Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling
<p>Reduction–oxidation (redox) reactions are ubiquitous in nature and are responsible for the energy acquisition of all organisms. Redox reactions are electron transfer reactions that necessarily involve two participants: one being oxidised (electron donor) and one being reduced (electron acce...
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Copernicus Publications
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
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| author | M. Koskinen J. Anttila V. Vranová L. Holík K. Roche M. Vorenhout M. Vorenhout M. Pihlatie R. Laiho |
| author_facet | M. Koskinen J. Anttila V. Vranová L. Holík K. Roche M. Vorenhout M. Vorenhout M. Pihlatie R. Laiho |
| author_sort | M. Koskinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Reduction–oxidation (redox) reactions are ubiquitous in nature and are responsible for the energy acquisition of all organisms. Redox reactions are electron transfer reactions that necessarily involve two participants: one being oxidised (electron donor) and one being reduced (electron acceptor).</p>
<p>The availability of terminal electron acceptors (TEAs) is a major determinant of the extent to which carbon in organic matter can be oxidised in an ecosystem. This is most important under waterlogged conditions, such as in peatlands, where the diffusion of <span class="inline-formula">O<sub>2</sub></span>, the most effective common TEA, into soil is blocked by water. Under these conditions, alternative TEAs can be used by microbiota to continue organic matter oxidation.</p>
<p>Decomposition processes in soil can be characterised by its redox state, i.e. which TEA is responsible for organic matter oxidation at a given time. This can, in principle, be measured as a voltage between the soil solution and a known reference electrode, known as the redox potential.</p>
<p>Current soil ecosystem models do not depict the use of alternative TEAs well. This limits their applicability for predicting soil carbon loss under different drainage regimes and, thus, their usefulness for assessing the best management practices for soil carbon preservation and water course protection. The most common determinant of the mode of decomposition presently used in ecosystem models is the water table level (WTL), which relies on the assumption that the redox state of a peatland ecosystem responds predictably to changes in the WTL.</p>
<p>We conducted a 2-year redox monitoring experiment in a boreal mesotrophic peatland under three drainage regimes: undrained, short-term drainage, and long-term drainage. In addition, an ombrotrophic plot that had undergone long-term drainage was monitored. Snapshot assessments of the activity of three major metabolic enzymes – arginine deaminase, protease, and urease – were also undertaken at the mesotrophic plots as an indicator of differences in microbial activity between drainage regimes.</p>
<p>We found that the WTL was a poor temporal predictor of redox potential but that (1) the position of major transition zones between oxic and anoxic states and (2) enzymatic activities within the peat profile were somewhat determined by the dominant WTL depth. In the undrained plots especially, redox potential values reflecting oxic or suboxic conditions were often found below the WTL, whereas anoxia was present above the WTL at the drained plots. Preceding<span id="page3990"/> redox potential was found to affect the activities of protease and urease but not arginine in all plots.</p> |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf6dffc036ce40b6b8b80febeb8d9610 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-bf6dffc036ce40b6b8b80febeb8d96102025-08-20T03:04:55ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892025-08-01223989401210.5194/bg-22-3989-2025Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modellingM. Koskinen0J. Anttila1V. Vranová2L. Holík3K. Roche4M. Vorenhout5M. Vorenhout6M. Pihlatie7R. Laiho8Department of Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, FinlandNatural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, the NetherlandsMVH Consulting, 2317 BD Leiden, the NetherlandsDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, FinlandNatural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, Finland<p>Reduction–oxidation (redox) reactions are ubiquitous in nature and are responsible for the energy acquisition of all organisms. Redox reactions are electron transfer reactions that necessarily involve two participants: one being oxidised (electron donor) and one being reduced (electron acceptor).</p> <p>The availability of terminal electron acceptors (TEAs) is a major determinant of the extent to which carbon in organic matter can be oxidised in an ecosystem. This is most important under waterlogged conditions, such as in peatlands, where the diffusion of <span class="inline-formula">O<sub>2</sub></span>, the most effective common TEA, into soil is blocked by water. Under these conditions, alternative TEAs can be used by microbiota to continue organic matter oxidation.</p> <p>Decomposition processes in soil can be characterised by its redox state, i.e. which TEA is responsible for organic matter oxidation at a given time. This can, in principle, be measured as a voltage between the soil solution and a known reference electrode, known as the redox potential.</p> <p>Current soil ecosystem models do not depict the use of alternative TEAs well. This limits their applicability for predicting soil carbon loss under different drainage regimes and, thus, their usefulness for assessing the best management practices for soil carbon preservation and water course protection. The most common determinant of the mode of decomposition presently used in ecosystem models is the water table level (WTL), which relies on the assumption that the redox state of a peatland ecosystem responds predictably to changes in the WTL.</p> <p>We conducted a 2-year redox monitoring experiment in a boreal mesotrophic peatland under three drainage regimes: undrained, short-term drainage, and long-term drainage. In addition, an ombrotrophic plot that had undergone long-term drainage was monitored. Snapshot assessments of the activity of three major metabolic enzymes – arginine deaminase, protease, and urease – were also undertaken at the mesotrophic plots as an indicator of differences in microbial activity between drainage regimes.</p> <p>We found that the WTL was a poor temporal predictor of redox potential but that (1) the position of major transition zones between oxic and anoxic states and (2) enzymatic activities within the peat profile were somewhat determined by the dominant WTL depth. In the undrained plots especially, redox potential values reflecting oxic or suboxic conditions were often found below the WTL, whereas anoxia was present above the WTL at the drained plots. Preceding<span id="page3990"/> redox potential was found to affect the activities of protease and urease but not arginine in all plots.</p>https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/3989/2025/bg-22-3989-2025.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Koskinen J. Anttila V. Vranová L. Holík K. Roche M. Vorenhout M. Vorenhout M. Pihlatie R. Laiho Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling Biogeosciences |
| title | Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling |
| title_full | Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling |
| title_fullStr | Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling |
| title_short | Covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes: implications for ecological modelling |
| title_sort | covariation of redox potential profiles and the water table level at peatland sites representing different drainage regimes implications for ecological modelling |
| url | https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/3989/2025/bg-22-3989-2025.pdf |
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