Comparison of net ecosystem CO2 exchange in cropland and grassland with an automated closed chamber system

Abstract

Field measurements of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) with high temporal resolution are essential to construct a meaningful ecosystem C balance. The objectives of this study were to monitor NEE in high temporal resolution in cropland and grassland between middle August and middle November (2006) at Kleinhohenheim, Germany and to evaluate NEE in autumn. A fully automated temperature controlled closed chamber system with an infrared CO2 analyzer was used to measure NEE. The measured NEE varied between the two ecosystems depending on changes in above-ground vegetation and environmental factors. The diurnal NEE pattern of daytime CO2 uptake and night time CO2 release was evident in the grassland, but not in the cropland as the crops were harvested at the beginning of the measurement period. The grassland generally showed higher night time NEE, but lower daytime NEE than the cropland. Night time NEE showed exponential dependence on air and soil temperature, resulting in Q10 of 1.8 and 1.9 (for air temperature), 2.3 and 2.4 (for soil temperature) in the grassland and cropland, respectively. The average daily NEE was 2.77 and 1.86 g CO2-C m−2 day−1 in the cropland and grassland, respectively. Both ecosystems were sources of CO2, during 3 months in autumn, but the grassland emitted less CO2 by 87.9 g CO2-C m−2 than the cropland.