Long-term Flux Measurements Research Articles

Examining indicators and methods for quantifying ozone exposure to vegetation

The U.S. National Park Service uses W126 to assess critical levels of ozone (O3) exposure to sensitive plant species, whereas the scientific community considers the stomatal flux-based metric, phytotoxic O3 dose (POD), more relevant in foliar risk evaluation. This study found a decreasing trend of 0.15 ppm-hrs/yr (p = 0.049) in W126 at a Yellowstone National Park monitoring site during 1997–2021 and no trend at a Grand Teton National Park site over 2012–2021 but no trends at both sites in POD calculated following the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) (2017). To evaluate the CLRTAP (2017) method, 2019 summer POD was calculated for comparison using the Big-leaf model and was found 20%–100% less than the CLRTAP (2017)-calculated leaf-level one already, let alone compared to the latter scaled up to canopy-level, owing to the much smaller stomatal O3 flux (SOF) estimates under most conditions. Further analysis revealed exceptions where larger SOF values (>0.02 mmol/m2/hr), obtained from using the Big-leaf model with measured sensible heat and water vapor flux included in input, were not captured by the CLRTAP (2017) method and the Big-leaf model with input of regular meteorological variables only. Those large SOF values resulted under cooler, less windy, more humid, and cloudier conditions, when the approximate water vapor concentration difference between the ambient and leaf saturation level was found <1 mol/m3. A multivariate function was developed, through machine learning, by regressing SOF on air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, phytosynthetically active radiation, and O3 concentration. Its testing and evaluation demonstrated improved estimates of the large variability in SOF. This new parameterization showed promising capability of assessing critical levels of O3 exposure in park management, and it could be further improved with long-term flux measurement data becoming available and evapotranspiration better represented.

Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part I: Measuring temporal dynamics

Abstract. Long-term dry deposition flux measurements of reactive nitrogen based on the eddy covariance or the aerodynamic gradient method are scarce. Due to the large diversity of reactive nitrogen compounds and high technical requirements for the measuring devices, simultaneous measurements of individual reactive nitrogen compounds are not affordable. Hence, we examined the exchange patterns of total reactive nitrogen (ΣNr) and determined annual dry deposition budgets based on measured data at a mixed forest exposed to low air pollution levels located in the Bavarian Forest National Park (NPBW), Germany. Flux measurements of ΣNr were carried out with the Total Reactive Atmospheric Nitrogen Converter (TRANC) coupled to a chemiluminescence detector (CLD) for 2.5 years. The average ΣNr concentration was 3.1 µg N m−3. Denuder measurements with DELTA samplers and chemiluminescence measurements of nitrogen oxides (NOx) have shown that NOx has the highest contribution to ΣNr (∼51.4 %), followed by ammonia (NH3) (∼20.0 %), ammonium (NH4+) (∼15.3 %), nitrate NO3- (∼7.0 %), and nitric acid (HNO3) (∼6.3 %). Only slight seasonal changes were found in the ΣNr concentration level, whereas a seasonal pattern was observed for the contribution of NH3 and NOx. NH3 showed highest contributions to ΣNr in spring and summer, NOx in autumn and winter. We observed deposition fluxes at the measurement site with median fluxes ranging from −15 to −5 ngNm-2s-1 (negative fluxes indicate deposition). Median deposition velocities ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 cm s−1. In general, highest deposition velocities were recorded during high solar radiation, in particular from May to September. Our results suggest that seasonal changes in composition of ΣNr, global radiation (Rg), and other drivers correlated with Rg were most likely influencing the deposition velocity (vd). We found that from May to September higher temperatures, lower relative humidity, and dry leaf surfaces increase vd of ΣNr. At the measurement site, ΣNr concentration did not emerge as a driver for the ΣNrvd. No significant influence of temperature, humidity, friction velocity, or wind speed on ΣNr fluxes when using the mean-diurnal-variation (MDV) approach for filling gaps of up to 5 days was found. Remaining gaps were replaced by a monthly average of the specific half-hourly value. From June 2016 to May 2017 and June 2017 to May 2018, we estimated dry deposition sums of 3.8 and 4.0 kgNha-1a-1, respectively. Adding results from the wet deposition measurements, we determined 12.2 and 10.9 kgNha-1a-1 as total nitrogen deposition in the 2 years of observation. This work encompasses (one of) the first long-term flux measurements of ΣNr using novel measurements techniques for estimating annual nitrogen dry deposition to a remote forest ecosystem.

土壤湿度对中国南部热带森林土壤甲烷吸收的影响

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 土壤湿度对中国南部热带森林土壤甲烷吸收的影响 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202106281706 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 海南省自然科学基金高层次人才项目（421RC668） Effects of soil moisture on methane uptake in a tropical forest of southern China Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:森林土壤是一个重要的大气甲烷的汇。然而，相较于寒带和温带，在热带尤其是东南亚地区，森林土壤甲烷通量的观测较少，这限制了目前对热带森林土壤甲烷通量与环境因子之间关系的认识，也给热带森林土壤甲烷汇的估算带来了一定的不确定性。在中国海南省吊罗山国家森林公园的热带森林土壤，采用激光光谱法测量了2016年9月至2018年9月逐月的土壤甲烷通量，并分析了其与周围环境因子的关系。结果表明：研究区土壤是甲烷的汇，山顶样地的年平均吸收量为0.95 kg CH4-C hm-2 a-1，山脚样地的年平均吸收量为1.93 kg CH4-C hm-2 a-1。干季（11月-次年4月）的甲烷吸收通量明显高于湿季（5-10月），占到全年甲烷吸收的68%。山顶样地年平均土壤湿度为19.2%，年内的波动较小（2.8%）。而山脚样地的年平均湿度相对较低，为12.7%，且年内波动大（5.4%）。土壤湿度是控制甲烷吸收最主要的环境因子，可以解释月际甲烷吸收变化的76%，甲烷吸收通量与土壤温度的相关性则不显著。当土壤湿度高于20%（体积分数）时，研究区土壤开始从甲烷的汇转变为甲烷的源。综合研究及热带其他研究中甲烷吸收与土壤湿度的关系，推算出热带森林土壤的甲烷年吸收量为1.72 Tg CH4-C/a。结果对东南亚地区长时间甲烷通量观测及热带森林土壤甲烷汇的估算具有重要意义。 Abstract:Forest soils contribute substantially to the global methane uptake. However, compared with the cold and temperate zones, measurements of methane flux from the soils in the tropical forests are still sparse, especially in Southeastern Asia. This gap limits our understanding of the relationship between the methane flux from the soils and the environmental factors, which leads to large uncertainty in the estimation of the methane uptake flux from the tropical forest soils. This study was conducted in Diaoluoshan National Forest Reserve in Hainan Province, China. We measured monthly methane flux from the tropical forest soils by near-infrared laser greenhouse analyzers from September 2016 to September 2018. Soil moisture and soil temperature were measured simultaneously by Decagon 5 TM sensors. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between the methane flux with the environmental factors. The results revealed that the soils of the study area served as the sink of atmospheric methane during a 2-year period. The methane uptake in tropical forest soils at the top of the mountain was 0.95 kg CH4-C hm-2 a-1, while that in tropical forest soils at the foot of the mountain was 1.93 kg CH4-C hm-2 a-1. The methane uptake flux in the dry season (from November to April next year) was significantly higher than that in the wet season (from May to October). The former one accounted for about 68% of the methane uptake flux of the whole year. The mean annual soil moisture at the top of the mountain was 19.2% with an intra-annual variance of 2.8%. And the mean annual soil moisture at the foot of the mountain was 12.7% with a bigger intra-annual variance (5.4%) than that at the top of the mountain. Soil moisture acted as the significant predictor of the methane uptake flux and accounted for 76% of the variance. There was no significant correlation between methane uptake flux and soil temperature. For soil moisture lower than 20% (v/v), the relation between soil moisture and methane flux was best fitted with linear regression. For soil moisture higher than 20% (v/v), the tropical forest soils of the study area turned from the sink to the source of the methane flux. According to the relationship between soil moisture and methane flux in the tropical forests, we estimated the annual methane uptake of the tropical forest soils was 1.72 Tg CH4-C/a. Our results have important implications for long-term methane flux measurements in Southeastern Asia and the estimation of the magnitude of the methane uptake from tropical forest soils. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Applicability of a gas analyzer with dual quantum cascade lasers for simultaneous measurements of N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes from cropland using the eddy covariance technique

We evaluated the applicability of a closed-path gas analyzer with two mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) for simultaneous measurement of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes from a cropland using the eddy covariance (EC) technique. The measurements were carried out in a typical vegetable field in the subtropical China during the wintertime, when the gas fluxes are at their lowest level in the year. A new approach was proposed to optimize the determination of lag times between the wind and gas concentration data, which was proven efficient to increase the reliability of the measured fluxes when the gas exchanges are weak. The dual-QCL analyzer showed a median precision (1σ) of 0.14 nmol mol−1 for N2O, 3.3 nmol mol−1 for CH4 and 0.36 μmol mol−1 for CO2 at sampling frequency of 10 Hz under the field conditions. Such precisions are better than, or comparable with, those of other commonly used closed-path or open-path gas analyzers, which are capable of measuring ony one or two ot the three gases. The detection limit of the EC system for measuring half-hourly fluxes were 0.05 nmol m−2 s−1 for N2O, 1.12 nmol m−2 s−1 for CH4 and 0.14 μmol m−2 s−1 for CO2. The results showed that 100% of the N2O, 85% of the CH4 and 96% of the CO2 fluxes were larger than the above detection limits. This study suggests that the EC technique using a closed-path gas analyzer with two quantum cascade lasers is qualified for reliable and simultaneous measurements of N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes from a subtropical cropland throughout the year. Moreover, EC method based on this type of gas analyzer provides an additional option for long-term and simultaneous flux measurements of the three greenhouse gases in a wide range of agricultural and natural ecosystems.

How eddy covariance flux measurements have contributed to our understanding of Global Change Biology.

A global network of long-term carbon and water flux measurements has existed since the late 1990s. With its representative sampling of the terrestrial biosphere's climate and ecological spaces, this network is providing background information and direct measurements on how ecosystem metabolism responds to environmental and biological forcings and how they may be changing in a warmer world with more carbon dioxide. In this review, I explore how carbon and water fluxes of the world's ecosystem are responding to a suite of covarying environmental factors, like sunlight, temperature, soil moisture, and carbon dioxide. I also report on how coupled carbon and water fluxes are modulated by biological and ecological factors such as phenology and a suite of structural and functional properties. And, I investigate whether long-term trends in carbon and water fluxes are emerging in various ecological and climate spaces and the degree to which they may be driven by physical and biological forcings. As a growing number of time series extend up to 20years in duration, we are at the verge of capturing ecosystem scale trends in the breathing of a changing biosphere. Consequently, flux measurements need to continue to report on future conditions and responses and assess the efficacy of natural climate solutions.

True eddy accumulation trace gas flux measurements: proof of concept

Abstract. Micrometeorological methods to quantify fluxes of atmospheric constituents are key to understanding and managing the impact of land surface sources and sinks on air quality and atmospheric composition. Important greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Further important atmospheric constituents are aerosols, which impact air quality and cloud formation, and volatile organic compounds. Many atmospheric constituents therefore critically affect the health of ecosystems and humans, as well as climate. The micrometeorological eddy covariance (EC) method has evolved as the method of choice for CO2 and water vapor flux measurements using fast-response gas analyzers. While the EC method has also been used to measure other atmospheric constituents including methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone, the often relatively small fluxes of these constituents over ecosystems are much more challenging to measure using eddy covariance than CO2 and water vapor fluxes. For many further atmospheric constituents, eddy covariance is not an option due to the lack of sufficiently accurate and fast-response gas analyzers. Therefore, alternative flux measurement methods are required for the observation of atmospheric constituent fluxes for which no fast-response gas analyzers exist or which require more accurate measurements. True eddy accumulation (TEA) is a direct flux measurement technique capable of using slow-response gas analyzers. Unlike its more frequently used derivative, known as the relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) method, TEA does not require the use of proxies and is therefore superior to the indirect REA method. The true eddy accumulation method is by design ideally suited for measuring a wide range of trace gases and other conserved constituents transported with the air. This is because TEA obtains whole air samples and is, in combination with constituent-specific fast or slow analyzers, a universal method for conserved scalars. Despite the recognized value of the method, true eddy accumulation flux measurements remain very challenging to perform as they require fast and dynamic modulation of the air sampling mass flow rate proportional to the magnitude of the instantaneous vertical wind velocity. Appropriate techniques for dynamic mass flow control have long been unavailable, preventing the unlocking of the TEA method's potential for more than 40 years. Recently, a new dynamic and accurate mass flow controller which can resolve turbulence at a frequency of 10 Hz and higher has been developed by the first author. This study presents the proof of concept that practical true eddy accumulation trace gas flux measurements are possible today using dynamic mass flow control, advanced real-time processing of wind measurements, and fully automatic gas handling. We describe setup and methods of the TEA and EC reference flux measurements. The experiment was conducted over grassland and comprised 7 d of continuous flux measurements at 30 min flux integration intervals. The results show that fluxes obtained by TEA compared favorably to EC reference flux measurements, with coefficients of determination of up to 86 % and a slope of 0.98. We present a quantitative analysis of uncertainties of the mass flow control system, the gas analyzer, and gas handling system and their impact on trace gas flux uncertainty, the impact of different approaches to coordinate rotation, and uncertainties of vertical wind velocity measurements. Challenges of TEA are highlighted and solutions presented. The current results are put into the context of previous works. Finally, based on the current successful proof of concept, we suggest specific improvements towards long-term and reliable true eddy accumulation flux measurements.

Impact of atmospheric conditions in surface–air exchange of energy in a topographically complex terrain over Umiam

The effectiveness of the flux estimation techniques has been investigated over Umiam (25°40′32′′N, 91°54′06′′E, and altitude 1040 m above mean sea level), Shillong, in the Khasi hills located in north-east India. Primary dataset consists of sonic anemometer data recorded during January–February 2014 at 18 m and 30 m levels. Often, general planar fit (GPF) technique is used for long-term flux measurements using eddy covariance (EC). The three flux computation methods, namely double rotation (DR), GPF, and sector-wise planar fit (SPF) techniques have been compared in this investigation. SPF showed a reduction in the vertical wind (w) offset (b0, combination of instrument error and planar fit error) value compared to GPF. SPF minimized the planar-fit error in b0, while the instrument error was constant. The reduction of planar fit error has been seen in the computed sensible heat flux and momentum flux. Variations of 12–13% and 16–18% have been observed in the sensible heat flux and momentum flux in SPF compared to GPF. The effectiveness of SPF has been significant in the w-component estimation. An angle of attack (AA) which acts as a pivotal variable in the estimation of surface flux concentration varied between ± 6° in all atmospheric conditions. The standard deviations of horizontal and vertical velocity normalized by friction velocity (σu/u∗ and σw/u∗) as functions of atmospheric stability parameter (z/L) and obeyed a power-law relation during stable and unstable conditions. The variation in coefficients was in agreement with those estimated over flat and mountainous sites in the literature.

Standardisation of eddy-covariance flux measurements of methane and nitrous oxide

Abstract Commercially available fast-response analysers for methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have recently become more sensitive, more robust and easier to operate. This has made their application for long-term flux measurements with the eddy-covariance method more feasible. Unlike for carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapour (H2O), there have so far been no guidelines on how to optimise and standardise the measurements. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of the various steps of the measurements and discusses aspects such as instrument selection, setup and maintenance, data processing as well as the additional measurements needed to aid interpretation and gap-filling. It presents the methodological protocol for eddy covariance measurements of CH4 and N2O fluxes as agreed for the ecosystem station network of the pan-European Research Infrastructure Integrated Carbon Observation System and provides a first international standard that is suggested to be adopted more widely. Fluxes can be episodic and the processes controlling the fluxes are complex, preventing simple mechanistic gap-filling strategies. Fluxes are often near or below the detection limit, requiring additional care during data processing. The protocol sets out the best practice for these conditions to avoid biasing the results and long-term budgets. It summarises the current approach to gap-filling.

Mercury evasion from a boreal peatland shortens the timeline for recovery from legacy pollution

Peatlands are a major source of methylmercury that contaminates downstream aquatic food webs. The large store of mercury (Hg) in peatlands could be a source of Hg for over a century even if deposition is dramatically reduced. However, the reliability of Hg mass balances can be questioned due to missing long-term land-atmosphere flux measurements. We used a novel micrometeorological system for continuous measurement of Hg peatland-atmosphere exchange to derive the first annual Hg budget for a peatland. The evasion of Hg (9.4 µg m−2 yr−1) over the course of a year was seven times greater than stream Hg export, and over two times greater than wet bulk deposition to the boreal peatland. Measurements of dissolved gaseous Hg in the peat pore water also indicate Hg evasion. The net efflux may result from recent declines in atmospheric Hg concentrations that have turned the peatland from a net sink into a source of atmospheric Hg. This net Hg loss suggests that open boreal peatlands and downstream ecosystems can recover more rapidly from past atmospheric Hg deposition than previously assumed. This has important implications for future levels of methylmercury in boreal freshwater fish and the estimation of historical Hg accumulation rates from peat profiles.

Using data from Landsat, MODIS, VIIRS and PhenoCams to monitor the phenology of California oak/grass savanna and open grassland across spatial scales

The Mediterranean-type oak/grass savanna of California is composed of widely spaced oak trees with understory grasses. These savanna regions are interspersed with large areas of more open grasslands. The ability of remotely sensed data (with various spatial resolutions) to monitor the phenology in these water-limited oak/grass savannas and open grasslands is explored over the 2012–2015 timeframe using data from Landsat (30m), the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS – gridded 500m), and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS – gridded 500m) data. Vegetation phenology detected from near-ground level, webcam based PhenoCam imagery from two sites in the Ameriflux Network (long-term flux measurement network of the Americas) (Tonzi Ranch and Vaira Ranch) is upscaled, using a National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial image (1m), to evaluate the detection of vegetation phenology of these savannas and grasslands with the satellite data. Results show that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series observed from the satellite sensors are all strongly correlated with the PhenoCam NDVI values from Tonzi Ranch (R2>0.67) and Vaira Ranch (R2>0.81). However, the different viewing geometries and spatial coverage of the PhenoCams and the various satellite sensors may cause differences in the absolute phenological transition dates. Analysis of frequency histograms of phenological dates illustrate that the phenological dates in the relatively homogeneous open grasslands are consistent across the different spatial resolutions, in contrast, the relatively heterogeneous oak/grass savannas display has somewhat later greenup, maturity, and dormancy dates at 30m resolution than at 500m scale due to the different phenological cycles exhibited by the overstory trees and the understory grasses. In addition, phenologies derived from the MODIS view angle corrected reflectance (Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance – NBAR) and the newly developed VIIRS NBAR are shown to provide comparable phenological dates (majority absolute bias ≤2days) in this area.

Ultrafine particle number fluxes over and in a deciduous forest

Ultrafine particles (UFP, particles with diameters (Dp) < 100 nm) play a key role in climate forcing, thus there is interest in improved understanding of atmosphere-surface exchange of these particles. Long-term flux measurements from a deciduous forest in the Midwestern USA (taken during December 2012 to May 2014) show that, although a substantial fraction of the data period indicates upward fluxes of UFP, on average the forest is a net sink for UFP during both leaf-active and leaf-off periods. The overall mean above-canopy UFP number flux computed from this large data set is -4.90 × 106 m-2 s-1 which re-emphasizes the importance of these ecosystems to UFP removal from the atmosphere. Although there remain major challenges to accurate estimation of the UFP number flux and in drawing inferences regarding the actual surface exchange from measurements taken above the canopy, the above the canopy mean flux is shown to be downwards throughout the day (except at 23.00) with largest magnitude fluxes during the middle of the day. On average, nearly three-quarters of the total UFP capture by this ecosystem occurs at the canopy. This fraction increases to 78% during the leaf-active period, but the over-storey remains dominant over the sub-canopy even during the leaf-off period.

Carbon neutral or a sink? Uncertainty caused by gap-filling long-term flux measurements for an old-growth boreal black spruce forest

Old-growth (>100years old) boreal forests are recognized as having accumulated large inventories of terrestrial carbon, but the magnitude of annual net exchange is not well established. Eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide exchange were made at a flux tower at the Northern Old Black Spruce forest in Manitoba, Canada, from 1994 to 2008. We evaluated the uncertainty in estimates of annual net ecosystem production by comparing four methods of filling missing measurement periods. Three of the methods were previously developed by groups at Harvard University, the Fluxnet Canada Research Network, and the Max Planck Institute of Biogeochemistry; and the fourth method used the mean of measurements from the dataset selected for the same time and day. Two methods showed carbon losses near the beginning of the period but all four methods estimated carbon gains in the later years. Individual years and methods ranged ±90gCm−2 y−1, demonstrating a wide range of estimates if data had been available from only a single year and a single method. When averaged over multiple years, the mean and standard error among methods gave a net forest carbon sink of 29±10gCm−2 y−1, ranging from 4 to 48gCm−2 y−1. Only the upper (Mean Data and Max Planck Institute of Biogeochemistry methods) and lower (Harvard method) estimates were significantly different, with the Fluxnet Canada Research Network method being the same as all other methods. There was no difference among methods for the January to August period, or for daytime periods. All methods were statistically different from a carbon-neutral forest suggesting that the Northern Old Black Spruce forest was likely a small carbon sink. Methods that estimated high ecosystem respiration also estimated high gross ecosystem production, and the small net differences could not be easily attributed to differences in flux partitioning. For forests that are close to carbon neutral, the use of several gap-filling methods: increases confidence in conclusions regarding the ecosystem carbon balance.

CO&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;-flux measurements above the Baltic Sea at two heights: flux gradients in the surface layer?

Abstract. The estimation of CO2 exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere is essential to understand the global carbon cycle. The eddy-covariance technique offers a very direct approach to observe these fluxes. The turbulent CO2 flux is measured, as well as the sensible and latent heat flux and the momentum flux, a few meters above the ocean in the atmosphere. Assuming a constant-flux layer in the near-surface part of the atmospheric boundary layer, this flux equals the exchange flux between ocean and atmosphere. The purpose of this paper is the comparison of long-term flux measurements at two different heights above the Baltic Sea to investigate this assumption. The results are based on a 1.5-year record of quality-controlled eddy-covariance measurements. Concerning the flux of momentum and of sensible and latent heat, the constant-flux layer theory can be confirmed because flux differences between the two heights are insignificantly small more than 95 % of the time. In contrast, significant differences, which are larger than the measurement error, occur in the CO2 flux about 35 % of the time. Data used for this paper are published at http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.808714.

Annual cycle of volatile organic compound exchange between a boreal pine forest and the atmosphere

Abstract. Long-term flux measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOC) over boreal forests are rare, although the forests are known to emit considerable amounts of VOCs into the atmosphere. Thus, we measured fluxes of several VOCs and oxygenated VOCs over a Scots-pine-dominated boreal forest semi-continuously between May 2010 and December 2013. The VOC profiles were obtained with a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry, and the fluxes were calculated using vertical concentration profiles and the surface layer profile method connected to the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. In total fluxes that differed significantly from zero on a monthly basis were observed for 13 out of 27 measured masses. Monoterpenes had the highest net emission in all seasons and statistically significant positive fluxes were detected from March until October. Other important compounds emitted were methanol, ethanol+formic acid, acetone and isoprene+methylbutenol. Oxygenated VOCs showed also deposition fluxes that were statistically different from zero. Isoprene+methylbutenol and monoterpene fluxes followed well the traditional isoprene algorithm and the hybrid algorithm, respectively. Emission potentials of monoterpenes were largest in late spring and autumn which was possibly driven by growth processes and decaying of soil litter, respectively. Conversely, largest emission potentials of isoprene+methylbutenol were found in July. Thus, we concluded that most of the emissions of m/z 69 at the site consisted of isoprene that originated from broadleaved trees. Methanol had deposition fluxes especially before sunrise. This can be connected to water films on surfaces. Based on this assumption, we were able to build an empirical algorithm for bi-directional methanol exchange that described both emission term and deposition term. Methanol emissions were highest in May and June and deposition level increased towards autumn, probably as a result of increasing relative humidity levels leading to predominance of deposition.

Gap-filling strategies for annual VOC flux data sets

Abstract. Up to now the limited knowledge about the exchange of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) between the biosphere and the atmosphere is one of the factors which hinders more accurate climate predictions. Complete long-term flux data sets of several VOCs to quantify the annual exchange and validate recent VOC models are basically not available. In combination with long-term VOC flux measurements the application of gap-filling routines is inevitable in order to replace missing data and make an important step towards a better understanding of the VOC ecosystem–atmosphere exchange on longer timescales. We performed VOC flux measurements above a mountain meadow in Austria during two complete growing seasons (from snowmelt in spring to snow reestablishment in late autumn) and used this data set to test the performance of four different gap-filling routines, mean diurnal variation (MDV), mean gliding window (MGW), look-up tables (LUT) and linear interpolation (LIP), in terms of their ability to replace missing flux data in order to obtain reliable VOC sums. According to our findings the MDV routine was outstanding with regard to the minimization of the gap-filling error for both years and all quantified VOCs. The other gap-filling routines, which performed gap-filling on 24 h average values, introduced considerably larger uncertainties. The error which was introduced by the application of the different filling routines increased linearly with the number of data gaps. Although average VOC fluxes measured during the winter period (complete snow coverage) were close to zero, these were highly variable and the filling of the winter period resulted in considerably higher uncertainties compared to the application of gap-filling during the measurement period. The annual patterns of the overall cumulative fluxes for the quantified VOCs showed a completely different behaviour in 2009, which was an exceptional year due to the occurrence of a severe hailstorm, compared to 2011. Methanol was the compound which, at 381.5 mg C m−2 and 449.9 mg C m−2, contributed most to the cumulative VOC carbon emissions in 2009 and 2011, respectively. In contrast to methanol emissions, however, considerable amounts of monoterpenes (−327.3 mg C m−2) were deposited onto the mountain meadow during 2009 caused by a hailstorm. Other quantified VOCs had considerably lower influences on the annual patterns.

Eddy covariance measurements with a new fast-response, enclosed-path analyzer: Spectral characteristics and cross-system comparisons

A new class of enclosed path gas analyzers suitable for eddy covariance applications combines the advantages of traditional closed-path systems (small density corrections, good performance in poor weather) and open-path systems (good spectral response, low power requirements), and permits estimates of instantaneous gas mixing ratio. Here, the extent to which these advantages are realized in field deployment is assessed, with a focus on the suitability of such an analyzer (the EC155, manufactured by Campbell Scientific) for long-term flux measurements in a new flux monitoring site in the southern Appalachians (NC, USA). The scalar-vertical velocity co-spectra for CO2 fluxes measured with the EC155 were similar to those measured with a co-located open-path system. When humidity was high, attenuation of the EC155 water vapor fluxes for non-dimensional frequencies greater than ∼2 was noted, though results from an ogive analysis suggest that eddies operating on these time scales contributed <2% of the total turbulent flux in this tall forest ecosystem. Inertial sub-range decay of the vertical velocity-scalar co-spectra generally conformed to a -7/3 power law during near-neutral atmospheric stability conditions, supporting the use of an analytical spectral correction approach to the raw measured fluxes. The EC155 fluxes computed directly from instantaneous mixing ratio agreed with will those calculated from mass–density concentration measurements, provided density terms for temperature, water vapor, and pressure were applied. Biases were observed when the EC155 flux records were compared to those measured with the open-path system. These differences were related to wind angle of attack and to an estimate of apparent fluxes related to instrument self-heating, and the biases were minimized after the application of a friction velocity filter. Finally, the EC155 considerably outperformed open-path analyzers during adverse weather conditions favorable to fog development, which occur frequently in the study site.

Spatially explicit regionalization of airborne flux measurements using environmental response functions

Abstract. The goal of this study is to characterize the sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat exchange for different land covers in the heterogeneous steppe landscape of the Xilin River catchment, Inner Mongolia, China. Eddy-covariance flux measurements at 50–100 m above ground were conducted in July 2009 using a weight-shift microlight aircraft. Wavelet decomposition of the turbulence data enables a spatial discretization of 90 m of the flux measurements. For a total of 8446 flux observations during 12 flights, MODIS land surface temperature (LST) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) in each flux footprint are determined. Boosted regression trees are then used to infer an environmental response function (ERF) between all flux observations (H, LE) and biophysical (LST, EVI) and meteorological drivers. Numerical tests show that ERF predictions covering the entire Xilin River catchment (&amp;amp;approx;3670 km2) are accurate to ≤18% (1 σ). The predictions are then summarized for each land cover type, providing individual estimates of source strength (36 W m−2 &lt; H &lt; 364 W m−2, 46 W m−2 &lt; LE &lt; 425 W m−2) and spatial variability (11 W m−2 &lt; σH &lt; 169 W m−2, 14 W m−2 &lt; σLE &lt; 152 W m−2) to a precision of ≤5%. Lastly, ERF predictions of land cover specific Bowen ratios are compared between subsequent flights at different locations in the Xilin River catchment. Agreement of the land cover specific Bowen ratios to within 12 &amp;amp;pm; 9% emphasizes the robustness of the presented approach. This study indicates the potential of ERFs for (i) extending airborne flux measurements to the catchment scale, (ii) assessing the spatial representativeness of long-term tower flux measurements, and (iii) designing, constraining and evaluating flux algorithms for remote sensing and numerical modelling applications.

Climate and site management as driving factors for the atmospheric greenhouse gas exchange of a restored wetland

Abstract. The atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) budget of a restored wetland in western Denmark was established for the years 2009–2011 from eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes. The water table in the wetland, which was restored in 2002, was unregulated, and the vegetation height was limited through occasional grazing by cattle and grass cutting. The annual net CO2 uptake varied between 195 and 983 g m−2 and the annual net CH4 release varied between 11 and 17 g m−2. In all three years the wetland was a carbon sink and removed between 42 and 259 g C m−2 from the atmosphere. However, in terms of the full annual GHG budget (assuming that 1 g CH4 is equivalent to 25 g CO2 with respect to the greenhouse effect over a time horizon of 100 years) the wetland was a sink in 2009, a source in 2010 and neutral in 2011. Complementary observations of meteorological factors and management activities were used to explain the large inter-annual variations in the full atmospheric GHG budget of the wetland. The largest impact on the annual GHG fluxes, eventually defining their sign, came from site management through changes in grazing duration and animal stocking density. These changes accounted for half of the observed variability in the CO2 fluxes and about two thirds of the variability in CH4 fluxes. An unusually long period of snow cover in 2010 had the second largest effect on the annual CO2 flux, whose interannual variability was larger than that of the CH4 flux. Since integrated CO2 and CH4 flux data from restored wetlands are still very rare, it is concluded that more long-term flux measurements are needed to quantify the effects of ecosystem disturbance, in terms of management activities and exceptional weather patterns, on the atmospheric GHG budget more accurately.

Environmental Controls on Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange Over a Reed (Phragmites australis) Wetland in the Yellow River Delta, China

Using the Eddy Covariance (EC) technique, we analyzed temporal variation in net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and determined the effects of environmental factors on the balance between ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration in a reed (Phragmites australis) wetland in the Yellow River Delta, China. Our results indicated that diurnal and seasonal patterns of NEE and its components (ecosystem respiration (R (eco)), gross primary production (GPP)) varied markedly among months for the growing season (May to October). The cumulative CO2 emission was 1,657 g CO2 m(-2), while 2,612 g CO2 m(-2) was approximately accumulated as GPP, which resulted in the reed wetland being a net sink of 956 g CO2 m(-2). The ratio of R (eco) to GPP in reed wetland was 0.68, which was close to other temperate wetlands. Soil temperature and soil moisture exerted the primary controls on R (eco) during the growing season. Daytime NEE values during the growing season were strongly correlated with photosynthetically active radiation. Aboveground biomass showed significant linear relationships with 24-h average NEE, daytime GPP, and R (eco), respectively. Thus, we conclude that the coastal wetland acted as a carbon sink during the growing season despite the variations in environmental conditions, and long-term flux measurements over these ecosystems are undoubtedly necessary.

Long-term energy flux measurements over an irrigation water storage using scintillometry

An analysis is presented of the long-term energy balance of a small water body in south-east Queensland, Australia. The main focus of this study was on the use of scintillometry to determine the turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat. A novel approach is utilized for identifying periods where the scintillometry measurement footprint extends beyond the water surface. This approach relies on comparison of ‘inferred’ water surface temperature and measured skin temperature. The ‘inferred’ temperature is an independent assessment of water skin temperature derived through rearrangement of key equations in the scintillometry calculation scheme. An extensive dataset is used to investigate the processes controlling heat and vapour fluxes and to develop simple relationships that can be used for reliable predictions. These relationships are used to fill missing measurements in the dataset and to construct a complete energy balance for an 18 month period. The long-term data set is used to describe the diurnal, seasonal and annual variations in energy fluxes and to explore issues related to energy balance closure. Average energy balance closure across the study was 82%, however closure was much better during the winter than the summer. The key factors likely to lead to errors in energy balance closure are considered and it is concluded that the most likely causes are underestimation of latent heat fluxes, advection of energy that is not measured by the scintillometer, or overestimation of net radiation.