Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration
Abstract Northern peatlands are a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Widespread climate‐driven ecohydrological changes in these ecosystems can have major consequences on their C sequestration function. Here, we synthesize plant macrofossil data from 33 surficial peat cores from differen...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16032 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcb.16032 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/gcb.16032 |
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crwiley:10.1111/gcb.16032 2024-06-23T07:56:09+00:00 Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration Magnan, Gabriel Sanderson, Nicole K. Piilo, Sanna Pratte, Steve Väliranta, Minna van Bellen, Simon Zhang, Hui Garneau, Michelle Environment and Climate Change Canada 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16032 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcb.16032 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/gcb.16032 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Global Change Biology volume 28, issue 5, page 1919-1934 ISSN 1354-1013 1365-2486 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16032 2024-06-11T04:39:36Z Abstract Northern peatlands are a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Widespread climate‐driven ecohydrological changes in these ecosystems can have major consequences on their C sequestration function. Here, we synthesize plant macrofossil data from 33 surficial peat cores from different ecoclimatic regions, with high‐resolution chronologies. The main objectives were to document recent ecosystem state shifts and explore their impact on C sequestration in high‐latitude undisturbed peatlands of northeastern Canada. Our synthesis shows widespread recent ecosystem shifts in peatlands, such as transitions from oligotrophic fens to bogs and Sphagnum expansion, coinciding with climate warming which has also influenced C accumulation during the last ~100 years. The rapid shifts towards drier bog communities and an expansion of Sphagnum sect. Acutifolia after 1980 CE were most pronounced in the northern subarctic sites and are concurrent with summer warming in northeastern Canada. These results provide further evidence of a northward migration of Sphagnum ‐dominated peatlands in North America in response to climate change. The results also highlight differences in the timing of ecosystem shifts among peatlands and regions, reflecting internal peatland dynamics and varying responses of vegetation communities. Our study suggests that the recent rapid climate‐driven shifts from oligotrophic fen to drier bog communities have promoted plant productivity and thus peat C accumulation. We highlight the importance of considering recent ecohydrological trajectories when modelling the potential contribution of peatlands to climate change. Our study suggests that, contrary to expectations, peat C sequestration could be promoted in high‐latitude non‐permafrost peatlands where wet sedge fens may transition to drier Sphagnum bog communities due to warmer and longer growing seasons. Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost Subarctic Wiley Online Library Canada Global Change Biology 28 5 1919 1934 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Northern peatlands are a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Widespread climate‐driven ecohydrological changes in these ecosystems can have major consequences on their C sequestration function. Here, we synthesize plant macrofossil data from 33 surficial peat cores from different ecoclimatic regions, with high‐resolution chronologies. The main objectives were to document recent ecosystem state shifts and explore their impact on C sequestration in high‐latitude undisturbed peatlands of northeastern Canada. Our synthesis shows widespread recent ecosystem shifts in peatlands, such as transitions from oligotrophic fens to bogs and Sphagnum expansion, coinciding with climate warming which has also influenced C accumulation during the last ~100 years. The rapid shifts towards drier bog communities and an expansion of Sphagnum sect. Acutifolia after 1980 CE were most pronounced in the northern subarctic sites and are concurrent with summer warming in northeastern Canada. These results provide further evidence of a northward migration of Sphagnum ‐dominated peatlands in North America in response to climate change. The results also highlight differences in the timing of ecosystem shifts among peatlands and regions, reflecting internal peatland dynamics and varying responses of vegetation communities. Our study suggests that the recent rapid climate‐driven shifts from oligotrophic fen to drier bog communities have promoted plant productivity and thus peat C accumulation. We highlight the importance of considering recent ecohydrological trajectories when modelling the potential contribution of peatlands to climate change. Our study suggests that, contrary to expectations, peat C sequestration could be promoted in high‐latitude non‐permafrost peatlands where wet sedge fens may transition to drier Sphagnum bog communities due to warmer and longer growing seasons. |
author2 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Magnan, Gabriel Sanderson, Nicole K. Piilo, Sanna Pratte, Steve Väliranta, Minna van Bellen, Simon Zhang, Hui Garneau, Michelle |
spellingShingle |
Magnan, Gabriel Sanderson, Nicole K. Piilo, Sanna Pratte, Steve Väliranta, Minna van Bellen, Simon Zhang, Hui Garneau, Michelle Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
author_facet |
Magnan, Gabriel Sanderson, Nicole K. Piilo, Sanna Pratte, Steve Väliranta, Minna van Bellen, Simon Zhang, Hui Garneau, Michelle |
author_sort |
Magnan, Gabriel |
title |
Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
title_short |
Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
title_full |
Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
title_fullStr |
Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
title_full_unstemmed |
Widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern Canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
title_sort |
widespread recent ecosystem state shifts in high‐latitude peatlands of northeastern canada and implications for carbon sequestration |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16032 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcb.16032 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/gcb.16032 |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
permafrost Subarctic |
genre_facet |
permafrost Subarctic |
op_source |
Global Change Biology volume 28, issue 5, page 1919-1934 ISSN 1354-1013 1365-2486 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16032 |
container_title |
Global Change Biology |
container_volume |
28 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1919 |
op_container_end_page |
1934 |
_version_ |
1802649055730335744 |