Spatial Analysis of Soils, Vegetation, Productivity, and Carbon Stored in Mountain Tundra Ecosystems, Khibiny Mountains, Russia

Abstract

Data on the distribution of plant communities, their productivity, and major carbon stores held in mountain tundra vegetation and soils are presented. Extreme snow-bed communities had the lowest total biomass (662 g/m2), primarily in the main root portion in mineral soil horizons. Dwarf shrub-dominated heath on a gentle mountain slope had the highest total biomass (2406 g/m2), with woody perennial stems prevailing in the above-ground portion, and the main root portion concentrated in the organic horizon. Grass and sedge meadows situated in a hollow had the greatest total net primary production (215 g/m2), and roots were evenly distributed throughout the soil profile. The total amount of carbon stored in the ecosystem included carbon stored in above- and below-ground biomass, in the organic horizon, and in mineral soil horizons to a depth of 30 cm. Total carbon was lowest in snow-bed and lichen-dominated tundra (6183 g/m2 and 6337 g/m2, respectively), and highest in dwarf shrubs and grass-dominated tundra (25,261 g/m2 and 20,407 g/m2, respectively), the latter being comparable to total carbon stored in boreal forest ecosystems. Most of the carbon (95-97%) in tundra ecosystems was stored in soils (organic and mineral soil horizons).