Impacts of twenty years of experimental warming on soil carbon, nitrogen, moisture and soil mites across alpine/subarctic tundra communities

28295022[pmid]
High-altitude and alpine areas are predicted to experience rapid and substantial increases in future temperature, which may have serious impacts on soil carbon, nutrient and soil fauna. Here we report the impact of 20 years of experimental warming on soil properties and soil mites in three contrasting plant communities in alpine/subarctic Sweden. Long-term warming decreased juvenile oribatid mite density, but had no effect on adult oribatids density, total mite density, any major mite group or the most common species. Long-term warming also caused loss of nitrogen, carbon and moisture from the mineral soil layer in mesic meadow, but not in wet meadow or heath or from the organic soil layer. There was a significant site effect on the density of one mite species, Oppiella neerlandica, and all soil parameters. A significant plot-scale impact on mites suggests that small-scale heterogeneity may be important for buffering mites from global warming. The results indicated that juvenile mites may be more vulnerable to global warming than adult stages. Importantly, the results also indicated that global warming may cause carbon and nitrogen losses in alpine and tundra mineral soils and that its effects may differ at local scale.

Jägerbrand, Annika K.Calluna AB, Nacka, Sweden(Swepub:hig)anajad (author)
Juhanson, JaanisSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology(Swepub:slu)93280 (author)
Michelsen, Anders (author)
Ľuptáčik, Peter (author)
Calluna AB, Nacka, SwedenDepartment of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology (creator_code:org_t)
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

By the author/editor: Alatalo, Juha M.; Jägerbrand, Anni ...; Juhanson, Jaanis; Michelsen, Ander ...; Ľuptáčik, Peter

About the subject

NATURAL SCIENCES: NATURAL SCIENCES; and Earth and Relate ...; and Climate Research

By the university: Jönköping University; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; University of Gävle

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