Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra
Vegetation changes, such as shrub encroachment and wetland expansion, have been observed in many Arctic tundra regions. These changes feed back to permafrost and climate. Permafrost can be protected by soil shading through vegetation as it reduces the amount of solar energy available for thawing. Re...
Published in: | Biogeosciences |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2016
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/contrasting-radiation-and-soil-heat-fluxes-in-arctic-shrub-and-we https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 |
id |
ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/506646 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/506646 2024-02-04T09:52:15+01:00 Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra Juszak, Inge Eugster, Werner Heijmans, Monique M.P.D. Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela 2016 application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/contrasting-radiation-and-soil-heat-fluxes-in-arctic-shrub-and-we https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 en eng https://edepot.wur.nl/388021 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/contrasting-radiation-and-soil-heat-fluxes-in-arctic-shrub-and-we doi:10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research Biogeosciences 13 (2016) ISSN: 1726-4170 Life Science info:eu-repo/semantics/article Article/Letter to editor info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2016 ftunivwagenin https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 2024-01-10T23:18:30Z Vegetation changes, such as shrub encroachment and wetland expansion, have been observed in many Arctic tundra regions. These changes feed back to permafrost and climate. Permafrost can be protected by soil shading through vegetation as it reduces the amount of solar energy available for thawing. Regional climate can be affected by a reduction in surface albedo as more energy is available for atmospheric and soil heating. Here, we compared the shortwave radiation budget of two common Arctic tundra vegetation types dominated by dwarf shrubs (Betula nana) and wet sedges (Eriophorum angustifolium) in North-East Siberia. We measured time series of the shortwave and longwave radiation budget above the canopy and transmitted radiation below the canopy. Additionally, we quantified soil temperature and heat flux as well as active layer thickness. The mean growing season albedo of dwarf shrubs was 0:15±0:01, for sedges it was higher (0:17±0:02). Dwarf shrub transmittance was 0:36±0:07 on average, and sedge transmittance was 0:28±0:08. The standing dead leaves contributed strongly to the soil shading of wet sedges. Despite a lower albedo and less soil shading, the soil below dwarf shrubs conducted less heat resulting in a 17cm shallower active layer as compared to sedges. This result was supported by additional, spatially distributed measurements of both vegetation types. Clouds were a major influencing factor for albedo and transmittance, particularly in sedge vegetation. Cloud cover reduced the albedo by 0.01 in dwarf shrubs and by 0.03 in sedges, while transmittance was increased by 0.08 and 0.10 in dwarf shrubs and sedges, respectively. Our results suggest that the observed deeper active layer below wet sedges is not primarily a result of the summer canopy radiation budget. Soil properties, such as soil albedo, moisture, and thermal conductivity, may be more influential, at least in our comparison between dwarf shrub vegetation on relatively dry patches and sedge vegetation with higher soil moisture. Article in Journal/Newspaper Active layer thickness albedo Arctic Arctic Betula nana Eriophorum permafrost Tundra Siberia Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library Arctic Biogeosciences 13 13 4049 4064 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwagenin |
language |
English |
topic |
Life Science |
spellingShingle |
Life Science Juszak, Inge Eugster, Werner Heijmans, Monique M.P.D. Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
topic_facet |
Life Science |
description |
Vegetation changes, such as shrub encroachment and wetland expansion, have been observed in many Arctic tundra regions. These changes feed back to permafrost and climate. Permafrost can be protected by soil shading through vegetation as it reduces the amount of solar energy available for thawing. Regional climate can be affected by a reduction in surface albedo as more energy is available for atmospheric and soil heating. Here, we compared the shortwave radiation budget of two common Arctic tundra vegetation types dominated by dwarf shrubs (Betula nana) and wet sedges (Eriophorum angustifolium) in North-East Siberia. We measured time series of the shortwave and longwave radiation budget above the canopy and transmitted radiation below the canopy. Additionally, we quantified soil temperature and heat flux as well as active layer thickness. The mean growing season albedo of dwarf shrubs was 0:15±0:01, for sedges it was higher (0:17±0:02). Dwarf shrub transmittance was 0:36±0:07 on average, and sedge transmittance was 0:28±0:08. The standing dead leaves contributed strongly to the soil shading of wet sedges. Despite a lower albedo and less soil shading, the soil below dwarf shrubs conducted less heat resulting in a 17cm shallower active layer as compared to sedges. This result was supported by additional, spatially distributed measurements of both vegetation types. Clouds were a major influencing factor for albedo and transmittance, particularly in sedge vegetation. Cloud cover reduced the albedo by 0.01 in dwarf shrubs and by 0.03 in sedges, while transmittance was increased by 0.08 and 0.10 in dwarf shrubs and sedges, respectively. Our results suggest that the observed deeper active layer below wet sedges is not primarily a result of the summer canopy radiation budget. Soil properties, such as soil albedo, moisture, and thermal conductivity, may be more influential, at least in our comparison between dwarf shrub vegetation on relatively dry patches and sedge vegetation with higher soil moisture. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Juszak, Inge Eugster, Werner Heijmans, Monique M.P.D. Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela |
author_facet |
Juszak, Inge Eugster, Werner Heijmans, Monique M.P.D. Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela |
author_sort |
Juszak, Inge |
title |
Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
title_short |
Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
title_full |
Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
title_fullStr |
Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
title_full_unstemmed |
Contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in Arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
title_sort |
contrasting radiation and soil heat fluxes in arctic shrub and wet sedge tundra |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/contrasting-radiation-and-soil-heat-fluxes-in-arctic-shrub-and-we https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Active layer thickness albedo Arctic Arctic Betula nana Eriophorum permafrost Tundra Siberia |
genre_facet |
Active layer thickness albedo Arctic Arctic Betula nana Eriophorum permafrost Tundra Siberia |
op_source |
Biogeosciences 13 (2016) ISSN: 1726-4170 |
op_relation |
https://edepot.wur.nl/388021 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/contrasting-radiation-and-soil-heat-fluxes-in-arctic-shrub-and-we doi:10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4049-2016 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
13 |
container_issue |
13 |
container_start_page |
4049 |
op_container_end_page |
4064 |
_version_ |
1789963761301323776 |