Soil nitrogen transformations associated with small patterned-ground features along a North American Arctic transect

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

KELLEY, A.M.

Dept. of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Etats-Unis

EPSTEIN, H.E.

Dept. of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Etats-Unis

PING, C.-L.

Palmer Research Center, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Palmer, Etats-Unis

WALKER, D.A.

Inst. of Arctic Biology, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Etats-Unis

Description :
Small patterned-ground features (PGFs) in the Arctic have unique soil properties that vary with latitude and may greatly affect tundra biogeochemistry. Because nitrogen availability can strongly limit arctic vegetation growth, the AA. examined how soil nitrogen transformations differ between PGFs and the surrounding inter-PGF tundra along an arctic latitudinal gradient. The 8 study sites are located from the Alaskan Low Arctic to the Canadian High Arctic. The soils were incubated for 21 days at 9°c and 15°c and analysed for changes in total inorganic nitrogen, nitrate and extractable organic nitrogen (EON). The results show that spatial heterogeneity at several scales can influence soil nitrogen dynamics, and is therefore an important influence on arctic ecosystem function.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Permafrost and periglacial processes, issn : 1045-6740, 2012, vol. 23, n°. 3, p. 196-206, nombre de pages : 11, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2012

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley

Langue :
Anglais