Spatial Variability in SOC decomposability linked to Vegetation Type influences Carbon Release Rates in High Arctic

The active-layer soils of three major High Arctic vegetation types, Mesic Tundra (MT), Wet Sedge (WS), and Polar Desert (PD), were investigated using 90-day in-laboratory soil in-cubations, diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) to understand how the spatial distribution of vegetation in the High Arctic landscape influences SOC decomposability.