Total Ecosystem Respiration Research Articles

Spring enhancement and summer reduction in carbon uptake during the 2018 drought in northwestern Europe.

We analysed gross primary productivity (GPP), total ecosystem respiration (TER) and the resulting net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO2) by the terrestrial biosphere during the summer of 2018 through observed changes across the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) network, through biosphere and inverse modelling, and through remote sensing. Highly correlated yet independently-derived reductions in productivity from sun-induced fluorescence, vegetative near-infrared reflectance, and GPP simulated by the Simple Biosphere model version 4 (SiB4) suggest a 130–340 TgC GPP reduction in July–August–September (JAS) of 2018. This occurs over an area of 1.6 × 106 km2 with anomalously low precipitation in northwestern and central Europe. In this drought-affected area, reduced GPP, TER, NEE and soil moisture at ICOS ecosystem sites are reproduced satisfactorily by the SiB4 model. We found that, in contrast to the preceding 5 years, low soil moisture is the main stress factor across the affected area. SiB4’s NEE reduction by 57 TgC for JAS coincides with anomalously high atmospheric CO2 observations in 2018, and this is closely matched by the NEE anomaly derived by CarbonTracker Europe (52 to 83 TgC). Increased NEE during the spring (May–June) of 2018 (SiB4 −52 TgC; CTE −46 to −55 TgC) largely offset this loss, as ecosystems took advantage of favourable growth conditions.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Impacts of the 2018 severe drought and heatwave in Europe: from site to continental scale’.

Analysis of the 21-years long carbon dioxide flux dataset from a Central European tall tower site

Eddy-covariance based carbon flux datasets spanning decades are becoming available worldwide due to the effort of associated scientists. Tall tower based monitoring stations are relatively rare, but provide important information about the carbon balance of a larger region surrounding the tower. In this study we report and analyze the 21-year-long dataset provided by the Hungarian tall tower site, Hegyhátsál. The daily and annual cycles of net ecosystem exchange (NEE), gross primary production, and total ecosystem respiration are presented. Footprint analysis reveals that the fluxes mostly originate from the surrounding arable lands; the main source region is located within 1 km around the tower. Long-term, mean NEE was -0.467 gC m-2 day-1, or -170 gC m-2 year-1, revealing that the complex region was a net carbon sink from the atmospheric perspective. Trend analysis indicates that overall, NEE decreased (i.e. became more negative, which means stronger sink) by 12 gC m-2 year-1, a trend that is explained by improved agrotechnology and climate change. Net biome production (NBP) was estimated using crop census data and assumptions about the management practices that affect lateral carbon flux. Long term mean NBP was -30 gC m-2 year-1, which indicates that the soils may be losing carbon, though this loss is within the range of uncertainty of the measurements (~50 gC m-2 year-1). Analysis of county-scale yield statistics suggested that the results can be representative to at least county scale (1651 km2). Interannual variability was analyzed by using environmental variables such as maximum and minimum temperature, precipitation, vapor pressure deficit, soil water content, and satellite based vegetation index aggregated at monthly and longer time intervals. The results indicate that environmental conditions in spring have a major role in the annual carbon balance. Moreover, water availability represented by soil water content rather than by precipitation is a major driver of the interannual variability of NEE. The statistical analysis suggested that the large positive NEE anomaly during 2001–2003 was caused by interplay among the environmental drivers, in particular maximum temperature, vapor pressure deficit and radiation in April, followed by a soil water content deficit during the growing season. This novel statistical analysis provides insight into the drivers of the carbon balance of a mixed agricultural region.

Species identity improves soil respiration predictions in a semiarid scrubland

Soil respiration accounts for ca. three quarters of total ecosystem respiration and is sensitive to temperature and moisture. Plants can influence soil CO2 emissions through specific effects on soil humidity, soil temperature and soil microbial communities. These plant-soil effects mostly come via litter production and root exudates, enhancing soil autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration. We explored how plant species affected soil CO2 emissions in an arid environment. We altered soil temperature in bare soil and under the canopy of four plant species differing in functional type, and measured monthly fluxes to establish seasonal patterns of CO2 release along a 20-month period. We found that soil temperature explained 69% of the annual soil respiration (SR) variance, while soil water content explained 71% of SR variance. When we included plant species identity in the model, soil temperature and soil water content explained 76% and 81% of SR variance, respectively, exemplifying how plant species modulate SR responses as a function of temperature and water availability. Our results demonstrate that plant species influence soil carbon balance and emphasize that species identity matters in dry ecosystems. SR dynamics in dry ecosystems can be accurately modelled with soil water and temperature as predictors, but models are more efficient if plant species identity is considered.

Understanding the Local Carbon Fluxes Variations and Their Relationship to Climate Conditions in a Sub-Humid Savannah-Ecosystem during 2008-2015: Case of Lamto in Cote d’Ivoire

The temporal variations of the Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), the Total Ecosystem Respiration (TER) and the Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), and their responses to meteorological conditions (e.g. temperature, radiative flux and precipitation) at Lamto, in wet savannah region across Côte d’Ivoire are analyzed using GFED-CASA and daily meteorological data recorded over the 2008-2015 period. The study shows the links between these carbon fluxes and climate variability at Lamto that is subject to high anthropogenic pressures and seasonal bushfires. The correlative statistics from multiple regression methods were used to assess the different relationships and show how they change in time. The results show important seasonal variability in the Gross Primary Productivity and the Total Ecosystem Respiration mainly associated with the changes in temperature and radiative flux. In addition, the statistical analysis suggests a high correlation between meteorological conditions and the GPP and TER. These climatic conditions may explain 83% and 79% of the variances of GPP and TER respectively. Moreover, the interannual variability of the Net Ecosystem Exchange indicates that around Lamto, in the subhumid savannah, the ecosystem behaves as a carbon sink similar to other West African ecosystems. On the other hand, there is no clear link between the NEE and temperature, radiative flux and precipitation. This lack of connection may suggest a limited response of the NEE interannual dynamics related to the changes in climatic features.

Greenhouse gas and energy fluxes in a boreal peatland forest after clear-cutting

Abstract. The most common forest management method in Fennoscandia is rotation forestry, including clear-cutting and forest regeneration. In clear-cutting, stem wood is removed and the logging residues are either removed or left on site. Clear-cutting changes the microclimate and vegetation structure at the site, both of which affect the site's carbon balance. Peat soils with poor aeration and high carbon densities are especially prone to such changes, and significant changes in greenhouse gas exchange can be expected. We measured carbon dioxide (CO2) and energy fluxes with the eddy covariance method for 2 years (April 2016–March 2018) after clear-cutting a drained peatland forest. We observed a significant rise (23 cm) in the water table level and a large CO2 source (first year: 3086±148 g CO2 m−2 yr−1; second year: 2072±124 g CO2 m−2 yr−1). These large CO2 emissions resulted from the very low gross primary production (GPP) following the removal of photosynthesizing trees and the decline of ground vegetation, unable to compensate for the decomposition of logging residues and peat. During the second summer (June–August) after the clear-cutting, GPP had already increased by 96 % and total ecosystem respiration decreased by 14 % from the previous summer. The mean daytime ratio of sensible to latent heat flux decreased after harvesting from 2.6 in May 2016 to 1.0 in August 2016, and in 2017 it varied mostly within 0.6–1.0. In April–September, the mean daytime sensible heat flux was 33 % lower and latent heat flux 40 % higher in 2017, probably due to the recovery of ground vegetation that increased evapotranspiration and albedo of the site. In addition to CO2 and energy fluxes, we measured methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes with manual chambers. After the clear-cutting, the site turned from a small CH4 sink into a small source and from N2O neutral to a significant N2O source. Compared to the large CO2 emissions, the 100-year global warming potential (GWP100) of the CH4 emissions was negligible. Also, the GWP100 due to increased N2O emissions was less than 10 % of that of the CO2 emission change.

Cushion bogs are stronger carbon dioxide net sinks than moss-dominated bogs as revealed by eddy covariance measurements on Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Abstract. The near-pristine bog ecosystems of Tierra del Fuego in southernmost Patagonia have so far not been studied in terms of their current carbon dioxide (CO2) sink strength. CO2 flux data from Southern Hemisphere peatlands are scarce in general. In this study, we present CO2 net ecosystem exchange (NEE) fluxes from two Fuegian bog ecosystems with contrasting vegetation communities. One site is located in a glaciogenic valley and developed as a peat moss-dominated raised bog, and the other site is a vascular plant-dominated cushion bog located at the coast of the Beagle Channel. We measured NEE fluxes with two identical eddy covariance (EC) setups at both sites for more than 2 years. With the EC method, we were able to observe NEE fluxes on an ecosystem level and at high temporal resolution. Using a mechanistic modeling approach, we estimated daily NEE models to gap fill and partition the half-hourly net CO2 fluxes into components related to photosynthetic uptake (gross primary production, GPP) and to total ecosystem respiration (TER). We found a larger relative variability of annual NEE sums between both years at the moss-dominated site. A warm and dry first year led to comparably high TER sums. Photosynthesis was also promoted by warmer conditions but less strongly than TER with respect to absolute and relative GPP changes. The annual NEE carbon (C) uptake was more than 3 times smaller in the warm year. Close to the sea at the cushion bog site, the mean temperature difference between both observed years was less pronounced, and TER stayed on similar levels. A higher amount of available radiation in the second observed year led to an increase in GPP (5 %) and NEE (35 %) C uptake. The average annual NEE-C uptake of the cushion bog (-122±76 gm-2a-1, n=2) was more than 4 times larger than the average uptake of the moss-dominated bog (-27±28 gm-2a-1, n=2).

СО2 Fluxes at the Clear-Cut in the Southern Taiga of European Russia

Forest disturbances induced by clear-cutting (CC) lead to the transformation of the natural biogeochemical processes determining the main greenhouse gas fluxes (primarily CO2) between forest ecosystems and the atmosphere. Effects of CC on CO2 exchange substantially vary depending on local environmental and climate conditions. This study focuses on an estimation of the net ecosystem exchange of СО2 (NEE), gross primary production (GPP), and total ecosystem respiration (TER) and soil respiration in the southern taiga in European Russia. The results are based on continuous eddy covariance measurements during two growing seasons (2016 and 2017). The research has shown that CC was a consistent source of CO2 for the atmosphere during the first years following harvest (NEE from May to October is 553.3 gС m–2 in 2016 and 193.3 in 2017). Interannual variability of the cumulative NEE showed increase of GPP (777.5 gС m–2 in 2016 and 1020.5 gС m–2) and decrease of TER (1330.9 gС m–2 in 2016 and 1213.7 gС m–2 in 2017). The results of chamber measurements have shown that soil respiration in the midday hours in summer varied between 3.6 ± 0.7 and 11.8 ± 3.0 μmol m–2 s–1 in 2016 and between 6.0 ± 1.3 and 14.8 ± 3.5 μmol m–2 s–1 in 2017 at the different plots within the clear-cut site. The estimates of the cumulative GPP at the clear-cut in the southern taiga of European Russia exceed the GPP rates obtained previously in the other clear-cut forest ecosystems in boreal and subboreal ecozones.

Assimilating spatiotemporal MODIS LAI data with a particle filter algorithm for improving carbon cycle simulations for bamboo forest ecosystems

Bamboo forests are an important part of the forest ecosystem, which has strong carbon sequestration potential and plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. As a key parameter for simulating the carbon cycle using forest ecosystem models, the quality of leaf area index (LAI) data has a direct influence on the accuracy of modelling results. Here, we used the particle filter (PF) algorithm and PROSAIL model to assimilate MODIS LAI products, which were then used to drive a boreal ecosystem productivity simulator model to simulate the bamboo forest carbon cycle. The results showed that the relationship between the assimilated and observed LAI values was very significant, with an R2 of 0.95 and an RMSE of 0.28, greatly improving the precision of MODIS LAI products. The R2 values for the gross primary productivity (GPP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and total ecosystem respiration (TER) simulated by the assimilated LAI values and observed carbon fluxes were 0.65, 0.45 and 0.70, respectively, and the RMSE values were 1.10 g C m−2 day−1, 1.00 g C m−2 day−1 and 0.35 g C m−2 day−1, respectively. Compared with the results of the carbon cycle simulated by non-assimilated LAI, the R2 values of the GPP, NEE and TER values that were simulated by assimilated LAI increased by 27.5%, 45.2% and 6.1%, and the RMSE values decreased by 29.9%, 23.7% and 22.2%, respectively. Therefore, coupling the PF and PROSAIL models can greatly improve the simulation precision for the large-scale bamboo forest carbon cycle. This study laid the foundation for simulating the carbon cycle over a large-scale bamboo forest based on low-resolution data in the future.

Global satellite-driven estimates of heterotrophic respiration

Abstract. While heterotrophic respiration (Rh) makes up about a quarter of gross global terrestrial carbon fluxes, it remains among the least-observed carbon fluxes, particularly outside the midlatitudes. In situ measurements collected in the Soil Respiration Database (SRDB) number only a few hundred worldwide. Similarly, only a single data-driven wall-to-wall estimate of annual average heterotrophic respiration exists, based on bottom-up upscaling of SRDB measurements using an assumed functional form to account for climate variability. In this study, we exploit recent advances in remote sensing of terrestrial carbon fluxes to estimate global variations in heterotrophic respiration in a top-down fashion at monthly temporal resolution and 4∘×5∘ spatial resolution. We combine net ecosystem productivity estimates from atmospheric inversions of the NASA Carbon Monitoring System-Flux (CMS-Flux) with an optimally scaled gross primary productivity dataset based on satellite-observed solar-induced fluorescence variations to estimate total ecosystem respiration as a residual of the terrestrial carbon balance. The ecosystem respiration is then separated into autotrophic and heterotrophic components based on a spatially varying carbon use efficiency retrieved in a model–data fusion framework (the CARbon DAta MOdel fraMework, CARDAMOM). The resulting dataset is independent of any assumptions about how heterotrophic respiration responds to climate or substrate variations. It estimates an annual average global average heterotrophic respiration flux of 43.6±19.3 Pg C yr−1. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses showed that the top-down Rh are more sensitive to the choice of input gross primary productivity (GPP) and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) datasets than to the assumption of a static carbon use efficiency (CUE) value, with the possible exception of the wet tropics. These top-down estimates are compared to bottom-up estimates of annual heterotrophic respiration, using new uncertainty estimates that partially account for sampling and model errors. Top-down heterotrophic respiration estimates are higher than those from bottom-up upscaling everywhere except at high latitudes and are 30 % greater overall (43.6 Pg C yr−1 vs. 33.4 Pg C yr−1). The uncertainty ranges of both methods are comparable, except poleward of 45∘ N, where bottom-up uncertainties are greater. The ratio of top-down heterotrophic to total ecosystem respiration varies seasonally by as much as 0.6 depending on season and climate, illustrating the importance of studying the drivers of autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration separately, and thus the importance of data-driven estimates of Rh such as those estimated here.

CO2 fluxes before and after partial deforestation of a Central European spruce forest

A seven year CO2-flux dataset measured in a 70 year old spruce monoculture is presented, of which 22% was deforested three years after the start of the measurements to accelerate regeneration towards natural deciduous vegetation. An eddy covariance (EC) system, mounted on top of a tower within the spruce forest, continuously sampled fluxes of momentum, sensible heat, latent heat and CO2. After clear-cutting, a second EC station with an identical set of instruments was installed inside the deforested area. In total, we examined an EC dataset including three years before (forest) and four years after partial deforestation (forest and deforested). Full time series and annual carbon budgets of the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and its components gross primary production (GPP) and total ecosystem respiration (Reco) were calculated for both EC sites. Soil respiration was measured with manual chambers on average every month after the deforestation at 75 measurement points in the forest and deforested area. Annual sums of NEE measured above the forest indicated a strong carbon sink of -660 (-535) g C m-2 y-1 with small interannual variability ±78 (72) g C m-2 y-1 (values in brackets including correction for self-heating of the open-path gas analyzer). In the first year after partial deforestation, regrowth on the clearcut consisted mainly of grasses, with beginning of the second year shrubs and young trees became increasingly important. The regrowth of vegetation is reflected in the annual sums of NEE, which decreased from a carbon source of 521 (548) g C m-2 y-1 towards 82 (236) g C m-2 y-1 over the past four years, due to an increase in the magnitude of GPP from 385 (447) to 892 (1036) g C m-2 y-1.

Increased Global Land Carbon Sink Due to Aerosol‐Induced Cooling

AbstractAnthropogenic aerosols have contributed to historical climate change through their interactions with radiation and clouds. In turn, climate change due to aerosols has impacted the C cycle. Here we use a set of offline simulations made with the Organising Carbon and Hydrology In Dynamic Ecosystems (ORCHIDEE) land surface model driven by bias‐corrected climate fields from simulations of three Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) Earth system models (ESMs; IPSL‐CM5A‐LR, CSIRO‐Mk3.6.0, and GISS‐E2‐R) to quantify the climate‐related impacts of aerosols on land carbon fluxes during 1860–2005. We found that climate change from anthropogenic aerosols (CCAA) globally cooled the climate, and increased land carbon storage, or cumulative net biome production (NBP), by 11.6–41.8 PgC between 1860 and 2005. The increase in NBP from CCAA mainly occurs in the tropics and northern midlatitudes, primarily due to aerosol‐induced cooling. At high latitudes, cooling caused stronger decrease in gross primary production (GPP) than in total ecosystem respiration (TER), leading to lower NBP. At midlatitudes, cooling‐induced decrease in TER is stronger than that of GPP, resulting in NBP increase. At low latitudes, NBP was also enhanced due to the cooling‐induced GPP increase, but precipitation decline from CCAA may negate the effect of temperature. The three ESMs show large divergence in low‐latitude CCAA precipitation response to aerosols, which results in considerable uncertainties in regional estimations of CCAA effects on carbon fluxes. Our results suggest that better understanding and simulation of how anthropogenic aerosols affect precipitation in ESMs is required for a more accurate attribution of aerosol effects on the terrestrial carbon cycle.

Inter- and intra-annual dynamics of photosynthesis differ between forest floor vegetation and tree canopy in a subarctic Scots pine stand

We studied the inter- and intra-annual dynamics of the photosynthesis of forest floor vegetation and tree canopy in a subarctic Scots pine stand at the northern timberline in Finland. We tackled the issue using three different approaches: 1) measuring carbon dioxide exchange above and below canopy with the eddy covariance technique, 2) modelling the photosynthesis of the tree canopy based on shoot chamber measurements, and 3) upscaling the forest floor photosynthesis using biomass estimates and available information on the annual cycle of photosynthetic capacity of those species. The studied ecosystem was generally a weak sink of carbon but the sink strength showed notable year-to-year variation. Total ecosystem respiration and photosynthesis indicated a clear temperature limitation for the carbon exchange. However, the increase in photosynthetic production was steeper than the increase in respiration with temperature, indicating that warm temperatures increase the sink strength and do not stimulate the total ecosystem respiration as much in the 4-year window studied. The interannual variation in the photosynthetic production of the forest stand mainly resulted from the forest floor vegetation, whereas the photosynthesis of the tree canopy seemed to be more stable from year to year. Tree canopy photosynthesis increased earlier in the spring, whereas that of the forest floor increased after snowmelt, highlighting that models for photosynthesis in the northern area should also include snow cover in order to accurately estimate the seasonal dynamics of photosynthesis in these forests.

Energy and CO2 exchange in an undisturbed spruce forest and clear-cut in the Southern Taiga

Effects of clear cutting and other forest disturbances on surface radiative properties and the energy and CO2 fluxes between land surface and the atmosphere can vary significantly depending on local climatic and moisture conditions, forest structure and species composition, soil properties and many other factors. In this study we analyzed the influence of clear-cutting on the energy, water vapor and CO2 fluxes in the still very poorly investigated part of the boreal forest community in the European part of Russia. This issue has become particularly relevant due to intensified logging in the region during recent decades. The sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat, as well as CO2 fluxes were continuously measured at recently clear-cut and undisturbed mature spruce forest sites using eddy covariance technique during the first growing season following harvest. Because of their close location they are characterized by similar meteorological conditions. The results of our field measurements showed that the clear-cut strongly influenced the energy balance and CO2 fluxes between the land surface and atmosphere. Energy fluxes (LE and H) at the undisturbed forest site were consistently larger than at the clear-cut throughout the period of measurements. The Bowen ratio (β=H/LE) varied significantly over time, though was similar at both sites. Whereas H was almost equal to LE at both sites in spring, the LE significantly exceeded H over the summer (β≈0.2 - for mature spruce forest and β = 0.4 - for clear-cut). The mean β for the entire period was similar (β≈0.5) at both sites. Analysis of CO2 fluxes showed that the clear-cut was a consistent source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) at the clear-cut averaged 3.3 ± 1.3 gC∙m−2∙d-1 (±1 SD), while average NEE at the undisturbed mature forest was close to zero (0.1 ± 1.9 gC∙m−2∙d-1). Differences in NEE were mainly governed by differences in gross primary productivity (GPP) between sites (7.0 ± 4.1 gC∙m−2∙d-1 and 4.1 ± 3.0 gC∙m−2∙d-1, for the undisturbed forest and clear-cut, respectively). Total ecosystem respiration (TER) did not significantly (p < 0.05) differ between sites (7.1 ± 3.6 gC∙m−2∙d-1 at the undisturbed mature forest and 7.4 ± 3.4 gC∙m−2∙d-1 at clear-cut). TER at the undisturbed forest showed higher sensitivity to changes in soil temperature, whereas GPP at the clear-cut was characterized by higher light-use efficiency. Our measurements showed that TER rates were relatively high in the southern taiga in comparison with other boreal sites where CO2 fluxes were previously investigated.

The carbon balance of a six-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) ecosystem estimated by different methods

Clear-cutting is a conventional method of forest management which significantly changes carbon (C) cycling at the ecosystem level for a long time. Estimation of the interim period during which the ecosystem turns from a C source to a C sink is crucial for clarifying the environmental effects of management on forest C cycling. The current study provided new knowledge of C cycling in young pine stand and demonstrated the recovery of C sequestration of the forest ecosystem during the post harvesting period.We estimated the C balance in a 6-year-old Scots pine stand by using two different methods: carbon budgeting, for estimating annual net ecosystem production (NEP), and eddy covariance (EC), for estimating net ecosystem exchange (NEE). For C budgeting, the above- and belowground biomass production of the ecosystem, as well as the soil heterotrophic respiration efflux at the studied site was estimated.Annual NEE at the studied young forest ecosystem was 1.19 ± 0.36 t C ha−1, gross primary ecosystem production was 9.87 and total ecosystem respiration was 11.06 t C ha−1. Estimated NEE was in good accordance with the results of NEP (1.37 t C ha−1), which confirms the relevance of the C budgeting method.Increased annual woody biomass production is the main factor which induced the young Scots pine ecosystem to act as a C sink: annual C accumulation in tree biomass in a 6-year-old stand was 1.0 t C ha−1 but reached already 2.4 t C ha−1 in the following year. Assuming that the annual Rh flux is of the same magnitude in the subsequent years, the ecosystem will become a C sink already during a short period after clear-cut. Annual soil respiration (Rs) and heterotrophic soil respiration (Rh) were 6.0 and 4.2 t C ha−1, respectively and the Rh/Rs ratio was 0.70. However, at this stage also the understorey vegetation contributed essentially to NEP, making up 56% of the annual C uptake accumulated in the plants. The methane flux and the leached C flux were negligible, 0.004 and 0.015 t C ha−1 yr−1, respectively. Our results demonstrate that well regenerated young Scots pine stand on a former clear-cut area will be able to turn into a C sequestering ecosystem already before ten years after cutting.

Influence of precipitation on CO2 soil emission in pine forests of the Central Siberia boreal zone

Boreal forests in Siberia cover more than 70% of the area of this region. Due to climate change these ecosystems represent a very sensitive and significant source of carbon. In the forests, the total ecosystem respiration tends to be dominated by the soil respiration, which accounts for approximately 70% of this large flux. Global models predict that the soil respiration will increase more than the total net primary productivity in response to climate warming and increasing precipitation. In consequence, the terrestrial carbon sink is expected to decline. However, for the Siberian boreal forest there is still a gap in understanding of the future response of soil emission to drought or overprecipitation conditions. In our study we estimate how various moisture conditions could change soil emission in the boreal zone. From field observation data we find optimal soil moisture conditions. The highest dependence between the soil temperature and soil emission rates has been obtained under the optimal soil moisture conditions.

Environmental controls on light inhibition of respiration and leaf and canopy daytime carbon exchange in a temperate deciduous forest.

Uncertainty in the estimation of daytime ecosystem carbon cycling due to the light inhibition of leaf respiration and photorespiration, and how these small fluxes vary through the growing season in the field, remains a confounding element in calculations of gross primary productivity and ecosystem respiration. Our study focuses on how phenology, short-term temperature changes and canopy position influence leaf-level carbon exchange in Quercus rubra L. (red oak) at Harvard Forest in central Massachusetts, USA. Using leaf measurements and eddy covariance, we also quantify the effect of light inhibition on estimates of daytime respiration at leaf and ecosystem scales. Measured rates of leaf respiration in the light and dark were highest in the early growing season and declined in response to 10-day prior air temperatures (P < 0.01), evidence of within-season thermal acclimation. Leaf respiration was significantly inhibited by light (27.1 ± 2.82% inhibited across all measurements), and this inhibition varied with the month of measurement; greater inhibition was observed in mid-summer leaves compared with early- and late-season leaves. Increases in measurement temperature led to higher rates of respiration and photorespiration, though with a less pronounced positive effect on photosynthesis; as a result, carbon-use efficiency declined with increasing leaf temperature. Over the growing season when we account for seasonally variable light inhibition and basal respiration rates, our modeling approaches found a cumulative 12.9% reduction of leaf-level respiration and a 12.8% reduction of canopy leaf respiration, resulting in a 3.7% decrease in total ecosystem respiration compared with estimates that do not account for light inhibition in leaves. Our study sheds light on the environmental controls of the light inhibition of daytime leaf respiration and how integrating this phenomenon and other small fluxes can reduce uncertainty in current and future projections of terrestrial carbon cycling.

Metabolism in a deep hypertrophic aquatic ecosystem with high water-level fluctuations: a decade of records confirms sustained net heterotrophy.

Long-term and seasonal changes in production and respiration were surveyed in the Valle de Bravo reservoir, Mexico, in a period during which high water-level fluctuations occurred (2006–2015). We assessed the community metabolism through oxygen dynamics in this monomictic water-body affected by strong diurnal winds. The multiple-year data series allowed relationships with some environmental drivers to be identified, revealing that water level-fluctuations strongly influenced gross primary production and respiratory rates. Production and respiration changed mainly vertically, clearly in relation to light availability. Gross primary production ranged from 0.15 to 1.26 gO2 m−2 h−1, respiration rate from −0.13 to −0.83 gO2 m−2 h−1 and net primary production from −0.36 to 0.66 gO2 m−2 h −1 within the production layer, which had a mean depth of 5.9 m during the stratification periods and of 6.8 m during the circulations. The greater depth of the mixing layer allowed the consumption of oxygen below the production layer even during the stratifications, when it averaged 10.1 m. Respiration below the production layer ranged from −0.23 to −1.38 gO2 m−2 h−1. Vertically integrated metabolic rates (per unit area) showed their greatest variations at the intra-annual scale (stratification-circulation). Gross primary production and Secchi depth decreased as the mean water level decreased between stratification periods. VB is a highly productive ecosystem; its gross primary production averaged 3.60 gC m−2 d−1 during the 10 years sampled, a rate similar to that of hypertrophic systems. About 45% of this production, an annual average net carbon production of 599 g C m−2 year−1, was exported to the hypolimnion, but on the average 58% of this net production was recycled through respiration below the production layer. Overall, only 19% of the carbon fixed in VB is buried in the sediments. Total ecosystem respiration rates averaged −6.89 gC m−2 d−1 during 2006–2015, doubling the gross production rates. The reservoir as a whole exhibited a net heterotrophic balance continuously during the decade sampled, which means it has likely been a net carbon source, potentially releasing an average of 3.29 gC m−2 d−1 to the atmosphere. These results are in accordance with recent findings that tropical eutrophic aquatic ecosystems can be stronger carbon sources than would be extrapolated from temperate systems, and can help guide future reassessments on the contribution of tropical lakes and reservoirs to carbon cycles at the global scale. Respiration was positively correlated with temperature both for the stratification periods and among the circulations, suggesting that the contribution of C to the atmosphere may increase as the reservoirs and lakes warm up owing to climate change and as their water level is reduced through intensification of their use as water sources.

Recovery of Ecosystem Carbon and Energy Fluxes From the 2003 Drought in Europe and the 2012 Drought in the United States

AbstractRecovery of an ecosystem from drought is an important indicator of ecosystem resilience. However, few investigations have heretofore focused on the recovery of ecosystem carbon and energy fluxes but have mainly focused on the drought recovery of plant growth and ecosystem productions. Therefore, the present study uses in situ observations from FLUXNET 2015 to examine the recovery of carbon flux and energy flux of ecosystems from the 2003 European drought and the 2012 U.S. drought on the daily scale. The results reveal the strong impact of these two extreme droughts on ecosystem gross primary production, total ecosystem respiration, net ecosystem exchange, and latent heat flux. In addition, the recovery time of these indicators differ significantly. At the regional scale, the recovery of gross primary production, total ecosystem respiration, net ecosystem exchange, and latent heat flux took 44, 23, 63, and 27 days after the 2003 European drought, and the recovery for corresponding indicators for the 2012 U.S. drought took 42, 63, 15, and 33 days, respectively. Further investigations suggest that indicator background conditions and drought‐damage magnitudes played an important role in regulating drought recovery in the 2003 European drought, with lower background value and greater damage leading to a longer recovery time. The ecosystem recovery from the 2012 U.S. drought, however, was dominated by the precipitation condition during the recovery period, with more precipitation associated with a shorter recovery time. These results provide crucial insight into the divergent recovery trajectories for different carbon‐water processes among diverse bioclimatic regions.

Boreal bog plant communities along a water table gradient differ in their standing biomass but not their biomass production

AbstractQuestionPeatlands are globally important for carbon storage due to the imbalance between plant biomass production and decomposition. Distribution of both live standing biomass (BM, dry mass g/m2) and biomass production (BMP, dry mass g m−2 growing season−1) are known to be dependent on the water table (WT). However, the relations of BM and BMP to WT variation are poorly known. Here we investigated, how the above‐ and below‐ground BM and BMP of three different plant functional types (PFTs), dwarf shrubs, sedges and Sphagnum mosses, relate to natural WT variation within an ombrotrophic boreal bog. In addition, we estimated ecosystem‐level BMP and compared that with ecosystem net primary production (NPP) derived from eddy covariance (EC) measurements.LocationSiikaneva bog, Ruovesi, Finland.MethodsWe quantified above‐ and below‐ground BM and BMP of PFTs along the WT gradient, divided into six plant community types. Plant community scale BM and BMP were up‐scaled to the ecosystem level. NPP was derived from EC measurements using a literature‐based ratio of heterotrophic respiration to total ecosystem respiration.ResultsBM varied from 211 to 979 g/m2 among the plant community types, decreasing gradually from dry to wet community types. In contrast, BMP was similar between plant community types (162–216 g/m2), except on nearly vegetation‐free bare peat surfaces where it was low (38 g/m2). Vascular plant BM turnover rate (BMP:BM, per year) varied from 0.14 to 0.30 among the plant community types, being highest in sedge‐dominated hollows. On average 56% of the vascular BM was produced below ground. Mosses, when present, produced on average 31% of the total BM, ranging from 16% to 53% depending on community type. EC‐derived NPP was higher than measured BMP due to underestimation of certain components.ConclusionsWe found that the diversity of PFTs decreases the spatial variability in productivity of a boreal bog ecosystem. The observed even distribution of BMP resulted from different WT optima and BMP:BM of dwarf shrubs, sedges and Sphagnum species. These differences in biomass turnover rate and species responses to environmental conditions may provide a resilience mechanism for bog ecosystems in changing conditions.

Biometric and Eddy Covariance Methods for Examining the Carbon Balance of a Larix principis-rupprechtii Forest in the Qinling Mountains, China

The carbon balance of forests is controlled by many component processes of carbon acquisition and carbon loss and depends on the age of vegetation, soils, species composition, and the local climate. Thus, examining the carbon balance of different forests around the world is necessary to understand the global carbon balance. Nevertheless, the available information on the carbon balance of Larix principis-rupprechtii forests in the Qinling Mountains remains considerably limited. We provide the first set of results (2010–2013) from a long-term project measuring forest-atmosphere exchanges of CO2 at the Qinling National Forest Ecosystem Research Station (QNFERS), and compare the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) based on biometric measurements with those observed via the eddy covariance method. We also compare the total ecosystem respiration via scaled-up chamber and eddy covariance measurements. The net primary productivity (NPP) was 817.16 ± 81.48 g·C·m−2·y−1, of which ΔBliving and Dtotal accounted for 77.7%, and 22.3%, respectively. Total ecosystem respiration was 814.47 ± 64.22 g·C·m−2·y−1, and cumulative annual soil respiration, coarse woody debris respiration, stem respiration, and leaf respiration were 715.47 ± 28.48, 15.41 ± 1.72, 35.28 ± 4.78, and 48.31 ± 5.24 g·C·m−2·y−1, respectively, accounting for 87.85%, 1.89%, 4.33%, and 5.93% of the total ecosystem respiration. A comparison between ecosystem respiration from chamber measurements and that from eddy covariance measurements showed a strong linear correlation between the two methods (R2 = 0.93). The NEE of CO2 between forests and the atmosphere measured by eddy covariance was −288.33 ± 25.26 g·C·m−2·y−1, which revealed a carbon sink in the L. principis-rupprechtii forest. This number was 14% higher than the result from the biometric measurements (−336.71 ± 25.15 g·C·m−2·y−1). The study findings provided a cross-validation of the CO2 exchange measured via biometric and eddy covariance, which are beneficial for obtaining the true ecosystem fluxes, and more accurately evaluating carbon budgets.