Doubled volatile organic compound emissions from subarctic tundra under simulated climate warming

High temperature sensitivity of Arctic isoprene emissions explained by sedges

It has been widely reported that isoprene emissions from the Arctic ecosystem have a strong temperature response. Here we identify sedges (Carex spp. and Eriophorum spp.) as key contributors to this high sensitivity using plant chamber experiments. We observe that sedges exhibit a markedly stronger temperature response compared to that of other isoprene emitters and predictions by the widely accepted isoprene emission model, the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN). MEGAN is able to reproduce eddy-covariance flux observations at three high-latitude sites by integrating our findings. Furthermore, the omission of the strong temperature responses of Arctic isoprene emitters causes a 20% underestimation of isoprene emissions for the high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere during 2000-2009 in the Community Land Model with the MEGAN scheme. We also find that the existing model had underestimated the long-term trend of isoprene emissions from 1960 to 2009 by 55% for the high-latitude regions.

Dynamic environmental interactions shaped by vegetative plant volatiles

Covering: up to November 2022Plants shape terrestrial ecosystems through physical and chemical interactions. Plant-derived volatile organic compounds in particular influence the behavior and performance of other organisms. In this review, we discuss how vegetative plant volatiles derived from leaves, stems and roots are produced and released into the environment, how their production and release is modified by abiotic and biotic factors, and how they influence other organisms. Vegetative plant volatiles are derived from different biosynthesis and degradation pathways and are released via distinct routes. Both biosynthesis and release are regulated by other organisms as well as abiotic factors. In turn, vegetative plant volatiles modify the physiology and the behavior of a wide range of organisms, from microbes to mammals. Several concepts and frameworks can help to explain and predict the evolution and ecology of vegetative plant volatile emission patterns of specific pathways: multifunctionality of specialized metabolites, chemical communication displays and the information arms race, and volatile physiochemistry. We discuss how these frameworks can be leveraged to understand the evolution and expression patterns of vegetative plant volatiles. The multifaceted roles of vegetative plant volatiles provide fertile grounds to understand ecosystem dynamics and harness their power for sustainable agriculture.

Volatile responses of dwarf birch to mimicked insect herbivory and experimental warming at two elevations in Greenlandic tundra

Plants release a complex blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in response to stressors. VOC emissions vary between contrasting environments and increase with insect herbivory and rising temperatures. However, the joint effects of herbivory and warming on plant VOC emissions are understudied, particularly in high latitudes, which are warming fast and facing increasing herbivore pressure. We assessed the individual and combined effects of chemically mimicked insect herbivory, warming, and elevation on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) VOC emissions in high-latitude tundra ecosystems in Narsarsuaq, South Greenland. We hypothesized that VOC emissions and compositions would respond synergistically to warming and herbivory, with the magnitude differing between elevations. Warming increased emissions of green leaf volatiles (GLVs) and isoprene. Herbivory increased the homoterpene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, emissions, and the response was stronger at high elevation. Warming and herbivory had synergistic effects on GLV emissions. Dwarf birch emitted VOCs at similar rates at both elevations, but the VOC blends differed between elevations. Several herbivory-associated VOC groups did not respond to herbivory. Harsher abiotic conditions at high elevations might not limit VOC emissions from dwarf birch, and high-elevation plants might be better at herbivory defense than assumed. The complexity of VOC responses to experimental warming, elevation, and herbivory are challenging our understanding and predictions of future VOC emissions from dwarf birch-dominated ecosystems.

Atmospheric biogenic volatile organic compounds in the Alaskan Arctic tundra: constraints from measurements at Toolik Field Station

The Arctic is a climatically sensitive region that has experienced warming at almost 3 times the global average rate in recent decades, leading to an increase in Arctic greenness and a greater abundance of plants that emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs). These changes in atmospheric emissions are expected to significantly modify the overall oxidative chemistry of the region and lead to changes in VOC composition and abundance, with implications for atmospheric processes. Nonetheless, observations needed to constrain our current understanding of these issues in this critical environment are sparse. This work presents novel atmospheric in situ proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) measurements of VOCs at Toolik Field Station (TFS; 68°38' N, 149°36' W), in the Alaskan Arctic tundra during May-June 2019. We employ a custom nested grid version of the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model (CTM), driven with MEGANv2.1 (Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 2.1) biogenic emissions for Alaska at 0.25° × 0.3125° resolution, to interpret the observations in terms of their constraints on BVOC emissions, total reactive organic carbon (ROC) composition, and calculated OH reactivity (OHr) in this environment. We find total ambient mole fraction of 78 identified VOCs to be 6.3 ± 0.4 ppbv (10.8 ± 0.5 ppbC), with overwhelming (> 80 %) contributions are from short-chain oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) including methanol, acetone and formaldehyde. Isoprene was the most abundant terpene identified. GEOS-Chem captures the observed isoprene (and its oxidation products), acetone and acetaldehyde abundances within the combined model and observation uncertainties (±25 %), but underestimates other OVOCs including methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid and acetic acid by a factor of 3 to 12. The negative model bias for methanol is attributed to underestimated biogenic methanol emissions for the Alaskan tundra in MEGANv2.1. Observed formaldehyde mole fractions increase exponentially with air temperature, likely reflecting its biogenic precursors and pointing to a systematic model underprediction of its secondary production. The median campaign-calculated OHr from VOCs measured at TFS was 0.7 s^-1, roughly 5 % of the values typically reported in lower-latitude forested ecosystems. Ten species account for over 80 % of the calculated VOC OHr, with formaldehyde, isoprene and acetaldehyde together accounting for nearly half of the total. Simulated OHr based on median-modeled VOCs included in GEOS-Chem averages 0.5 s^-1 and is dominated by isoprene (30 %) and monoterpenes (17 %). The data presented here serve as a critical evaluation of our knowledge of BVOCs and ROC budgets in high-latitude environments and represent a foundation for investigating and interpreting future warming-driven changes in VOC emissions in the Alaskan Arctic tundra.

Greenland Ice Sheet Surfaces Colonized by Microbial Communities Emit Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by organisms for a range of physiological and ecological reasons. They play an important role in biosphere–atmosphere interactions and contribute to the formation of atmospheric secondary aerosols. The Greenland ice sheet is home to a variety of microbial communities, including highly abundant glacier ice algae, yet nothing is known about the VOCs emitted by glacial communities. For the first time, we present VOC emissions from supraglacial habitats colonized by active microbial communities on the southern Greenland ice sheet during July 2020. Emissions of C5–C30 compounds from bare ice, cryoconite holes, and red snow were collected using a push–pull chamber active sampling system. A total of 92 compounds were detected, yielding mean total VOC emission rates of 3.97 ± 0.70 μg m–2 h–1 from bare ice surfaces (n = 31), 1.63 ± 0.13 μg m–2 h–1 from cryoconite holes (n = 4), and 0.92 ± 0.08 μg m–2 h–1 from red snow (n = 2). No correlations were found between VOC emissions and ice surface algal counts, but a weak positive correlation (r = 0.43, p = 0.015, n = 31) between VOC emission rates from bare ice surfaces and incoming shortwave radiation was found. We propose that this may be due to the stress that high solar irradiance causes in bare ice microbial communities. Acetophenone, benzaldehyde, and phenylmaleic anhydride, all of which have reported antifungal activity, accounted for 51.1 ± 11.7% of emissions from bare ice surfaces, indicating a potential defense strategy against fungal infections. Greenland ice sheet microbial habitats are, hence, potential sources of VOCs that may play a role in supraglacial microbial interactions, as well as local atmospheric chemistry, and merit future research efforts.

Bidirectional Exchange of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds in Subarctic Heath Mesocosms During Autumn Climate Scenarios

Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) flux dynamics during the subarctic autumn are largely unexplored and have been considered insignificant due to the relatively low biological activity expected during autumn. Here, we exposed subarctic heath ecosystems to predicted future autumn climate scenarios (ambient, warming, and colder, dark conditions), changes in light availability, and flooding, to mimic the more extreme rainfall or snowmelt events expected in the future. We used climate chambers to measure the net ecosystem fluxes and bidirectional exchange of BVOCs from intact heath mesocosms using a dynamic enclosure technique coupled to a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS). We focused on six BVOCs (methanol, acetic acid, acetaldehyde, acetone, isoprene, and monoterpenes) that were among the most dominant and that were previously identified in arctic tundra ecosystems. Warming increased ecosystem respiration and resulted in either net BVOC release or increased uptake compared to the ambient scenario. None of the targeted BVOCs showed net release in the cold and dark scenario. Acetic acid exhibited significantly lower net uptake in the cold and dark scenario than in the ambient scenario, which suggests reduced microbial activity. Flooding was characterized by net uptake of the targeted BVOCs and overruled any temperature effects conferred by the climate scenarios. Monoterpenes were mainly taken up by the mesocosms and their fluxes were not affected by the climate scenarios or flooding. This study shows that although autumn BVOC fluxes on a subarctic heath are generally low, changes in future climate may strongly modify them.

Influence of increased nutrient availability on biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions and leaf anatomy of subarctic dwarf shrubs under climate warming and increased cloudiness

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Climate change is subjecting subarctic ecosystems to elevated temperature, increased nutrient availability and reduced light availability (due to increasing cloud cover). This may affect subarctic vegetation by altering the emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and leaf anatomy. We investigated the effects of increased nutrient availability on BVOC emissions and leaf anatomy of three subarctic dwarf shrub species, Empetrum hermaphroditum, Cassiope tetragona and Betula nana, and if increased nutrient availability modifies the responses to warming and shading.

METHODS

Measurements of BVOCs were performed in situ in long-term field experiments in the Subarctic using a dynamic enclosure system and collection of BVOCs into adsorbent cartridges analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Leaf anatomy was studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

KEY RESULTS

Increased nutrient availability increased monoterpene emission rates and altered the emission profile of B. nana, and increased sesquiterpene and oxygenated monoterpene emissions of C. tetragona. Increased nutrient availability increased leaf tissue thicknesses of B. nana and C. tetragona, while it caused thinner epidermis and the highest fraction of functional (intact) glandular trichomes for E. hermaphroditum. Increased nutrient availability and warming synergistically increased mesophyll intercellular space of B. nana and glandular trichome density of C. tetragona, while treatments combining increased nutrient availability and shading had an opposite effect in C. tetragona.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased nutrient availability may enhance the protection capacity against biotic and abiotic stresses (especially heat and drought) in subarctic shrubs under future warming conditions as opposed to increased cloudiness, which could lead to decreased resistance. The study emphasizes the importance of changes in nutrient availability in the Subarctic, which can interact with climate warming and increased cloudiness effects.

Contrasting nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization effects on soil terpene exchanges in a tropical forest

Production, emission, and absorption of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in ecosystem soils and associated impacts of nutrient availability are unclear; thus, predictions of effects of global change on source-sink dynamic under increased atmospheric N deposition and nutrition imbalances are limited. Here, we report the dynamics of soil BVOCs under field conditions from two undisturbed tropical rainforests from French Guiana. We analyzed effects of experimental soil applications of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and N + P on soil BVOC exchanges (in particular of total terpenes, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes), to determine source and sink dynamics between seasons (dry and wet) and elevations (upper and lower elevations corresponding to top of the hills (30 m high) and bottom of the valley). We identified 45 soil terpenoids compounds emitted to the atmosphere, comprising 26 monoterpenes and 19 sesquiterpenes; of these, it was possible to identify 13 and 7 compounds, respectively. Under ambient conditions, soils acted as sinks of these BVOCs, with greatest soil uptake recorded for sesquiterpenes at upper elevations during the wet season (-282 μg m^-2 h^-1). Fertilization shifted soils from a sink to source, with greatest levels of terpene emissions recorded at upper elevations during the wet season, following the addition of N (monoterpenes: 406 μg m^-2 h^-1) and P (sesquiterpenes: 210 μg m^-2 h^-1). Total soil terpene emission rates were negatively correlated with total atmospheric terpene concentrations. These results indicate likely shifts in tropical soils from sink to source of atmospheric terpenes under projected increases in N deposition under global change, with potential impacts on regional-scale atmospheric chemistry balance and ecosystem function.

Assessing the regional biogenic methanol emission from spring wheat during the growing season: A Canadian case study

As a volatile organic compound existing in the atmosphere, methanol plays a key role in atmospheric chemistry due to its comparatively high abundance and long lifetime. Croplands are a significant source of biogenic methanol, but there is a lack of systematic assessment for the production and emission of methanol from crops in various phases. In this study, methanol emissions from spring wheat during the growing period were estimated using a developed emission model. The temporal and spatial variations of methanol emissions of spring wheat in a Canadian province were investigated. The averaged methanol emission of spring wheat is found to be 37.94 ± 7.5 μg·m^-2·h^-1, increasing from north to south and exhibiting phenological peak to valley characteristics. Moreover, cold crop districts are projected to be with higher increase in air temperature and consequent methanol emissions during 2020-2099. Furthermore, the seasonality of methanol emissions is found to be positively correlated to concentrations of CO, filterable particulate matter, and PM₁₀ but negatively related to NO₂ and O₃. The uncertainty and sensitivity analysis results suggest that methanol emissions show a Gamma probabilistic distribution, and growth length, air temperature, solar radiation and leafage are the most important influencing variables. In most cases, methanol emissions increase with air temperature in the range of 3-35 °C while the excessive temperature may result in decreased methanol emissions because of inactivated enzyme activity or increased instant methanol emissions due to heat injury. Notably, induced emission might be the major source of biogenic methanol of mature leaves. The results of this study can be used to develop appropriate strategies for regional emission management of cropping systems.

Synergistic effects of insect herbivory and changing climate on plant volatile emissions in the subarctic tundra

Climate change increases the insect abundance, especially in Arctic ecosystems. Insect herbivory also significantly increases plant emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are highly reactive in the atmosphere and play a crucial role in atmospheric chemistry and physics. However, it is unclear how the effects of insect herbivory on VOC emissions interact with climatic changes, such as warming and increased cloudiness. We assessed how experimental manipulations of temperature and light availability in subarctic tundra, that had been maintained for 30 years at the time of the measurements, affect the VOC emissions from a widespread dwarf birch (Betula nana) when subjected to herbivory by local geometrid moth larvae, the autumnal moth (Epirrita autumnata) and the winter moth (Operophtera brumata). Warming and insect herbivory on B. nana stimulated VOC emission rates and altered the VOC blend. The herbivory-induced increase in sesquiterpene and homoterpene emissions were climate-treatment-dependent. Many herbivory-associated VOCs were more strongly induced in the shading treatment than in other treatments. We showed generally enhanced tundra VOC emissions upon insect herbivory and synergistic effects on the emissions of some VOC groups in a changing climate, which can have positive feedbacks on cloud formation. Furthermore, the acclimation of plants to long-term climate treatments affects VOC emissions and strongly interacts with plant responses to herbivory. Such acclimation complicates predictions of how climate change, together with interacting biotic stresses, affects VOC emissions in the high latitudes.

BVOC Emissions From a Subarctic Ecosystem, as Controlled by Insect Herbivore Pressure and Temperature

Abstract

The biogenic volatile organic compounds, BVOCs have a central role in ecosystem–atmosphere interactions. High-latitude ecosystems are facing increasing temperatures and insect herbivore pressure, which may affect their BVOC emission rates, but evidence and predictions of changes remain scattered. We studied the long-term effects of + 3 °C warming and reduced insect herbivory (achieved through insecticide sprayings) on mid- and late summer BVOC emissions from field layer vegetation, supplemented with birch saplings, and the underlying soil in Subarctic mountain birch forest in Finland in 2017–2018. Reduced insect herbivory decreased leaf damage by 58–67% and total ecosystem BVOC emissions by 44–72%. Of the BVOC groups, total sesquiterpenes had 70–80% lower emissions with reduced herbivory, and in 2017 the decrease was greater in warmed plots (89% decrease) than in ambient plots (34% decrease). While non-standardized total BVOC, monoterpene, sesquiterpene and GLV emissions showed instant positive responses to increasing chamber air temperature in midsummer samplings, the long-term warming treatment effects on standardized emissions mainly appeared as changes in the compound structure of BVOC blends and varied with compounds and sampling times. Our results suggest that the effects of climate warming on the total quantity of BVOC emissions will in Subarctic ecosystems be, over and above the instant temperature effects, mediated through changes in insect herbivore pressure rather than plant growth. If insect herbivore numbers will increase as predicted under climate warming, our results forecast herbivory-induced increases in the quantity of Subarctic BVOC emissions.

Graphic Abstract

Phenological stage of tundra vegetation controls bidirectional exchange of BVOCs in a climate change experiment on a subarctic heath

Traditionally, biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions are often considered a unidirectional flux, from the ecosystem to the atmosphere, but recent studies clearly show the potential for bidirectional exchange. Here we aimed to investigate how warming and leaf litter addition affect the bidirectional exchange (flux) of BVOCs in a long-term field experiment in the Subarctic. We also assessed changes in net BVOC fluxes in relation to the time of day and the influence of different plant phenological stages. The study was conducted in a full factorial experiment with open top chamber warming and annual litter addition treatments in a tundra heath in Abisko, Northern Sweden. After 18 years of treatments, ecosystem-level net BVOC fluxes were measured in the experimental plots using proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS). The warming treatment increased monoterpene and isoprene emissions by ≈50%. Increasing temperature, due to diurnal variations, can both increase BVOC emission and simultaneously, increase ecosystem uptake. For any given treatment, monoterpene, isoprene, and acetone emissions also increased with increasing ambient air temperatures caused by diurnal variability. Acetaldehyde, methanol, and sesquiterpenes decreased likely due to a deposition flux. For litter addition, only a significant indirect effect on isoprene and monoterpene fluxes (decrease by ~50%-75%) was observed. Litter addition may change soil moisture conditions, leading to changes in plant species composition and biomass, which could subsequently result in changes to BVOC emission compositions. Phenological stages significantly affected fluxes of methanol, isoprene and monoterpenes. We suggest that plant phenological stages differ in impacts on BVOC net emissions, but ambient air temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) also interact and influence BVOC net emissions differently. Our results may also suggest that BVOC fluxes are not only a response to changes in temperature and light intensity, as the circadian clock also affects emission rates.

Volatile organic compound emission in tundra shrubs - Dependence on species characteristics and the near-surface environment

Temperature is one of the key abiotic factors during the life of plants, especially in the Arctic region which is currently experiencing rapid climate change. We evaluated plant traits and environmental variables determining leaf temperature in tundra shrubs and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions with field measurements on deciduous tundra shrubs, Salix myrsinites and Betula nana, and evergreen Cassiope tetragona and Rhododendron lapponicum. Higher leaf-to-air temperature difference was observed in evergreen, compared to deciduous shrubs. Evergreen shrubs also showed continuously increasing photosynthesis with increasing temperature, suggesting high thermal tolerance. For the deciduous species, the optimum temperature for net photosynthesis was between our measurement temperatures of 24 °C and 38 °C. Air temperature and vapor pressure deficit were the most important variables influencing leaf temperature and VOC emissions in all the studied plants, along with stomatal density and specific leaf area in the deciduous shrubs. Using climate data and emission factors from our measurements, we modelled total seasonal tundra shrub VOC emissions of 0.3-2.3 g m-2 over the main growing season. Our results showed higher-than-expected temperature optima for photosynthesis and VOC emission and demonstrated the relative importance of plant traits and local environments in determining leaf temperature and VOC emissions in a subarctic tundra.

The Effect of Post-harvest Conditions in Narcissus sp. Cut Flowers Scent Profile

Narcissus flowers are used as cut flowers and to obtain high quality essential oils for the perfume industry. As a winter crop in the Mediterranean area, it flowers at temperatures ranging between 10 and 15°C during the day and 3-10°C during the night. Here we tested the impact of different light and temperature conditions on scent quality during post-harvest. These two types of thermoperiod and photoperiod. We also used constant darkness and constant temperatures. We found that under conditions of 12:12 Light Dark and 15-5°C, Narcissus emitted monoterpenes and phenylpropanoids. Increasing the temperature to 20°-10°C in a 12:12 LD cycle caused the loss of cinnamyl acetate and emission of indole. Under constant dark, there was a loss of scent complexity. Constant temperatures of 20°C caused a decrease of scent complexity that was more dramatic at 5°C, when the total number of compounds emitted decreased from thirteen to six. Distance analysis confirmed that 20°C constant temperature causes the most divergent scent profile. We found a set of four volatiles, benzyl acetate, eucalyptol, linalool, and ocimene that display a robust production under differing environmental conditions, while others were consistently dependent on light or thermoperiod. Scent emission changed significantly during the day and between different light and temperature treatments. Under a light:dark cycle and 15-5°C the maximum was detected during the light phase but this peak shifted toward night under 20-10°C. Moreover, under constant darkness the peak occurred at midnight and under constant temperature, at the end of night. Using Machine Learning we found that indole was the volatile with a highest ranking of discrimination followed by D-limonene. Our results indicate that light and temperature regimes play a critical role in scent quality. The richest scent profile is obtained by keeping flowers at 15°-5°C thermoperiod and a 12:12 Light Dark photoperiod.

Separating direct and indirect effects of rising temperatures on biogenic volatile emissions in the Arctic

Plants release to the atmosphere reactive gases, so-called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The release of VOCs from vegetation is temperature-dependent and controlled by vegetation composition because different plant species release a distinct blend of VOCs. We used modelling approaches on ecosystem VOC release data collected across the Arctic, which is experiencing both rapid warming and vegetation changes. We show that warming strongly stimulates release of plant-derived VOCs and that vegetation changes also increase VOC release, albeit less than temperature directly, and with large geographic differences in the Pan-Arctic area. The increasing VOC flux from the Arctic tundra to the atmosphere may have implications via climate feedbacks, for example, through particle and cloud formation in these regions with low anthropogenic influence.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released from biogenic sources in a temperature-dependent manner. Consequently, Arctic ecosystems are expected to greatly increase their VOC emissions with ongoing climate warming, which is proceeding at twice the rate of global temperature rise. Here, we show that ongoing warming has strong, increasing effects on Arctic VOC emissions. Using a combination of statistical modeling on data from several warming experiments in the Arctic tundra and dynamic ecosystem modeling, we separate the impacts of temperature and soil moisture into direct effects and indirect effects through vegetation composition and biomass alterations. The indirect effects of warming on VOC emissions were significant but smaller than the direct effects, during the 14-y model simulation period. Furthermore, vegetation changes also cause shifts in the chemical speciation of emissions. Both direct and indirect effects result in large geographic differences in VOC emission responses in the warming Arctic, depending on the local vegetation cover and the climate dynamics. Our results outline complex links between local climate, vegetation, and ecosystem–atmosphere interactions, with likely local-to-regional impacts on the atmospheric composition.

Origin of volatile organic compound emissions from subarctic tundra under global warming

Warming occurs in the Arctic twice as fast as the global average, which in turn leads to a large enhancement in terpenoid emissions from vegetation. Volatile terpenoids are the main class of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that play crucial roles in atmospheric chemistry and climate. However, the biochemical mechanisms behind the temperature-dependent increase in VOC emissions from subarctic ecosystems are largely unexplored. Using ¹³ CO₂ -labeling, we studied the origin of VOCs and the carbon (C) allocation under global warming in the soil-plant-atmosphere system of contrasting subarctic heath tundra vegetation communities characterized by dwarf shrubs of the genera Salix or Betula. The projected temperature rise of the subarctic summer by 5°C was realistically simulated in sophisticated climate chambers. VOC emissions strongly depended on the plant species composition of the heath tundra. Warming caused increased VOC emissions and significant changes in the pattern of volatiles toward more reactive hydrocarbons. The ¹³ C was incorporated to varying degrees in different monoterpene and sesquiterpene isomers. We found that de novo monoterpene biosynthesis contributed to 40%-44% (Salix) and 60%-68% (Betula) of total monoterpene emissions under the current climate, and that warming increased the contribution to 50%-58% (Salix) and 87%-95% (Betula). Analyses of above- and belowground ^12/13 C showed shifts of C allocation in the plant-soil systems and negative effects of warming on C sequestration by lowering net ecosystem exchange of CO₂ and increasing C loss as VOCs. This comprehensive analysis provides the scientific basis for mechanistically understanding the processes controlling terpenoid emissions, required for modeling VOC emissions from terrestrial ecosystems and predicting the future chemistry of the arctic atmosphere. By changing the chemical composition and loads of VOCs into the atmosphere, the current data indicate that global warming in the Arctic may have implications for regional and global climate and for the delicate tundra ecosystems.

Biogenic volatile organic compound ambient mixing ratios and emission rates in the Alaskan Arctic tundra

Rapid Arctic warming, a lengthening growing season, and the increasing abundance of biogenic volatile-organic-compound-emitting shrubs are all anticipated to increase atmospheric biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the Arctic atmosphere, with implications for atmospheric oxidation processes and climate feedbacks. Quantifying these changes requires an accurate understanding of the underlying processes driving BVOC emissions in the Arctic. While boreal ecosystems have been widely studied, little attention has been paid to Arctic tundra environments. Here, we report terpenoid (isoprene, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes) ambient mixing ratios and emission rates from key dominant vegetation species at Toolik Field Station (TFS; 68°38' N, 149°36' W) in northern Alaska during two back-to-back field campaigns (summers of 2018 and 2019) covering the entire growing season. Isoprene ambient mixing ratios observed at TFS fell within the range of values reported in the Eurasian taiga (0-500 parts per trillion by volume - pptv), while monoterpene and sesquiterpene ambient mixing ratios were respectively close to and below the instrumental quantification limit (~ 2 pptv). Isoprene surface emission rates ranged from 0.2 to 2250 μgC m^-2 h^-1 (mean of 85 μgC m^-2 h^-1) and monoterpene emission rates remained, on average, below 1 μgC m^-2 h^-1 over the course of the study. We further quantified the temperature dependence of isoprene emissions from local vegetation, including Salix spp. (a known isoprene emitter), and compared the results to predictions from the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 2.1 (MEGAN2.1). Our observations suggest a 180 %-215 % emission increase in response to a 3-4°C warming, and the MEGAN2.1 temperature algorithm exhibits a close fit with observations for enclosure temperatures in the 0-30°C range. The data presented here provide a baseline for investigating future changes in the BVOC emission potential of the under-studied Arctic tundra environment.

Insect Herbivory Strongly Modifies Mountain Birch Volatile Emissions

Insect herbivory is known to augment emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs). Yet few studies have quantified BVOC responses to insect herbivory in natural populations in pan-Arctic regions. Here, we assess how quantitative and qualitative BVOC emissions change with increasing herbivore feeding intensity in the Subarctic mountain birch (Betula pubescens var pumila (L.)) forest. We conducted three field experiments in which we manipulated the larval density of geometrid moths (Operophtera brumata and Epirrita autumnata), on branches of mountain birch and measured BVOC emissions using the branch enclosure method and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our study showed that herbivory significantly increased BVOC emissions from the branches damaged by larvae. BVOC emissions increased due to insect herbivory at relatively low larvae densities, causing up to 10% of leaf area loss. Insect herbivory also changed the blend composition of BVOCs, with damaged plants producing less intercorrelated BVOC blends than undamaged ones. Our results provide a quantitative understanding of the relationship between the severity of insect herbivore damage and emissions of BVOCs at larvae densities corresponding to background herbivory levels in the Subarctic mountain birch. The results have important and practical implications for modeling induced and constitutive BVOC emissions and their feedbacks to atmospheric chemistry.

Interannual and Seasonal Dynamics of Volatile Organic Compound Fluxes From the Boreal Forest Floor

In the northern hemisphere, boreal forests are a major source of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which drive atmospheric processes and lead to cloud formation and changes in the Earth's radiation budget. Although forest vegetation is known to be a significant source of BVOCs, the role of soil and the forest floor, and especially interannual variations in fluxes, remains largely unknown due to a lack of long-term measurements. Our aim was to determine the interannual, seasonal and diurnal dynamics of boreal forest floor volatile organic compound (VOC) fluxes and to estimate how much they contribute to ecosystem VOC fluxes. We present here an 8-year data set of forest floor VOC fluxes, measured with three automated chambers connected to the quadrupole proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (quadrupole PTR-MS). The exceptionally long data set shows that forest floor fluxes were dominated by monoterpenes and methanol, with relatively comparable emission rates between the years. Weekly mean monoterpene fluxes from the forest floor were highest in spring and in autumn (maximum 59 and 86 μg m^-2 h^-1, respectively), whereas the oxygenated VOC fluxes such as methanol had highest weekly mean fluxes in spring and summer (maximum 24 and 79 μg m^-2 h^-1, respectively). Although the chamber locations differed from each other in emission rates, the inter-annual dynamics were very similar and systematic. Accounting for this chamber location dependent variability, temperature and relative humidity, a mixed effects linear model was able to explain 79-88% of monoterpene, methanol, acetone, and acetaldehyde fluxes from the boreal forest floor. The boreal forest floor was a significant contributor in the forest stand fluxes, but its importance varies between seasons, being most important in autumn. The forest floor emitted 2-93% of monoterpene fluxes in spring and autumn and 1-72% of methanol fluxes in spring and early summer. The forest floor covered only a few percent of the forest stand fluxes in summer.

Monoterpene emissions in response to long-term night-time warming, elevated CO2 and extended summer drought in a temperate heath ecosystem

Monoterpenes emitted from plants have an important role in atmospheric chemistry through changing atmospheric oxidative capacity, forming new particles and secondary organic aerosols. The emission rates and patterns can be affected by changing climate. In this study, emission responses to six years of climatic manipulations (elevated CO₂, extended summer drought and night-time warming) were investigated in a temperate semi-natural heath ecosystem. Samples for monoterpene analysis were collected in seven campaigns during an entire growing season (April-November, 2011). The results showed that the temperate heath ecosystem was a considerable source of monoterpenes to the atmosphere, with the emission averaged over the 8month measurement period of 21.7±6.8μgm^-2groundareah^-1 for the untreated heath. Altogether, 16 monoterpenes were detected, of which the most abundant were α-pinene, δ-3-carene and limonene. The emissions of these three compounds were positively correlated with light, chamber temperature and litter abundance, but negatively correlated with soil temperature. Elevated CO₂ tended to decrease the average monoterpene emissions by 40% over the whole growing season, and significantly reduced emissions in August. Extended summer drought significantly decreased the emission right after the drought treatment period, but also in the late growing season. Night-time warming significantly increased the total emissions (mainly α-pinene) in April, and tended to mitigate the decrease caused by drought. The inhibition effects of elevated CO₂ on emissions were diminished when the treatment was combined with drought or warming. The emission responses to different treatments were not explained by vegetation changes, and the monoterpene emission profile was only moderately related to plant species coverage. The emission responses to these long-term climate manipulations varied over the growing season (with strong correlation with litter abundance) and the observed antagonistic effects in the combined treatments underlie the importance of long-term studies with multiple factors acting in concert.

Leaf anatomy, BVOC emission and CO2 exchange of arctic plants following snow addition and summer warming

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Climate change in the Arctic is projected to increase temperature, precipitation and snowfall. This may alter leaf anatomy and gas exchange either directly or indirectly. Our aim was to assess whether increased snow depth and warming modify leaf anatomy and affect biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions and CO₂ exchange of the widespread arctic shrubs Betula nana and Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum METHODS: Measurements were conducted in a full-factorial field experiment in Central West Greenland, with passive summer warming by open-top chambers and snow addition using snow fences. Leaf anatomy was assessed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. BVOC emissions were measured using a dynamic enclosure system and collection of BVOCs into adsorbent cartridges analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Carbon dioxide exchange was measured using an infrared gas analyser.

KEY RESULTS

Despite a later snowmelt and reduced photosynthesis for B. nana especially, no apparent delays in the BVOC emissions were observed in response to snow addition. Only a few effects of the treatments were seen for the BVOC emissions, with sesquiterpenes being the most responsive compound group. Snow addition affected leaf anatomy by increasing the glandular trichome density in B. nana and modifying the mesophyll of E. hermaphroditum The open-top chambers thickened the epidermis of B. nana, while increasing the glandular trichome density and reducing the palisade:spongy mesophyll ratio in E. hermaphroditum CONCLUSIONS: Leaf anatomy was modified by both treatments already after the first winter and we suggest links between leaf anatomy, CO₂ exchange and BVOC emissions. While warming is likely to reduce soil moisture, melt water from a deeper snow pack alleviates water stress in the early growing season. The study emphasizes the ecological importance of changes in winter precipitation in the Arctic, which can interact with climate-warming effects.

Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions along a high arctic soil moisture gradient

Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) from terrestrial ecosystems are important for the atmospheric chemistry and the formation of secondary organic aerosols, and may therefore influence the climate. Global warming is predicted to change patterns in precipitation and plant species compositions, especially in arctic regions where the temperature increase will be most pronounced. These changes are potentially highly important for the BVOC emissions but studies investigating the effects are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality and quantity of BVOC emissions from a high arctic soil moisture gradient extending from dry tundra to a wet fen. Ecosystem BVOC emissions were sampled five times in the July-August period using a push-pull enclosure technique, and BVOCs trapped in absorbent cartridges were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Plant species compositions were estimated using the point intercept method. In order to take into account important underlying ecosystem processes, gross ecosystem production, ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem production were measured in connection with chamber-based BVOC measurements. Highest emissions of BVOCs were found from vegetation communities dominated by Salix arctica and Cassiope tetragona, which had emission profiles dominated by isoprene and monoterpenes, respectively. These results show that emissions of BVOCs are highly dependent on the plant cover supported by the varying soil moisture, suggesting that high arctic BVOC emissions may affect the climate differently if soil water content and plant cover change.

Herbivory by an Outbreaking Moth Increases Emissions of Biogenic Volatiles and Leads to Enhanced Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation Capacity

In addition to climate warming, greater herbivore pressure is anticipated to enhance the emissions of climate-relevant biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from boreal and subarctic forests and promote the formation of secondary aerosols (SOA) in the atmosphere. We evaluated the effects of Epirrita autumnata, an outbreaking geometrid moth, feeding and larval density on herbivore-induced VOC emissions from mountain birch in laboratory experiments and assessed the impact of these emissions on SOA formation via ozonolysis in chamber experiments. The results show that herbivore-induced VOC emissions were strongly dependent on larval density. Compared to controls without larval feeding, clear new particle formation by nucleation in the reaction chamber was observed, and the SOA mass loadings in the insect-infested samples were significantly higher (up to 150-fold). To our knowledge, this study provides the first controlled documentation of SOA formation from direct VOC emission of deciduous trees damaged by known defoliating herbivores and suggests that chewing damage on mountain birch foliage could significantly increase reactive VOC emissions that can importantly contribute to SOA formation in subarctic forests. Additional feeding experiments on related silver birch confirmed the SOA results. Thus, herbivory-driven volatiles are likely to play a major role in future biosphere-vegetation feedbacks such as sun-screening under daily 24 h sunshine in the subarctic.

Warming increases isoprene emissions from an arctic fen

Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) from dry ecosystems at high latitudes respond strongly to small increases in temperature, and warm canopy surface temperatures drive emissions to higher levels than expected. However, it is not known whether emissions from wetlands, cooled by through-flowing water and higher evapotranspiration show similar response to warming as in drier ecosystems. Climate change will cause parts of the Arctic to experience increased snow fall, which delays the start of the growing season, insulates soil from low temperatures in winter, and increases soil moisture and possibly nutrient availability. Currently the effects of increasing snow depth on BVOC emissions are unknown. BVOC emissions were measured in situ across the growing season in a climate experiment, which used open top chambers to increase temperature and snow fences to increase winter snow depth. The treatments were arranged in a full factorial design. Measurements took place during two growing seasons in a fen ecosystem in west Greenland. BVOC samples collected by an enclosure technique in adsorbent cartridges were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Gross ecosystem production (GEP) was measured with a closed chamber technique, to reveal any immediate effect of treatments on photosynthesis, which could further influence BVOC emissions. Isoprene made up 84-92% of the emitted BVOCs. Isoprene emission increased 240 and 340% due to an increase in temperature of 1.3 and 1.6°C in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Isoprene emissions were 25 times higher in 2015 than in 2014 most likely due to a 2.4°C higher canopy air temperature during sampling in 2015. Snow addition had no significant effect on isoprene emissions even though GEP was increased by 24%. Arctic BVOC emissions respond strongly to rising temperatures in wet ecosystems, suggesting a large increase in arctic emissions in a future warmer climate.

Evident elevation of atmospheric monoterpenes due to degradation-induced species changes in a semi-arid grassland

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted from plants have substantial effects on atmospheric chemistry/physics and feedbacks on ecosystem function. The on-going climate change and anthropogenic disturbance have been confirmed to cause the evident degradation of grassland with shift of plant community, and hence BVOCs emissions were suspected to be altered due to the different BOVCs emission potentials of different species. In this study, we investigated BVOCs concentration above ground surface during growing season in a degraded semi-arid grassland (41°2' N-45°6' N, 113°5'-117°8') in Inner Mongolia. The observed monoterpenes' concentrations varied from 0.10 to 215.78 μg m(-3) (34.88 ± 9.73 μg m(-3) in average) across 41 sites. Compared to non-degraded grassland, concentrations of monoterpenes were about 180 times higher at the sites dominated by subshrub--Artemisia frigida, a preponderant species under drought stress and over-grazing. The biomass of A. frigida explained 51.39% of the variation of monoterpenes' concentrations. α-pinene, β-pinene and γ-terpinene dominated in the 10 determined monoterpenes, accounting for 37.72 ± 2.98%, 14.65 ± 2.55% and 10.50 ± 2.37% of the total monoterpenes concentration, respectively. Low isoprene concentrations (≤ 3.25 μg m(-3)) were found and sedge biomass contributed about 51.76% to their spatial variation. α-pinene and isoprene emissions at noon were as high as 515.53 ± 88.34 μg m(-2)h(-1) and 7606.19 ± 1073.94 μg m(-2) h(-1) in A. frigida- and sedge-dominated areas where their biomass were 236.90 g m(-2) and 72.37 g m(-2), respectively. Our results suggested that the expansion of A. frigida and sedge caused by over-grazing and climatic stresses may increase local ambient BVOCs concentration in grassland.

Climate change alters leaf anatomy, but has no effects on volatile emissions from Arctic plants

Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions are expected to change substantially because of the rapid advancement of climate change in the Arctic. BVOC emission changes can feed back both positively and negatively on climate warming. We investigated the effects of elevated temperature and shading on BVOC emissions from arctic plant species Empetrum hermaphroditum, Cassiope tetragona, Betula nana and Salix arctica. Measurements were performed in situ in long-term field experiments in subarctic and high Arctic using a dynamic enclosure system and collection of BVOCs into adsorbent cartridges analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In order to assess whether the treatments had resulted in anatomical adaptations, we additionally examined leaf anatomy using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Against expectations based on the known temperature and light-dependency of BVOC emissions, the emissions were barely affected by the treatments. In contrast, leaf anatomy of the studied plants was significantly altered in response to the treatments, and these responses appear to differ from species found at lower latitudes. We suggest that leaf anatomical acclimation may partially explain the lacking treatment effects on BVOC emissions at plant shoot-level. However, more studies are needed to unravel why BVOC emission responses in arctic plants differ from temperate species.

Climate change-induced vegetation change as a driver of increased subarctic biogenic volatile organic compound emissions

Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) have been earlier shown to be highly temperature sensitive in subarctic ecosystems. As these ecosystems experience rapidly advancing pronounced climate warming, we aimed to investigate how warming affects the BVOC emissions in the long term (up to 13 treatment years). We also aimed to assess whether the increased litterfall resulting from the vegetation changes in the warming subarctic would affect the emissions. The study was conducted in a field experiment with factorial open-top chamber warming and annual litter addition treatments on subarctic heath in Abisko, northern Sweden. After 11 and 13 treatment years, BVOCs were sampled from plant communities in the experimental plots using a push-pull enclosure technique and collection into adsorbent cartridges during the growing season and analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Plant species coverage in the plots was analyzed by the point intercept method. Warming by 2 °C caused a 2-fold increase in monoterpene and 5-fold increase in sesquiterpene emissions, averaged over all measurements. When the momentary effect of temperature was diminished by standardization of emissions to a fixed temperature, warming still had a significant effect suggesting that emissions were also indirectly increased. This indirect increase appeared to result from increased plant coverage and changes in vegetation composition. The litter addition treatment also caused significant increases in the emission rates of some BVOC groups, especially when combined with warming. The combined treatment had both the largest vegetation changes and the highest BVOC emissions. The increased emissions under litter addition were probably a result of a changed vegetation composition due to alleviated nutrient limitation and stimulated microbial production of BVOCs. We suggest that the changes in the subarctic vegetation composition induced by climate warming will be the major factor indirectly affecting the BVOC emission potentials and composition.

Diel Variation of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound Emissions--A field Study in the Sub, Low and High Arctic on the Effect of Temperature and Light

Many hours of sunlight in the midnight sun period suggest that significant amounts of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) may be released from arctic ecosystems during night-time. However, the emissions from these ecosystems are rarely studied and limited to point measurements during daytime. We measured BVOC emissions during 24-hour periods in the field using a push-pull chamber technique and collection of volatiles in adsorbent cartridges followed by analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Five different arctic vegetation communities were examined: high arctic heaths dominated by Salix arctica and Cassiope tetragona, low arctic heaths dominated by Salix glauca and Betula nana and a subarctic peatland dominated by the moss Warnstorfia exannulata and the sedge Eriophorum russeolum. We also addressed how climate warming affects the 24-hour emission and how the daytime emissions respond to sudden darkness. The emissions from the high arctic sites were lowest and had a strong diel variation with almost no emissions during night-time. The low arctic sites as well as the subarctic site had a more stable release of BVOCs during the 24-hour period with night-time emissions in the same range as those during the day. These results warn against overlooking the night period when considering arctic emissions. During the day, the quantity of BVOCs and the number of different compounds emitted was higher under ambient light than in darkness. The monoterpenes α-fenchene, α-phellandrene, 3-carene and α-terpinene as well as isoprene were absent in dark measurements during the day. Warming by open top chambers increased the emission rates both in the high and low arctic sites, forewarning higher emissions in a future warmer climate in the Arctic.

Plant volatiles in extreme terrestrial and marine environments

This review summarizes the current understanding on plant and algal volatile organic compound (VOC) production and emission in extreme environments, where temperature, water availability, salinity or other environmental factors pose stress on vegetation. Here, the extreme environments include terrestrial systems, such as arctic tundra, deserts, CO₂ springs and wetlands, and marine systems such as sea ice, tidal rock pools and hypersaline environments, with mangroves and salt marshes at the land-sea interface. The emission potentials at fixed temperature and light level or actual emission rates for phototrophs in extreme environments are frequently higher than for organisms from less stressful environments. For example, plants from the arctic tundra appear to have higher emission potentials for isoprenoids than temperate species, and hypersaline marine habitats contribute to global dimethyl sulphide (DMS) emissions in significant amounts. DMS emissions are more widespread than previously considered, for example, in salt marshes and some desert plants. The reason for widespread VOC, especially isoprenoid, emissions from different extreme environments deserves further attention, as these compounds may have important roles in stress resistance and adaptation to extremes. Climate warming is likely to significantly increase VOC emissions from extreme environments both by direct effects on VOC production and volatility, and indirectly by altering the composition of the vegetation.

Off-season biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from heath mesocosms: responses to vegetation cutting

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) affect both atmospheric processes and ecological interactions. Our primary aim was to differentiate between BVOC emissions from above- and belowground plant parts and heath soil outside the growing season. The second aim was to assess emissions from herbivory, mimicked by cutting the plants. Mesocosms from a temperate Deschampsia flexuosa-dominated heath ecosystem and a subarctic mixed heath ecosystem were either left intact, the aboveground vegetation was cut, or all plant parts (including roots) were removed. For 3–5 weeks, BVOC emissions were measured in growth chambers by an enclosure method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. CO₂ exchange, soil microbial biomass, and soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations were also analyzed. Vegetation cutting increased BVOC emissions by more than 20-fold, and the induced compounds were mainly eight-carbon compounds and sesquiterpenes. In the Deschampsia heath, the overall low BVOC emissions originated mainly from soil. In the mixed heath, root, and soil emissions were negligible. Net BVOC emissions from roots and soil of these well-drained heaths do not significantly contribute to ecosystem emissions, at least outside the growing season. If insect outbreaks become more frequent with climate change, ecosystem BVOC emissions will periodically increase due to herbivory.

Off-season biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from heath mesocosms: responses to vegetation cutting

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) affect both atmospheric processes and ecological interactions. Our primary aim was to differentiate between BVOC emissions from above- and belowground plant parts and heath soil outside the growing season. The second aim was to assess emissions from herbivory, mimicked by cutting the plants. Mesocosms from a temperate Deschampsia flexuosa-dominated heath ecosystem and a subarctic mixed heath ecosystem were either left intact, the aboveground vegetation was cut, or all plant parts (including roots) were removed. For 3-5 weeks, BVOC emissions were measured in growth chambers by an enclosure method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. CO2 exchange, soil microbial biomass, and soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations were also analyzed. Vegetation cutting increased BVOC emissions by more than 20-fold, and the induced compounds were mainly eight-carbon compounds and sesquiterpenes. In the Deschampsia heath, the overall low BVOC emissions originated mainly from soil. In the mixed heath, root, and soil emissions were negligible. Net BVOC emissions from roots and soil of these well-drained heaths do not significantly contribute to ecosystem emissions, at least outside the growing season. If insect outbreaks become more frequent with climate change, ecosystem BVOC emissions will periodically increase due to herbivory.

Biological and Chemical Diversity of Biogenic Volatile Organic Emissions into the Atmosphere

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) emitted by terrestrial ecosystems into the atmosphere play an important role in determining atmospheric constituents including the oxidants and aerosols that control air quality and climate. Accurate quantitative estimates of BVOC emissions are needed to understand the processes controlling the earth system and to develop effective air quality and climate management strategies. The large uncertainties associated with BVOC emission estimates must be reduced, but this is challenging due to the large number of compounds and biological sources. The information on the immense biological and chemical diversity of BVOC is reviewed with a focus on observations that have been incorporated into the MEGAN2.1 BVOC emission model. Strategies for improving current BVOC emission modeling approaches by better representations of this diversity are presented. The current gaps in the available data for parameterizing emission models and the priorities for future measurements are discussed.

Two decades of experimental manipulations of heaths and forest understory in the subarctic

Current atmospheric warming due to increase of greenhouse gases will have severe consequences for the structure and functioning of arctic ecosystems with changes that, in turn, may feed back on the global-scale composition of the atmosphere. During more than two decades, environmental controls on biological and biogeochemical processes and possible atmospheric feedbacks have been intensely investigated at Abisko, Sweden, by long-term ecosystem manipulations. The research has addressed questions like environmental regulation of plant and microbial community structure and biomass, carbon and nutrient pools and element cycling, including exchange of greenhouse gases and volatile organic compounds, with focus on fundamental processes in the interface between plants, soil and root-associated and free-living soil microorganisms. The ultimate goal has been to infer from these multi-decadal experiments how subarctic and arctic ecosystems will respond to likely environmental changes in the future. Here we give an overview of some of the experiments and main results.