Effects of climate and ecosystem disturbances on biogeochemical cycling in a semi-natural terrestrial ecosystem
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Effects of climate and ecosystem disturbances on biogeochemical cycling in a semi-natural terrestrial ecosystem. / Beier, Claus; Schmidt, Inger Kappel; Kristensen, Hanne Lakkenborg.
I: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution: Focus, Bind 4, 2004, s. 191-206.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of climate and ecosystem disturbances on biogeochemical cycling in a semi-natural terrestrial ecosystem
AU - Beier, Claus
AU - Schmidt, Inger Kappel
AU - Kristensen, Hanne Lakkenborg
N1 - Funding Information: The project was funded by EU under the projects CLIMOOR (Contract ENV4-CT97-0694) and VULCAN (Contract EVK2-CT-2000-00094) and the participating research institutes. We owe a lot of grateful thanks to all other institutes and researchers involved with the Climoor and Vulcan projects for inspiration and enthusiasm and in particular to the technical staff at our institutes for their skillful field and lab work. Further information about the project can be found on www.vulcanproject.com.
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - The effects of increased temperature and potential ecosystem disturbances on biogeochemical cycling were investigated by manipulation of temperature in a mixed Calluna/grass heathland in Denmark. A reflective curtain covered the vegetation during the night to reduce the heat loss of IR radiation from the ecosystem to the atmosphere. This 'night time warming' was done for 3 years and warmed the air and soil by 1.1 °C. Warming was combined with ecosystem disturbances, including infestation by Calluna heather beetles (Lochmaea suturalis Thompson) causing complete defoliation of Calluna leaves during the summer 2000, and subsequent harvesting of all aboveground biomass during the autumn. Small increases in mineralisation rates were induced by warming and resulted in increased leaching of nitrogen from the organic soil layer. The increased nitrogen leaching from the organic soil layer was re-immobilised in the mineral soil layer as warming stimulated plant growth and thereby increased nitrogen immobilisation. Contradictory to the generally moderate effects of warming, the heather beetle infestation had very strong effects on mineralisation rates and the plant community. The grasses completely out-competed the Calluna plants which had not re-established two years after the infestation, probably due to combined effects of increased nutrient availability and the defoliation of Calluna. On the short term, ecosystem disturbances may have very strong effects on internal ecosystem processes and plant community structure compared to the more long-term effects of climate change.
AB - The effects of increased temperature and potential ecosystem disturbances on biogeochemical cycling were investigated by manipulation of temperature in a mixed Calluna/grass heathland in Denmark. A reflective curtain covered the vegetation during the night to reduce the heat loss of IR radiation from the ecosystem to the atmosphere. This 'night time warming' was done for 3 years and warmed the air and soil by 1.1 °C. Warming was combined with ecosystem disturbances, including infestation by Calluna heather beetles (Lochmaea suturalis Thompson) causing complete defoliation of Calluna leaves during the summer 2000, and subsequent harvesting of all aboveground biomass during the autumn. Small increases in mineralisation rates were induced by warming and resulted in increased leaching of nitrogen from the organic soil layer. The increased nitrogen leaching from the organic soil layer was re-immobilised in the mineral soil layer as warming stimulated plant growth and thereby increased nitrogen immobilisation. Contradictory to the generally moderate effects of warming, the heather beetle infestation had very strong effects on mineralisation rates and the plant community. The grasses completely out-competed the Calluna plants which had not re-established two years after the infestation, probably due to combined effects of increased nutrient availability and the defoliation of Calluna. On the short term, ecosystem disturbances may have very strong effects on internal ecosystem processes and plant community structure compared to the more long-term effects of climate change.
KW - Defoliation
KW - Ecosystem disturbance
KW - Ecosystem response
KW - Experimental manipulation
KW - Heathland
KW - Nitrogen cycling
KW - temperature increase
KW - Warming
U2 - 10.1023/B:WAFO.0000028354.34016.af
DO - 10.1023/B:WAFO.0000028354.34016.af
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:4344585664
VL - 4
SP - 191
EP - 206
JO - Water, Air and Soil Pollution
JF - Water, Air and Soil Pollution
SN - 1567-7230
ER -
ID: 356116398