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• 1. [Article] Searching for Biogeochemical Hot Spots in Three Dimensions: Soil C and N Cycling in Hydropedologic Settings in a Northern Hardwood Forest

  Understanding and predicting the extent, location, and function of biogeochemical hot spots at the watershed scale is a frontier in environmental science. We applied a hydropedologic approach to identify ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Searching for Biogeochemical Hot Spots in Three Dimensions: Soil C and N Cycling in Hydropedologic Settings in a Northern Hardwood Forest Author: Morse, Jennifer L., Werner, S F., Gillin, Cody P., Goodale, Christine L., Bailey, Scott W., McGuire, Kevin J., Groffman, Peter M. Year: 2014 Understanding and predicting the extent, location, and function of biogeochemical hot spots at the watershed scale is a frontier in environmental science. We applied a hydropedologic approach to identify (1) biogeochemical differences among morphologically distinct hydropedologic settings and (2) hot spots of microbial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling activity in a northern hardwood forest in Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA. We assessed variables related to C and N cycling in spodic hydropedologic settings (typical podzols, bimodal podzols, and Bh podzols) and groundwater seeps during August 2010. We found that soil horizons (Oi/Oe, Oa/A, and B) differed significantly for most variables. B horizons (>10 cm) accounted for 71% (±11%) of C pools and 62% (±10%) of microbial biomass C in the sampled soil profile, whereas the surface horizons (Oi/Oe and Oa/A; 0–10 cm) were dominant zones for N-cycle-related variables. Watershed-wide estimates of C and N cycling were higher by 34 to 43% (±17–19%) when rates, horizon thickness, and areal extent of each hydropedologic setting were incorporated, versus conventionally calculated estimates for typical podzols that included only the top 10 cm of mineral soil. Despite the variation in profile development in typical, bimodal, and Bh podzols, we did not detect significant differences in C and N cycling among them. Across all soil horizons and hydropedologic settings, we found strong links between biogeochemical cycling and soil C, suggesting that the accumulation of C in soils may be a robust indicator of microbial C and N cycling capacity in the landscape. Title: Searching for Biogeochemical Hot Spots in Three Dimensions: Soil C and N Cycling in Hydropedologic Settings in a Northern Hardwood Forest Author: Morse, Jennifer L., Werner, S F., Gillin, Cody P., Goodale, Christine L., Bailey, Scott W., McGuire, Kevin J., Groffman, Peter M. Year: 2014 Understanding and predicting the extent, location, and function of biogeochemical hot spots at the watershed scale is a frontier in environmental science. We applied a hydropedologic approach to identify (1) biogeochemical differences among morphologically distinct hydropedologic settings and (2) hot spots of microbial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling activity in a northern hardwood forest in Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA. We assessed variables related to C and N cycling in spodic hydropedologic settings (typical podzols, bimodal podzols, and Bh podzols) and groundwater seeps during August 2010. We found that soil horizons (Oi/Oe, Oa/A, and B) differed significantly for most variables. B horizons (>10 cm) accounted for 71% (±11%) of C pools and 62% (±10%) of microbial biomass C in the sampled soil profile, whereas the surface horizons (Oi/Oe and Oa/A; 0–10 cm) were dominant zones for N-cycle-related variables. Watershed-wide estimates of C and N cycling were higher by 34 to 43% (±17–19%) when rates, horizon thickness, and areal extent of each hydropedologic setting were incorporated, versus conventionally calculated estimates for typical podzols that included only the top 10 cm of mineral soil. Despite the variation in profile development in typical, bimodal, and Bh podzols, we did not detect significant differences in C and N cycling among them. Across all soil horizons and hydropedologic settings, we found strong links between biogeochemical cycling and soil C, suggesting that the accumulation of C in soils may be a robust indicator of microbial C and N cycling capacity in the landscape. Close

• 2. [Article] Long-Term Integrated Studies Show Complex and Surprising Effects of Climate Change in the Northern Hardwood Forest

  Evaluations of the local effects of global change are often confounded by the interactions of natural and anthropogenic factors that overshadow the effects of climate changes on ecosystems. Long-term watershed ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Long-Term Integrated Studies Show Complex and Surprising Effects of Climate Change in the Northern Hardwood Forest Author: Groffman, Peter M., Rustad, Lindsay E., Templer, Pamela H., Campbell, John L., Christenson, Lynn M., Lany, Nina K., Socci, Anne M., Vadeboncoeur, Matthew A., Schaberg, Paul G., Wilson, Geoffrey W., Driscoll, Charles T., Fahey, Timothy J., Fisk, Melany C., Goodale, Christine L., Green, Mark B., Hamburg, Steven P., Johnson, Chris E., Mitchell, Mryon J., Morse, Jennifer L., Pardo, Linda H., Rodenhouse, Nicholas L. Year: 2012 Evaluations of the local effects of global change are often confounded by the interactions of natural and anthropogenic factors that overshadow the effects of climate changes on ecosystems. Long-term watershed and natural elevation gradient studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and in the surrounding region show surprising results demonstrating the effects of climate change on hydrologic variables (e.g., evapotranspiration, streamflow, soil moisture); the importance of changes in phenology on water, carbon, and nitrogen fluxes during critical seasonal transition periods; winter climate change effects on plant and animal community composition and ecosystem services; and the effects of anthropogenic disturbances and land-use history on plant community composition. These studies highlight the value of long-term integrated research for assessments of the subtle effects of changing climate on complex ecosystems Title: Long-Term Integrated Studies Show Complex and Surprising Effects of Climate Change in the Northern Hardwood Forest Author: Groffman, Peter M., Rustad, Lindsay E., Templer, Pamela H., Campbell, John L., Christenson, Lynn M., Lany, Nina K., Socci, Anne M., Vadeboncoeur, Matthew A., Schaberg, Paul G., Wilson, Geoffrey W., Driscoll, Charles T., Fahey, Timothy J., Fisk, Melany C., Goodale, Christine L., Green, Mark B., Hamburg, Steven P., Johnson, Chris E., Mitchell, Mryon J., Morse, Jennifer L., Pardo, Linda H., Rodenhouse, Nicholas L. Year: 2012 Evaluations of the local effects of global change are often confounded by the interactions of natural and anthropogenic factors that overshadow the effects of climate changes on ecosystems. Long-term watershed and natural elevation gradient studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and in the surrounding region show surprising results demonstrating the effects of climate change on hydrologic variables (e.g., evapotranspiration, streamflow, soil moisture); the importance of changes in phenology on water, carbon, and nitrogen fluxes during critical seasonal transition periods; winter climate change effects on plant and animal community composition and ecosystem services; and the effects of anthropogenic disturbances and land-use history on plant community composition. These studies highlight the value of long-term integrated research for assessments of the subtle effects of changing climate on complex ecosystems Close