TY - JOUR

T1 - Seasonal and Elevational Variability in Dwarf Birch VOC Emissions in Greenlandic Tundra

AU - Rieksta, Jolanta

AU - Li, Tao

AU - Davie-Martin, Cleo L.

AU - Simin, Tihomir

AU - Brogaard Aeppli, Laurids Christian

AU - Høye, Toke Thomas

AU - Rasmussen, Morten Arendt

AU - Rinnan, Riikka

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023. The Authors.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Rising temperatures amplify biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from Arctic vegetation, causing feedbacks to the climate system. Changes in climate also alter plant physiology and vegetation composition, all of which can influence VOC emissions. Moreover, leaf development and biotic stresses cause highly variable emissions during the growing season. Therefore, linking VOC emissions with plant traits and tracking responses to climate change might provide better understanding of VOC emission regulation under future conditions. We measured VOC emissions and other plant traits in dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) at two elevations in Narsarsuaq, South Greenland. The measurements were performed in warming experiments that have run since 2016. We collected VOCs using the branch enclosure method from early June until late July 2019 (n = 200). Emissions of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), oxygenated monoterpenes (oMTs), and homoterpenes followed a seasonal trend. VOC emission rates and the diversity of the VOC blend decreased at the end of the measurement period. Differences in VOC emission rates between elevations were pronounced early in the season. Majority of the traits did not explain the variation in VOC emissions. We show strong seasonal variability in VOC emissions within the growing season, which is likely driven by leaf phenology. While the diversity of VOCs was greater at the milder low-elevation site, VOC emission rates were higher or similar at the harsher high-elevation site, showing stronger VOC emission potentials than previously assumed. Seasonal variations in the emissions of VOCs are crucial for accurate predictions of current and future VOC emissions from arctic ecosystems.

AB - Rising temperatures amplify biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from Arctic vegetation, causing feedbacks to the climate system. Changes in climate also alter plant physiology and vegetation composition, all of which can influence VOC emissions. Moreover, leaf development and biotic stresses cause highly variable emissions during the growing season. Therefore, linking VOC emissions with plant traits and tracking responses to climate change might provide better understanding of VOC emission regulation under future conditions. We measured VOC emissions and other plant traits in dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) at two elevations in Narsarsuaq, South Greenland. The measurements were performed in warming experiments that have run since 2016. We collected VOCs using the branch enclosure method from early June until late July 2019 (n = 200). Emissions of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), oxygenated monoterpenes (oMTs), and homoterpenes followed a seasonal trend. VOC emission rates and the diversity of the VOC blend decreased at the end of the measurement period. Differences in VOC emission rates between elevations were pronounced early in the season. Majority of the traits did not explain the variation in VOC emissions. We show strong seasonal variability in VOC emissions within the growing season, which is likely driven by leaf phenology. While the diversity of VOCs was greater at the milder low-elevation site, VOC emission rates were higher or similar at the harsher high-elevation site, showing stronger VOC emission potentials than previously assumed. Seasonal variations in the emissions of VOCs are crucial for accurate predictions of current and future VOC emissions from arctic ecosystems.

KW - climate change

KW - dwarf birch

KW - plant traits

KW - seasonal variation

KW - tundra

KW - volatile organic compounds

U2 - 10.1029/2023JG007475

DO - 10.1029/2023JG007475

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85175873052

VL - 128

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth

SN - 0148-0227

IS - 11

M1 - e2023JG007475

ER -