Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change
Abstract Plants have evolved numerous strategies for surviving the harsh conditions of the Arctic. One strategy for Arctic evergreen and semi‐evergreen species is to photosynthesize beneath the snow during spring. However, the prevalence of this photosynthesis and how recent photosynthates are used...
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crwiley:10.1002/ecs2.4936 2024-09-15T18:02:11+00:00 Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change Wright‐Osment, Nicholas Staudhammer, Christina Lynn Oberbauer, Steve Mortazavi, Behzad Starr, Gregory Office of Polar Programs 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4936 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ecs2.4936 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ecosphere volume 15, issue 7 ISSN 2150-8925 2150-8925 journal-article 2024 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4936 2024-08-01T04:23:08Z Abstract Plants have evolved numerous strategies for surviving the harsh conditions of the Arctic. One strategy for Arctic evergreen and semi‐evergreen species is to photosynthesize beneath the snow during spring. However, the prevalence of this photosynthesis and how recent photosynthates are used is still unknown. Here we ask, how is newly acquired carbon beneath the snow allocated? To answer this question, we delivered isotopically labeled 13 CO 2 to tussock tundra plants before snowmelt. Soluble sugars and starches were preferentially enriched with 13 C in all five species tested, with lipids having comparatively low 13 C enrichment. These results provide evidence of the recovery of metabolites used over the long winter. Additionally, these new soluble sugars may function in photoprotection and cold tolerance as plants release from snow cover. Climate change, by reducing the duration of subnivean photosynthesis of these species, will limit metabolite production before snowmelt, which may lead to a reduction in the ability of these species to compete effectively during the growing season, potentially leading to changes in community structure. Article in Journal/Newspaper Climate change Tundra Wiley Online Library Ecosphere 15 7 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
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English |
description |
Abstract Plants have evolved numerous strategies for surviving the harsh conditions of the Arctic. One strategy for Arctic evergreen and semi‐evergreen species is to photosynthesize beneath the snow during spring. However, the prevalence of this photosynthesis and how recent photosynthates are used is still unknown. Here we ask, how is newly acquired carbon beneath the snow allocated? To answer this question, we delivered isotopically labeled 13 CO 2 to tussock tundra plants before snowmelt. Soluble sugars and starches were preferentially enriched with 13 C in all five species tested, with lipids having comparatively low 13 C enrichment. These results provide evidence of the recovery of metabolites used over the long winter. Additionally, these new soluble sugars may function in photoprotection and cold tolerance as plants release from snow cover. Climate change, by reducing the duration of subnivean photosynthesis of these species, will limit metabolite production before snowmelt, which may lead to a reduction in the ability of these species to compete effectively during the growing season, potentially leading to changes in community structure. |
author2 |
Office of Polar Programs |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Wright‐Osment, Nicholas Staudhammer, Christina Lynn Oberbauer, Steve Mortazavi, Behzad Starr, Gregory |
spellingShingle |
Wright‐Osment, Nicholas Staudhammer, Christina Lynn Oberbauer, Steve Mortazavi, Behzad Starr, Gregory Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change |
author_facet |
Wright‐Osment, Nicholas Staudhammer, Christina Lynn Oberbauer, Steve Mortazavi, Behzad Starr, Gregory |
author_sort |
Wright‐Osment, Nicholas |
title |
Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change |
title_short |
Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change |
title_full |
Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change |
title_fullStr |
Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change |
title_full_unstemmed |
Recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in Arctic tundra plants: Implications for climate change |
title_sort |
recovery of metabolites via subnivean photosynthesis in arctic tundra plants: implications for climate change |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4936 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ecs2.4936 |
genre |
Climate change Tundra |
genre_facet |
Climate change Tundra |
op_source |
Ecosphere volume 15, issue 7 ISSN 2150-8925 2150-8925 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4936 |
container_title |
Ecosphere |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
7 |
_version_ |
1810439532124831744 |