Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest
Soils of tropical forests are important to the global budgets of greenhouse gases. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is the second largest tropical moist forest area of South America, after the vast Amazonian domain. This study aimed to investigate the emissions of nitrous oxide (N<sub>2&a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2011-03-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/733/2011/bg-8-733-2011.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818328702002397184 |
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| author | E. Sousa Neto J. B. Carmo M. Keller S. C. Martins L. F. Alves S. A. Vieira M. C. Piccolo P. Camargo H. T. Z. Couto C. A. Joly L. A. Martinelli |
| author_facet | E. Sousa Neto J. B. Carmo M. Keller S. C. Martins L. F. Alves S. A. Vieira M. C. Piccolo P. Camargo H. T. Z. Couto C. A. Joly L. A. Martinelli |
| author_sort | E. Sousa Neto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soils of tropical forests are important to the global budgets of greenhouse gases. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is the second largest tropical moist forest area of South America, after the vast Amazonian domain. This study aimed to investigate the emissions of nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) fluxes along an altitudinal transect and the relation between these fluxes and other climatic, edaphic and biological variables (temperature, fine roots, litterfall, and soil moisture). Annual means of N<sub>2</sub>O flux were 3.9 (&plusmn; 0.4), 1.0 (&plusmn; 0.1), and 0.9 (&plusmn; 0.2) ng N cm<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> at altitudes 100, 400, and 1000 m, respectively. On an annual basis, soils consumed CH<sub>4</sub> at all altitudes with annual means of −1.0 (&plusmn; 0.2), −1.8 (&plusmn; 0.3), and −1.6 (&plusmn; 0.1) mg m<sup>−2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup> at 100 m, 400 m and 1000 m, respectively. Estimated mean annual fluxes of CO<sub>2</sub> were 3.5, 3.6, and 3.4 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at altitudes 100, 400 and 1000 m, respectively. N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes were significantly influenced by soil moisture and temperature. Soil-atmosphere exchange of CH<sub>4</sub> responded to changes in soil moisture. Carbon dioxide emissions were strongly influenced by soil temperature. While the temperature gradient observed at our sites is only an imperfect proxy for climatic warming, our results suggest that an increase in air and soil temperatures may result in increases in decomposition rates and gross inorganic nitrogen fluxes that could support consequent increases in soil N<sub>2</sub>O and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and soil CH<sub>4</sub> consumption. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:36:21Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:36:21Z |
| publishDate | 2011-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-3c1daaeeef0a4661a87f88040c4fa4cd2022-12-21T23:45:51ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892011-03-018373374210.5194/bg-8-733-2011Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forestE. Sousa NetoJ. B. CarmoM. KellerS. C. MartinsL. F. AlvesS. A. VieiraM. C. PiccoloP. CamargoH. T. Z. CoutoC. A. JolyL. A. MartinelliSoils of tropical forests are important to the global budgets of greenhouse gases. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is the second largest tropical moist forest area of South America, after the vast Amazonian domain. This study aimed to investigate the emissions of nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) fluxes along an altitudinal transect and the relation between these fluxes and other climatic, edaphic and biological variables (temperature, fine roots, litterfall, and soil moisture). Annual means of N<sub>2</sub>O flux were 3.9 (&plusmn; 0.4), 1.0 (&plusmn; 0.1), and 0.9 (&plusmn; 0.2) ng N cm<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> at altitudes 100, 400, and 1000 m, respectively. On an annual basis, soils consumed CH<sub>4</sub> at all altitudes with annual means of −1.0 (&plusmn; 0.2), −1.8 (&plusmn; 0.3), and −1.6 (&plusmn; 0.1) mg m<sup>−2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup> at 100 m, 400 m and 1000 m, respectively. Estimated mean annual fluxes of CO<sub>2</sub> were 3.5, 3.6, and 3.4 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at altitudes 100, 400 and 1000 m, respectively. N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes were significantly influenced by soil moisture and temperature. Soil-atmosphere exchange of CH<sub>4</sub> responded to changes in soil moisture. Carbon dioxide emissions were strongly influenced by soil temperature. While the temperature gradient observed at our sites is only an imperfect proxy for climatic warming, our results suggest that an increase in air and soil temperatures may result in increases in decomposition rates and gross inorganic nitrogen fluxes that could support consequent increases in soil N<sub>2</sub>O and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and soil CH<sub>4</sub> consumption.http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/733/2011/bg-8-733-2011.pdf |
| spellingShingle | E. Sousa Neto J. B. Carmo M. Keller S. C. Martins L. F. Alves S. A. Vieira M. C. Piccolo P. Camargo H. T. Z. Couto C. A. Joly L. A. Martinelli Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest Biogeosciences |
| title | Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest |
| title_full | Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest |
| title_fullStr | Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest |
| title_short | Soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal Brazilian Atlantic forest |
| title_sort | soil atmosphere exchange of nitrous oxide methane and carbon dioxide in a gradient of elevation in the coastal brazilian atlantic forest |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/733/2011/bg-8-733-2011.pdf |
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