Data from: Living, dead, and absent trees - How do moth outbreaks shape small-scale patterns of soil organic matter stocks and dynamics at the Subarctic mountain birch treeline?

dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Bayreuth - Meyer, Nele
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Xu, Yi
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Eastern Finland - Karjalainen, Katri
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Adamczyk, Sylwia
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Eastern Finland - Biasi, Christina
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Eastern Finland - van Delden, Lona
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Martin, Angela
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Mganga, Kevin
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Eastern Finland - Myller, Kristiina
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Sietiö, Outi-Maaria
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Turku - Suominen, Otso
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Helsinki - Karhu, Kristiina
dc.contributor.authorMeyer, Nele
dc.contributor.authorXu, Yi
dc.contributor.authorKarjalainen, Katri
dc.contributor.authorAdamczyk, Sylwia
dc.contributor.authorBiasi, Christina
dc.contributor.authorvan Delden, Lona
dc.contributor.authorMartin, Angela
dc.contributor.authorMganga, Kevin
dc.contributor.authorMyller, Kristiina
dc.contributor.authorSietiö, Outi-Maaria
dc.contributor.authorSuominen, Otso
dc.contributor.authorKarhu, Kristiina
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-24T15:15:18Z
dc.date.issued2021-10-19
dc.date.issued2021-10-19
dc.descriptionMountain birch forests (B. pubescens Ehrh. ssp. czerepanovii) at the subarctic treeline not only benefit from global warming, but are also increasingly affected by caterpillar outbreaks from foliage-feeding geometrid moths. Both of these factors have unknown consequences on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and biogeochemical cycles. We measured SOC stocks down to the bedrock under living trees and under two stages of dead trees (12 and 55 years since moth outbreak) and treeless tundra in northern Finland. We also measured in-situ soil respiration, potential SOC decomposability, biological (enzyme activities, microbial biomass), and chemical (N, mineral N, pH) soil properties. SOC stocks were significantly higher under living trees (4.1±2.1 kg m²) than in the treeless tundra (2.4±0.6 kg m²), and remained at an elevated level even 12 (3.7±1.7 kg m²) and 55 years (4.9±3.0 kg m²) after tree death. Effects of tree status on SOC stocks decreased with increasing distance from the tree and with increasing depth, i.e. a significant effect of tree status was found in the organic layer, but not in mineral soil. Soil under living trees was characterized by higher mineral N contents, microbial biomass, microbial activity, and soil respiration compared with the treeless tundra; soils under dead trees were intermediate between these two. The results suggest accelerated organic matter turnover under living trees but a positive net effect on SOC stocks. Slowed organic matter turnover and continuous supply of deadwood may explain why SOC stocks remained elevated under dead trees, despite the heavy decrease in aboveground C stocks. We conclude that the increased occurrence of moth damage with climate change would have minor effects on SOC stocks, but ultimately decrease ecosystem C stocks (49% within 55 years in this area), if the mountain birch forests will not be able to recover from the outbreaks.
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.p5hqbzkqg
dc.identifier.urihttps://hydatakatalogi-test-24.it.helsinki.fi/handle/123456789/9665
dc.rightsOpen
dc.rights.licensecc-zero
dc.subjectsoil carbon
dc.subjectsoil respiration
dc.subjectinsect herbivory
dc.subjectpriming effects
dc.subjectsoil organic matter
dc.subjectSoil organic carbon stocks
dc.titleData from: Living, dead, and absent trees - How do moth outbreaks shape small-scale patterns of soil organic matter stocks and dynamics at the Subarctic mountain birch treeline?
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