Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 8:40 AM

OOS 25-3: Understanding belowground processes in a multifactor world: Interactive effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide, temperature, and soil moisture

Aimee T. Classen1, Charles T. Garten Jr.1, Richard J. Norby1, and Jake F. Weltzin2. (1) Oak Ridge National Laboratory, (2) University Of Tennessee

Rising atmospheric temperatures may alter ecosystem nutrient processes, but the effects are likely moderated by rising atmospheric [CO2] and changes in precipitation regimes. We used an ongoing (4 years), multifactor (ambient or elevated [CO2], ambient or elevated temperature, and moist or dry soil), experiment in a constructed oldfield plant community (including C3 and C4 grasses, forbs, and legumes) to better understand how interactions among global change factors alter soil nutrient cycling. Symbiotic N-fixation, potential soil N-mineralization, soil nutrient availability, and soil enzyme activities were measured during the 2005 and or 2006 growing season. After four years, the OCCAM (Old-field Community, Climate and Atmospheric Manipulation) project has resulted in three main results with respect to soil nutrient cycling: 1) symbiotic N2-fixation was an important process in the N budget of the constructed old-fields and contributed 44 to 51% of the aboveground community N stocks, but there were no detectable effects of elevated [CO2], temperature, or soil moisture on symbiotic N2-fixation by legumes; 2) there were also no treatment effects on potential soil nitrogen mineralization after 60 days or monthly soil nutrient availability over two years; 3) there was, however, a significant interaction between temperature and moisture on total soil microbial enzyme activity. In this ecosystem, changes in species composition over time may have a larger effect on soil nutrient cycling than the response of the microbial community to changes in [CO2], temperature, or soil water availability.