Abstract
Understanding the effects of increasing temperature is central in explaining the effects of climate change on vegetation. Here, we investigate how warming affects vegetation regeneration and root biomass and if there is an interactive effect of warming with other environmental variables. We also examine if geothermal warming effects on vegetation regeneration and root biomass can be used in climate change experiments. Monitoring plots were arranged in a grid across the study area to cover a range of soil temperatures. The plots were cleared of vegetation and root-free ingrowth cores were installed to assess above and below-ground regeneration rates. Temperature sensors were buried in the plots for continued soil temperature monitoring. Soil moisture, pH, and soil chemistry of the plots were also recorded. Data were analyzed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and linear regression to identify the environmental variable with the greatest influence on vegetation regeneration and root biomass. There was lower root biomass and slower vegetation regeneration in high temperature plots. Soil temperature was positively correlated with soil moisture and negatively correlated with soil pH. Iron and sulfate were present in the soil in the highest quantities compared to other measured soil chemicals and had a strong positive relationship with soil temperature. Our findings suggest that soil temperature had a major impact on root biomass and vegetation regeneration. In geothermal fields, vegetation establishment and growth can be restricted by low soil moisture, low soil pH, and an imbalance in soil chemistry. The correlation between soil moisture, pH, chemistry, and plant regeneration was chiefly driven by soil temperature. Soil temperature was negatively correlated to the distance from the geothermal features. Apart from characterizing plant regeneration on geothermal soils, this study further demonstrates a novel approach to global warming experiments, which could be particularly useful in low heat flow geothermal systems that more realistically mimic soil warming.
Highlights
Soil temperature plays an important role in many of the abiotic and biotic processes that are integral to plant growth (Oelke and Zhang, 2004), above and below ground biomass (Abramoff and Finzi, 2014; Munir et al, 2015), plant productivity (Luo et al, 2009), nutrient uptake (Rustad et al, 2001), and diversity and distribution (Bond-Lamberty et al, 2006; Temperature Effects on Vegetation in a Geothermal AreaPickering and Green, 2009; Djebou and Singh, 2015)
The average global surface temperature increased by 0.74◦C from 1906 to 2005 (IPCC, 2007) and most models predict a rise in global surface temperature of at least 1.5–2.0◦C by the end of this century (IPCC, 2013)
The increase in the surface temperature during the past century has contributed to changes in vegetation phenology, species ranges, and community composition (Walther, 2010; Villarreal and Jesus, 2012) and the projected global temperature increase will generally result in an increase in near-surface soil temperatures (Chapin and Körner, 1995; Oechel et al, 1995; Claussen et al, 1999; Betts, 2001; ACIA, 2005; Hinzman et al, 2005), affecting soil conditions (Rixen et al, 2008; Okkonen and Kløve, 2010) and vegetation structure, composition, and growth
Summary
Soil temperature plays an important role in many of the abiotic and biotic processes that are integral to plant growth (Oelke and Zhang, 2004), above and below ground biomass (Abramoff and Finzi, 2014; Munir et al, 2015), plant productivity (Luo et al, 2009), nutrient uptake (Rustad et al, 2001), and diversity and distribution (Bond-Lamberty et al, 2006; Temperature Effects on Vegetation in a Geothermal AreaPickering and Green, 2009; Djebou and Singh, 2015). Soil temperature influences soil moisture levels and microbial function and productivity (Lukewille and Wright, 1997; Pregitzer and King, 2005). It is generally found, based on field observations (Lapenis et al, 2014) and remotely-sensed data (Shen et al, 2014), that soil temperature levels vary widely across landscapes based on elevation (Balisky and Burton, 1995; Clinton, 2003) and climate (Kang et al, 2000). The increase in the surface temperature during the past century has contributed to changes in vegetation phenology, species ranges, and community composition (Walther, 2010; Villarreal and Jesus, 2012) and the projected global temperature increase will generally result in an increase in near-surface soil temperatures (Chapin and Körner, 1995; Oechel et al, 1995; Claussen et al, 1999; Betts, 2001; ACIA, 2005; Hinzman et al, 2005), affecting soil conditions (Rixen et al, 2008; Okkonen and Kløve, 2010) and vegetation structure, composition, and growth
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