Organic and inorganic carbon concentrations and fluxes from managed and unmanaged boreal first-order catchments

Abstract

Seasonal and between stream variation (catchment dependent variation) in losses of organic and inorganic carbon via downstream transport and outgassing of CO 2 into the atmosphere were studied in 11 small boreal catchments situated in close proximity to each other. Of these catchments four were undrained peatland rich catchments, four drained peatland rich catchments and three managed mineral soil-dominated catchments. Downstream export of total inorganic carbon (TIC) varied between 870 and 1400 kg km − 2 a − 1 and was rather consistent between the catchments, except in the case of the mineral soil-dominated catchment Kangaslampi, where export was only 420 kg km − 2 a − 1 . The export of total organic carbon (TOC) varied between 2300 and 14,800 kg km − 2 a − 1 and was highest in peatland rich catchments. Peatland drainage decreased TIC and TOC concentrations in the long term, but did not affect lateral carbon export due to increased runoff from the catchments. Partial pressure of CO 2 in streams was the highest in undrained peatland rich catchments, but the outgassing of CO 2 into the atmosphere was also high from drained peatlands due to the higher discharge rate and long ditch networks. In mineral soil-dominated catchments both downstream export of carbon and emission into the atmosphere were low. TOC exports were compared in two climatically different years (2003 and 2007). The results indicate that climate change might alter the timing of the TOC export from the catchments, the importance of the spring ice melt diminishing and both snow cover and snow free period export increasing.