Microbial ecoenzyme stoichiometry, nutrient limitation, and organic matter decomposition in wetlands of the conterminous United States
Citation:
Hill, B., C. Elonen, A. T. HERLIHY, T. M. JICHA, AND G. SERENBETZ. Microbial ecoenzyme stoichiometry, nutrient limitation, and organic matter decomposition in wetlands of the conterminous United States. Wetlands Ecology and Management. Springer Science and Business Media B.V;Formerly Kluwer Academic Publishers B.V., , Germany, 26:425-439, (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-017-9584-5
Impact/Purpose:
• We analyzed microbial respiration and ecoenzyme activities related to microbial carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur acquisition in more than 900 freshwater and estuarine wetlands across the continental US as part of the US EPA Office of Water’s 2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment. • Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry was used to construct models for nutrient limitation, carbon use efficiency and decomposition. • Soil C, N and P turnover times were estimated from soils stocks of elements and organic matter decomposition rates. • Microbial respiration and ecoenzyme activity were strongly correlated among themselves, and with mean annual temperature, catchment land cover, and with water and soil chemistry. • Microbial nutrient limitation, carbon use efficiency, decomposition rates, and soil C, N and P turnover times were correlated with mean annual precipitation and C, N and P chemistry of the water and soil. • Microbial respiration, ecoenzymatic activity and stoichiometry, organic matter decomposition, and soil C, N and P turnover times were responsive to environmental gradients related to climate change.
Description:
We analyzed microbial respiration and ecoenzyme activities related to microbial carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur acquisition in more than 900 freshwater and estuarine wetlands across the continental US as part of the US EPA Office of Water’s 2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry was used to construct models for nutrient limitation, carbon use efficiency and decomposition. Soil C, N and P turnover times were estimated from soils stocks of elements and organic matter decomposition rates. The wetlands were classified into 10 ecoregion-vegetation classes: herbaceous or wooded Palustrine wetlands in the Coastal Plains; Eastern Mountains and Upper Midwest; Interior Plains; and Western regions, or into emergent or scrub-shrub estuaries. The wetlands and their catchments represented gradients in mean annual precipitation and temperature, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, water and sediment chemistry (C, N, and P) and catchment land cover (% forest, % row crop agriculture, % developed) against which microbial respiration, ecoenzyme activity and stoichiometry, and related metrics were compared. Microbial respiration and ecoenzyme activity were strongly correlated among themselves, and with mean annual temperature, catchment land cover, and with water and soil chemistry. Microbial nutrient limitation, carbon use efficiency, decomposition rates, and soil C, N and P turnover times were correlated with mean annual precipitation and C, N and P chemistry of the water and soil. There were significant ecoregion-vegetation class, condition class, and interaction effects in the unbalanced, nested analysis of variance of the physico-chemical and microbial variables, but no consistent patterns emerged from these analyses. Microbial respiration, ecoenzymatic activity and stoichiometry, organic matter decomposition, and soil C, N and P turnover times were responsive to carbon and nutrient availability, and to catchment land cover and mean annual temperature and precipitation, suggesting their usefulness in assessing regional scale wetland ecological function and their responses to climate change.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Microbial ecoenzyme stoichiometry, nutrient limitation, and organic matter decomposition in wetlands of the conterminous United States