Research Scientist Atlantic Forestry Centre, Canada
Background/Question/Methods
Modeling how changes in belowground biodiversity under climate warming affect soil carbon dynamics is an important first step in predicting carbon storage potential in boreal peatlands under future climate scenarios. Using data from two large-scale field experiments (a sphagnum peatland vs a sedge peatland) exposed to passive and active ground warming, we estimate carbon flux among trophic groups and the entire soil food web using the energetic food web package {soilfoodwebs}.
Results/Conclusions
Passive and active warming decreased carbon flux by 24% and 40% in the sphagnum site, and 21% and 41% at the sedge site, respectively. This corresponded to decreases in the overall biomass of soil organisms by 15% and 29% in the sphagnum site, and 8% and 16% reductions at the sedge peatland site. Total carbon flux was strongly tied to total biomass of soil food web members, but also differences in each trophic group response to warming, specifically fungal versus bacterial microbial groups.
