TY - JOUR

T1 - Controls on the storage of organic carbon in permafrost soil in northern Siberia

AU - Palmtag, J.

AU - Ramage, J.

AU - Hugelius, G.

AU - Gentsch, N.

AU - Lashchinskiy, N.

AU - Richter, A.

AU - Kuhry, P.

N1 - Funding information: Fieldwork in Taymyr Peninsula was financed through the ESF CryoCARB project by grants from the Swedish Research Council (VR project to P. Kuhry) and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF I370-B17 to A. Richter), the Nordforsk NCoE DEFROST project, the EU FP7 PAGE21 project (grant agreement no 282700) and the EU FP7 INTERACT Integrating Activity. Radiocarbon dating and elemental analyses were financed through the CryoCARB and DEFROST projects. We thank Magarethe Watzka for C and N measurements at the University of Vienna. We thank Hana Šantr??ková and Ji?í Bárta in particular for field assistance and the CryoCARB team for the excellent team spirit.

PY - 2016/7/15

Y1 - 2016/7/15

N2 - This research examined soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and aboveground phytomass carbon (PhC) stocks in two areas of the Taymyr Peninsula, northern Siberia. We combined field sampling, chemical and 14C radiocarbon dating analyses with land cover classifications for landscape-level assessments. The estimated mean for the 0–100-cm depth SOC stocks was 14.8 and 20.8 kg C m−2 in Ary-Mas and Logata, respectively. The corresponding values for TN were 1.0 and 1.3 kg N m−2. On average, about 2% only (range 0–12%) of the total ecosystem C is stored in PhC. In both study areas about 34% of the SOC at 0–100 cm is stored in cryoturbated pockets, which have formed since at least the early Holocene. The larger carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of this cryoturbated material indicates that it consists of relatively undecomposed soil organic matter (SOM). There are substantial differences in SOC stocks and SOM properties within and between the two study areas, which emphasizes the need to consider both geomorphology and soil texture in the assessment of landscape-level and regional SOC stocks. Highlights: This research addresses landscape-scale and regional variation in SOC stocks. Landform and soil texture are taken into account in the analysis. The contribution of phytomass to total ecosystem C stored is limited. Large SOC stocks are susceptible to decomposition following permafrost thaw.

AB - This research examined soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and aboveground phytomass carbon (PhC) stocks in two areas of the Taymyr Peninsula, northern Siberia. We combined field sampling, chemical and 14C radiocarbon dating analyses with land cover classifications for landscape-level assessments. The estimated mean for the 0–100-cm depth SOC stocks was 14.8 and 20.8 kg C m−2 in Ary-Mas and Logata, respectively. The corresponding values for TN were 1.0 and 1.3 kg N m−2. On average, about 2% only (range 0–12%) of the total ecosystem C is stored in PhC. In both study areas about 34% of the SOC at 0–100 cm is stored in cryoturbated pockets, which have formed since at least the early Holocene. The larger carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of this cryoturbated material indicates that it consists of relatively undecomposed soil organic matter (SOM). There are substantial differences in SOC stocks and SOM properties within and between the two study areas, which emphasizes the need to consider both geomorphology and soil texture in the assessment of landscape-level and regional SOC stocks. Highlights: This research addresses landscape-scale and regional variation in SOC stocks. Landform and soil texture are taken into account in the analysis. The contribution of phytomass to total ecosystem C stored is limited. Large SOC stocks are susceptible to decomposition following permafrost thaw.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84978835157&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ejss.12357

DO - 10.1111/ejss.12357

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84978835157

VL - 67

SP - 478

EP - 491

JO - European journal of soil science

JF - European journal of soil science

SN - 1351-0754

IS - 4

ER -