Rising temperatures in the Arctic can affect soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition directly and indirectly, by increasing plant primary production and thus the allocation of plant-derived organic compounds into the soil. Such compounds, for example root exudates or decaying fine roots, are easily available for microorganisms, and can alter the decomposition of older SOM (“priming effect”). We here report on a SOM priming experiment in the active layer of a permafrost soil from the central Siberian Arctic, comparing responses of organic topsoil, mineral subsoil, and cryoturbated subsoil material (i.e., poorly decomposed topsoil material subducted into the subsoil by freeze–thaw processes) to additions of 13C-labeled glucose, cellulose, a mixture of amino acids, and protein (added at levels corresponding to approximately 1% of soil organic carbon). SOM decomposition in the topsoil was barely affected by higher availability of organic compounds, whereas SOM decomposition in both subsoil horizons responded strongly. In the mineral subsoil, SOM decomposition increased by a factor of two to three after any substrate addition (glucose, cellulose, amino acids, protein), suggesting that the microbial decomposer community was limited in energy to break down more complex components of SOM. In the cryoturbated horizon, SOM decomposition increased by a factor of two after addition of amino acids or protein, but was not significantly affected by glucose or cellulose, indicating nitrogen rather than energy limitation. Since the stimulation of SOM decomposition in cryoturbated material was not connected to microbial growth or to a change in microbial community composition, the additional nitrogen was likely invested in the production of extracellular enzymes required for SOM decomposition. Our findings provide a first mechanistic understanding of priming in permafrost soils and suggest that an increase in the availability of organic carbon or nitrogen, e.g., by increased plant productivity, can change the decomposition of SOM stored in deeper layers of permafrost soils, with possible repercussions on the global climate.

Rates of CO2 efflux from the floor of a central Siberian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest were measured using a dynamic closed chamber system and by a eddy covariance system placed 2.5 m above the forest floor. Measurements were undertaken for a full growing season: from early May to early October 1999. Spatial variability as determined by the chamber measurements showed the rate of CO2 efflux to depend on location, with rates from relatively open areas (“glades”) only being about 50% those observed below or around trees. This was despite generally higher temperatures in the glade during the day. A strong relationship between CO2 efflux rate and root density was observed in early spring, suggesting that lower rates in open areas may have been attributable to fewer roots there. Continuous measurements with the eddy covariance system provided good temporal coverage. This method, however, provided estimates of ground CO2 efflux rate rates that were about 50% lower than chamber measurements that were undertaken in areas considered to be representative of the forest as a whole. An examination of the seasonal pattern of soil CO2 efflux rates suggests that much of the variability in CO2 efflux rate could be accounted for by variations in soil temperature. Nevertheless, there were also some indications that the soil water deficits served to reduce soil CO2 efflux rates during mid‐summer. Overall the sensitivity of CO2 efflux rate to temperature seems to be greater for this boreal ecosystem than has been the case for most other studies.

Boreal permafrost soils store large amounts of organic carbon (OC). Parts of this carbon (C) might be black carbon (BC) generated during vegetation fires. Rising temperature and permafrost degradation is expected to have different consequences for OC and BC, because BC is considered to be a refractory subfraction of soil organic matter. To get some insight into stocks, variability, and characteristics of BC in permafrost soils, we estimated the benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) method-specific composition and storage of BC, i.e. BPCA-BC, in a 0.44 km(2)-sized catchment at the forest tundra ecotone in northern Siberia. Furthermore, we assessed the BPCA-BC export with the stream draining the catchment. The catchment is composed of various landscape units with south-southwest (SSW) exposed mineral soils characterized by thick active layer or lacking permafrost, north-northeast (NNE) faced mineral soils with thin active layer, and permafrost-affected raised bogs in plateau positions showing in part thermokarst formation. There were indications of vegetation fires at all landscape units. BC was ubiquitous in the catchment soils and BPCA-BC amounted to 0.6-3.0% of OC. This corresponded to a BC storage of 22-3440 g m(-2). The relative contribution of BPCA-BC to OC, as well as the absolute stocks of BPCA-BC were largest in the intact bogs with a shallow active layer followed by mineral soils of the NNE aspects. In both landscape units, a large proportion of BPCA-BC was stored within the permafrost. In contrast, mineral soils with thick active layer or lacking permafrost and organic soils subjected to thermokarst formation stored less BPCA-BC. Permafrost is, hence, not only a crucial factor in the storage of OC but also of BC. In the stream water BPCA-BC amounted on an average to 3.9% of OC, and a yearly export of 0.10 g BPCA-BC m(-2) was calculated, most of it occurring during the period of snow melt with dominance of surface flow. This suggests that BC mobility in dissolved and colloidal phase is an important pathway of BC export from the catchment. Such a transport mechanism may explain the high BC concentrations found in sediments of the Arctic Ocean. [References: 72

Using a ground-based and an above-canopy eddy covariance system in addition to stem respiration measurements, the annual respiratory fluxes attributable to soil, stems and foliage were determined for a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest growing in central Siberia. Night-time foliar respiration was estimated on the basis of the difference between fluxes measured below and above the canopy and the stem respiration measurements. Comparison of the effects of night-time turbulence on measured CO₂ fluxes showed flux loss above the canopy at low wind speeds, but no such effect was observed for the ground-based eddy system. This suggests that problems with flow homogeneity or flux divergence (both of which would be expected to be greater above the canopy than below) were responsible for above-canopy losses under these conditions. After correcting for this, a strong seasonality in foliar respiration was observed. This was not solely attributable to temperature variations, with intrinsic foliar respiratory capacities being much greater in spring and autumn. The opposite pattern was observed for stem respiration, with the intrinsic respiratory capacity being lower from autumn through early spring. Maximum respiratory activity was observed in early summer. This was not simply associated with a response to higher temperatures but seemed closely linked with cambial activity and the development of new xylem elements. Soil respiration rates exhibited an apparent high sensitivity to temperature, with seasonal data implying a Q(10) of about 7. We interpret this as reflecting covarying changes in soil microbial activity and soil temperatures throughout the snow- free season. Averaged over the two study years (1999 and 2000), the annual respiratory flux was estimated at 38.3 mol C m(-2) a(-1). Of this 0.61 was attributable to soil respiration, with stem respiration accounting for 0.21 and foliar respiration 0.18

Terrestrial ecosystems in northern high latitudes exchange large amounts of methane (CH 4 ) with the atmosphere. Climate warming could have a great impact on CH 4 exchange, in particular in regions where degradation of permafrost is induced. In order to improve the understanding of the present and future methane dynamics in permafrost regions, we studied CH 4 fluxes of typical landscape structures in a small catchment in the forest tundra ecotone in northern Siberia. Gas fluxes were measured using a closedchamber technique from on tree-covered mineral soils with and without permafrost, on a frozen bog plateau, and on a thermokarst pond. For areal integration of the CH 4 fluxes, we combined field observations and classification of functional landscape structures based on a high-resolution Quickbird satellite image. All mineral soils were net sinks of atmospheric CH 4 . The magnitude of annual CH 4 uptake was higher for soils without permafrost (1.19 kg CH 4 ha À1 yr À1 ) than for soils with permafrost (0.37 kg CH 4 ha À1 yr À1 ). In welldrained soils, significant CH 4 uptake occurred even after the onset of ground frost. Bog plateaux, which stored large amounts of frozen organic carbon, were also a net sink of atmospheric CH 4 (0.38 kg CH 4 ha À1 yr À1 ). Thermokarst ponds, which developed from permafrost collapse in bog plateaux, were hot spots of CH 4 emission (approximately 200 kg CH 4 ha À1 yr À1 ). Despite the low area coverage of thermokarst ponds (only 2.1% of the total catchment area), emissions from these sites resulted in a mean catchment CH 4 emission of 3.8 kg CH 4 ha À1 yr À1 . Export of dissolved CH 4 with stream water was insignificant. The results suggest that mineral soils and bog plateaux in this region will respond differently to increasing temperatures and associated permafrost degradation. Net uptake of atmospheric CH 4 in mineral soils is expected to gradually increase with increasing active layer depth and soil drainage. Changes in bog plateaux will probably be much more rapid and drastic. Permafrost collapse in frozen bog plateaux would result in high CH 4 emissions that act as positive feedback to climate warming.