A PanAmerican Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) in Peru PIRE Field Course 2011

"What is the future of Amazon forests under climate change?" Oops, There Goes the Nature Paper! Soil Microbial dynamics and soil trace gas fluxes: Preliminary results
Dan Metcalfe (SLU) Joost van Haren (Arizona) Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz (Oregon) Patricia Levi (Harvard) Veber Moura (INPA) The There Goes the Nature Paper Team Tambopata National Reserve, Peru

A PanAmerican Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) in Peru PIRE Field Course 2011

"What is the future of Amazon forests under climate change?"

Soil Microbial dynamics and soil trace gas fluxes: Preliminary results
Dan Metcalfe (SLU) Joost van Haren (Arizona) Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz (Oregon) Patricia Levi (Harvard) Veber Moura (INPA) The There Goes the Nature Paper Team Tambopata National Reserve, Peru

Trace gases in atmosphere

The most important greenhouse gases in atmosphere are:

CO2, CH4 (23 X GP), N2O (300 x GP).

All gases increasing in atmosphere and their production is sensitive to a range of factors Gas dynamics linked to microbial population composition and dynamics. Potential for climate feedbacks

Factors affecting gas production

Temperature:
Modulate activity by affecting cell and enzyme functioning as well as the physics of gas diffusion

Soil chemistry:
Nutrient limitations drive the pathway and rate of trace gas production Microbial dynamics: Community composition and physiological status will determine the potential for gas production

Hypotheses
Microbial activity and soil respiration increases with temperature, however nutrient availability such as P and N in young and old soils would create differential CH4 and N2O fluxes along an elevation transect. Physical conditions will further modulate conditions for nutrient and oxygen diffusion determining trace gas emission rates.

The Kosnipata Valley - A fertilization experiment nested within an altitudinal temperature gradient 26.4C

18.8C

12.5C

P N+P

Fisher et al. Results

Wayqecha Elevation (m) Mean Annual Temperature (C) Mean Annual Precipitation (mm) Slope (%) Geological Substrate Soil Profile OL:ML (cm) 3000 12.5 1706 28 Paleozoic shales-slates 20:4 San Pedro 1500 18.8 2631 27 Paleozoic shales-slates 10:45 Tambopata 200 26.4 2730 0 Pleistocene alluvial terrace 2:30

Soil pH
Dominant Plant Families

4.1
Cunoniaceae; Clusiaceae -71.5870 -13.1903

4.0
Lauraceae; Rubiaceae; Melastomatacea -71.5370 -13.0492

3.9
Myristicaceae; Fabaceae -69.2967 -12.8387

Longitude Longitude

Montane Forest (3000 m)

Forest at cloud base (1500 m)

Lowland tropical forest (200 m)

Study Design & Methods

C N P N+P

Complication! Fertilization was localized around 5 focal trees per plot, not homogenously spread

Water

Water + Labile carbon (sugar)

High flux

Gas concentration

Low flux

Time

Slope of gas accumulation over time within sealed chamber = gas production rate

CO2 N2O CH4

Environmental Factors (I.e. what we have so far)

Temperature (air and soil) and pH;
Soil samples (density and moisture)

Temperature

Soil density and moisture

pH

Expectations from results: Temperature effects

Temperature decreases with altitude reducing the overall microbial respiration (CO2) and gas trace fluxes.

Expectations from results: Density & Moisture effects

CH4 and N2O emissions will be affected by bulk density and soil moisture: high elevation soils with high aerobic penetration, lowest soil with low penetration but nutrient limited as an old soil, intermediate altitude may produce the bigger flux. CH4 production under low pH will be dominated by hydrogen consuming methanogens because of acetate toxicity at low pH. N2O production is not affected by pH, less temperature dependence, moisture will be the most important predictor.

Expectations from results

pH will affect the overall microbial community and respiration rates (CO2)
CH4 and N2O will be affected more by oxygen limiting variables such as soil density and moisture content.

Thanks for your attention!