Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges

Gustaf Granath; Håkan Rydin; Jennifer L. Baltzer; Fia Bengtsson; Nicholas Boncek; Luca Bragazza; Zhao Jun Bu; Simon J.M. Caporn; Ellen Dorrepaal; Olga Galanina; Mariusz GaÅka; Anna Ganeva; David P. Gillikin; Irina Goia; Nadezhda Goncharova; Michal Hájek; Akira Haraguchi; Lorna I. Harris; Elyn Humphreys; Martin Jiroušek; Katarzyna KajukaÅo; Edgar Karofeld; Natalia G. Koronatova; Natalia P. Kosykh; Mariusz Lamentowicz; Elena Lapshina; Juul Limpens; Maiju Linkosalmi; Jin Ze Ma; Marguerite Mauritz; Tariq M. Munir; Susan M. Natali; Rayna Natcheva; Maria Noskova; Richard J. Payne; Kyle Pilkington; Sean Robinson; Bjorn J.M. Robroek; Line Rochefort; David Singer; Hans K. Stenøien; Eeva Stiina Tuittila; Kai Vellak; Anouk Verheyden; James Michael Waddington; Steven K. Rice

doi:10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018

Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges

Gustaf Granath^*, Håkan Rydin, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Fia Bengtsson, Nicholas Boncek, Luca Bragazza, Zhao Jun Bu, Simon J.M. Caporn, Ellen Dorrepaal, Olga Galanina, Mariusz GaÅka, Anna Ganeva, David P. Gillikin, Irina Goia, Nadezhda Goncharova, Michal Hájek, Akira Haraguchi, Lorna I. Harris, Elyn Humphreys, Martin JiroušekKatarzyna KajukaÅo, Edgar Karofeld, Natalia G. Koronatova, Natalia P. Kosykh, Mariusz Lamentowicz, Elena Lapshina, Juul Limpens, Maiju Linkosalmi, Jin Ze Ma, Marguerite Mauritz, Tariq M. Munir, Susan M. Natali, Rayna Natcheva, Maria Noskova, Richard J. Payne, Kyle Pilkington, Sean Robinson, Bjorn J.M. Robroek, Line Rochefort, David Singer, Hans K. Stenøien, Eeva Stiina Tuittila, Kai Vellak, Anouk Verheyden, James Michael Waddington, Steven K. Rice

^*Corresponding author for this work

Environment and Geography

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Rain-fed peatlands are dominated by peat mosses (Sphagnum sp.), which for their growth depend on nutrients, water and CO₂ uptake from the atmosphere. As the isotopic composition of carbon (12,13C) and oxygen (16,18O) of these Sphagnum mosses are affected by environmental conditions, Sphagnum tissue accumulated in peat constitutes a potential long-term archive that can be used for climate reconstruction. However, there is inadequate understanding of how isotope values are influenced by environmental conditions, which restricts their current use as environmental and palaeoenvironmental indicators. Here we tested (i) to what extent C and O isotopic variation in living tissue of Sphagnum is species-specific and associated with local hydrological gradients, climatic gradients (evapotranspiration, temperature, precipitation) and elevation; (ii) whether the C isotopic signature can be a proxy for net primary productivity (NPP) of Sphagnum; and (iii) to what extent Sphagnum tissue δ¹⁸O tracks the δ¹⁸O isotope signature of precipitation. In total, we analysed 337 samples from 93 sites across North America and Eurasia using two important peat-forming Sphagnum species (S. magellanicum, S. fuscum) common to the Holarctic realm. There were differences in δ¹³C values between species. For S. magellanicum δ¹³C decreased with increasing height above the water table (HWT, R² =17%) and was positively correlated to productivity (R² = 7%). Together these two variables explained 46% of the between-site variation in δ¹³C values. For S. fuscum, productivity was the only significant predictor of δ¹³C but had low explanatory power (total R² = 6%). For δ¹⁸O values, approximately 90% of the variation was found between sites. Globally modelled annual δ¹⁸O values in precipitation explained 69% of the between-site variation in tissue δ¹⁸O. S. magellanicum showed lower δ¹⁸O enrichment than S. fuscum (-0.83 ‰ lower). Elevation and climatic variables were weak predictors of tissue δ¹⁸O values after controlling for δ¹⁸O values of the precipitation. To summarize, our study provides evidence for (a) good predictability of tissue δ¹⁸O values from modelled annual δ¹⁸O values in precipitation, and (b) the possibility of relating tissue δ¹³C values to HWT and NPP, but this appears to be species-dependent. These results suggest that isotope composition can be used on a large scale for climatic reconstructions but that such models should be species-specific.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5189-5202
Number of pages	14
Journal	Biogeosciences
Volume	15
Issue number	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018
Publication status	Published - 29 Aug 2018

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018

bg-15-5189-2018
© Author(s) 2018
Final published version, 3.32 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Granath, G., Rydin, H., Baltzer, J. L., Bengtsson, F., Boncek, N., Bragazza, L., Bu, Z. J., Caporn, S. J. M., Dorrepaal, E., Galanina, O., GaÅka, M., Ganeva, A., Gillikin, D. P., Goia, I., Goncharova, N., Hájek, M., Haraguchi, A., Harris, L. I., Humphreys, E., ... Rice, S. K. (2018). Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges. Biogeosciences, 15(16), 5189-5202. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018

@article{d8e1bb4414b7406cbef9a395600cf2fe,

title = "Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges",

abstract = "Rain-fed peatlands are dominated by peat mosses (Sphagnum sp.), which for their growth depend on nutrients, water and CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. As the isotopic composition of carbon (12,13C) and oxygen (16,18O) of these Sphagnum mosses are affected by environmental conditions, Sphagnum tissue accumulated in peat constitutes a potential long-term archive that can be used for climate reconstruction. However, there is inadequate understanding of how isotope values are influenced by environmental conditions, which restricts their current use as environmental and palaeoenvironmental indicators. Here we tested (i) to what extent C and O isotopic variation in living tissue of Sphagnum is species-specific and associated with local hydrological gradients, climatic gradients (evapotranspiration, temperature, precipitation) and elevation; (ii) whether the C isotopic signature can be a proxy for net primary productivity (NPP) of Sphagnum; and (iii) to what extent Sphagnum tissue δ18O tracks the δ18O isotope signature of precipitation. In total, we analysed 337 samples from 93 sites across North America and Eurasia using two important peat-forming Sphagnum species (S. magellanicum, S. fuscum) common to the Holarctic realm. There were differences in δ13C values between species. For S. magellanicum δ13C decreased with increasing height above the water table (HWT, R2 =17%) and was positively correlated to productivity (R2 = 7%). Together these two variables explained 46% of the between-site variation in δ13C values. For S. fuscum, productivity was the only significant predictor of δ13C but had low explanatory power (total R2 = 6%). For δ18O values, approximately 90% of the variation was found between sites. Globally modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation explained 69% of the between-site variation in tissue δ18O. S. magellanicum showed lower δ18O enrichment than S. fuscum (-0.83 ‰ lower). Elevation and climatic variables were weak predictors of tissue δ18O values after controlling for δ18O values of the precipitation. To summarize, our study provides evidence for (a) good predictability of tissue δ18O values from modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation, and (b) the possibility of relating tissue δ13C values to HWT and NPP, but this appears to be species-dependent. These results suggest that isotope composition can be used on a large scale for climatic reconstructions but that such models should be species-specific.",

author = "Gustaf Granath and H{\aa}kan Rydin and Baltzer, {Jennifer L.} and Fia Bengtsson and Nicholas Boncek and Luca Bragazza and Bu, {Zhao Jun} and Caporn, {Simon J.M.} and Ellen Dorrepaal and Olga Galanina and Mariusz Ga{\AA}ka and Anna Ganeva and Gillikin, {David P.} and Irina Goia and Nadezhda Goncharova and Michal H{\'a}jek and Akira Haraguchi and Harris, {Lorna I.} and Elyn Humphreys and Martin Jirou{\v s}ek and Katarzyna Kajuka{\AA}o and Edgar Karofeld and Koronatova, {Natalia G.} and Kosykh, {Natalia P.} and Mariusz Lamentowicz and Elena Lapshina and Juul Limpens and Maiju Linkosalmi and Ma, {Jin Ze} and Marguerite Mauritz and Munir, {Tariq M.} and Natali, {Susan M.} and Rayna Natcheva and Maria Noskova and Payne, {Richard J.} and Kyle Pilkington and Sean Robinson and Robroek, {Bjorn J.M.} and Line Rochefort and David Singer and Sten{\o}ien, {Hans K.} and Tuittila, {Eeva Stiina} and Kai Vellak and Anouk Verheyden and {Michael Waddington}, James and Rice, {Steven K.}",

note = "{\textcopyright} Author(s) 2018",

year = "2018",

month = aug,

day = "29",

doi = "10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

pages = "5189--5202",

journal = "Biogeosciences",

issn = "1726-4170",

publisher = "European Geosciences Union",

number = "16",

}

Granath, G, Rydin, H, Baltzer, JL, Bengtsson, F, Boncek, N, Bragazza, L, Bu, ZJ, Caporn, SJM, Dorrepaal, E, Galanina, O, GaÅka, M, Ganeva, A, Gillikin, DP, Goia, I, Goncharova, N, Hájek, M, Haraguchi, A, Harris, LI, Humphreys, E, Jiroušek, M, KajukaÅo, K, Karofeld, E, Koronatova, NG, Kosykh, NP, Lamentowicz, M, Lapshina, E, Limpens, J, Linkosalmi, M, Ma, JZ, Mauritz, M, Munir, TM, Natali, SM, Natcheva, R, Noskova, M, Payne, RJ, Pilkington, K, Robinson, S, Robroek, BJM, Rochefort, L, Singer, D, Stenøien, HK, Tuittila, ES, Vellak, K, Verheyden, A, Michael Waddington, J & Rice, SK 2018, 'Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges', Biogeosciences, vol. 15, no. 16, pp. 5189-5202. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018

TY - JOUR

T1 - Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges

AU - Granath, Gustaf

AU - Rydin, Håkan

AU - Baltzer, Jennifer L.

AU - Bengtsson, Fia

AU - Boncek, Nicholas

AU - Bragazza, Luca

AU - Bu, Zhao Jun

AU - Caporn, Simon J.M.

AU - Dorrepaal, Ellen

AU - Galanina, Olga

AU - GaÅka, Mariusz

AU - Ganeva, Anna

AU - Gillikin, David P.

AU - Goia, Irina

AU - Goncharova, Nadezhda

AU - Hájek, Michal

AU - Haraguchi, Akira

AU - Harris, Lorna I.

AU - Humphreys, Elyn

AU - Jiroušek, Martin

AU - KajukaÅo, Katarzyna

AU - Karofeld, Edgar

AU - Koronatova, Natalia G.

AU - Kosykh, Natalia P.

AU - Lamentowicz, Mariusz

AU - Lapshina, Elena

AU - Limpens, Juul

AU - Linkosalmi, Maiju

AU - Ma, Jin Ze

AU - Mauritz, Marguerite

AU - Munir, Tariq M.

AU - Natali, Susan M.

AU - Natcheva, Rayna

AU - Noskova, Maria

AU - Payne, Richard J.

AU - Pilkington, Kyle

AU - Robinson, Sean

AU - Robroek, Bjorn J.M.

AU - Rochefort, Line

AU - Singer, David

AU - Stenøien, Hans K.

AU - Tuittila, Eeva Stiina

AU - Vellak, Kai

AU - Verheyden, Anouk

AU - Michael Waddington, James

AU - Rice, Steven K.

PY - 2018/8/29

Y1 - 2018/8/29

N2 - Rain-fed peatlands are dominated by peat mosses (Sphagnum sp.), which for their growth depend on nutrients, water and CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. As the isotopic composition of carbon (12,13C) and oxygen (16,18O) of these Sphagnum mosses are affected by environmental conditions, Sphagnum tissue accumulated in peat constitutes a potential long-term archive that can be used for climate reconstruction. However, there is inadequate understanding of how isotope values are influenced by environmental conditions, which restricts their current use as environmental and palaeoenvironmental indicators. Here we tested (i) to what extent C and O isotopic variation in living tissue of Sphagnum is species-specific and associated with local hydrological gradients, climatic gradients (evapotranspiration, temperature, precipitation) and elevation; (ii) whether the C isotopic signature can be a proxy for net primary productivity (NPP) of Sphagnum; and (iii) to what extent Sphagnum tissue δ18O tracks the δ18O isotope signature of precipitation. In total, we analysed 337 samples from 93 sites across North America and Eurasia using two important peat-forming Sphagnum species (S. magellanicum, S. fuscum) common to the Holarctic realm. There were differences in δ13C values between species. For S. magellanicum δ13C decreased with increasing height above the water table (HWT, R2 =17%) and was positively correlated to productivity (R2 = 7%). Together these two variables explained 46% of the between-site variation in δ13C values. For S. fuscum, productivity was the only significant predictor of δ13C but had low explanatory power (total R2 = 6%). For δ18O values, approximately 90% of the variation was found between sites. Globally modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation explained 69% of the between-site variation in tissue δ18O. S. magellanicum showed lower δ18O enrichment than S. fuscum (-0.83 ‰ lower). Elevation and climatic variables were weak predictors of tissue δ18O values after controlling for δ18O values of the precipitation. To summarize, our study provides evidence for (a) good predictability of tissue δ18O values from modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation, and (b) the possibility of relating tissue δ13C values to HWT and NPP, but this appears to be species-dependent. These results suggest that isotope composition can be used on a large scale for climatic reconstructions but that such models should be species-specific.

AB - Rain-fed peatlands are dominated by peat mosses (Sphagnum sp.), which for their growth depend on nutrients, water and CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. As the isotopic composition of carbon (12,13C) and oxygen (16,18O) of these Sphagnum mosses are affected by environmental conditions, Sphagnum tissue accumulated in peat constitutes a potential long-term archive that can be used for climate reconstruction. However, there is inadequate understanding of how isotope values are influenced by environmental conditions, which restricts their current use as environmental and palaeoenvironmental indicators. Here we tested (i) to what extent C and O isotopic variation in living tissue of Sphagnum is species-specific and associated with local hydrological gradients, climatic gradients (evapotranspiration, temperature, precipitation) and elevation; (ii) whether the C isotopic signature can be a proxy for net primary productivity (NPP) of Sphagnum; and (iii) to what extent Sphagnum tissue δ18O tracks the δ18O isotope signature of precipitation. In total, we analysed 337 samples from 93 sites across North America and Eurasia using two important peat-forming Sphagnum species (S. magellanicum, S. fuscum) common to the Holarctic realm. There were differences in δ13C values between species. For S. magellanicum δ13C decreased with increasing height above the water table (HWT, R2 =17%) and was positively correlated to productivity (R2 = 7%). Together these two variables explained 46% of the between-site variation in δ13C values. For S. fuscum, productivity was the only significant predictor of δ13C but had low explanatory power (total R2 = 6%). For δ18O values, approximately 90% of the variation was found between sites. Globally modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation explained 69% of the between-site variation in tissue δ18O. S. magellanicum showed lower δ18O enrichment than S. fuscum (-0.83 ‰ lower). Elevation and climatic variables were weak predictors of tissue δ18O values after controlling for δ18O values of the precipitation. To summarize, our study provides evidence for (a) good predictability of tissue δ18O values from modelled annual δ18O values in precipitation, and (b) the possibility of relating tissue δ13C values to HWT and NPP, but this appears to be species-dependent. These results suggest that isotope composition can be used on a large scale for climatic reconstructions but that such models should be species-specific.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052703996&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018

DO - 10.5194/bg-15-5189-2018

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85052703996

SN - 1726-4170

VL - 15

SP - 5189

EP - 5202

JO - Biogeosciences

JF - Biogeosciences

IS - 16

ER -

Environmental and taxonomic controls of carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition in Sphagnum across broad climatic and geographic ranges

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this