Steven F. Oberbauer

Soil respiration of Alaskan tundra at elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations

SummaryCO2 efflux from tussock tundra in Alaska that had been exposed to elevated CO2 for 2.5 growing seasons was measured to assess the effect of long- and short-term CO2 enrichment on soil respiration. Long-term treatments were: 348, 514, and 683 μll−1 CO2 and 680 μll−1 CO2+4°C above ambient. Measurements were made at 5 CO2 concentrations between 87 and 680 μll−1 CO2. Neither long- or short-term CO2 enrichment significantly affected soil CO2 efflux. Tundra developed at elevated temperature and 680 μll−1 CO2 had slightly higher, but not statistically different, mean respiration rates compared to untreated tundra and to tundra under CO2 control alone.