Sirvi Autor "Masta, Mohit" järgi

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15N tracers and microbial analyses reveal in situ N2O sources in contrasting water regimes of a drained peatland forest
(2024) Masta, Mohit; Espenberg, Mikk; Kuusemets, Laura; Pärn, Jaan; Thayamkottu, Sandeep; Sepp, Holar; Kirsimäe, Kalle; Sgouridis, Fotis; Kasak, Kuno; Soosaar, Kaido; Mander, Ülo
Managed peatlands are a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O), a powerful greenhouse gas and stratospheric ozone depleter. Due to the complexity and diversity of microbial N2O processes, different methods such as tracer, isotopomer, and microbiological technologies are required to understand these processes. The combined application of different methods helps to precisely estimate these processes, which is crucial for the future management of drained peatlands, and to mitigate soil degradation and negative atmospheric impact. In this study, we investigated N2O sources by combining tracer, isotopomer, and microbial analysis in a drained peatland forest under flooded and drained treatments. On average, the nitrification genes showed higher abundances in the drained treatment, and the denitrification genes showed higher abundances in the flooded treatment. This is consistent with the underlying chemistry, as nitrification requires oxygen while denitrification is anaerobic. We observed significant differences in labelled N2O fluxes between the drained and flooded treatments. The emissions of N2O from the flooded treatment were nearly negligible, whereas the N2O evolved from the nitrogen-15 (15N)-labelled ammonium (15NH4+) in the drained treatment peaked at 147 μg 15N m-2 h-1. This initially suggested nitrification as the driving mechanism behind N2O fluxes in drained peatlands, but based on the genetic data, isotopic analysis, and N2O mass enrichment, we conclude that hybrid N2O formation involving ammonia oxidation was the main source of N2O emissions in the drained treatment. Based on the 15N-labelled nitrate (15NO3-) tracer addition and gene copy numbers, the low N2O emissions in the flooded treatment came possibly from complete denitrification producing inert dinitrogen. At atomic level, we observed selective enrichment of mass 45 of N2O molecule under 15NH4+ amendment in the drained treatment and enrichment of both masses 45 and 46 under 15NO3- amendment in the flooded treatment. The selective enrichment of mass 45 in the drained treatment indicated the presence of hybrid N2O formation, which was also supported by the high abundances of archaeal genes.
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Distinct microbial communities drive methane cycling in below- and above-ground compartments of tropical cloud forests growing on peat
(2025) Kazmi, Fahad Ali; Mander, Ülo; Khanongnuch, Ramita; Öpik, Maarja; Ranniku, Reti; Soosaar, Kaido; Masta, Mohit; Tenhovirta, Salla A. M.; Kasak, Kuno; Ah-Peng, Claudine; Espenberg, Mikk
Cloud forests are unique yet understudied ecosystems regarding CH4 exchange despite their significance in carbon storage. We investigated CH4 fluxes in peat soil and tree stems of two tropical cloud forests on Réunion Island, one featuring Erica reunionensis and the second a mix of E. reunionensis and Alsophila glaucifolia. The study examined microbiomes across below-ground (soil) and above-ground (canopy soil, leaves, and stems) forest compartments. Metagenomics and qPCR analyses targeted key genes in methanogenesis and methanotrophy in soil and above-ground samples, alongside soil physicochemical measurements. CH4 fluxes from peat soil and tree stems were measured using gas chromatography and portable trace gas analyzers. Peat soil in both forests acted as a CH4 sink (− 23.8 ± 4.84 µg C m− 2 h− 1) and CO2 source (55.5 ± 5.51 µg C m− 2 h− 1), with higher CH4 uptake in sites dominated by endemic tree species E. reunionensis. In forest soils, a high abundance of n-DAMO 16 S rRNA gene (3.42 × 107 ± 7 × 106 copies/g dw) was associated with nitrate levels and higher rates of CH4 uptake and CO2 emissions. NC-10 bacteria (0.1–0.3%) were detected in only the Erica forest soil, verrucomicrobial methanotrophs (0.1–3.1%) only in the mixed forest soil, whereas alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs (0.1–3.3%) were present in all soils. Tree stems in both forests were weak sinks of CH4 (-0.94 ± 0.4 µg C m− 2 h− 1). The canopy soil hosted verrucomicrobial methanotrophs (0.1–0.3%). The leaves in both forests exhibited metabolic potential for CH4 production, e.g., exhibiting high mcrA copy numbers (3.5 × 105 ± 2.3 × 105 copies/g dw). However, no CH4-cycling functional genes were detected in the stem core samples. Tropical cloud forest peat soils showed high anaerobic methanotrophy via the n-DAMO process, while aerobic methanotrophs were abundant in canopy soils. Leaves hosted methanotrophs but predominantly methanogens. These results highlight the significant differences between canopy and soil microbiomes in the CH4 cycle, emphasizing the importance of above-ground microbiomes in forest CH4 gas budgets.
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Distinct microbial communities drive methane cycling in below- and above-ground compartments of tropical cloud forests growing on peat
(2025) Kazmi, Fahad Ali; Mander, Ülo; Khanongnuch, Ramita; Öpik, Maarja; Ranniku, Reti; Soosaar, Kaido; Masta, Mohit; Tenhovirta, Salla A. M.; Kasak, Kuno; Ah-Peng, Claudine; Espenberg, Mikk
Cloud forests are unique yet understudied ecosystems regarding CH4 exchange despite their significance in carbon storage. We investigated CH4 fluxes in peat soil and tree stems of two tropical cloud forests on Réunion Island, one featuring Erica reunionensis and the second a mix of E. reunionensis and Alsophila glaucifolia. The study examined microbiomes across below-ground (soil) and above-ground (canopy soil, leaves, and stems) forest compartments. Metagenomics and qPCR analyses targeted key genes in methanogenesis and methanotrophy in soil and above-ground samples, alongside soil physicochemical measurements. CH4 fluxes from peat soil and tree stems were measured using gas chromatography and portable trace gas analyzers. Peat soil in both forests acted as a CH4 sink (− 23.8 ± 4.84 µg C m− 2 h− 1) and CO2 source (55.5 ± 5.51 µg C m− 2 h− 1), with higher CH4 uptake in sites dominated by endemic tree species E. reunionensis. In forest soils, a high abundance of n-DAMO 16 S rRNA gene (3.42 × 107 ± 7 × 106 copies/g dw) was associated with nitrate levels and higher rates of CH4 uptake and CO2 emissions. NC-10 bacteria (0.1–0.3%) were detected in only the Erica forest soil, verrucomicrobial methanotrophs (0.1–3.1%) only in the mixed forest soil, whereas alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs (0.1–3.3%) were present in all soils. Tree stems in both forests were weak sinks of CH4 (-0.94 ± 0.4 µg C m− 2 h− 1). The canopy soil hosted verrucomicrobial methanotrophs (0.1–0.3%). The leaves in both forests exhibited metabolic potential for CH4 production, e.g., exhibiting high mcrA copy numbers (3.5 × 105 ± 2.3 × 105 copies/g dw). However, no CH4-cycling functional genes were detected in the stem core samples. Tropical cloud forest peat soils showed high anaerobic methanotrophy via the n-DAMO process, while aerobic methanotrophs were abundant in canopy soils. Leaves hosted methanotrophs but predominantly methanogens. These results highlight the significant differences between canopy and soil microbiomes in the CH4 cycle, emphasizing the importance of above-ground microbiomes in forest CH4 gas budgets.
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Dual controls of vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture on photosynthesis in a restored temperate bog
(Science of The Total Environment, 2025) Thayamkottu, Sandeep; Masta, Mohit; Skeeter, June; Pärn, Jaan; Knox, Sara H.; Smallman, T. Luke; Mander, Ülo
Despite only covering ~3 % of the land mass, peatlands store more carbon (C) per unit area than any other ecosystem. This is due to the discrepancy between C fixed by the plants (Gross primary productivity (GPP)) and decomposition. However, this C is vulnerable to frequent, severe droughts and changes in the peatland microclimate. Plants play a vital role in ecosystem C dynamics under drought by mediating water loss to the atmosphere (surface water vapour conductance) and GPP by the presence/absence of stomatal regulation. This is dependent on soil moisture, air temperature, and vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Although there is ample evidence of the role of VPD on stomatal regulation and GPP, the impact of soil moisture is still debated. We addressed this knowledge gap by investigating the role of bulk surface conductance of water vapour in shifts between climatic (Air temperature (Tair), incoming shortwave radiation (SWR) and VPD) and water limitation of GPP in a peat bog in Canada. A causal analysis process was used to investigate how environmental factors influenced GPP. The results suggested that stomatal regulation in response to increased VPD caused the reduction in GPP in 2016 (~2.5 gC m−2 day−1 as opposed to ~3 gC m−2 day−1 in 2018). In contrast, GPP was limited again in 2019 due to the dry surface. This was driven by the relaxed stomatal regulation adopted by the ecosystem following the initial drought to maximise C assimilation. We found the threshold at which surface water decline limited GPP was at about −8 cm water table depth (82.5 % soil moisture). The causal inference corroborated our findings. The temporal variations of water and energy limitation seen in this study could increasingly restrict GPP due to the projected climate warming.
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Dual controls of vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture on photosynthesis in a restored temperate bog
(2025) Thayamkottu, Sandeep; Masta, Mohit; Skeeter, June; Pärn, Jaan; Knox, Sara H.; Smallman, T. Luke; Mander, Ülo
Despite only covering ~3 % of the land mass, peatlands store more carbon (C) per unit area than any other ecosystem. This is due to the discrepancy between C fixed by the plants (Gross primary productivity (GPP)) and decomposition. However, this C is vulnerable to frequent, severe droughts and changes in the peatland microclimate. Plants play a vital role in ecosystem C dynamics under drought by mediating water loss to the atmosphere (surface water vapour conductance) and GPP by the presence/absence of stomatal regulation. This is dependent on soil moisture, air temperature, and vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Although there is ample evidence of the role of VPD on stomatal regulation and GPP, the impact of soil moisture is still debated. We addressed this knowledge gap by investigating the role of bulk surface conductance of water vapour in shifts between climatic (Air temperature (Tair), incoming shortwave radiation (SWR) and VPD) and water limitation of GPP in a peat bog in Canada. A causal analysis process was used to investigate how environmental factors influenced GPP. The results suggested that stomatal regulation in response to increased VPD caused the reduction in GPP in 2016 (~2.5 gC m−2 day−1 as opposed to ~3 gC m−2 day−1 in 2018). In contrast, GPP was limited again in 2019 due to the dry surface. This was driven by the relaxed stomatal regulation adopted by the ecosystem following the initial drought to maximise C assimilation. We found the threshold at which surface water decline limited GPP was at about −8 cm water table depth (82.5 % soil moisture). The causal inference corroborated our findings. The temporal variations of water and energy limitation seen in this study could increasingly restrict GPP due to the projected climate warming.
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Isotopologue and microbiome studies for N2O source attribution in peat soils
(2022-10-13) Masta, Mohit; Mander, Ülo, juhendaja; Kirsimäe, Kalle, juhendaja; Pärn, Jaan, juhendaja; Espenberg, Mikk, juhendaja; Tartu Ülikool. Loodus- ja täppisteaduste valdkond
Naerugaas (N2O) on ohtlik kasvuhoonegaas ja stratosfääri osoonikihi lõhkuja. Selle peamised heitmed pärinevad muldade kuivenemisest ja väetamisest. Doktoritöö uuris täpsemalt N2O heitmete taga olevaid mehhanisme. N2O tekib mitmes protsessis, eeskätt denitrifikatsioonis ja nitrifikatsioonis. Denitrifikatsioon on protsess, mis käivitub hapnikuvaeses mullas ja milles naerugaas tekib nitraadist. Hapnikuvaeguse katkedes paiskub naerugaas atmosfääri. Hapnikuvaeguse jätkudes tekib ja jõuab atmosfääri aga hoopis kahjutu dilämmastik. Nitrifikatsioon seevastu on hapnikurikkas mullas toimuv protsess, milles naerugaas tekib ammooniumist. Nende protsesside kohta andis põhimõtteliselt uut teavet isotoopsete ja mikrobioloogiliste meetodite paralleelne kasutamine. Nii saadi teada, et veega täielikult küllastunud soomullas on naerugaasi peamine allikas denitrifikatsioon, osaliselt veega küllastunud soomullas aga nitrifikatsioon. Saadud teadmisi saab rakendada põllumajanduse ja metsanduse kliimasõbralikul planeerimisel. Kõige suurem potentsiaal on veetaseme reguleerimisel, minimeerides kasvuhoonegaasi-heitmeid majanduslikust tulust ja väärtuslikest elupaikadest loobumata.
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Meltwater of freeze-thaw cycles drives N2O-governing microbial communities in a drained peatland forest soil
(2025) Kazmi, Fahad Ali; Espenberg, Mikk; Pärn, Jaan; Masta, Mohit; Ranniku, Reti; Mander, Ülo; Thayamkottu, Sandeep
Soil freeze-thaw cycles affect N2O fluxes in high- and mid-latitude regions, but understanding microbial processes behind N2O will help clarify the long-term impact of freeze-thaw on climate change. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of freeze-thaw cycles on microbial abundances and N2O emissions in a hemi-boreal drained peatland forest. The soil freeze-thaw experiment involved artificial heating to thaw the topsoil after freezing. Results showed that thawing of the 5 cm topsoil increased soil water content (SWC) and N2O emissions. Microbial analysis demonstrated that the abundance of soil prokaryotes increased with thawing. N2O emissions were negatively correlated with NH4+-N while ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria, including complete ammonia oxidizers, increased their abundance. This indicates a potential nitrification pathway. The abundance of nitrite reductase genes (nirK and nirS) showed a positive correlation with N2O fluxes, while nosZ genes did not increase. The results provide an insight into the impact of soil freeze-thaw cycles on N2O fluxes and the underlying microbial processes. The dynamics of SWC during the thawing period were the most direct driver of the increase in N2O emissions. Incomplete denitrification was the dominant process for the N2O emissions during the thaw. More than 80% of produced N2O was denitrified to inert N2, as shown by high potential N2 emissions. The frequency of freeze-thaw events is expected to increase due to climate change; therefore, determining the underlying microbial processes of the N2O emissions under freeze-thaw is of great importance in predicting possible impacts of climate change in forests.
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Nitrogen cycling genes abundance in soil and aboveground compartments of tropical peatland cloud forests and a wetland on Réunion Island
(Scientific Reports, 2025) Kazmi, Fahad Ali; Mander, Ülo; Ranniku, Reti; Öpik, Maarja; Püssa, Kersti; Soosaar, Kaido; Kasak, Kuno; Masta, Mohit; Ah-Peng, Claudine; Espenberg, Mikk
Peatland cloud forests, characterized by high altitude and humidity, are among the least-studied tropical ecosystems despite their significance for endemism and the bioavailable nitrogen (N) that can be emitted as N2O. While research has mainly focused on soil, the above-ground microbial N cycle remains largely unexplored. We quantified microbial N cycling genes across ecosystem compartments (soil, canopy soil, tree stems, and leaves) in relation to N2O and N2 fluxes and soil physicochemical properties in two peatland cloud forests and a wetland on Réunion Island. Complete denitrification minimized N2O emissions and increased N2 fluxes in wetland soils. In cloud forest soils, archaeal nitrification primarily produced nitrate (NO3–), while low pH potentially slowed denitrification, resulting in minimal N2O emissions. Soil N-fixers were more abundant in Erica reunionensis-dominated forests than in mixed forests. Tree stems varied between weak N2O sinks and sources, with fluxes unrelated to gene abundances in stems. High prokaryotic and fungal nirK gene abundance in forest canopy soil suggests potential for above-ground denitrification in wet conditions. nosZ-I genes found in forest canopy soil and leaves (E. reunionensis, Alsophila glaucifolia, and Typha domingensis) indicate that plants, including forest canopy, may play a significant role in the reduction of N2O.
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Nitrogen cycling genes abundance in soil and aboveground compartments of tropical peatland cloud forests and a wetland on Réunion Island
(2025) Kazmi, Fahad Ali; Espenberg, Mikk; Mander, Ülo; Ranniku, Reti; Öpik, Maarja; Püssa, Kersti; Soosaar, Kaido; Kasak, Kuno; Masta, Mohit; Ah-Peng, Claudine
Peatland cloud forests, characterized by high altitude and humidity, are among the least-studied tropical ecosystems despite their significance for endemism and the bioavailable nitrogen (N) that can be emitted as N2O. While research has mainly focused on soil, the above-ground microbial N cycle remains largely unexplored. We quantified microbial N cycling genes across ecosystem compartments (soil, canopy soil, tree stems, and leaves) in relation to N2O and N2 fluxes and soil physicochemical properties in two peatland cloud forests and a wetland on Réunion Island. Complete denitrification minimized N2O emissions and increased N2 fluxes in wetland soils. In cloud forest soils, archaeal nitrification primarily produced nitrate (NO3–), while low pH potentially slowed denitrification, resulting in minimal N2O emissions. Soil N-fixers were more abundant in Erica reunionensis-dominated forests than in mixed forests. Tree stems varied between weak N2O sinks and sources, with fluxes unrelated to gene abundances in stems. High prokaryotic and fungal nirK gene abundance in forest canopy soil suggests potential for above-ground denitrification in wet conditions. nosZ-I genes found in forest canopy soil and leaves (E. reunionensis, Alsophila glaucifolia, and Typha domingensis) indicate that plants, including forest canopy, may play a significant role in the reduction of N2O.