Continuous measurement of CO2 flux through the snowpack in a dwarf bamboo ecosystem on Rishiri Island, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

To investigate the dynamics and environmental drivers of CO2 flux through the winter snowpack in a dwarf bamboo ecosystem (Hokkaido, northeast Japan), we constructed an automated sampling system to measured CO2 concentrations at five different levels in the snowpack, from the base to the upper snow surface. Using a gas diffusion approach, we estimated an average apparent soil CO2 flux of 0.26 μmol m−2 s−1 during the snow season (December–April); temporally, the CO2 flux increased until mid-snow season, but showed no clear trend thereafter; late-season snow-melting events resulted in rapid decreases in apparent CO2 flux values. Air temperature and subnivean CO2 flux exhibited a positive linear relationship. After eliminating the effects of wind pumping, we estimated the actual soil CO2 flux (0.41 μmol m−2 s−1) to be 54% larger than the apparent flux. This study provides new constraints on snow-season carbon emissions in a dwarf bamboo ecosystem in northeast Asia.