"Warming and Nitrogen Enrichment Lead to Surprising Soil Carbon Dynamics"

"New England’s forests are confronting multiple environmental challenges, including historically high rates of atmospheric nitrogen deposits and rising temperatures due to climate change. And while scientists have studied these two variables independent of each other, identifying how rising temperatures leads to carbon loss in our Northeastern forests and increased nitrogen deposits results in carbon buildup, few studies have examined the dual effects of both – until now. A research team from the University of New Hampshire used data from a 16-year study at the Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site in Massachusetts and found that when soil warming temperatures and increases in soil nitrogen levels were combined, soil carbon storage remained stable due to underground plant inputs from roots. These results challenge conclusions from single-factor studies and suggest that the loss of soil carbon in Northeastern forests impacted by climate change may be lower than previously predicted." read more