Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation
Peat extraction leaves a land surface with a strong relief of deep cutover areas and higher ridges. Rewetting inundates the deep parts, while less deeply extracted zones remain at or above the water level. In temperate fens the flooded areas are colonized by helophytes such as <i>Eriophorum an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/3945/2016/bg-13-3945-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818296187372961792 |
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| author | M. Minke J. Augustin A. Burlo T. Yarmashuk H. Chuvashova A. Thiele A. Freibauer V. Tikhonov M. Hoffmann |
| author_facet | M. Minke J. Augustin A. Burlo T. Yarmashuk H. Chuvashova A. Thiele A. Freibauer V. Tikhonov M. Hoffmann |
| author_sort | M. Minke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peat extraction leaves a land surface with a strong relief of deep cutover
areas and higher ridges. Rewetting inundates the deep parts, while less
deeply extracted zones remain at or above the water level. In temperate fens
the flooded areas are colonized by helophytes such as <i>Eriophorum angustifolium</i>,
<i>Carex</i> spp., <i>Typha latifolia</i> or <i>Phragmites australis</i> dependent
on water depth. Reeds of <i>Typha</i> and <i>Phragmites</i> are reported as large sources of methane, but
data on net CO<sub>2</sub> uptake are contradictory for <i>Typha</i> and rare for <i>Phragmites</i>. Here, we
analyze the effect of vegetation, water level and nutrient conditions on
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for representative vegetation types along
water level gradients at two rewetted cutover fens (mesotrophic and
eutrophic) in Belarus. Greenhouse gas emissions were measured campaign-wise
with manual chambers every 2 to 4 weeks for 2 years and interpolated
by modelling.
<br><br>
All sites had negligible nitrous oxide exchange rates. Most sites were
carbon sinks and small GHG sources. Methane emissions generally increased
with net ecosystem CO<sub>2</sub> uptake. Mesotrophic small sedge reeds with water
table around the land surface were small GHG sources in the range of 2.3 to
4.2 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>. Eutrophic tall sedge – <i>Typha latifolia</i> reeds on newly
formed floating mats were substantial net GHG emitters in the range of 25.1
to 39.1 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr. They represent transient vegetation
stages. <i>Phragmites</i> reeds ranged between −1.7 to 4.2 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>
with an overall mean GHG emission of 1.3 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>.
The annual CO<sub>2</sub> balance was best explained by vegetation biomass, which
includes the role of vegetation composition and species. Methane emissions
were obviously driven by biological activity of vegetation and soil
organisms.
<br><br>
Shallow flooding of cutover temperate fens is a suitable measure to arrive
at low GHG emissions. <i>Phragmites australis</i> establishment should be promoted in deeper flooded
areas and will lead to moderate, but variable GHG emissions or even
occasional sinks. The risk of large GHG emissions is higher for eutrophic
than mesotrophic peatlands. Nevertheless, flooding of eutrophic temperate
fens still represents a safe GHG mitigation option because even the hotspot
of our study, the floating tall sedge – <i>Typha latifolia</i> reeds, did not exceed the typical
range of GHG emissions from drained fen grasslands and the spatially
dominant <i>Phragmites australis</i> reed emitted by far less GHG than drained fens. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:59:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1614adaafea84703a85e69cb28f5986c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:59:33Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-1614adaafea84703a85e69cb28f5986c2022-12-22T00:00:30ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892016-07-0113133945397010.5194/bg-13-3945-2016Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundationM. Minke0J. Augustin1A. Burlo2T. Yarmashuk3H. Chuvashova4A. Thiele5A. Freibauer6V. Tikhonov7M. Hoffmann8Thünen Institute of Climate–Smart Agriculture, Braunschweig, GermanyInstitute for Landscape Biogeochemistry, ZALF e.V., Müncheberg, GermanyScientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Biological Resources, Minsk, BelarusInstitute for Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, BelarusScientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Biological Resources, Minsk, BelarusInstitute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald, GermanyThünen Institute of Climate–Smart Agriculture, Braunschweig, GermanyScientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Biological Resources, Minsk, BelarusInstitute of Soil Landscape Research, ZALF e.V., Müncheberg, GermanyPeat extraction leaves a land surface with a strong relief of deep cutover areas and higher ridges. Rewetting inundates the deep parts, while less deeply extracted zones remain at or above the water level. In temperate fens the flooded areas are colonized by helophytes such as <i>Eriophorum angustifolium</i>, <i>Carex</i> spp., <i>Typha latifolia</i> or <i>Phragmites australis</i> dependent on water depth. Reeds of <i>Typha</i> and <i>Phragmites</i> are reported as large sources of methane, but data on net CO<sub>2</sub> uptake are contradictory for <i>Typha</i> and rare for <i>Phragmites</i>. Here, we analyze the effect of vegetation, water level and nutrient conditions on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for representative vegetation types along water level gradients at two rewetted cutover fens (mesotrophic and eutrophic) in Belarus. Greenhouse gas emissions were measured campaign-wise with manual chambers every 2 to 4 weeks for 2 years and interpolated by modelling. <br><br> All sites had negligible nitrous oxide exchange rates. Most sites were carbon sinks and small GHG sources. Methane emissions generally increased with net ecosystem CO<sub>2</sub> uptake. Mesotrophic small sedge reeds with water table around the land surface were small GHG sources in the range of 2.3 to 4.2 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>. Eutrophic tall sedge – <i>Typha latifolia</i> reeds on newly formed floating mats were substantial net GHG emitters in the range of 25.1 to 39.1 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr. They represent transient vegetation stages. <i>Phragmites</i> reeds ranged between −1.7 to 4.2 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> with an overall mean GHG emission of 1.3 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>. The annual CO<sub>2</sub> balance was best explained by vegetation biomass, which includes the role of vegetation composition and species. Methane emissions were obviously driven by biological activity of vegetation and soil organisms. <br><br> Shallow flooding of cutover temperate fens is a suitable measure to arrive at low GHG emissions. <i>Phragmites australis</i> establishment should be promoted in deeper flooded areas and will lead to moderate, but variable GHG emissions or even occasional sinks. The risk of large GHG emissions is higher for eutrophic than mesotrophic peatlands. Nevertheless, flooding of eutrophic temperate fens still represents a safe GHG mitigation option because even the hotspot of our study, the floating tall sedge – <i>Typha latifolia</i> reeds, did not exceed the typical range of GHG emissions from drained fen grasslands and the spatially dominant <i>Phragmites australis</i> reed emitted by far less GHG than drained fens.http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/3945/2016/bg-13-3945-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Minke J. Augustin A. Burlo T. Yarmashuk H. Chuvashova A. Thiele A. Freibauer V. Tikhonov M. Hoffmann Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation Biogeosciences |
| title | Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain
greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation |
| title_full | Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain
greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation |
| title_fullStr | Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain
greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain
greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation |
| title_short | Water level, vegetation composition, and plant productivity explain
greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation |
| title_sort | water level vegetation composition and plant productivity explain greenhouse gas fluxes in temperate cutover fens after inundation |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/3945/2016/bg-13-3945-2016.pdf |
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