Sofie Sjogersten Turner
Lecturer in Environmental Science, Faculty of Science
Contact
Expertise Summary
High latitude, mountain and peatland ecosystems are currently important sinks of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. At high latitudes ca. one third of the global soil carbon pool is store in peatlands and tundra. The accumulation of carbon in ecosystems is due to relatively greater primary production than decomposition. Therefore, factors that either reduce primary production or increase decomposition are likely to result in a loss of carbon sink capacity. Such factors include ecosystem nutrient status, moisture availability and plant species composition, which are themselves sensitive to environmental drivers. My research interest to date has been the impact of climate, vegetation and soil processes on the cycling of carbon and nutrients and quantifying trace gas fluxes to the atmosphere in terrestrial ecosystems. A key area of my research focuses on the impact of environmental change on biogeochemical cycling in natural and semi-natural ecosystems. I am particularly interested in quantifying the potential loss of stored organic matter and nutrients from ecosystems, as well as loss of plant productivity. As an ecosystem scientist I have research experience in many facets of natural ecosystems. Specifically, my doctoral research focused on tree-line dynamics in combination with warming experiments. I explored the role of the above ground vegetation and climate warming on decomposition, soil organic carbon chemistry, CO2 and CH4 fluxes. As a post doctoral researcher I have studied the impact of herbivores, climate warming and hydrology on net ecosystem CO2 fluxes, soil carbon storage and chemistry in different habitats.
The question of soil carbon storage has become central to the understanding of the feed back mechanisms between ecosystems and the climate system, and the scope for research into the sensitivity of the carbon pool to environmental change is vast since much is unknown, both regarding the organic carbon chemistry as well as the function and structure of the below ground microbial community. We are currently carrying out research into the stability of carbon stored in both arctic peatlands underlain with permafrost and domed tropical peatlands.
I have experience in conventional ecological techniques, solid state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and stable isotopes. During my research I have collaborated closely with ecologists, microbiologists, chemists and soil scientists on large international projects. The funding for my research has included the European Union, Uppsala University, Swedish Royal Academy of Science and the NERC.
Research Summary
Current projects involve:
Nutrient controls of carbon cycling in tropical peatlands
Carbon biogeochemistry and stability as a control of green house gas (CO2 and CH4) fluxes and peatformation in tropical peatlands
Lability of carbon stored in permafrost peatlands
Reindeer grazing and tundra soil carbon storage under changing climate
Role of goose grazing for ecosystem carbon cyling in arctic ecosystems
Impact of leakage of CO2 from carbon capture and storage systems on agricultural systems
Farmer innovation systerms in the Loess plateau of China: a research and training network
Recent Publications
WRIGHT E, BLACK CR, CHEESMAN AW, DRAGE T, LARGE D, TURNER BL AND SJÖGERSTEN S, 2011. Contribution of subsurface peat to CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a neotropical peatland Global Change Biology. 17, 2867-2881 SJOGERSTEN, S, VAN DER WAL, R, LOONEN, MJJE and WOODIN, SJ, 2011. Recovery Of Ecosystem Carbon Fluxes And Storage From Herbivory Biogeochemistry. 106(3), 357-370 SJOGERSTEN, S, CHEESMAN, AW, LOPEZ, O and TURNER, BL, 2011. Biogeochemical Processes Along A Nutrient Gradient In A Tropical Ombrotrophic Peatland Biogeochemistry. 104(1-3), 147-163 SJOGERSTEN, S, KUIJPER, DPJ, VAN DER WAL, R, LOONEN, MJJE, HUISKES, AHL and WOODIN, SJ, 2010. Nitrogen Transfer Between Herbivores And Their Forage Species Polar Biology. 33(9), 1195-1203