Carbon dioxide exchange and temperature sensitivity of soil respiration along an elevation gradient in an arctic tundra ecosystem

• There was no temperature gradient along 9–387 m elevation gradient in arctic tundra. • Topography aspect-induced soil microclimate differences drove ecosystem CO 2 exchange. • Temperature sensitivity of soil respiration above 0 °C increased with elevation. • Elevation did not regulate temperature sensitivity below 0 °C or moisture sensitivity. Generally, with increasing elevation, there is a corresponding decrease in annual mean air and soil temperatures, resulting in an overall decrease in ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) exchange. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the variations in CO 2 exchange along elevation gradients in tundra ecosystems. Aiming to quantify CO 2 exchange along elevation gradients in tundra ecosystems, we measured ecosystem CO 2 exchange in the peak growing season along an elevation gradient (9–387 m above sea level, m.a.s.l) in an arctic heath tundra, West Greenland. We also performed an ex-situ incubation experiment based on soil samples collected along the elevation gradient, to assess the sensitivity of soil respiration to changes in temperature and soil moisture. There was no apparent temperature gradient along the elevation gradient, with the lowest air and soil temperatures at the second lowest elevation site (83 m). The lowest elevation site exhibited the highest net ecosystem exchange (NEE), ecosystem respiration (ER) and gross ecosystem production (GEP) rates, while the other three sites generally showed intercomparable CO 2 exchange rates. Topography aspect-induced soil microclimate differences rather than the elevation were the primary drivers for the soil nutrient status and ecosystem CO 2 exchange. The temperature sensitivity of soil respiration above 0 °C increased with elevation, while elevation did not regulate the temperature sensitivity below 0 °C or the moisture sensitivity. Soil total nitrogen, carbon, and ammonium contents were the controls of temperature sensitivity below 0 °C. Overall, our results emphasize the significance of considering elevation and microclimate when predicting the response of CO 2 balance to climate change or upscaling to regional scales, particularly during the growing season. However, outside the growing season, other factors such as soil nutrient dynamics, play a more influential role in driving ecosystem CO 2 fluxes. To accurately upscale or predict annual CO 2 fluxes in arctic tundra regions, it is crucial to incorporate elevation-specific microclimate conditions into ecosystem models.