Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/P009670/1
Unravelling the roles of key blanket bog soil biota for carbon and water related ecosystem services, climate responses and management implications
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr A Heinemeyer, University of York, Stockholm Environment Institute
- Grant held at:
- University of York, Stockholm Environment Institute
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Freshwater
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- Soil science
- Climate & Climate Change
- Ecosystem impacts
- Conservation Ecology
- Microorganisms
- Mycorrhizal fungi
- Ecosystem services
- Ecosystem Scale Processes
- Abstract:
- Many British Blanket bogs have traditionally been managed by rotational burning to rejuvenate heather for grouse and sheep grazing. However, this management increases heather cover whilst decreasing typical "active" (i.e. C accumulating) bog vegetation such as Sphagnum moss and sedges and may adversely affect other key ecosystem services (ES), such as water storage and quality, and climate regulation via decomposition, carbon (C) storage, C fluxes and greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, heather has been linked to altered hydrology (drying of peat) and C and N cycling, potentially via plant mediated soil processes via its symbiotic ericoid mycorrhizal fungi contrasting with non-mycorrhizal plants such as sedges. Ericoid mycorrhizas have saprotrophic properties, breaking down recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM) and may enhance or "prime" microbial SOM turnover. This in turn could be a crucial link to decomposition and water colour (via dissolved organic C, DOC). Moreover, >80% of UK blanket bogs are in a degraded state and are further threatened by climate change. Under a future warmer and dryer summer climate, the role of vegetation composition and associated key decomposer organisms (i.e. mycorrhizas) could become crucial in defining resilience of such ecosystems (e.g. against drought) and in predicting climate change and vegetation impacts on ES. This project builds on a Defra-funded (2012-2017), fully replicated and paired sub-catchment study (http://peatland-es-uk.york.ac.uk/) designed on realistic spatial and temporal scales to assess management effects on blanket bog vegetation and key ES of relevance to real world problems. Understanding the links between soil biota mediated processes, management, vegetation dynamics and climate will enable more effective restoration and ES focused management of blanket bog. Objectives: determine the potential impacts of management and climate on the delivery of blanket bog ES via key functional plant and associated soil decomposition biota, affecting C storage, GHG fluxes and water quality through combining in situ monitoring with laboratory manipulation of field samples and translate insights into end-user relevant evidence, habitat surveys and monitoring schemes (e.g. partner Natural England). Novelty: to establish the mechanistic basis of bog management on delivery of ES via the plant-soil system. We will combine state-of-the art meta-genomics with high resolution C flux measurements and water quality analyses, together with 13C labelling, 14C dating (NERC facility) of C fluxes and DOC to detect C export as well as loss via "priming" of older, recalcitrant C. Project: Environmental sensors and analytical data from the Defra study are available, and will be combined with complementary sites in laboratory manipulations and incubation studies (drought and temperature) in addition to continuing related field trials (mown vs. burnt vs. uncut control areas) and monitoring aspects (C fluxes and water quality). The student will test whether observed site and management differences in vegetation composition, C budgets and fluxes relate to previously unstudied changes in soil biota and processes. Specifically, the role of ericoid mycorrhizas in decomposition or SOM stabilization is still largely unknown but a wide range of enzymatic capacity of the fungal symbiont suggests it could increase decomposition and the vulnerability of assumed inert SOM with impacts on ES, particularly water quality. However, selective decomposition and nutrient uptake could also lead to stabilization via > C/N & C/P ratios. We will combine the latest molecular tools with C flux measurements and water quality analyses for both in situ measurements andlaboratory manipulation studies, and use stable isotope tracers (13C) and radiocarbon (14C) of soil C to detect mycorrhizal decomposition and "priming" (enhanced turnover) of older and assumed inert soil C and DOC production and composition (water quality).
- NERC Reference:
- NE/P009670/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- DTG - directed
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Industrial CASE
This training grant award has a total value of £88,292
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Fees | Total - Student Stipend | Total - RTSG |
|---|---|---|
| £17,296 | £59,998 | £11,000 |
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