Title | Leaf and root phenology and biomass of Eriophorum vaginatum in response to warming in the Arctic |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2022 |
Authors | Ma, T, Parker, T, Fetcher, N, Unger, SL, Gewirtzman, J, Moody, ML, Tang, J |
Journal | Journal of Plant Ecology |
Pagination | rtac010 |
Date Published | mar |
ISSN | 1752-993X |
Keywords | LTER-ARC |
Abstract | The response of plant leaf and root phenology and biomass in the Arctic to global change remains unclear due to the lack of synchronous measurements of aboveground and belowground parts. Our objective was to determine the phenological dynamics of the above- and belowground parts of Eriophorum vaginatum in the Arctic and its response to warming.We established a common garden located at Toolik Lake Field Station; tussocks of E. vaginatum from three locations, Coldfoot, Toolik Lake and Sagwon, were transplanted into the common garden. Control and warming treatments for Eriophorum vaginatum were set up at the Toolik Lake during the growing seasons of 2016 and 2017. Digital cameras, a handheld sensor, and minirhizotrons were used to simultaneously observe leaf greenness, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and root length dynamics, respectively.Leaf and root growth rates of Eriophorum vaginatum were asynchronous such that the timing of maximal leaf growth (mid-July) was about 28 days earlier than that of root growth. Warming of air temperature by 1°C delayed the timing of leaf senescence and thus prolonged the growing season, but the temperature increase had no significant effect on root phenology. The seasonal dynamics of leaf biomass were affected by air temperature, whereas root biomass was correlated with soil thaw depth. Therefore, we suggest that leaf and root components should be considered comprehensively when using carbon and nutrient cycle models, as aboveground and belowground productivity and functional traits may have a different response to climate warming. |
URL | https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtac010 |
DOI | 10.1093/jpe/rtac010 |
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