Hugelius, and Stefano Manzoni
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3324, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3324, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
While laboratory studies have identified many drivers and their effects on the carbon emission pulse after rewetting of dry soils, a validation with field data is still missing. Here, we show that the carbon emission pulse in the laboratory and in the field increases with soil organic carbon and temperature, but their trends with pre-rewetting dryness and moisture increment at rewetting differ. We conclude that the laboratory findings can be partially validated.
Katherine E. Grant, Marisa N. Repasch, Kari M. Finstad, Julia D. Kerr, Maxwell Marple, Christopher J. Larson, Taylor A. B. Broek, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, and Karis J. McFarlane
Biogeosciences, 21, 4395–4411, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4395-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4395-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Soils store organic carbon composed of multiple compounds from plants and microbes for different lengths of time. To understand how soils store these different carbon types, we measure the time each carbon fraction is in a grassland soil profile. Our results show that the length of time each individual soil fraction is in our soil changes. Our approach allows a detailed look at the different components in soils. This study can help improve our understanding of soil dynamics.
Jet Rijnders, Arthur Vienne, and Sara Vicca
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3022, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A mesocosm experiment was set-up to investigate how maize responds to basalt, concrete fines and steel slags application, using a dose-response approach. Biomass increased with basalt application, but did not change with concrete fines or steel slags, except for increased tassel biomass. Mg, Ca and Si generally increased in the crops, while heavy metal concentrations remained unaffected or even decreased in the plants. Overall, crops were positively affected by application of silicate materials.
Peter Levy, Laura Bentley, Peter Danks, Bridget Emmett, Angus Garbutt, Stephen Heming, Peter Henrys, Aidan Keith, Inma Lebron, Niall McNamara, Richard Pywell, John Redhead, David Robinson, and Alexander Wickenden
Biogeosciences, 21, 4301–4315, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4301-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4301-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We collated a large data set (15 790 soil cores) on soil carbon stock in different land uses. Soil carbon stocks were highest in woodlands and lowest in croplands. The variability in the effects was large. This has important implications for agri-environment schemes seeking to sequester carbon in the soil by altering land use because the effect of a given intervention is very hard to verify.
Marija Stojanova, Pierre Arbelet, François Baudin, Nicolas Bouton, Giovanni Caria, Lorenza Pacini, Nicolas Proix, Edouard Quibel, Achille Thin, and Pierre Barré
Biogeosciences, 21, 4229–4237, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4229-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4229-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Because of its importance for climate regulation and soil health, many studies focus on carbon dynamics in soils. However, quantifying organic and inorganic carbon remains an issue in carbonated soils. In this technical note, we propose a validated correction method to quantify organic and inorganic carbon in soils using Rock-Eval® thermal analysis. With this correction, the Rock-Eval® method has the potential to become the standard method for quantifying carbon in carbonate soils.
Claude Raoul Müller, Johan Six, Daniel Mugendi Njiru, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Marijn Van de Broek
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2796, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2796, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We studied how different organic and inorganic nutrient inputs affect soil organic carbon (SOC) down to 70 cm in Kenya. After 19 years, all organic treatments increased SOC stocks as compared to the control, but mineral nitrogen had no significant effect. Manure was the organic treatment that significantly increased SOC the deepest as its effect could be observed down to 60 cm. Manure was the best strategy to limit SOC loss in croplands and maintain soil quality after deforestation.
Frank Hagedorn, Joesphine Imboden, Pavel Moiseev, Decai Gao, Emmanuel Frossard, Daniel Christen, Konstantin Gavazov, and Jasmin Fetzer
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2622, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2622, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
At treeline, plant species change abruptly from low stature plants in tundra to trees in forests. Our study documents that from tundra towards forest, the litter layer gets strongly enriched in nutrients. We show that these litter quality changes alter nutrient processing by soil microbes and increase the nutrient release during decomposition in forest than in tundra. The associated improvement of nutrient availability in the forest potentially stimulates tree growth and treeline shifts.
Armando Molina, Veerle Vanacker, Oliver Chadwick, Santiago Zhiminaicela, Marife Corre, and Edzo Veldkamp
Biogeosciences, 21, 3075–3091, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3075-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3075-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The tropical Andes contains unique landscapes where forest patches are surrounded by tussock grasses and cushion-forming plants. The aboveground vegetation composition informs us about belowground nutrient availability: patterns in plant-available nutrients resulted from strong biocycling of cations and removal of soil nutrients by plant uptake or leaching. Future changes in vegetation distribution will affect soil water and solute fluxes and the aquatic ecology of Andean rivers and lakes.
Sahiti Bulusu, Cristina Prieto García, Helen E. Dahlke, and Elad Levintal
Biogeosciences, 21, 3007–3013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3007-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3007-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Do-it-yourself hardware is a new way to improve measurement resolution. We present a low-cost, automated system for field measurements of low nitrate concentrations in soil porewater and open water bodies. All data hardware components cost USD 1100, which is much cheaper than other available commercial solutions. We provide the complete building guide to reduce technical barriers, which we hope will allow easier reproducibility and set up new soil and environmental monitoring applications.
Xuemei Yang, Jie Zhang, Khan M. G. Mostofa, Mohammad Mohinuzzaman, H. Henry Teng, Nicola Senesi, Giorgio S. Senesi, Jie Yuan, Yu Liu, Si-Liang Li, Xiaodong Li, Baoli Wang, and Cong-Qiang Liu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2994, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2994, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The solubility characteristics of soil humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), and protein-like substances (PLS) at different pH values remain uncertain. The key findings includes: HA solubility increases with increasing pH and decreases with decreasing pH; HApH6 and HApH1 contribute to 39.1–49.2 % and 3.1–24.1 % of total DOM, respectively; and HApH2, FA, and PLS are highly soluble at acidic pH values and are transported by ambient water. These issues are vital for sustainable soil management.
Violeta Mendoza-Martinez, Scott L. Collins, and Jennie R. McLaren
Biogeosciences, 21, 2655–2667, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2655-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2655-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We examine the impacts of multi-decadal nitrogen additions on a dryland ecosystem N budget, including the soil, microbial, and plant N pools. After 26 years, there appears to be little impact on the soil microbial or plant community and only minimal increases in N pools within the soil. While perhaps encouraging from a conservation standpoint, we calculate that greater than 95 % of the nitrogen added to the system is not retained and is instead either lost deeper in the soil or emitted as gas.
Sean Fettrow, Andrew Wozniak, Holly A. Michael, and Angelia L. Seyfferth
Biogeosciences, 21, 2367–2384, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Salt marshes play a big role in global carbon (C) storage, and C stock estimates are used to predict future changes. However, spatial and temporal gradients in C burial rates over the landscape exist due to variations in water inundation, dominant plant species and stage of growth, and tidal action. We quantified soil C concentrations in soil cores across time and space beside several porewater biogeochemical variables and discussed the controls on variability in soil C in salt marsh ecosystems.
Andrés Tangarife-Escobar, Georg Guggenberger, Xiaojuan Feng, Guohua Dai, Carolina Urbina-Malo, Mina Azizi-Rad, and Carlos A. Sierra
Biogeosciences, 21, 1277–1299, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1277-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic matter stability depends on future temperature and precipitation scenarios. We used radiocarbon (14C) data and model predictions to understand how the transit time of carbon varies under environmental change in grasslands and peatlands. Soil moisture affected the Δ14C of peatlands, while temperature did not have any influence. Our models show the correspondence between Δ14C and transit time and could allow understanding future interactions between terrestrial and atmospheric carbon
Emiko K. Stuart, Laura Castañeda-Gómez, Wolfram Buss, Jeff R. Powell, and Yolima Carrillo
Biogeosciences, 21, 1037–1059, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1037-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1037-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We inoculated wheat plants with various types of fungi whose impacts on soil carbon are poorly understood. After several months of growth, we examined both their impacts on soil carbon and the underlying mechanisms using multiple methods. Overall the fungi benefitted the storage of carbon in soil, mainly by improving the stability of pre-existing carbon, but several pathways were involved. This study demonstrates their importance for soil carbon storage and, therefore, climate change mitigation.
Marleen Pallandt, Marion Schrumpf, Holger Lange, Markus Reichstein, Lin Yu, and Bernhard Ahrens
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-186, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-186, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
As soils get warmer due to climate change, SOC decomposes faster because of higher microbial activity, but only with sufficient soil moisture. We modelled how microbes decompose plant litter and microbial residues at different soil depths. We found that deep soil layers are more sensitive than topsoils. SOC is lost from the soil with warming, but this can be mitigated or worsened depending on the type of litter and its sensitivity to temperature. Droughts can reduce warming-induced SOC losses.
Huimin Sun, Michael W. I. Schmidt, Jintao Li, Jinquan Li, Xiang Liu, Nicholas O. E. Ofiti, Shurong Zhou, and Ming Nie
Biogeosciences, 21, 575–589, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-575-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-575-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A soil organic carbon (SOC) molecular structure suggested that the easily decomposable and stabilized SOC is similarly affected after 9-year warming and N treatments despite large changes in SOC stocks. Given the long residence time of some SOC, the similar loss of all measurable chemical forms of SOC under global change treatments could have important climate consequences.
Haoli Zhang, Doudou Chang, Zhifeng Zhu, Chunmei Meng, and Kaiyong Wang
Biogeosciences, 21, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Soil salinity mediates microorganisms and soil processes like soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling. We observed that negative priming effects at the early stages might be due to the preferential utilization of cottonseed meal. The positive priming that followed decreased with the increase in salinity.
Joséphine Hazera, David Sebag, Isabelle Kowalewski, Eric Verrecchia, Herman Ravelojaona, and Tiphaine Chevallier
Biogeosciences, 20, 5229–5242, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5229-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5229-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study adapts the Rock-Eval® protocol to quantify soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) on a non-pretreated soil aliquot. The standard protocol properly estimates SOC contents once the TOC parameter is corrected. However, it cannot complete the thermal breakdown of SIC amounts > 4 mg, leading to an underestimation of high SIC contents by the MinC parameter, even after correcting for this. Thus, the final oxidation isotherm is extended to 7 min to quantify any SIC amount.
Bo Zhao, Amin Dou, Zhiwei Zhang, Zhenyu Chen, Wenbo Sun, Yanli Feng, Xiaojuan Wang, and Qiang Wang
Biogeosciences, 20, 4761–4774, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4761-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4761-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study provided a comprehensive analysis of the spatial variability and determinants of Fe-bound organic carbon (Fe-OC) among terrestrial, wetland, and marine ecosystems and its governing factors globally. We illustrated that reactive Fe was not only an important sequestration mechanism for OC in terrestrial ecosystems but also an effective “rusty sink” of OC preservation in wetland and marine ecosystems, i.e., a key factor for long-term OC storage in global ecosystems.
Han Sun, Tomoyasu Nishizawa, Hiroyuki Ohta, and Kazuhiko Narisawa
Biogeosciences, 20, 4737–4749, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4737-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4737-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this research, we assessed the diversity and function of the dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi community associated with Miscanthus condensatus root in volcanic ecosystems. Both metabarcoding and isolation were adopted in this study. We further validated effects on plant growth by inoculation of some core DSE isolates. This study helps improve our understanding of the role of Miscanthus condensatus-associated DSE fungi during the restoration of post-volcanic ecosystems.
Xianjin He, Laurent Augusto, Daniel S. Goll, Bruno Ringeval, Ying-Ping Wang, Julian Helfenstein, Yuanyuan Huang, and Enqing Hou
Biogeosciences, 20, 4147–4163, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4147-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4147-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We identified total soil P concentration as the most important predictor of all soil P pool concentrations, except for primary mineral P concentration, which is primarily controlled by soil pH and only secondarily by total soil P concentration. We predicted soil P pools’ distributions in natural systems, which can inform assessments of the role of natural P availability for ecosystem productivity, climate change mitigation, and the functioning of the Earth system.
Imane Slimani, Xia Zhu-Barker, Patricia Lazicki, and William Horwath
Biogeosciences, 20, 3873–3894, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3873-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3873-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
There is a strong link between nitrogen availability and iron minerals in soils. These minerals have multiple outcomes for nitrogen availability depending on soil conditions and properties. For example, iron can limit microbial degradation of nitrogen in aerated soils but has opposing outcomes in non-aerated soils. This paper focuses on the multiple ways iron can affect nitrogen bioavailability in soils.
Shane W. Stoner, Marion Schrumpf, Alison Hoyt, Carlos A. Sierra, Sebastian Doetterl, Valier Galy, and Susan Trumbore
Biogeosciences, 20, 3151–3163, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3151-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3151-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Soils store more carbon (C) than any other terrestrial C reservoir, but the processes that control how much C stays in soil, and for how long, are very complex. Here, we used a recent method that involves heating soil in the lab to measure the range of C ages in soil. We found that most C in soil is decades to centuries old, while some stays for much shorter times (days to months), and some is thousands of years old. Such detail helps us to estimate how soil C may react to changing climate.
Adetunji Alex Adekanmbi, Laurence Dale, Liz Shaw, and Tom Sizmur
Biogeosciences, 20, 2207–2219, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2207-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2207-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The decomposition of soil organic matter and flux of carbon dioxide are expected to increase as temperatures rise. However, soil organic matter decomposition is a two-step process whereby large molecules are first broken down outside microbial cells and then respired within microbial cells. We show here that these two steps are not equally sensitive to increases in soil temperature and that global warming may cause a shift in the rate-limiting step from outside to inside the microbial cell.
Mercedes Román Dobarco, Alexandre M. J-C. Wadoux, Brendan Malone, Budiman Minasny, Alex B. McBratney, and Ross Searle
Biogeosciences, 20, 1559–1586, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1559-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1559-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is of a heterogeneous nature and varies in chemistry, stabilisation mechanisms, and persistence in soil. In this study we mapped the stocks of SOC fractions with different characteristics and turnover rates (presumably PyOC >= MAOC > POC) across Australia, combining spectroscopy and digital soil mapping. The SOC stocks (0–30 cm) were estimated as 13 Pg MAOC, 2 Pg POC, and 5 Pg PyOC.
Frederick Büks
Biogeosciences, 20, 1529–1535, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1529-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1529-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ultrasonication with density fractionation of soils is a commonly used method to separate soil organic matter pools, which is, e.g., important to calculate carbon turnover in landscapes. It is shown that the approach that merges soil and dense solution without mixing has a low recovery rate and causes co-extraction of parts of the retained labile pool along with the intermediate pool. An alternative method with high recovery rates and no cross-contamination was recommended.
Tino Peplau, Christopher Poeplau, Edward Gregorich, and Julia Schroeder
Biogeosciences, 20, 1063–1074, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1063-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1063-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We buried tea bags and temperature loggers in a paired-plot design in soils under forest and agricultural land and retrieved them after 2 years to quantify the effect of land-use change on soil temperature and litter decomposition in subarctic agricultural systems. We could show that agricultural soils were on average 2 °C warmer than forests and that litter decomposition was enhanced. The results imply that deforestation amplifies effects of climate change on soil organic matter dynamics.
Joseph Okello, Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Samuel Bodé, John Kasenene, Astrid Françoys, Till Engelhardt, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Ralf Kiese, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 20, 719–735, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-719-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-719-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The increase in global and regional temperatures has the potential to drive accelerated soil organic carbon losses in tropical forests. We simulated climate warming by translocating intact soil cores from higher to lower elevations. The results revealed increasing temperature sensitivity and decreasing losses of soil organic carbon with increasing elevation. Our results suggest that climate warming may trigger enhanced losses of soil organic carbon from tropical montane forests.
Johanna Pihlblad, Louise C. Andresen, Catriona A. Macdonald, David S. Ellsworth, and Yolima Carrillo
Biogeosciences, 20, 505–521, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-505-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-505-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Elevated CO2 in the atmosphere increases forest biomass productivity when growth is not limited by soil nutrients. This study explores how mature trees stimulate soil availability of nitrogen and phosphorus with free-air carbon dioxide enrichment after 5 years of fumigation. We found that both nutrient availability and processes feeding available pools increased in the rhizosphere, and phosphorus increased at depth. This appears to not be by decomposition but by faster recycling of nutrients.
Rodrigo Vargas and Van Huong Le
Biogeosciences, 20, 15–26, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-15-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-15-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Quantifying the role of soils in nature-based solutions requires accurate estimates of soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. We suggest that multiple GHG fluxes should not be simultaneously measured at a few fixed time intervals, but an optimized sampling approach can reduce bias and uncertainty. Our results have implications for assessing GHG fluxes from soils and a better understanding of the role of soils in nature-based solutions.
Kristine Karstens, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Jan Philipp Dietrich, Marta Dondini, Jens Heinke, Matthias Kuhnert, Christoph Müller, Susanne Rolinski, Pete Smith, Isabelle Weindl, Hermann Lotze-Campen, and Alexander Popp
Biogeosciences, 19, 5125–5149, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5125-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5125-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon (SOC) has been depleted by anthropogenic land cover change and agricultural management. While SOC models often simulate detailed biochemical processes, the management decisions are still little investigated at the global scale. We estimate that soils have lost around 26 GtC relative to a counterfactual natural state in 1975. Yet, since 1975, SOC has been increasing again by 4 GtC due to a higher productivity, recycling of crop residues and manure, and no-tillage practices.
Petri Kiuru, Marjo Palviainen, Arianna Marchionne, Tiia Grönholm, Maarit Raivonen, Lukas Kohl, and Annamari Laurén
Biogeosciences, 19, 5041–5058, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5041-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5041-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Peatlands are large carbon stocks. Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane from peatlands may increase due to changes in management and climate. We studied the variation in the gas diffusivity of peat with depth using pore network simulations and laboratory experiments. Gas diffusivity was found to be lower in deeper peat with smaller pores and lower pore connectivity. However, gas diffusivity was not extremely low in wet conditions, which may reflect the distinctive structure of peat.
Rachael Akinyede, Martin Taubert, Marion Schrumpf, Susan Trumbore, and Kirsten Küsel
Biogeosciences, 19, 4011–4028, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4011-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Soils will likely become warmer in the future, and this can increase the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. As microbes can take up soil CO2 and prevent further escape into the atmosphere, this study compares the rate of uptake and release of CO2 at two different temperatures. With warming, the rate of CO2 uptake increases less than the rate of release, indicating that the capacity to modulate soil CO2 release into the atmosphere will decrease under future warming.
Giuseppe Cipolla, Salvatore Calabrese, Amilcare Porporato, and Leonardo V. Noto
Biogeosciences, 19, 3877–3896, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3877-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3877-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Enhanced weathering (EW) is a promising strategy for carbon sequestration. Since models may help to characterize field EW, the present work applies a hydro-biogeochemical model to four case studies characterized by different rainfall seasonality, vegetation and soil type. Rainfall seasonality strongly affects EW dynamics, but low carbon sequestration suggests that an in-depth analysis at the global scale is required to see if EW may be effective to mitigate climate change.
Vao Fenotiana Razanamahandry, Marjolein Dewaele, Gerard Govers, Liesa Brosens, Benjamin Campforts, Liesbet Jacobs, Tantely Razafimbelo, Tovonarivo Rafolisy, and Steven Bouillon
Biogeosciences, 19, 3825–3841, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3825-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3825-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In order to shed light on possible past vegetation shifts in the Central Highlands of Madagascar, we measured stable isotope ratios of organic carbon in soil profiles along both forested and grassland hillslope transects in the Lake Alaotra region. Our results show that the landscape of this region was more forested in the past: soils in the C4-dominated grasslands contained a substantial fraction of C3-derived carbon, increasing with depth.
Katherine E. O. Todd-Brown, Rose Z. Abramoff, Jeffrey Beem-Miller, Hava K. Blair, Stevan Earl, Kristen J. Frederick, Daniel R. Fuka, Mario Guevara Santamaria, Jennifer W. Harden, Katherine Heckman, Lillian J. Heran, James R. Holmquist, Alison M. Hoyt, David H. Klinges, David S. LeBauer, Avni Malhotra, Shelby C. McClelland, Lucas E. Nave, Katherine S. Rocci, Sean M. Schaeffer, Shane Stoner, Natasja van Gestel, Sophie F. von Fromm, and Marisa L. Younger
Biogeosciences, 19, 3505–3522, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3505-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3505-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Research data are becoming increasingly available online with tantalizing possibilities for reanalysis. However harmonizing data from different sources remains challenging. Using the soils community as an example, we walked through the various strategies that researchers currently use to integrate datasets for reanalysis. We find that manual data transcription is still extremely common and that there is a critical need for community-supported informatics tools like vocabularies and ontologies.
Alessandro Montemagno, Christophe Hissler, Victor Bense, Adriaan J. Teuling, Johanna Ziebel, and Laurent Pfister
Biogeosciences, 19, 3111–3129, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3111-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3111-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the biogeochemical processes that dominate the release and retention of elements (nutrients and potentially toxic elements) during litter degradation. Our results show that toxic elements are retained in the litter, while nutrients are released in solution during the first stages of degradation. This seems linked to the capability of trees to distribute the elements between degradation-resistant and non-degradation-resistant compounds of leaves according to their chemical nature.
Laura Sereni, Bertrand Guenet, Charlotte Blasi, Olivier Crouzet, Jean-Christophe Lata, and Isabelle Lamy
Biogeosciences, 19, 2953–2968, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2953-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2953-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study focused on the modellisation of two important drivers of soil greenhouse gas emissions: soil contamination and soil moisture change. The aim was to include a Cu function in the soil biogeochemical model DNDC for different soil moisture conditions and then to estimate variation in N2O, NO2 or NOx emissions. Our results show a larger effect of Cu on N2 and N2O emissions than on the other nitrogen species and a higher effect for the soils incubated under constant constant moisture.
Marie Spohn and Johan Stendahl
Biogeosciences, 19, 2171–2186, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2171-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2171-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We explored the ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) of organic matter in Swedish forest soils. The N : P ratio of the organic layer was most strongly related to the mean annual temperature, while the C : N ratios of the organic layer and mineral soil were strongly related to tree species even in the subsoil. The organic P concentration in the mineral soil was strongly affected by soil texture, which diminished the effect of tree species on the C to organic P (C : OP) ratio.
Moritz Mainka, Laura Summerauer, Daniel Wasner, Gina Garland, Marco Griepentrog, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, and Sebastian Doetterl
Biogeosciences, 19, 1675–1689, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1675-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1675-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The largest share of terrestrial carbon is stored in soils, making them highly relevant as regards global change. Yet, the mechanisms governing soil carbon stabilization are not well understood. The present study contributes to a better understanding of these processes. We show that qualitative changes in soil organic matter (SOM) co-vary with alterations of the soil matrix following soil weathering. Hence, the type of SOM that is stabilized in soils might change as soils develop.
Jasmin Fetzer, Emmanuel Frossard, Klaus Kaiser, and Frank Hagedorn
Biogeosciences, 19, 1527–1546, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1527-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1527-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
As leaching is a major pathway of nitrogen and phosphorus loss in forest soils, we investigated several potential drivers in two contrasting beech forests. The composition of leachates, obtained by zero-tension lysimeters, varied by season, and climatic extremes influenced the magnitude of leaching. Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization varied with soil nutrient status and sorption properties, and leaching from the low-nutrient soil was more sensitive to environmental factors.
Karis J. McFarlane, Heather M. Throckmorton, Jeffrey M. Heikoop, Brent D. Newman, Alexandra L. Hedgpeth, Marisa N. Repasch, Thomas P. Guilderson, and Cathy J. Wilson
Biogeosciences, 19, 1211–1223, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1211-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1211-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary warming is increasing seasonal thaw of permafrost, making this extensive old carbon stock vulnerable. In northern Alaska, we found more and older dissolved organic carbon in small drainages later in summer as more permafrost was exposed by deepening thaw. Younger and older carbon did not differ in chemical indicators related to biological lability suggesting this carbon can cycle through aquatic systems and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions as warming increases permafrost thaw.
Cited articles
ACIA: Arctic Climate Impacts Assessment, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1042 pp., 2005.
Alves, R. J. E., Wanek, W., Zappe, A., Richter, A., Svenning, M. M., Schleper, C., and Urich, T.: Nitrification rates in Arctic soils are associated with functionally distinct populations of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, Isme J., 7, 1620–1631, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2013.35, 2013.
Anderson, S. P., Drever, J. I., Frost, C. D., and Holden, P.: Chemical weathering in the foreland of a retreating glacier, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 64, 1173–1189, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(99)00358-0, 2000.
Anesio, A. M., Sattler, B., Foreman, C., Telling, J., Hodson, A., Tranter, M., and Psenner, R.: Carbon fluxes through bacterial communities on glacier surfaces, Ann. Glaciol., 51, 32–40, 2010.
Bekku, Y. S., Nakatsubo, T., Kume, A., and Koizumi, H.: Soil microbial biomass, respiration rate, and temperature dependence on a successional glacier foreland in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 36, 395–399, 2004.
Bernasconi, S. M., Bauder, A., Bourdon, B., Brunner, I., Bunemann, E., Christl, I., Derungs, N., Edwards, P., Farinotti, D., Frey, B., Frossard, E., Furrer, G., Gierga, M., Goransson, H., Gulland, K., Hagedorn, F., Hajdas, I., Hindshaw, R., Ivy-Ochs, S., Jansa, J., Jonas, T., Kiczka, M., Kretzschmar, R., Lemarchand, E., Luster, J., Magnusson, J., Mitchell, E. A. D., Venterink, H. O., Plotze, M., Reynolds, B., Smittenberg, R. H., Stahli, M., Tamburini, F., Tipper, E. T., Wacker, L., Welc, M., Wiederhold, J. G., Zeyer, J., Zimmermann, S., and Zumsteg, A.: Chemical and Biological Gradients along the Damma Glacier Soil Chronosequence, Switzerland, Vadose Zone J., 10, 867–883, https://doi.org/10.2136/Vzj2010.0129, 2011.
Berner, R. A., Lasaga, A. C., and Garrels, R. M.: The Carbonate-Silicate Geochemical Cycle and Its Effect on Atmospheric Carbon-Dioxide over the Past 100 Million Years, Am. J. Sci., 283, 641–683, 1983.
Bjorkman, M. P., Kuhnel, R., Partridge, D. G., Roberts, T. J., Aas, W., Mazzola, M., Viola, A., Hodson, A., Strom, J., and Isaksson, E.: Nitrate dry deposition in Svalbard, Tellus B, 65, 19071, https://doi.org/10.3402/Tellusb.V65i0.19071, 2013.
Blagodatsky, S. A. and Richter, O.: Microbial growth in soil and nitrogen turnover: A theoretical model considering the activity state of microorganisms, Soil Biol. Biochem., 30, 1743–1755, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(98)00028-5, 1998.
Blagodatsky, S. A., Yevdokimov, I. V., Larionova, A. A., and Richter, J.: Microbial growth in soil and nitrogen turnover: Model calibration with laboratory data, Soil Biol. Biochem., 30, 1757–1764, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(98)00029-7, 1998.
Borin, S., Ventura, S., Tambone, F., Mapelli, F., Schubotz, F., Brusetti, L., Scaglia, B., D'Acqui, L. P., Solheim, B., Turicchia, S., Marasco, R., Hinrichs, K. U., Baldi, F., Adani, F., and Daffonchio, D.: Rock weathering creates oases of life in a High Arctic desert, Environ. Microbiol., 12, 293–303, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2009.02059.x, 2010.
Boyd, E. S., Hamilton, T. L., Havig, J. R., Skidmore, M. L., and Shock, E. L.: Chemolithotrophic Primary Production in a Subglacial Ecosystem, Appl. Environ. Microb., 80, 6146–6153, https://doi.org/10.1128/Aem.01956-14, 2014.
Bradley, J. A., Singarayer, J. S., and Anesio, A. M.: Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers, Proceedings, Biological sciences/The Royal Society, 281, 2793–2802, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.0882, 2014.
Bradley, J. A., Anesio, A. M., Singarayer, J. S., Heath, M. R., and Arndt, S.: SHIMMER (1.0): a novel mathematical model for microbial and biogeochemical dynamics in glacier forefield ecosystems, Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3441–3470, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3441-2015, 2015.
Bradley, J. A., Anesio, A., and Arndt, S.: Bridging the divide: a model-data approach to Polar & Alpine Microbiology, Fems Microbiol. Ecol., 92, fiw015, https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiw015, 2016.
Bratbak, G. and Dundas, I.: Bacterial Dry-Matter Content and Biomass Estimations, Appl. Environ. Microb., 48, 755–757, 1984.
Brown, S. P. and Jumpponen, A.: Contrasting primary successional trajectories of fungi and bacteria in retreating glacier soils, Mol. Ecol., 23, 481–497, https://doi.org/10.1111/Mec.12487, 2014.
Caporaso, J. G., Kuczynski, J., Stombaugh, J., Bittinger, K., Bushman, F. D., Costello, E. K., Fierer, N., Pena, A. G., Goodrich, J. K., Gordon, J. I., Huttley, G. A., Kelley, S. T., Knights, D., Koenig, J. E., Ley, R. E., Lozupone, C. A., McDonald, D., Muegge, B. D., Pirrung, M., Reeder, J., Sevinsky, J. R., Tumbaugh, P. J., Walters, W. A., Widmann, J., Yatsunenko, T., Zaneveld, J., and Knight, R.: QIIME allows analysis of high-throughput community sequencing data, Nat. Methods, 7, 335–336, https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.f.303, 2010.
Caporaso, J. G., Lauber, C. L., Walters, W. A., Berg-Lyons, D., Huntley, J., Fierer, N., Owens, S. M., Betley, J., Fraser, L., Bauer, M., Gormley, N., Gilbert, J. A., Smith, G., and Knight, R.: Ultra-high-throughput microbial community analysis on the Illumina HiSeq and MiSeq platforms, ISME J., 6, 1621-1624, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.8, 2012.
Cary, S. C., McDonald, I. R., Barrett, J. E., and Cowan, D. A.: On the rocks: the microbiology of Antarctic Dry Valley soils, Nat. Rev. Microbiol., 8, 129–138, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2281, 2010.
Darrah, P. R.: Models of the Rhizosphere; 1. Microbial-Population Dynamics around a Root Releasing Soluble and Insoluble Carbon, Plant Soil, 133, 187–199, https://doi.org/10.1007/Bf00009191, 1991.
Dessert, C., Dupre, B., Gaillardet, J., Francois, L. M., and Allegre, C. J.: Basalt weathering laws and the impact of basalt weathering on the global carbon cycle, Chem. Geol., 202, 257–273, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2002.10.001, 2003.
Duc, L., Noll, M., Meier, B. E., Burgmann, H., and Zeyer, J.: High Diversity of Diazotrophs in the Forefield of a Receding Alpine Glacier, Microb. Ecol., 57, 179–190, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-008-9408-5, 2009.
Dyurgerov, M. B. and Meier, M. F.: Twentieth century climate change: Evidence from small glaciers, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 97, 1406–1411, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.97.4.1406, 2000.
Edgar, R. C., Haas, B. J., Clemente, J. C., Quince, C., and Knight, R.: UCHIME improves sensitivity and speed of chimera detection, Bioinformatics, 27, 2194–2200, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btr381, 2011.
Ensign, K. L., Webb, E. A., and Longstaffe, F. J.: Microenvironmental and seasonal variations in soil water content of the unsaturated zone of a sand dune system at Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Geoderma, 136, 788–802, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2006.06.009, 2006.
Esperschütz, J., Pérez-de-Mora, A., Schreiner, K., Welzl, G., Buegger, F., Zeyer, J., Hagedorn, F., Munch, J. C., and Schloter, M.: Microbial food web dynamics along a soil chronosequence of a glacier forefield, Biogeosciences, 8, 3283–3294, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-3283-2011, 2011.
Fleming, K. M., Dowdeswell, J. A., and Oerlemans, J.: Modelling the mass balance of northwest Spitsbergen glaciers and responses to climate change, Ann. Glaciol., 24, 203–210, 1997.
Foereid, B. and Yearsley, J. M.: Modelling the impact of microbial grazers on soluble rhizodeposit turnover, Plant Soil, 267, 329–342, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-005-0139-9, 2004.
Frey, B., Rieder, S. R., Brunner, I., Plotze, M., Koetzsch, S., Lapanje, A., Brandl, H., and Furrer, G.: Weathering-Associated Bacteria from the Damma Glacier Forefield: Physiological Capabilities and Impact on Granite Dissolution, Appl. Environ. Microb., 76, 4788–4796, https://doi.org/10.1128/Aem.00657-10, 2010.
Frey, B., Buhler, L., Schmutz, S., Zumsteg, A., and Furrer, G.: Molecular characterization of phototrophic microorganisms in the forefield of a receding glacier in the Swiss Alps, Environ. Res. Lett., 8, 015033, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015033, 2013.
Galloway, J. N., Townsend, A. R., Erisman, J. W., Bekunda, M., Cai, Z. C., Freney, J. R., Martinelli, L. A., Seitzinger, S. P., and Sutton, M. A.: Transformation of the nitrogen cycle: Recent trends, questions, and potential solutions, Science, 320, 889–892, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1136674, 2008.
Geng, L., Alexander, B., Cole-Dai, J., Steig, E. J., Savarino, J., Sofen, E. D., and Schauer, A. J.: Nitrogen isotopes in ice core nitrate linked to anthropogenic atmospheric acidity change, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 111, 5808–5812, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319441111, 2014.
Goransson, H., Venterink, H. O., and Baath, E.: Soil bacterial growth and nutrient limitation along a chronosequence from a glacier forefield, Soil Biol. Biochem., 43, 1333–1340, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.03.006, 2011.
Guelland, K., Esperschutz, J., Bornhauser, D., Bernasconi, S. M., Kretzschmar, R., and Hagedorn, F.: Mineralisation and leaching of C from C-13 labelled plant litter along an initial soil chronosequence of a glacier forefield, Soil Biol. Biochem., 57, 237–247, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.07.002, 2013a.
Guelland, K., Hagedorn, F., Smittenberg, R. H., Goransson, H., Bernasconi, S. M., Hajdas, I., and Kretzschmar, R.: Evolution of carbon fluxes during initial soil formation along the forefield of Damma glacier, Switzerland, Biogeochemistry, 113, 545–561, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-012-9785-1, 2013b.
Hamilton, T. L., Peters, J. W., Skidmore, M. L., and Boyd, E. S.: Molecular evidence for an active endogenous microbiome beneath glacial ice, Isme J., 7, 1402–1412, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2013.31, 2013.
Hellweger, F. L. and Bucci, V.: A bunch of tiny individuals-Individual-based modeling for microbes, Ecol. Model., 220, 8–22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.09.004, 2009.
Hodkinson, I. D., Coulson, S. J., and Webb, N. R.: Community assembly along proglacial chronosequences in the high Arctic: vegetation and soil development in north-west Svalbard, J. Ecol., 91, 651–663, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2003.00786.x, 2003.
Hodson, A., Anesio, A. M., Ng, F., Watson, R., Quirk, J., Irvine-Fynn, T., Dye, A., Clark, C., McCloy, P., Kohler, J., and Sattler, B.: A glacier respires: Quantifying the distribution and respiration CO2 flux of cryoconite across an entire Arctic supraglacial ecosystem, J. Geophys. Res.-Biogeo., 112, G04s36, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007jg000452, 2007.
Hodson, A., Roberts, T. J., Engvall, A. C., Holmen, K., and Mumford, P.: Glacier ecosystem response to episodic nitrogen enrichment in Svalbard, European High Arctic, Biogeochemistry, 98, 171–184, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-009-9384-y, 2010.
Hodson, A. J., Mumford, P. N., Kohler, J., and Wynn, P. M.: The High Arctic glacial ecosystem: new insights from nutrient budgets, Biogeochemistry, 72, 233–256, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-004-0362-0, 2005.
Ingwersen, J., Poll, C., Streck, T., and Kandeler, E.: Micro-scale modelling of carbon turnover driven by microbial succession at a biogeochemical interface, Soil Biol. Biochem., 40, 864–878, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.10.018, 2008.
Insam, H. and Haselwandter, K.: Metabolic Quotient of the Soil Microflora in Relation to Plant Succession, Oecologia, 79, 174–178, https://doi.org/10.1007/Bf00388474, 1989.
Jakubas, D., Zmudczynska, K., Wojczulanis-Jakubas, K., and Stempniewicz, L.: Faeces deposition and numbers of vertebrate herbivores in the vicinity of planktivorous and piscivorous seabird colonies in Hornsund, Spitsbergen, Polar Res., 29, 45–58, 2008.
Jessup, C. M., Kassen, R., Forde, S. E., Kerr, B., Buckling, A., Rainey, P. B., and Bohannan, B. J. M.: Big questions, small worlds: microbial model systems in ecology, Trends Ecol. Evol., 19, 189–197, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2004.01.008, 2004.
Johannessen, O. M., Bengtsson, L., Miles, M. W., Kuzmina, S. I., Semenov, V. A., Alekseev, G. V., Nagurnyi, A. P., Zakharov, V. F., Bobylev, L. P., Pettersson, L. H., Hasselmann, K., and Cattle, A. P.: Arctic climate change: observed and modelled temperature and sea-ice variability, Tellus A, 56, 328–341, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0870.2004.00060.x, 2004.
Kastovska, K., Elster, J., Stibal, M., and Santruckova, H.: Microbial assemblages in soil microbial succession after glacial retreat in Svalbard (high Arctic), Microb. Ecol., 50, 396–407, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-005-0246-4, 2005.
King, A. J., Meyer, A. F., and Schmidt, S. K.: High levels of microbial biomass and activity in unvegetated tropical and temperate alpine soils, Soil Biol. Biochem., 40, 2605–2610, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.06.026, 2008.
Kirchman, D.: Measuring Bacterial Biomass Production and Growth Rates from Leucine Incorporation in Natural Aquatic Environments in: Marine Microbiology, edited by: Paul, J. H., Academic Press, London, UK, 2001.
Knapp, E. B., Elliott, L. F., and Campbell, G. S.: Carbon, Nitrogen and Microbial Biomass Interrelationships during the Decomposition of Wheat Straw – a Mechanistic Simulation-Model, Soil Biol. Biochem., 15, 455–461, https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(83)90011-1, 1983.
Kuhnel, R., Roberts, T. J., Bjorkman, M. P., Isaksson, E., Aas, W., Holmen, K., and Strom, J.: 20-Year Climatology of NO3− and NH4+ Wet Deposition at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Adv. Meteorol., 2011, 406508, https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/406508, 2011.
Kuhnel, R., Bjorkman, M. P., Vega, C. P., Hodson, A., Isaksson, E., and Strom, J.: Reactive nitrogen and sulphate wet deposition at Zeppelin Station, Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Polar Res., 32, 19136, https://doi.org/10.3402/Polar.V32i0.19136, 2013.
Larsen, P., Hamada, Y., and Gilbert, J.: Modeling microbial communities: Current, developing, and future technologies for predicting microbial community interaction, J. Biotechnol., 160, 17–24, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2012.03.009, 2012.
Lazzaro, A., Brankatschk, R., and Zeyer, J.: Seasonal dynamics of nutrients and bacterial communities in unvegetated alpine glacier forefields, Appl. Soil Ecol., 53, 10–22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2011.10.013, 2012.
Lazzaro, A., Hilfiker, D., and Zeyer, J.: Structures of Microbial Communities in Alpine Soils: Seasonal and Elevational Effects, Front. Microbiol., 6, 1330, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.01330, 2015.
Lee, S.: A theory for polar amplification from a general circulation perspective, Asia-Pac., J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 31–43, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13143-014-0024-7, 2014.
Luoto, T. P., Oksman, M., and Ojala, A. E. K.: Climate change and bird impact as drivers of High Arctic pond deterioration, Polar Biol., 38, 357–368, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1592-9, 2015.
Lutz, S., Anesio, A. M., Villar, S. E. J., and Benning, L. G.: Variations of algal communities cause darkening of a Greenland glacier, Fems Microbiol. Ecol., 89, 402–414, https://doi.org/10.1111/1574-6941.12351, 2014.
Lutz, S., Anesio, A. M., Edwards, A., and Benning, L. G.: Microbial diversity on Icelandic glaciers and ice caps, Front. Microbiol., 6, 307, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.00307, 2015.
Manzoni, S., Porporato, A., D'Odorico, P., Laio, F., and Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.: Soil nutrient cycles as a nonlinear dynamical system, Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 11, 589–598, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-11-589-2004, 2004.
Manzoni, S. and Porporato, A.: A theoretical analysis of nonlinearities and feedbacks in soil carbon and nitrogen cycles, Soil Biol. Biochem., 39, 1542–1556, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.01.006, 2007.
Mapelli, F., Marasco, R., Rizzi, A., Baldi, F., Ventura, S., Daffonchio, D., and Borin, S.: Bacterial Communities Involved in Soil Formation and Plant Establishment Triggered by Pyrite Bioweathering on Arctic Moraines, Microb. Ecol., 61, 438–447, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9758-7, 2011.
McDonald, D., Price, M. N., Goodrich, J., Nawrocki, E. P., DeSantis, T. Z., Probst, A., Andersen, G. L., Knight, R., and Hugenholtz, P.: An improved Greengenes taxonomy with explicit ranks for ecological and evolutionary analyses of bacteria and archaea, Isme J., 6, 610–618, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2011.139, 2012.
Michelutti, N., Keatley, B. E., Brimble, S., Blais, J. M., Liu, H. J., Douglas, M. S. V., Mallory, M. L., Macdonald, R. W., and Smol, J. P.: Seabird-driven shifts in Arctic pond ecosystems, P. Roy. Soc. B-Biol. Sci., 276, 591–596, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2008.1103, 2009.
Michelutti, N., Mallory, M. L., Blais, J. M., Douglas, M. S. V., and Smol, J. P.: Chironomid assemblages from seabird-affected High Arctic ponds, Polar Biol., 34, 799–812, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-010-0934-5, 2011.
Mindl, B., Anesio, A. M., Meirer, K., Hodson, A. J., Laybourn-Parry, J., Sommaruga, R., and Sattler, B.: Factors influencing bacterial dynamics along a transect from supraglacial runoff to proglacial lakes of a high Arctic glacieri (vol 7, pg 307, 2007), Fems Microbiol. Ecol., 59, 762–762, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00295.x, 2007.
Moe, B., Stempniewicz, L., Jakubas, D., Angelier, F., Chastel, O., Dinessen, F., Gabrielsen, G. W., Hanssen, F., Karnovsky, N. J., Ronning, B., Welcker, J., Wojczulanis-Jakubas, K., and Bech, C.: Climate change and phenological responses of two seabird species breeding in the high-Arctic, Mar. Ecol.-Prog. Ser., 393, 235–246, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08222, 2009.
Moreau, M., Mercier, D., Laffly, D., and Roussel, E.: Impacts of recent paraglacial dynamics on plant colonization: A case study on Midtre Lovenbreen foreland, Spitsbergen (79° N), Geomorphology, 95, 48–60, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.07.031, 2008.
Moritz, R. E., Bitz, C. M., and Steig, E. J.: Dynamics of recent climate change in the Arctic, Science, 297, 1497–1502, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1076522, 2002.
Paul, F., Frey, H., and Le Bris, R.: A new glacier inventory for the European Alps from Landsat TM scenes of 2003: challenges and results, Ann. Glaciol., 52, 144–152, 2011.
Prietzel, J., Dumig, A., Wu, Y. H., Zhou, J., and Klysubun, W.: Synchrotron-based P K-edge XANES spectroscopy reveals rapid changes of phosphorus speciation in the topsoil of two glacier foreland chronosequences, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 108, 154–171, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2013.01.029, 2013.
Schipper, L. A., Hobbs, J. K., Rutledge, S., and Arcus, V. L.: Thermodynamic theory explains the temperature optima of soil microbial processes and high Q(10) values at low temperatures, Glob. Change Biol., 20, 3578–3586, https://doi.org/10.1111/Gcb.12596, 2014.
Schloss, P. D., Westcott, S. L., Ryabin, T., Hall, J. R., Hartmann, M., Hollister, E. B., Lesniewski, R. A., Oakley, B. B., Parks, D. H., Robinson, C. J., Sahl, J. W., Stres, B., Thallinger, G. G., Van Horn, D. J., and Weber, C. F.: Introducing mothur: Open-Source, Platform-Independent, Community-Supported Software for Describing and Comparing Microbial Communities, Appl. Environ. Microb., 75, 7537–7541, https://doi.org/10.1128/Aem.01541-09, 2009.
Schmidt, S. K., Reed, S. C., Nemergut, D. R., Grandy, A. S., Cleveland, C. C., Weintraub, M. N., Hill, A. W., Costello, E. K., Meyer, A. F., Neff, J. C., and Martin, A. M.: The earliest stages of ecosystem succession in high-elevation (5000 metres above sea level), recently deglaciated soils, P. Roy. Soc. B-Biol. Sci., 275, 2793–2802, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2008.0808, 2008.
Schostag, M., Stibal, M., Jacobsen, C. S., Baelum, J., Tas, N., Elberling, B., Jansson, J. K., Semenchuk, P., and Prieme, A.: Distinct summer and winter bacterial communities in the active layer of Svalbard permafrost revealed by DNA- and RNA-based analyses, Front. Microbiol., 6, 399, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.00399, 2015.
Schulz, S., Brankatschk, R., Dümig, A., Kögel-Knabner, I., Schloter, M., and Zeyer, J.: The role of microorganisms at different stages of ecosystem development for soil formation, Biogeosciences, 10, 3983–3996, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-3983-2013, 2013.
Schutte, U. M. E., Abdo, Z., Bent, S. J., Williams, C. J., Schneider, G. M., Solheim, B., and Forney, L. J.: Bacterial succession in a glacier foreland of the High Arctic, Isme J., 3, 1258–1268, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2009.71, 2009.
Scott, E. M., Rattray, E. A. S., Prosser, J. I., Killham, K., Glover, L. A., Lynch, J. M., and Bazin, M. J.: A Mathematical-Model for Dispersal of Bacterial Inoculants Colonizing the Wheat Rhizosphere, Soil Biol. Biochem., 27, 1307–1318, https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(95)00050-O, 1995.
Serreze, M. C., Walsh, J. E., Chapin, F. S., Osterkamp, T., Dyurgerov, M., Romanovsky, V., Oechel, W. C., Morison, J., Zhang, T., and Barry, R. G.: Observational evidence of recent change in the northern high-latitude environment, Climatic Change, 46, 159–207, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005504031923, 2000.
Servedio, M. R., Brandvain, Y., Dhole, S., Fitzpatrick, C. L., Goldberg, E. E., Stern, C. A., Van Cleve, J., and Yeh, D. J.: Not just a theory–the utility of mathematical models in evolutionary biology, Plos Biol., 12, e1002017, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002017, 2014.
Simon, M. and Azam, F.: Protein-Content and Protein-Synthesis Rates of Planktonic Marine-Bacteria, Mar. Ecol.-Prog. Ser., 51, 201–213, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps051201, 1989.
Smittenberg, R. H., Gierga, M., Goransson, H., Christl, I., Farinotti, D., and Bernasconi, S. M.: Climate-sensitive ecosystem carbon dynamics along the soil chronosequence of the Damma glacier forefield, Switzerland, Glob. Change Biol., 18, 1941–1955, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2012.02654.x, 2012.
Soetaert, K. and Herman, P.: A Practical Guide to Ecological Modelling: Using R as a Simulation Platform, Springer, UK, 2009.
Staines, K. E. H., Carrivick, J. L., Tweed, F. S., Evans, A. J., Russell, A. J., Jóhannesson, T., and Roberts, M.: A multi-dimensional analysis of pro-glacial landscape change at Sólheimajökull, southern Iceland, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 40, 809–822, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3662, 2014.
Stapleton, L. M., Crout, N. M. J., Sawstrom, C., Marshall, W. A., Poulton, P. R., Tye, A. M., and Laybourn-Parry, J.: Microbial carbon dynamics in nitrogen amended Arctic tundra soil: Measurement and model testing, Soil Biol. Biochem., 37, 2088–2098, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.03.016, 2005.
Stibal, M., Tranter, M., Benning, L. G., and Rehak, J.: Microbial primary production on an Arctic glacier is insignificant in comparison with allochthonous organic carbon input, Environ. Microbiol., 10, 2172–2178, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01620.x, 2008.
Strauss, S. L., Garcia-Pichel, F., and Day, T. A.: Soil microbial carbon and nitrogen transformations at a glacial foreland on Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Polar Biol., 35, 1459–1471, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-012-1184-5, 2012.
Telling, J., Anesio, A. M., Tranter, M., Irvine-Fynn, T., Hodson, A., Butler, C., and Wadham, J.: Nitrogen fixation on Arctic glaciers, Svalbard, J. Geophys. Res.-Biogeo., 116, G03039, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010jg001632, 2011.
Telling, J., Stibal, M., Anesio, A. M., Tranter, M., Nias, I., Cook, J., Bellas, C., Lis, G., Wadham, J. L., Sole, A., Nienow, P., and Hodson, A.: Microbial nitrogen cycling on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Biogeosciences, 9, 2431–2442, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-9-2431-2012, 2012.
Toal, M. E., Yeomans, C., Killham, K., and Meharg, A. A.: A review of rhizosphere carbon flow modelling, Plant Soil, 222, 263–281, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004736021965, 2000.
Tscherko, D., Rustemeier, J., Richter, A., Wanek, W., and Kandeler, E.: Functional diversity of the soil microflora in primary succession across two glacier forelands in the Central Alps, Eur. J. Soil Sci., 54, 685–696, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2389.2003.00570.x, 2003.
Vandewerf, H. and Verstraete, W.: Estimation of Active Soil Microbial Biomass by Mathematical-Analysis of Respiration Curves – Development and Verification of the Model, Soil Biol. Biochem., 19, 253–260, https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(87)90006-X, 1987.
Wang, Y. P., Chen, B. C., Wieder, W. R., Leite, M., Medlyn, B. E., Rasmussen, M., Smith, M. J., Agusto, F. B., Hoffman, F., and Luo, Y. Q.: Oscillatory behavior of two nonlinear microbial models of soil carbon decomposition, Biogeosciences, 11, 1817–1831, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-1817-2014, 2014.
Yde, J. C., Finster, K. W., Raiswell, R., Steffensen, J. P., Heinemeier, J., Olsen, J., Gunnlaugsson, H. P., and Nielsen, O. B.: Basal ice microbiology at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet, Ann. Glaciol., 51, 71–79, 2010.
Yoshitake, S., Uchida, M., Koizumi, H., Kanda, H., and Nakatsubo, T.: Production of biological soil crusts in the early stage of primary succession on a High Arctic glacier foreland, New Phytol., 186, 451–460, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03180.x, 2010.
Zdanowski, M. K., Zmuda-Baranowska, M. J., Borsuk, P., Swiatecki, A., Gorniak, D., Wolicka, D., Jankowska, K. M., and Grzesiak, J.: Culturable bacteria community development in postglacial soils of Ecology Glacier, King George Island, Antarctica, Polar Biol., 36, 511–527, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-012-1278-0, 2013.
Zelenev, V. V., van Bruggen, A. H. C., and Semenov, A. M.: “BACWAVE”, a spatial-temporal model for traveling waves of bacterial populations in response to a moving carbon source in soil, Microb. Ecol., 40, 260–272, 2000.
Zhang, X. Y., Wang, W., Chen, W. L., Zhang, N. L., and Zeng, H.: Comparison of Seasonal Soil Microbial Process in Snow-Covered Temperate Ecosystems of Northern China, Plos One, 9, e92985, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092985, 2014.
Ziolek, M. and Melke, J.: The impact of seabirds on the content of various forms of phosphorus in organic soils of the Bellsund coast, western Spitsbergen, Polar Res., 33, 19986, https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v33.19986, 2014.
Zumsteg, A., Bernasconi, S. M., Zeyer, J., and Frey, B.: Microbial community and activity shifts after soil transplantation in a glacier forefield, Appl. Geochem., 26, S326–S329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.03.078, 2011.
Zumsteg, A., Luster, J., Goransson, H., Smittenberg, R. H., Brunner, I., Bernasconi, S. M., Zeyer, J., and Frey, B.: Bacterial, Archaeal and Fungal Succession in the Forefield of a Receding Glacier, Microb. Ecol., 63, 552–564, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-011-9991-8, 2012.
Zumsteg, A., Schmutz, S., and Frey, B.: Identification of biomass utilizing bacteria in a carbon-depleted glacier forefield soil by the use of 13C DNA stable isotope probing, Env. Microbiol. Rep., 5, 424–437, https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.12027, 2013.
Short summary
Soil development following glacier retreat was characterized using a novel integrated field, laboratory and modelling approach in Svalbard. We found community shifts in bacteria, which were responsible for driving cycles in carbon and nutrients. Allochthonous inputs were also important in sustaining bacterial production. This study shows how an integrated model–data approach can improve understanding and obtain a more holistic picture of soil development in an increasingly ice-free future world.
Soil development following glacier retreat was characterized using a novel integrated field,...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint