Immediate and prolonged effects of snow coverage alteration on soil carbon dynamics and microbial activity: A meta-analysis
Year: 2024
Type: review
Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
Abstract: • Snow coverage alteration has immediate and carry-over impacts on soil C pools. • Snow removal enhances DOC and TOC in spring. • Snow addition enhances soil respiration immediately and in the following summer. • The response of microbial biomass to snow addition was affected by ecosystem type. • Relative change in snow depth determines the extent of snow treatment impacts. Snow distribution has been altered over the past decades under global warming, with a significant reduction in duration and extent of snow cover and an increase in unprecedented snowstorms across large areas in cold regions. The altered snow conditions are likely to have immediate (in winter) and carry-over or legacy (which an extended effect might continue in the following spring, summer and autumn) impacts on soil processes and functioning, but a quantification of the legacy effect of snow coverage alternation is still lacking. Furthermore, studies investigating the effect of snow cover changes on soil respiration, soil carbon pools and microbial activity are increasing, but contrasting results of different studies makes it difficult to assess the overall effect of snow cover changes and the underlying mechanisms, thus a systematic and comprehensive meta -analysis is required. In this study, we synthesized the results from 60 papers based on field snow manipulation experiments and conducted a meta -analysis to evaluate immediate and prolonged effects on eight variables related to soil carbon dynamics and microbial activity to snow coverage alternation. Results showed that snow removal had no significant effect on soil respiration, but increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (11.5%) and fungal abundance (32.0%). By contrast, snow addition significantly increased soil respiration (16.3%) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) (6.6%). Snow addition had immediate and prolonged impacts on soil carbon dynamics and microbial activity lasting from winter to the following autumn, whereas an effect of snow removal on total organic carbon (TOC) and DOC was detectable only in the following spring. Snow depth, ecosystem and soil types determined the extent of the impact of snow treatments on soil respiration, DOC, MBC and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). Our findings provide critical insights into understanding how changes in snow coverage affect soil respiration and microbial activity. We suggest future field-based experiments to enhance our understanding the effect of climate change on soil processes and functioning in the winter and the following seasons.
Source: Geoderma
Authors: Jia Hua, Qiaoqi Sun, Petra Marschner
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Climate action, Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,990
OpenAlex ID: W4402531691