Data from: Root phenology unresponsive to earlier snowmelt despite advanced aboveground phenology in two subarctic plant communities ...

• Main Authors: Blume-Werry, Gesche, Jansson, Roland, Milbau, Ann
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2018
• Subjects: root production; Fine roots; Root growth; snowmelt; Abisko; Northern Sweden; Subarctic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.21bg6; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.21bg6

Earlier snowmelt at high latitudes advances aboveground plant phenology, thereby affecting water, nutrient and carbon cycles. Despite the key role of fine roots in these ecosystem processes, phenological responses to earlier snowmelt have never been assessed belowground. We experimentally advanced snowmelt in two contrasting plant community types, heath and meadow, in northern Sweden and measured above- and belowground phenology: leaf-out, flowering and fine root growth. We expected earlier snowmelt to advance both above- and belowground phenology, and shrub-dominated heath to be more responsive than meadow. Snow melted on average nine days earlier in the manipulated plots than in controls, and soil temperatures were on average 0.9 C higher during the snowmelt period of three weeks. This resulted in small advances in aboveground phenology, but contrary to our expectations, root phenology was unresponsive with root growth generally starting before leaf-out. These responses to the snowmelt treatment were ... : aboveground_phenology'phen' = phenological stage (2=first leaf, 3=first flower)ANS_Air_tempAir temperature data from Abisko Scientific Research Station (for figure S2)root_growth'growth area' is root growth mm per observed (minirhizotron) area (i.e. response variable)root_lengthroot length at the end of the experiment, 'plotnr' is block of two paired plots (Tubes)snowdepthsnowdepth, measured as described in manuscriptsnowmelt_doyday of year of melt-outsoiltemperaturessoil temperatures measured at 10 cm depth with iButtions (see manuscript for details, see Tests.R for de-seasonalisation)TestsR file for statistical tests ...