Will more productive Arctic ecosystems sequester less soil carbon? A key role for priming in the rhizosphere ('PRIME-TIME')

Lead Research Organisation: Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Energy, Geosci, Infrast & Society

Abstract

High latitudes are warming faster than other regions, and thus serve as critical arenas for climate change studies. Furthermore, they play a pivotally important role in the functioning of the Earth system, storing significant amounts of carbon (C) in soil organic matter (SOM). There is major uncertainty over the vulnerability of these C stores to both climate and land-use change. Previous research has focussed on the direct effects of warming on plant growth and/or SOM dynamics in isolation, but there is increasing evidence that plant-soil interactions complicate these relationships dramatically. Plants not only control litter inputs (both quality and quantity), but may also influence rates of decomposition if the amount of C allocated to the 'rhizosphere' (defined as the area of soil in the vicinity of plant roots in which the chemistry and microbiology is influenced by their growth, respiration, and nutrient exchange) is positively related to microbial activity and the breakdown of older more recalcitrant organic matter. This process is referred to as rhizosphere 'priming', and despite suggestions that it may be critical in determining ecosystem C storage, it remains extremely poorly understood, especially in natural and semi-natural ecosystems.

Changes in the distribution of particular communities, which are already taking place due to climate change and landscape management, may have unexpected impacts on C storage. Work carried out by our research team in the Swedish sub-Arctic suggests that transformations from unproductive heathland ecosystems into more productive deciduous forests could result in counterintuitive net LOSSES of C from soils. Such responses are inadequately simulated by C-cycle models which do not take into account plant-soil interactions in the rhizosphere. Rather, most simulations predict C storage will increase substantially if productivity increases at high-latitudes.

This proposal will determine the impacts of shifts in plant (and associated mycorrhizal) functional composition on the dynamics of SOM. Specifically we will investigate the consequences of a shift from tundra heath to tall shrub communities and deciduous woodland in the Swedish Arctic. We will use a combination of novel experimental approaches, in both the field and the lab, to quantify and understand the role of rhizosphere priming effects (RPEs) for SOM dynamics. In the field in Swedish Lapland we will manipulate the rhizosphere across the mountain birch forest-tundra heath ecotone using experiments ('girdling'; removal of bark, including phloem tissues) to reduce phloem transport of organic C to the roots. We will combine this with manipulating rhizosphere processes using 'in-growth' cores (which selectively prevent fine root and/or fungal hyphal (filament) access) to determine the contributions of roots, mycorrhizal fungi and heterotrophic (soil decomposer) metabolism. We will deploy state of the art microbial molecular analyses to assess the impact of the treatments on fungal community structure (specifically targeting key mycorrhizal fungal groups), and novel C-isotope approaches to quantify RPEs.

The project outputs have the potential to improve significantly regional and global modelling of climate-biogeochemical interactions, with a particular focus on the indirect effects of shifting plant communities. The project has relevance for the pan-Arctic 'shrubification', as well as for UK upland ecosystems being managed for 're-wilding.'

Planned Impact

This is a 'Discovery Science' proposal, addressing a fundamental aspect of the terrestrial C cycle. As such, it has important implications in global change science, for ecosystem management, and for broader society.

The specific beneficiaries of the research include:
- The global change biology and climate sciences research communities (refer to 'Academic Beneficiaries' for specific information on 'how'), and the national and international environmental policy communities. Through tackling the secondary 'cascading' effects of land-use, or climate driven shifts in plant community composition on ecosystem processes and properties, the project aims to quantify and understand a neglected aspect of global change science. The project will link with international research programmes/research networks such as IGBP iLEAPS (Integrated Land Ecosystem-Atmosphere Processes Study) and AIMES (Analysis, Integration and Modeling of the Earth System), and ITEX (the International Tundra Experiment);

- Statutory agencies concerned with C management, provision of ecosystem services, rural land-use, conservation and landscape, catchment hydrology and flood risk. Although, for robust scientific reasons (see 'Case for Support'), we have chosen to base our field research in northern Scandinavia, the processes being addressed have both pan-Arctic as well as UK relevance. In Sweden we will make contact with Naturvårdsverket (The Swedish Environment Protection Agency) to discuss our work and its implications. In the UK, upland management, in particular, has the potential to benefit from the work (e.g. Scottish Environment Protection Agency & Scottish Natural Heritage, and the equivalent devolved agencies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Joint Nature Conservation Committee; Forestry Commission (FC); Deer Commission for Scotland; National Park authorities). Our group has research links with the FC and Forest Research and we will ensure that we establish contact with the Scottish Government/Forestry Commission Scotland's Woodland Expansion Advisory Group (WEAG; http://www.forestry.gov.uk/weag);

- NGOs and charities concerned with landscape, conservation, tourism and access (e.g. John Muir Trust; National Trust for Scotland (NTS); Moorland Forum; Scottish Native Woods; Woodland Trust; Scottish Wildlife Trust; RSPB; Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust; Ramblers Scotland). Through several of these organisations there are strong links with the general public;

- Reindeer herding communities, and the commercial private sector: Within the specific context of northern Fennoscandia, and more broadly across northern Russia, our work has relevance for reindeer herding communities. Both in Scandinavia and the UK there are also potential links to the power generators (renewables sector; wind/hydro) and water companies, as well as commercial forestry;

- Broader society: There is huge public interest in the wildlands of the North, including the UK, while those living and working in these areas are aware of the on-going and changing land-use demands, potential conflicts, and the challenges of earning a viable living. It is important that society has a robust science base upon which to develop rational policies for upland land-use, and that the ecosystem services provided in these areas can be sustainably managed. Furthermore, through their effects on biodiversity and landscape quality, 're-wilding' and forest regeneration will have significant implications for quality of life, health and aesthetic value. This is relevant both for the local population and businesses reliant upon the uplands, as well as for visitors (from the UK and overseas) and recreational users of these areas.

The 'Pathways to Impact' describes what will be done during and after the project to increase the likelihood of the research reaching the identified beneficiaries and maximise the likelihood of the identified benefits being achieved.
 
Description Increasingly productive ecosystems in the Arctic, associated with global warming, may not mean that these systems remove (sequester) more carbon from the atmosphere than previously (as has often been assumed in modelling studies). Building on our NERC-funded work in Northwest Territories (NE/K000284/1 and NE/K000284/2), Canada, the 'PRIME-TIME' project is investigating the process of 'rhizosphere priming' (whereby the presence of plant roots with specific types of symbiotic associations with fungi, accelerates the decomposition of soil organic matter in order to release nutrients in plant-available forms). We are achieving this through intensive fieldwork and novel experimentation based in Swedish Lapland. We have now completed four field seasons in this project, although what was to be our final field season (summer 2020) was deferred to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently awaiting receipt of the final set of radiocarbon data from one of our experiments.

A compelling set of results from PRIME-TIME shows the major role of tree and shrub cover for soil metabolic processes (respiration) which rapidly return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. These results have been published by Parker et al. (2020) (New Phytologist; https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16573), and they also featured in a high-profile 'Commentary' by Baltzer & Sonnentag (2020; https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16704), in the same journal. This commentary underscores the significance of canopy-forming trees and shrubs in the sub-Arctic, and their greater proportional contributions to soil respiration compared to their larger and more productive counterparts in more southerly temperate and tropical forests. Further to this, Dr Thomas Parker (Postdoctoral Research Associate on the project) leveraged additional funding from the EU INTERACT Transnational Access Programme (https://eu-interact.org/accessing-the-arctic/) to up-scale protocols for assessing the relationships between above- and below-ground carbon stocks across gradients of productivity in the Arctic. This work involved 'Remote Access', through the pandemic, where researchers at three locations in the Arctic collected samples for further analysis. This work supported our hypothesis that shrub expansion may induce large-scale carbon losses (from ecosystems to the atmosphere, as carbon dioxide) due to changes in plant-soil interactions, and is published in Plant and Soil (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11104-021-04919-8).

Measurements of the radiocarbon content of this respired carbon dioxide from research plots which have undergone an experimental reduction in the delivery of recently-photosynthesized carbon dioxide to the root systems, as well as 'control' (un-manipulated plots), also demonstrate the importance of this very rapid cycling of carbon in these systems. Our ongoing analyses will provide a clearer indication of what is happening in these widespread ecosystems, in a region which is undergoing rapid environmental change. We aim to publish this work in a leading international journal. Furthermore, we now have an extensive set of data on microbial community composition following a secondment of Thomas Parker with Project Partners (Björn Lindahl and Karina Clemmensen) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala. These data have been analysed and further value has been added to the project through collaborative work both on litter decomposition and on soil invertebrate communities, with Dr Micael Jonsson, Umeå University, and Dr Eveline Krab, SLU Uppsala, respectively, in Sweden. We have recently (February 2022) submitted a manuscript to the Journal of Ecology presenting these results which, in summary, suggest a surprising level of resilience of microbial and invertebrate community composition to perturbations in carbon delivery below-ground. This might be a key feature of sub-arctic mountain birch ecosystems, related to their ability to recover from cyclical defoliation events caused by outbreaks of Lepidopteran (specifically, autumn and winter moth) larvae.
Exploitation Route In particular we are looking to see our data (i) produce a step-change in our understanding of rhizosphere priming processes (RPEs) and their significance for ecosystem processes and element cycling, leading to publication in top international journals, (ii) encourage other researchers to deploy our sampling protocols, in order to up-scale to the pan-Arctic, and (iii) feed through to improved modelling of the C cycle in land surface models. Our team includes Mat Williams, who is leading on modelling, and this work is underway. The potential significance of these processes, as well as the uncertainties surrounding them, have also been highlighted by Guenet et al. (2018) (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.14069/full). Through our broader links to government agencies and NGOs, as well as to international fora, such as the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), we believe our results have the potential to influence land-management policy.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Communities and Social Services/Policy

Education

Energy

Environment

Leisure Activities

including Sports

Recreation and Tourism

Government

Democracy and Justice

 
Description Emerging from this, and related, research, is the increasing recognition that tree-planting for C-sequestration is not as straightforward as has been portrayed in some sections of the academic literature, and certainly in the non-specialist media. There is a growing awareness that it is important to plant the 'right trees in the right places'. Processes in the mycorrhizosphere (including interactions with pre-existing soil organic carbon stocks) have the potential to influence the magnitude, and even direction, of net ecosystem C fluxes. We anticipate this research will exert a growing influence on the debate in the future. Furthermore, the research also highlights the value of heathlands (rather than solely peatlands), with peaty podzol soils and open landscapes, for C storage.
First Year Of Impact 2021
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism
Impact Types Cultural

Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description Co-Chairing the International Arctic Science Committee's (IASC) Action Group on Carbon Footprint (AGCF)
Geographic Reach Multiple continents/international 
Policy Influence Type Membership of a guideline committee
URL https://iasc.info/our-work/action-groups/26-action-group-on-carbon-footprint
 
Description Turbo-charging the mycorrhizosphere - Could more productive ecosystems threaten soil carbon stocks in boreal and sub-arctic zones of transition?
Amount £999,543 (GBP)
Funding ID NE/X015076/1 
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2023 
End 10/2026
 
Title CO2 efflux, root and mycorrhizal hyphae production in subarctic willow shrub and treeline birch forest, Abisko 2017-2018 
Description This dataset contains in situ CO2 efflux, root production and fungal hyphae production from plots distributed across a subarctic landscape in Northern Sweden. Six paired plots were established in mountain birch forest and five paired plots were established in tall shrub tundra where one of each pair was 'girdled' and one acted as a non girdled 'control'. Efflux measurements were made during six sampling campaigns over 2017 and 2018 at an approximate frequency of once per week during each campaign, constituting a time series of measurements. Production measurements integrated root or hyphae production over the whole growing season (June-September) and therefore there is one data-point per plot per year. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2021 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact These data have been analysed and further value has been added to through collaborative work at these plots both on litter decomposition and on soil invertebrate communities, with Dr Micael Jonsson, Umeå University, and Dr Eveline Krab, SLU Uppsala, respectively, in Sweden. We have recently (February 2022) submitted a manuscript to the Journal of Ecology presenting these results which, in summary, suggest a surprising level of resilience of microbial and invertebrate community composition to perturbations in carbon delivery below-ground. 
URL https://doi.org/10.5285/4418c631-c39c-467c-b3b8-c75142fcae0a
 
Title Soil fauna abundance under birch and willow vegetation in girdled and non-girdled plots, subarctic Sweden, 2019 
Description Data comprise numbers of soil microarthorpods (mesofauna) extracted over 10 days from soils in northern, subarctic Sweden sampled on 29th July 2019. Soils were sampled from treeline mountain birch forest and stands of tundra willow that were wither 'girdled' (connection between leaves and roots cut by disrupting the phloem transport) or 'control' (no treatment), 2 years prior. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact We are still working on these data. 
URL https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/d3c98f24-7a4d-40b8-989a-6cc340e91cac
 
Title Soil fungi gene copy numbers and community composition under birch and willow vegetation in girdled and non-girdled plots, subarctic Sweden, 2017-2019 
Description Fungal community DNA was sequenced from soils in northern, subarctic Sweden. Soils were sampled from treeline mountain birch forest and stands of tundra willow that were wither 'girdled' (connection between leaves and roots cut by disrupting the phloem transport) or 'control' (no treatment), 0, 1 and 2 years after the treatment was applied. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The data suggest a surprising level of resilience of below-ground community composition to perturbations in carbon delivery. This might be a key feature of sub-arctic mountain birch ecosystems, related to their ability to recover from cyclical defoliation events caused by outbreaks of Lepidopteran (specifically, autumn and winter moth) larvae. 
URL https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/d6c787ec-146c-461b-b8a2-e0251259036c
 
Description Co-Investigator - Björn Lindahl 
Organisation Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Country Sweden 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution This is a close collaboration on the research project, which brings in world-leading expertise from Björn Lindahl (and his team) on soil microbial ecology and community structure. The project Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Dr Thomas Parker) will work with Björn and team at Uppsala for several weeks each year, and benefit from access to their lab facilities and expertise. We provide Björn and team with access to our experiments and samples, as well as our expertise in ecosystem processes and biogeochemistry.
Collaborator Contribution This is a close collaboration on the research project, which brings in world-leading expertise from Björn Lindahl (and his team) on soil microbial ecology and community structure. The project Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Dr Thomas Parker) will work with Björn and team at Uppsala for several weeks each year, and benefit from access to their lab facilities and expertise. We provide Björn and team with access to our experiments and samples, as well as our expertise in ecosystem processes and biogeochemistry.
Impact The project is underway, but it is too early to list outputs at this stage.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Collaboration with Dr Matthias Siewert - Umeå University 
Organisation Umea University
Country Sweden 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Dr Siewert (Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University; https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthias_Siewert) is an expert in remote sensing, and he is working on spatial and temporal variations in vegetation dynamics in the area of our field study. Through our experiments, and his acquisition of 'drone' (UAV) imagery, we are able to add value to our respective work.
Collaborator Contribution Specifically, for us, Dr Siewert is using drone imagery in order for us to detect treatment effects on vegetation canopy characteristics (spectral properties). He is involved in the preparation of our first manuscript.
Impact We are currently at the final stages of manuscript preparation involving his work.
Start Year 2017
 
Description NERC 'HYDRA' Partnerships - Iain Hartley 
Organisation University of Exeter
Department Department of Geography
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution This collaboration was made possible through UK DECC funding (via NERC), to Hartley, but with a salary contribution to Wookey. The project concerns quantifying and understandning methane fluxes in landscapes undergoing rapid transition, and my role has been to work with the project PDRA (Mark Cooper) at the Trail Valley research site in Northwest Territories, Canada.
Collaborator Contribution Through PDRA Cooper, Iain Hartley has extended our methane concentration and flux measurements at Trail Valley Creek to the landscape scale. This will also strengthen the links with partner Oliver Sonnentag.
Impact A related outcome is: Hartley IP, Hill TC, Wade TJ, Clement RJ, Moncrieff JB, Prieto-Blanco A, Disney MI, Huntley B, Williams M, Howden NJK, Wookey PA, Baxter R (2015) Quantifying landscape-level methane fluxes in subarctic Finland using a multiscale approach. Global Change Biology, 21, 3712-3725.
Start Year 2013
 
Description NERC 'HYDRA' Partnerships - Mark Garnett 
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council
Department NERC Radiocarbon Facility (Environment)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Development and application of state-of-the-art 14C isotope approaches (at natural abundance levels) to global C cycle research.
Collaborator Contribution Development and application of state-of-the-art 14C isotope approaches (at natural abundance levels) to global C cycle research.
Impact Hartley IP, Garnett MH, Sommerkorn M, Hopkins DW, Fletcher BJ, Sloan VL, Phoenix GK, Wookey PA (2012) A potential loss of carbon associated with greater plant growth in the European Arctic. Nature Climate Change. DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1575. Hartley IP, Garnett MH, Sommerkorn M, Hopkins DW, Wookey PA (2013). The age of CO2 released from soils in contrasting ecosystems during the arctic winter. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 63: 1-4.
Start Year 2013
 
Description NERC 'HYDRA' Partnerships - Mathew Williams 
Organisation University of Edinburgh
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We are linking two NERC-funded projects (ours and 'CYCLOPS', coordinated by Mat Williams) to improve our understanding of processes by integrating experimental and observational data using ecosystem and biogeochemical models. This also involves Prof Pete Smith (Aberdeen) who is a direct participant in our broader project.
Collaborator Contribution Mutual expertise and data for modelling activities.
Impact Hartley IP, Hopkins DW, Garnett MH, Sommerkorn M, Wookey PA (2008) Soil microbial respiration in arctic soil does not acclimate to temperature. Ecology Letters 11:1092-1100. Garnett MH, Hartley IP, Hopkins DW, Sommerkorn M, Wookey PA (2009) A passive sampling method for radiocarbon analysis of soil respiration using molecular sieve. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41:1450-1456. Hartley IP, Hopkins DW, Garnett MH, Sommerkorn M, Wookey PA (2009) No evidence for compensatory thermal adaptation of soil microbial respiration in the study of Bradford et al. (2008). Ecology Letters 12:E12-E14. Hartley IP, Hopkins DW, Sommerkorn M, Wookey PA (2010) The response of organic matter mineralisation to nutrient and substrate additions in sub-arctic soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 42:92-100. Hartley IP, Garnett MH, Sommerkorn M, Hopkins DW, Fletcher BJ, Sloan VL, Phoenix GK, Wookey PA (2012) A potential loss of carbon associated with greater plant growth in the European Arctic. Nature Climate Change. DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1575. Hartley IP, Garnett MH, Sommerkorn M, Hopkins DW, Wookey PA (2013). The age of CO2 released from soils in contrasting ecosystems during the arctic winter. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 63: 1-4. Hartley IP, Hill TC, Wade TJ, Clement RJ, Moncrieff JB, Prieto-Blanco A, Disney MI, Huntley B, Williams M, Howden NJK, Wookey PA, Baxter R (2015) Quantifying landscape-level methane fluxes in subarctic Finland using a multiscale approach. Global Change Biology, 21, 3712-3725.
Start Year 2013
 
Description Partnership with Dr Lorna E Street (NERC IRF) 
Organisation University of Edinburgh
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We are working directly in associate with Dr Street (i) on field-based experiments in Swedish Lapland (implementing experimental treatments, collecting and analysing samples), and (ii) on joint research manuscripts incorporating ecological modelling.
Collaborator Contribution Dr Street is leading on unique experiments on rhizosphere dynamics that we have established, and maintain, collaboratively.
Impact This work is on-going and too early to report outputs at this stage.
Start Year 2018
 
Description 'Changing Canadian Arctic' Research Planning Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Delivered an invited presentation ('Natural environment - focused research activities in the Canadian Arctic') on behalf of UKRI / NERC, at the Changing Canadian Arctic Workshop, 19 June 2019, London.

This was a discussion forum/workshop to engage with all stakeholders in advance of the launch of this new programme (expected in 2020).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.arctic.ac.uk/news/the-changing-canadian-arctic-workshop/
 
Description All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Polar Regions' Parliamentary Briefing on Permafrost 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact This was a presentation by Prof Philip Wookey, together with Prof Margareta Johansson from Lund University (Sweden), Prof Mary Edwards from Southampton University and Dr Tori Herridge from the Natural History Museum, to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Polar Regions. It was chaired by the Rt Hon James Gray MP.

The title of the session (held on 29 June 2021) was "The Mammoths Found in the Thawing Permafrost."

This theme provided an opportunity to brief parliamentarians, and their friends/family, on broader issues concerning permafrost thaw, palaeontology and global warming.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://mailchi.mp/1ff026dbe077/permafrost-report
 
Description BES (British Ecological Society) Annual Meeting 2016 Presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation in session S33: Ecosystem Ecology & Function, Biogeochemical Cycles & Plant-Soil Interactions. Presentation title " Could 'shrubification' and forest expansion threaten soil carbon stocks in the Arctic?" Initiated substantial discussions subsequently, albeit with professional practitioners.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/BES-Programme-2016-web.pdf
 
Description Climate Impacts Research Centre and Abisko Scientific Research Station Joint Seminar. Abisko, Sweden. Dr Tom Parker. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited presentation on "Shrubs, trees and soil carbon: implications of a greening Arctic". Fostered broader interest in the project and catalysed discussion of potential new collaborative research activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Co-Convener (Dr Tom Parker) of British Ecological Society Annual Conference Thematic Session: From Plants to Soil Organic Matter: The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Co-Convener of British Ecological Society Annual Conference Thematic Session: From Plants to Soil Organic Matter: The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi.

This session was to raise the profile, in both research and land-management, of the role that mycorrhizal fungi play in ecosystem processes and the global carbon cycle.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Co-organiser (Dr Tom Parker): 'The Arctic Underground', an International Arctic Science Committee Workshop on Root Traits and response to climate change in the Tundra: Akureyri, Iceland. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A formal Project of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC); this project highlights that belowground ecosystem properties are likely one of the most important drivers of Arctic ecosystem response to climate change.

The workshop (part of a series) was supported by the IASC Terrestrial Working Group and fostered the participation of many early career researchers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://iasc.info/our-work/working-groups/terrestrial/twg-projects/808-arctic-underground
 
Description Co-organiser (Dr Tom Parker): 'The Arctic Underground', an International Arctic Science Committee Workshop on Root Traits and response to climate change in the tundra: Lisbon, Portugal. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A formal Project of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC); this project highlights that belowground ecosystem properties are likely one of the most important drivers of Arctic ecosystem response to climate change.

The workshop (part of a series) was supported by the IASC Terrestrial Working Group and fostered the participation of many early career researchers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://iasc.info/our-work/working-groups/terrestrial/twg-projects/808-arctic-underground
 
Description Conference Presentation (Dr Tom Parker), British Ecological Society 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation (by Tom Parker) at the British Ecological Society (BES) Annual Meeting, Belfast, UK. "Inputs of leaf and root litter from an advancing arctic treeline species accelerate tundra soil decomposition" by Parker TC, Hartley I, Johnson D, Subke J-A & Wookey PA.

Sparked questions and discussion regarding feedbacks between arctic terrestrial ecosystems, carbon cycling, and global change.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Conference Presentation (Dr Tom Parker), International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Conference presentation (by Tom Parker) at the 19th ITEX (International Tundra Experiment) Meeting, held in Stirling, Scotland, 24-28 April 2018, entitled "Soil respiration from sub-arctic tree and shrub communities is driven by recent photosynthate", by Parker TC, Clemmensen K, Lindstrom-Friggens N, Garnett M, Hartley I, Johnson D, Lindahl B, Street L, Subke J-A & Wookey PA.

Stimulated substantial debate on the role of tundra and northern boreal ecosystems in the global carbon cycle.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.gvsu.edu/itex/19th-itex-meeting-stirling-scotland-12.htm
 
Description Conference presentation ar 'Polar2018', Davos, Switzerland, 21 June 2018 - "Will Rhizosphere ´Priming´ Limit Soil Carbon Sequestration in a Warmer Arctic?" 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This was a conference presentation at Polar2018, Davos, Switzerland, 21 June 2018, co-authored by Philip A Wookey, Thomas C Parker, Karina E Clemmensen, Mark H Garnett, Iain P Hartley, David Johnson, Björn D Lindahl, Lorna E Street, Jens-Arne Subke & Mathew Williams .

Introducing research on global change and ecosystem dynamics to an international audience.

Broadening understanding of global change impacts on ecosystem dynamics, and their feedback implications on climate.

This presentation, focused on what happens around plant roots in a changing Arctic, attracted a large audience (standing room only) interested in global change and the carbon cycle. Lively debate afterwards.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL http://www.professionalabstracts.com/POLAR2018/iPlanner/#/presentation/575
 
Description Department of Ecology and Environmental Science Seminar Series. University of Umeå, Sweden. Dr Tom Parker. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited presentation on "Carbon Cycling in the Terrestrial Arctic: Implications of Shrub and Tree Expansion?". Fostered broader interest in the project and catalysed discussion of potential new collaborative research activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology Seminar Series. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. Dr Tom Parker. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited presentation on "Carbon Cycling in the Terrestrial Arctic: Implications of Shrub and Tree Expansion?" Fostered broader interest in the project and catalysed discussion of potential new collaborative research activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Edinburhg International Science Festival - Meet the Polar Scientists 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact An exhibition as part of the EISF presenting a range of Arctic research themes, aimed at all ages and including hands on activities and demonstrations. A team of 9 scientists were involved in delivering the event and meeting the public.

In total 1,627 visitors were admitted to Our Dynamic Earth across the two days. Dynamic Earth in-house audience engagement research suggests that around 60% of day entry visitors engage with the additional activities available, so we directly engaged with roughly 975 people over the event.

We received the following feedback from the ODE Science Engagement Officer:

"I just wanted to pass on a massive 'thank you' to you both and all of your amazing team who contributed to the Meet the Polar Scientist Programme at Dynamic Earth as part of the 2018 Edinburgh International Science Festival. This was a fantastic opportunity for us to work together to inspire and engage our audiences with Polar science, and broaden their horizons on the range of scientific research underway at Earth's Poles shaped by researchers right here in Edinburgh. As you know, one of the priorities for us as a science and discovery centre is to act as a platform for the research community to share their work and connect with public audiences, so thank you ever so much for supporting us on our mission to and engage and inspire everyone with an understanding of how the Earth works.

The activities you have developed and deliver are such a big hit with audiences of all ages and backgrounds and there was truly something for everyone to engage and connect with across the two days. I thought there was perfect pitching across all the experiences to ensure that content was accessible and delivered in the most appropriate format for visitors with different expectations from them, and that all your team were so warm, friendly and approachable in their interactions with audiences. Thank you so much for all of this."
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Environment and Microbiology Seminar Series. University of Warwick. Dr Tom Parker. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited presentation entitled "Going underground to predict ecosystem feedbacks in a changing arctic tundra." Fostered broader interest in the project and catalysed discussion of potential new collaborative research activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Interview for national news 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Interview on BBC Reporting Scotland (with BBC Scotland's Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs correspondent, Kevin Keane) regarding preparations for COP26, following the postponement of the conference from November 2020 to 2021 (due to COVID-19).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://ukcop26.org/
 
Description Invited Keynote Speaker (Dr Tom Parker). 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited Keynote Speaker (Dr Tom Parker) "Plant-soil interactions in the Arctic: How may treeline advance change the ecosystem carbon balance? Above and Belowground Interactions", Joint British Ecological Society (Plants-Soils-Ecosystems) - Mediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology. Aix-Marseille Université, France.

Fostered broader interest in the project and catalysed discussion of potential new collaborative research activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Invited Public Lecture - University of Calgary, Arctic Institute of North America - "Biospheric feedbacks and the 'Arctic Amplification' of climate change" 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This was an invited presentation as part of the Arctic Institute of North America's 'Arctic Speaker Series 2017-18'. Purpose; to engage with the public on key research topics relating to the Arctic.

Title: "Biospheric feedbacks and the 'Arctic Amplification' of climate change"

The talk resulted in a lively debate subsequently.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://arctic.ucalgary.ca/arctic-speaker-series-2017-18
 
Description Invited Seminar Speaker (Prof. Philip Wookey). Nature of Life Seminars, Department of Ecological Science (AEW), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A seminar and discussion with ~45 taught postgraduate (MSc) and PhD students and staff scientists, with interests ranging across evolutionary biology, ecotoxicology, environmental genomics, community ecology, terrestrial biogeochemistry and ecological modelling. The discussion was arranged around several key papers, regarding which the MSc students posted questions in advance.

Sparked a lively debate and received excellent feedback. Further informal discussions subsequently.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.amsterdamecology.nl/seminars/
 
Description Invited keynote talk (Prof Philip Wookey) in Swedish Lapland 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This was the University of Umeå's Climate Impact Research Centre (CIRC) annual Autumn Research Symposium, held at Abisko Scientific Research Station in Swedish Lapland, on 11-13 September 2019.

The participants were mainly professional practitioners (researchers) but included local stakeholders, for example reindeer herders.

Philip Wookey gave an invited keynote talk entitled "Arctic Soil Biogeochemistry."

The talk sparked a lot of discussion afterwards; in particular, relating to the implications of changing vegetation for soil processes and the global carbon cycle, and the potential modifying role of herbivory.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.arcticcirc.net/arcticnews/2019/6/5/registration-open-autumn-science-symposium-11-to-13-s...
 
Description Invited seminar presentation (Dr Tom Parker) in Sweden 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited seminar (by Tom Parker) it the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science Seminar Series, University of Umeå, Sweden, entitled "Carbon Cycling in the Terrestrial Arctic: Implications of Shrub and Tree Expansion?"

Stimulated debate on key issues relating to global change research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Invited seminar presentation in Sweden 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited seminar (by Tom Parker) at the Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, entitled "Carbon Cycling in the Terrestrial Arctic: Implications of Shrub and Tree Expansion?"

Stimulated debate on key issues relating to global change research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Invited seminar presentation in Swedish Lapland 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited seminar (by Tom Parker) at the Climate Impacts Research Centre and Abisko Scientific Research Station (Joint Seminar Series) entitled "Shrubs, trees and soil carbon: implications of a greening Arctic".

Stimulated debate on key issues relating to global change research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Organisation of Conference Thematic Session, British Ecological Society 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Organisation of the Thematic Session entitled "From plant input to soil organic matter: the role of mycorrhizal fungi."

This prestigious session was co-organised by François-Xavier Joly (University of Stirling) and Tom Parker (University of Stirling).

Remit: "The mycorrhizal dominance of a given ecosystem is increasingly viewed as a central mediator of plant-soil interactions. In this session, we aim to bring together ecologists whose research aims, through diverse approaches, at exploring how mycorrhizal fungi control the fate of plant inputs in the soil."

The session brought together world-leading researchers in this field, and sparked a vigorous, and on-going, debate, highlighting the global significance of this, often overlooked, topic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/events/annual-meeting-2019/call-thematic-sessions/
 
Description Public ('inaugural') lecture in connection with professorial appointment to the University of Stirling. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Professorial inaugural lecture in connection with appointment, entitled "Biospheric feedbacks and the 'Arctic Amplification' of climate change."

The purpose of this is to 'profess' the discipline, and provide an accessible overview of a personal career contribution. The talk was delivered as one of the opening contributions to the University of Stirling's 2018 Research Week.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Public Talk 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Talk to the Cheshire Wildlife Trust on mycorrhizal fungi
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Scotland-Arctic Network Series: Environmental Pollution and Biodiversity 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation (by Philip Wookey) as part of an online panel debate/discussion organised by the Centre for Climate Justice at Glasgow Caledonian University
https://www.gcu.ac.uk/climatejustice/

The event included a debate about how Scotland-based researchers are contributing to Arctic research, and why this is important to broader society, both in Scotland and in the Arctic, as well as globally. This is seen as the beginning of a process, and is part of a series of related events.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.caledonianblogs.net/climatejustice/2021/02/02/scotlandarcticresearchnetwork/
 
Description Stirling Science Festival 2020 - Presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact A 'bite-size' (20 min) public lecture entitled "On second thoughts, let's not plant trees to mitigate climate change!", by Philip Wookey. Due to COVID-19 this was pre-recorded.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://stirlingevents.org/tolbooth-event/stirling-science-festival-2020-2/
 
Description Stirling Science Soc Presentation - "Arctic Terrestrial Ecology - Phil's Pictorial Guide" 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Invited presentation on my research career, and what inspired it.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019