Above- and Belowground Community Linkages in Boreal Climate Warming Implications

Aboveground plants provide resources to the belowground microbial community via plant litter and, in turn, the belowground microbial community provides nutrients for plant uptake, linking the two systems. My aim was to characterize and describe differences in plant community composition, plant litter quality and microbial community composition between two boreal peatlands in northern Ontario. These peatlands have contrasting plant and microbial communities, the Sphagnum moss-dominated peatland harboring a higher fungi to bacteria ratio compared to the Carex sedge-dominated peatland. Clear open top chambers were installed at both sites to simulate warming. Higher temperatures decreased Sphagnum moss in the Sphagnum-dominated peatland, increased aboveground biomass in the Carex sedge dominated peatland, and increased the heterogeneity in plant community composition at both sites. Shifts in aboveground plant community and subsequent plant litter quality inputs to the microbial community has potential implications for peatland carbon storage.