Multiple constraints cause positive and negative feedbacks limiting grassland soil CO2 efflux under CO2 enrichment

Authors: Fay PA, D Hui, RB Jackson, HP Collins, LG Reichmann, MJ Aspinall, VL Jin, AR Khasanova, RW Heckman, HW Polley

Abstract

Terrestrial ecosystems are increasingly enriched with resources such as atmospheric CO2 that limit ecosystem processes. The consequences for ecosystem carbon cycling depend on the feedbacks from other limiting resources and plant community change, which remain poorly understood for soil CO2 efflux, JCO2, a primary carbon flux from the biosphere to the atmosphere. We applied a unique CO2 enrichment gradient (250 to 500 µL L-1) for eight years to grassland plant communities on soils from different landscape positions. We identified the trajectory of JCO2 responses and feedbacks from other resources, plant diversity [effective species richness, exp(H)], and community change (plant species turnover). We found linear increases in JCO2 on an alluvial sandy loam and a lowland clay soil, and an asymptotic increase on an upland silty clay soil. Structural equation modeling identified CO2 as the dominant limitation on JCO2 on the clay soil. In contrast with theory predicting limitation from a single limiting factor, the linear JCO2 response on the sandy loam was reinforced by positive feedbacks from aboveground net primary productivity and exp(H), while the asymptotic JCO2 response on the silty clay arose from a net negative feedback among exp(H), species turnover, and soil water potential. These findings support a multiple resource limitation view of the effects of global change drivers on grassland ecosystem carbon cycling and highlight a crucial role for positive or negative feedbacks between limiting resources and plant community structure. Incorporating these feedbacks will improve models of terrestrial carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.

Significance

Understanding ecosystem carbon-cycling responses to atmospheric CO2 enrichment is critical to preserve biodiversity and maintain vital ecosystem services in grasslands impacted by global change. We conducted an 8-y experiment enriching CO2 concentrations from preindustrial to midtwenty-first century levels on grassland plant communities on upland, lowland, and alluvial soils. CO2 enrichment increased the CO2 efflux from soils to atmosphere in amounts depending on whether the dominant limitation was CO2 or feedbacks (net positive or negative) from soil moisture and plant species turnover. These findings highlight how multiple concurrent limitations, not single limitations in sequence, regulate the impacts of global change drivers in diverse grasslands. Incorporating multiple limitations will improve forecasts of terrestrial carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.