Off-season biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from heath mesocosms: responses to vegetation cutting

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) affect both atmospheric processes and ecological interactions. Our primary aim was to differentiate between BVOC emissions from above- and belowground plant parts and heath soil outside the growing season. The second aim was to assess emissions from herbiv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology
Main Authors: Riikka eRinnan, Diana eGierth, Merete eBilde, Thomas eRosenørn, Anders eMichelsen
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2013
Subjects:
Sesquiterpenes
Soil
Arctic
grazing
Induced volatiles
BVOC
Microbiology
QR1-502
Climate change
Subarctic
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00224
https://doaj.org/article/84710816f8dd45448138a415ee3fcb94
Description
Summary:Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) affect both atmospheric processes and ecological interactions. Our primary aim was to differentiate between BVOC emissions from above- and belowground plant parts and heath soil outside the growing season. The second aim was to assess emissions from herbivory, mimicked by cutting the plants. Mesocosms from a temperate Deschampsia flexuosa-dominated heath ecosystem and a subarctic mixed heath ecosystem were either left intact, the aboveground vegetation was cut, or all plant parts (including roots) were removed. For 3-5 weeks, BVOC emissions were measured in growth chambers by an enclosure method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. CO2 exchange, soil microbial biomass and soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations were also analyzed. Vegetation cutting increased BVOC emissions by more than 20-fold, and the induced compounds were mainly eight-carbon compounds and sesquiterpenes. In the Deschampsia heath, the overall low BVOC emissions originated mainly from soil. In the mixed heath, root and soil emissions were negligible. Net BVOC emissions from roots and soil of these well-drained heaths do not significantly contribute to ecosystem emissions, at least outside the growing season. If insect outbreaks become more frequent with climate change, ecosystem BVOC emissions will periodically increase due to herbivory.

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