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The shift in plant species composition in a subarctic mountain birch forest floor due to climate change would modify the biogenic volatile organic compound emission profile

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Abstract

Background and aims

Mountain birch forests dominate in the Subarctic but little is known of their non-methane biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions. The dwarf shrubs Empetrum hermaphroditum, Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium uliginosum co-dominate in the forest floors of these forests. The abundance of these three dwarf shrubs relative to each other could be affected by climate warming expected to increase nutrient availability by accelerating litter decomposition and nutrient mineralization. We 1) compared the BVOC emission profiles of vegetation covers dominated by E. hermaphroditum and V. myrtillus plus V. uliginosum in a subarctic mountain birch forest floor, 2) distinguished the BVOCs emitted from plants and soil and 3) measured how the BVOC emissions from the different vegetation covers differed under darkness.

Methods

BVOCs were sampled during two growing seasons using a conventional ecosystem chamber-based method, collected on adsorbent and analyzed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.

Results

High abundance of E. hermaphroditum increased the sesquiterpene emissions. Soil released fewer different BVOCs than controls (i.e. natural vegetation) but the total emission rates were similar. Darkness did not affect the emissions. Carbon emitted as BVOCs was less than 0.2% of the CO2 exchange.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that sesquiterpene emissions from subarctic mountain birch forest floors would be reduced following an increased abundance of V. myrtillus and V. uliginosum with climate change because these species respond rapidly to increased nutrient availability.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Susan Owen for her comments that improved this paper, T. Oksanen for constructing the equipment and J. Tarhanen for assistance in the GC-MS analyses. The study was financially supported by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, an EU ATANS grant (Fp6 506004), the Danish Council for Independent Research | Natural Sciences and the Abisko Scientific Research Station. P.F. acknowledges the support from the FQRNT, North Savo Regional Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation.

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  1. Patrick Faubert

    Present address: Research Unit for Environmental Simulation, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Patrick Faubert & Päivi Tiiva

  2. Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2D, 1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Anders Michelsen, Helge Ro-Poulsen & Riikka Rinnan

  3. Quality and Technology, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Åsmund Rinnan

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Faubert, P., Tiiva, P., Michelsen, A. et al. The shift in plant species composition in a subarctic mountain birch forest floor due to climate change would modify the biogenic volatile organic compound emission profile. Plant Soil 352, 199–215 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-0989-2

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