Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Peatland vascular plant functional types affect methane dynamics by altering microbial community structure
AU - Robroek, Bjorn J. M.
AU - Jassey, Vincent E. J.
AU - Kox, Martine A. R.
AU - Berendsen, Roeland L.
AU - Mills, Robert T. E.
AU - Cecillon, Lauric
AU - Puissant, Jeremy
AU - Meima-Franke, Marion
AU - Bakker, Peter A. H. M.
AU - Bodelier, Paul L. E.
PY - 2015/7
Y1 - 2015/7
N2 - Peatlands are natural sources of atmospheric methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas. It is established that peatland methane dynamics are controlled by both biotic and abiotic conditions, yet the interactive effect of these drivers is less studied and consequently poorly understood. Climate change affects the distribution of vascular plant functional types (PFTs) in peatlands. By removing specific PFTs, we assessed their effects on peat organic matter chemistry, microbial community composition and on potential methane production (PMP) and oxidation (PMO) in two microhabitats (lawns and hummocks). Whilst PFT removal only marginally altered the peat organic matter chemistry, we observed considerable changes in microbial community structure. This resulted in altered PMP and PMO. PMP was slightly lower when graminoids were removed, whilst PMO was highest in the absence of both vascular PFTs (graminoids and ericoids), but only in the hummocks. Path analyses demonstrate that different plant-soil interactions drive PMP and PMO in peatlands and that changes in biotic and abiotic factors can have auto-amplifying effects on current CH4 dynamics.Synthesis. Changing environmental conditions will, both directly and indirectly, affect peatland processes, causing unforeseen changes in CH4 dynamics. The resilience of peatland CH4 dynamics to environmental change therefore depends on the interaction between plant community composition and microbial communities.
AB - Peatlands are natural sources of atmospheric methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas. It is established that peatland methane dynamics are controlled by both biotic and abiotic conditions, yet the interactive effect of these drivers is less studied and consequently poorly understood. Climate change affects the distribution of vascular plant functional types (PFTs) in peatlands. By removing specific PFTs, we assessed their effects on peat organic matter chemistry, microbial community composition and on potential methane production (PMP) and oxidation (PMO) in two microhabitats (lawns and hummocks). Whilst PFT removal only marginally altered the peat organic matter chemistry, we observed considerable changes in microbial community structure. This resulted in altered PMP and PMO. PMP was slightly lower when graminoids were removed, whilst PMO was highest in the absence of both vascular PFTs (graminoids and ericoids), but only in the hummocks. Path analyses demonstrate that different plant-soil interactions drive PMP and PMO in peatlands and that changes in biotic and abiotic factors can have auto-amplifying effects on current CH4 dynamics.Synthesis. Changing environmental conditions will, both directly and indirectly, affect peatland processes, causing unforeseen changes in CH4 dynamics. The resilience of peatland CH4 dynamics to environmental change therefore depends on the interaction between plant community composition and microbial communities.
KW - methane
KW - methanogenesis
KW - methanotrophic communities
KW - mid-infrared spectroscopy
KW - pathway analysis
KW - phospholipid fatty acid
KW - plant-soil (below-ground) interactions
KW - pmoA
KW - Sphagnum-dominated peatlands
KW - LONG-TERM
KW - NORTHERN PEATLANDS
KW - BOREAL PEATLAND
KW - CH4 PRODUCTION
KW - SOILS
KW - VEGETATION
KW - OXIDATION
KW - EMISSION
KW - FLUXES
KW - METHANOTROPHS
U2 - 10.1111/1365-2745.12413
DO - 10.1111/1365-2745.12413
M3 - Journal article
VL - 103
SP - 925
EP - 934
JO - Journal of Ecology
JF - Journal of Ecology
SN - 0022-0477
IS - 4
ER -