Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange Rates Research Articles

Enhanced ecosystem carbon sink in shrub-grassland ecotone under grazing exclusion on Tibetan plateau

Grassland degradation is a prevalent issue at the interface of shrubland and grassland ecosystems, particularly susceptible to environmental changes. To counteract the degradation, grazing exclusion has been proposed as a dominant restoration strategy on the Tibetan plateau, the world's largest and highest plateau. However, the impact of degradation and subsequent restoration on the carbon dynamics consist of carbon sink / source capacity of shrub-grassland ecotones remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, using a transparent chamber (0.8 m in length × 0.8 m in width × 0.6 m in height) attached to an infrared gas analyzer, the in situ field investigation was performed to measure the gross ecosystem primary productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration (Re), net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), and environmental factors over a four-year continuous period in lightly and heavily degraded shrub-grassland ecotones during recover process on the Tibetan Plateau. Our result showed that: 1). Shrub-grassland ecotone acts as a net CO2 sink, with the maximum NEE occurring in July during the growing season. 2). Ecotone degradation diminishes the carbon sequestration capacity. Specifically, the annual GEP, Re, and NEE rates decrease by 14.1 %, 7.3 %, and 27.2 %, respectively, in the heavily degraded ecotone compared to the lightly degraded counterpart. 3). Grazing exclusion positively influenced the carbon sequestration capacity, particularly in heavily degraded ecotone, which leads to a substantial increase in the annual GEP, Re, and NEE rates of 15.4 % and 33.4 %, 12.3 % and 20.9 %, 22.25 % and 64.9 % for lightly and heavily degraded ecotones, respectively. 4). A piecewise structural equation model reveals that soil moisture and soil temperature are pivotal drivers influencing NEE. 5) Correlation analysis shows that NEE was negatively correlated with soil temperature during April to June and September to October but was positively correlated with soil temperature during July to August. In contrast, NEE displays a consistent negative correlation with soil moisture throughout the growing season. This research provides new insights on grassland degradation and restoration for carbon sequestration in alpine shrub-grassland ecotones and highlights their implications for sustainable management of alpine ecosystems.

The effect of rainfall amount and timing on annual transpiration in a grazed savanna grassland

Abstract. The role of precipitation (P) variability with respect to evapotranspiration (ET) and its two components, transpiration (T) and evaporation (E), from savannas continues to draw significant research interest given its relevance to a number of ecohydrological applications. Our study reports on 6 years of measured ET and estimated T and E from a grazed savanna grassland at Welgegund, South Africa. Annual P varied significantly with respect to amount (508 to 672 mm yr−1), with dry years characterized by infrequent early-season rainfall. T was determined using annual water-use efficiency and gross primary production estimates derived from eddy-covariance measurements of latent heat flux and net ecosystem CO2 exchange rates. The computed annual T for the 4 wet years with frequent early wet-season rainfall was nearly constant, 326±19 mm yr−1 (T/ET=0.51), but was lower and more variable between the 2 dry years (255 and 154 mm yr−1, respectively). Annual T and T/ET were linearly related to the early wet-season storm frequency. The constancy of annual T during wet years is explained by the moderate water stress of C4 grasses as well as trees' ability to use water from deeper layers. During extreme drought, grasses respond to water availability with a dieback–regrowth pattern, reducing leaf area and transpiration and, thus, increasing the proportion of transpiration contributed by trees. The works suggest that the early-season P distribution explains the interannual variability in T, which should be considered when managing grazing and fodder production in these grasslands.

Integrating Aquatic Metabolism and Net Ecosystem CO2 Balance in Short- and Long-Hydroperiod Subtropical Freshwater Wetlands

How aquatic primary productivity influences the carbon (C) sequestering capacity of wetlands is uncertain. We evaluated the magnitude and variability in aquatic C dynamics and compared them to net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) rates within calcareous freshwater wetlands in Everglades National Park. We continuously recorded 30-min measurements of dissolved oxygen (DO), water level, water temperature (Twater), and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). These measurements were coupled with ecosystem CO2 fluxes over 5 years (2012–2016) in a long-hydroperiod peat-rich, freshwater marsh and a short-hydroperiod, freshwater marl prairie. Daily net aquatic primary productivity (NAPP) rates indicated both wetlands were generally net heterotrophic. Gross aquatic primary productivity (GAPP) ranged from 0 to − 6.3 g C m−2 day−1 and aquatic respiration (RAq) from 0 to 6.13 g C m−2 day−1. Nonlinear interactions between water level, Twater, and GAPP and RAq resulted in high variability in NAPP that contributed to NEE. Net aquatic primary productivity accounted for 4–5% of the deviance explained in NEE rates. With respect to the flux magnitude, daily NAPP was a greater proportion of daily NEE at the long-hydroperiod site (mean = 95%) compared to the short-hydroperiod site (mean = 64%). Although we have confirmed the significant contribution of NAPP to NEE in both long- and short-hydroperiod freshwater wetlands, the decoupling of the aquatic and ecosystem fluxes could largely depend on emergent vegetation, the carbonate cycle, and the lateral C flux.

Long-term deepened snow promotes tundra evergreen shrub growth and summertime ecosystem net CO2 gain but reduces soil carbon and nutrient pools.

Arctic climate warming will be primarily during winter, resulting in increased snowfall in many regions. Previous tundra research on the impacts of deepened snow has generally been of short duration. Here, we report relatively long-term (7-9years) effects of experimentally deepened snow on plant community structure, net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), and soil biogeochemistry in Canadian Low Arctic mesic shrub tundra. The snowfence treatment enhanced snow depth from 0.3 to ~1m, increasing winter soil temperatures by ~3°C, but with no effect on summer soil temperature, moisture, or thaw depth. Nevertheless, shoot biomass of the evergreen shrub Rhododendron subarcticum was near-doubled by the snowfences, leading to a 52% increase in aboveground vascular plant biomass. Additionally, summertime NEE rates, measured in collars containing similar plant biomass across treatments, were consistently reduced ~30% in the snowfenced plots due to decreased ecosystem respiration rather than increased gross photosynthesis. Phosphate in the organic soil layer (0-10cm depth) and nitrate in the mineral soil layer (15-25cm depth) were substantially reduced within the snowfences (47-70 and 43%-73% reductions, respectively, across sampling times). Finally, the snowfences tended (p=.08) to reduce mineral soil layer C% by 40%, but with considerable within- and among plot variation due to cryoturbation across the landscape. These results indicate that enhanced snow accumulation is likely to further increase dominance of R.subarcticum in its favored locations, and reduce summertime respiration and soil biogeochemical pools. Since evergreens are relatively slow growing and of low stature, their increased dominance may constrain vegetation-related feedbacks to climate change. We found no evidence that deepened snow promoted deciduous shrub growth in mesic tundra, and conclude that the relatively strong R.subarcticum response to snow accumulation may explain the extensive spatial variability in observed circumpolar patterns of evergreen and deciduous shrub growth over the past 30years.

Investigating sources of measured forest-atmosphere ammonia fluxes using two-layer bi-directional modelling

Understanding and predicting the ammonia (NH3) exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere is important due to the environmental consequences of the presence of reactive nitrogen (Nr) in the environment. The dynamics of the natural sources are, however, not well understood, especially not for forest ecosystems due to the complex nature of this soil-vegetation-atmosphere system. Furthermore, the high reactivity of NH3 makes it technically complex and expensive to measure and understand the forest-atmospheric NH3 exchange. The aim of this study is to investigate the NH3 flux partitioning between the ground layer, cuticle and stomata compartments for two temperate deciduous forest ecosystems located in Midwestern, USA (MMSF) and in Denmark (DK-Sor). This study is based on measurements and simulations of the surface energy balance, fluxes of CO2 and NH3 during two contrasted periods of the forest ecosystems, a period with full developed canopy (MMSF) and a senescent period for the DK-Sor site, with leaf fall and leaf litter build-up. Both datasets indicate emissions of NH3 from the forest to the atmosphere. The two-layer NH3 compensation point model SURFATM-NH3 was used in combination with a coupled photosynthesis-stomatal conductance model to represent seasonal variation in canopy physiological activity for simulating both net ecosystem CO2 exchange rates (R2=0.77 for MMSF and R2=0.84 for DK-Sor) and atmospheric NH3 fluxes (R2=0.43 for MMSF and R2=0.60 for DK-Sor). A scaling of the ground layer NH3 emission potential (Гg) was successfully applied using the plant area index (PAI) to represent the build-up of a litter layer in the leaf fall period. For a closed green forest canopy (MMSF), unaffected by agricultural NH3 sources, NH3 was emitted with daytime fluxes up to 50ng NH3-N m−2s−1 and nighttime fluxes up to 30ng NH3-N m−2s−1. For a senescing forest (DK-Sor), located in an agricultural region, deposition rates of 250ng NH3-N m−2s−1 were measured prior to leaf fall, and emission rates up to 670ng NH3-N m−2s−1 were measured following leaf fall. For MMSF, simulated stomatal NH3 emissions explain the daytime flux observations well, and it is hypothesized that cuticular desorption is responsible for the observed NH3 emissions at night. During leaf fall in DK-Sor, ground fluxes dominate the NH3 flux with a mean emission rate of 150ng NH3-N m−2s−1. This study shows that forests potentially comprise a natural source of NH3 to the atmosphere, and that it is crucial to take into account the bi-directional exchange processes related to both the stomatal, cuticular and ground layer pathways in order to realistically simulate forest–atmosphere fluxes of NH3.

Carbon dioxide exchange and its regulation in the main agro-ecosystems of Haean catchment in South Korea

The Asian agricultural landscape, which accounts for approximately 12.6% of the world’s agricultural land, is highly heterogeneous due to the multicultural cropping system. Information regarding CO2 exchange and carbon (C) balance of these agro-ecosystems is scarce, even though they are likely to immensely contribute to the global C budget. Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange (NEE) and Ecosystem respiration (Reco) were measured between 2009 and 2010 on 5 dominant crops (potato, rice, radish, cabbage and bean) in the Haean catchment of South Korea, using a closed chamber system to quantify CO2 fluxes in this agricultural landscape characteristic of the Asian cropping system. Parallel measurements were conducted on leaf area index (LAI), plant biomass and climatic variables, mainly photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), air temperature, soil temperature and soil moisture. Biomass and LAI development differed among the crops likely as a result of differences in light use efficiencies (α) and carbon allocation patterns. The peak total biomass for radish, cabbage, potato, rice and bean were 0.53±0.07, 0.55±0.12, 1.85±0.51, 2.54±0.35 and 1.01 ± 0.26kgm−2, respectively, while the respective maximum LAI were 2.8, 3.7, 6.4, 6.3 and 6.7m2m−2. Variations in seasonal patterns, magnitudes and the timing of maximum NEE and gross primary production (GPP) among the crops were likely the result of differences in LAI and α. The lowest peak Reco rate was 3.8 ± 0.5μmolm−2s−1, measured on rice paddies while the highest was 34.4 ± 4.3μmolm−2s−1 measured on the cabbage fields. The maximum NEE rates were −29.4 ± 0.4 and −38.7 ± 6.6μmolm−2s−1, measured in potato and cabbage fields, respectively. Peak GPP rates in potato and cabbage fields were 39.5±0.6 and 63.0±7.2μmolm−2s−1, respectively. PAR explained more than 90% of the diurnal variations in GPP, while LAI and α determined the seasonal trends of maximum GPP. The timing of maximum CO2 assimilation (GPPMax) differed among the crops, thus, even though maximum CO2 uptake in the respective crops only lasted a couple of weeks, the effect of the staggered peak GPP resulted in extended period of high CO2 uptake. These differences among crops were significant, hence, modeling approaches need to consider the heterogeneity in ecosystem CO2 exchange associated with these multicultural agriculture landscapes.

Differences in plant cover and species composition of semiarid grassland communities of central Mexico and its effects on net ecosystem exchange

Abstract. Changes in land use across the semiarid grasslands of northern Mexico have driven a decline of plant cover and alteration of plant species composition. A number of different plant communities have resulted from these changes. Their implications, however, on the carbon (C) cycle and regional carbon balance are still poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of plant cover loss and changes in species composition on net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and their biotic and abiotic controls. NEE was measured in five representative plant community types within a semiarid grassland by temporarily enclosing the entire aboveground ecosystem using a chamber method (i.e., geodesic dome). Sites included an oat crop (crop), a moderately grazed grassland (moderate grazing), a 28 yr-old grazing exclosure (exclosure), an overgrazed site with low perennial grass cover (overgrazed), and an overgrazed site presenting shrub encroachment (shrub encroachment). For natural vegetation, rates of standardized daytime NEE for sites with a high plant cover (exclosure and moderate grazing) were similar (P > 0.05) as compared to sites with low plant cover (overgrazed and shrub encroachment). However, yearly total nighttime NEE (carbon loss) was more than double (P < 0.05) for sites with high plant cover compared to sites with low cover, resulting to slight C sinks for the low plant cover sites, and neutral or sources for the high plant cover sites as accounted by daytime and nighttime NEE annual balance. Differences in plant cover and its associated biomass defined the sensitivity to environmental controls. Thus, daytime NEE in low plant cover sites reached light compensation points at lower photosynthetic photon flux density than those from high plant cover sites. Differences in species composition did not influence NEE rates even though there were transient or permanent changes in C3 vs. C4 functional groups. Our results allowed the detection of the large variability and contribution of different plant communities to regional C balance in patchy landscapes. Identification of the role of landscape patches in the regional C balance as either sinks or sources may provide tools allowing land use management strategies that could favor C uptake in patchy landscapes.

Carbon dioxide exchange and biomass productivity of the herbaceous layer of a managed tropical humid savanna ecosystem in western Kenya

Aims Humid savannas, as a result of high precipitation amounts, are highly productive. They are also hotspots for land use change and potential sources of carbon dioxide (CO 2) due to the large soil carbon (C) stocks. Understanding how ecosystem CO 2 exchange is influenced by changes arising from agricultural land use is vital in future management of these ecosystems and in responding to the ongoing shifts in management and climate. The aim of this study was to identify how ecosystem CO2 exchange and biomass productivity of the herbaceous layer of a humid savanna in Kenya respond to current management practices. Methods We used flux chambers to quantify CO2 fluxes, while monthly harvests were undertaken to determine biomass development of the herbaceous layer of three sites that were (i) fenced to exclude livestock grazing, (ii) subjected to grazing by livestock and (iii) abandoned after being cultivated for maize production and also open to grazing by livestock. Important findings The peak aboveground biomass ranged between 380 and 1449 g m −2 and biomass production was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the grazed and abandoned plots. The maximum gross primary production (GPP) and net ecosystem CO 2 exchange (NEE) ranged between 21.8 ± 1.3 to 32.5 ± 2.7 and −9.6 ± 0.7 to −17.9 ± 4.8 µmol m −2 s −1 , respectively. Seasonal NEE fluctuations ranged between 10 and 21 µmol m −2 s −1 , while spatial (among sites) differences ranged between 2 and 10 µmol m −2 s −1 . Ecosystem respiration (Reco) fluctuated between 5 and 10 µmol m −2 s −1 during the growing season. Reco was, however, not significantly different among the sites. Unlike in other similar ecosystems where ecosystem respiration is determined by the ambient temperature, we did not find any relationship between Reco and temperature in this savanna. Instead, soil moisture accounted for 38–88% of the spatial and seasonal fluctuations in ecosystem CO2 fluxes and aboveground biomass production. Management influenced the maximum GPP and NEE rates through modification of soil moisture, plant species composition and aboveground biomass. We concluded that soil moisture is the key determinant of ecosystem CO2 exchange and productivity in this tropical savanna. Management, however, significantly modifies C fluxes and productivity through its influence on soil moisture, plant species composition and aboveground green biomass and should be taken into consideration in future similar studies.

Spring drought regulates summer net ecosystem CO 2 exchange in a sagebrush-steppe ecosystem

Climate, as reflected by seasonal variations in precipitation and temperature, plays a critical role in ecosystem productivity and composition in the Western US and other arid regions. This study was conducted in the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem co-dominated by mountain big sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana) and perennial grasses in south-central Wyoming across two growing seasons (2004 and 2005). A dry spring in 2004 and a wet spring in 2005 provided an opportunity to evaluate the influence of precipitation timing on the magnitudes and patterns of net ecosystem CO 2 exchange (NEE) and its environmental drivers. Summer weather conditions (light, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit) for the 2 years were similar but deep soil moisture content was lower in 2004. Daily rates of NEE demonstrated a net carbon source in 2004 and a net carbon sink in 2005. Midday depression of NEE frequently occurred in both measurement years (June–August in 2004 and mid July–August in 2005) due to stomatal control restricting water loss from the system under low soil moisture and high temperature and vapor pressure deficit conditions. Across different soil moisture regimes, the controlling factors on NEE differed. Under water limitation, soil water availability (soil drought) was the main driving factor of growing season NEE regardless of weather conditions while vapor pressure deficit (atmospheric drought) was the main driver of NEE when the ecosystem was not limited by soil moisture. Nighttime NEE showed strong non-linear relationship with soil moisture but no relationship with soil temperature, demonstrating that respiratory processes in the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem were limited by soil moisture during summer. The dynamic response of NEE to two summer seasons with dissimilar spring precipitation indicates that intra-seasonal variability in precipitation and subsequent impact on deep soil moisture should be taken into consideration to explain magnitudes and patterns of NEE at diurnal to seasonal time scales.

Net ecosystem CO2 exchange and controlling factors in a steppe—Kobresia meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Knowledge of seasonal variation of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and its biotic and abiotic controllers will further our understanding of carbon cycling process, mechanism and large-scale modelling. Eddy covariance technique was used to measure NEE, biotic and abiotic factors for nearly 3 years in the hinterland alpine steppe—Korbresia meadow grassland on the Tibetan Plateau, the present highest fluxnet station in the world. The main objectives are to investigate dynamics of NEE and its components and to determine the major controlling factors. Maximum carbon assimilation took place in August and maximum carbon loss occurred in November. In June, rainfall amount due to monsoon climate played a great role in grass greening and consequently influenced interannual variation of ecosystem carbon gain. From July through September, monthly NEE presented net carbon assimilation. In other months, ecosystem exhibited carbon loss. In growing season, daytime NEE was mainly controlled by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). In addition, leaf area index (LAI) interacted with PAR and together modulated NEE rates. Ecosystem respiration was controlled mainly by soil temperature and simultaneously by soil moisture. Q 10 was negatively correlated with soil temperature but positively correlated with soil moisture. Large daily range of air temperature is not necessary to enhance carbon gain. Standard respiration rate at referenced 10°C (R 10) was positively correlated with soil moisture, soil temperature, LAI and aboveground biomass. Rainfall patterns in growing season markedly influenced soil moisture and therefore soil moisture controlled seasonal change of ecosystem respiration. Pulse rainfall in the beginning and at the end of growing season induced great ecosystem respiration and consequently a great amount of carbon was lost. Short growing season and relative low temperature restrained alpine grass vegetation development. The results suggested that LAI be usually in a low level and carbon uptake be relatively low. Rainfall patterns in the growing season and pulse rainfall in the beginning and at end of growing season control ecosystem respiration and consequently influence carbon balance of ecosystem.

Chamber series and space-scale analysis of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; gas-exchange in grassland vegetation: A novel approach

Significant part of our work was developing a new type of CO2 and H2O gas exchange chambers fit for measuring stand patches. Ground areas of six chambers (ranged between 0.044–4.531 m2) constituted a logarithmic series with doubling diameters from 7.5 to 240.0 cm. We demonstrate one of the first results for stand net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) rates and temporal variability for two characteristic Central European grassland types: loess and sand. The measured mean NEE rates and their ranges in these grasslands were similar to values reported in other studies on temperate grasslands. We also dealt with the spatial scale dependence from ecophysiological point of view. Our chamber-series measurement was performed in a perennial ruderal weed association. The variability of CO2-assimilation of this weed vegetation showed clear spatial scale-dependence. We found the lowest variability of the vegetation photosynthesis at the small-middle scales. The results of spatial variability suggest the 0.2832 m2 patch size is the characteristic unit of the investigated weed association and there is a kind of synphysiological minimi-area with characteristic size for each vegetation type.