Grazing increases the temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition in a temperate grassland

Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge and Medina-Roldán, Eduardo and Ostle, Nick J. and McNamara, Niall P. and Bardgett, Richard D. (2012) Grazing increases the temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition in a temperate grassland. Environmental Research Letters, 7 (1): 014027. ISSN 1748-9326

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Abstract

We tested the effects of ungulate grazing and nutrient availability on the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions in semi-natural temperate grassland. To do this, soil taken from long term grazed and ungrazed grassland was incubated at four temperatures (4, 10, 15 and 20°C) with two levels of nutrient (NP) addition. The results showed that the variation in soil CO2 and CH4 emissions was explained by temperature and grazing, with grazing increasing the temperature sensitivity of CO2 and CH4 production by between 15 and 20°C. This response was constrained by nutrient availability for CO2, but not CH4. These findings suggest that grazing could potentially have important impacts on the temperature sensitivity of greenhouse gas emissions in nutrient limited grasslands.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Environmental Research Letters
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2100/2105
Subjects:
?? grazingnutrientsrenewable energy, sustainability and the environmentgeneral environmental sciencepublic health, environmental and occupational healthenvironmental science(all) ??
ID Code:
128426
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
22 Oct 2018 23:36
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
16 Jul 2024 10:51