Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams

Carbon dioxide (CO _2 ) evasion from streams greatly contributes to global carbon fluxes. Despite this, the temporal dynamics of CO _2 and its drivers remain poorly understood to date. This is particularly true for high-altitude streams. Using high-resolution time series of CO _2 concentration and s...

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Main Authors: Åsa Horgby, Lluís Gómez-Gener, Nicolas Escoffier, Tom J Battin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2019-01-01
Series:Environmental Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab5cb8
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author Åsa Horgby
Lluís Gómez-Gener
Nicolas Escoffier
Tom J Battin
author_facet Åsa Horgby
Lluís Gómez-Gener
Nicolas Escoffier
Tom J Battin
author_sort Åsa Horgby
collection DOAJ
description Carbon dioxide (CO _2 ) evasion from streams greatly contributes to global carbon fluxes. Despite this, the temporal dynamics of CO _2 and its drivers remain poorly understood to date. This is particularly true for high-altitude streams. Using high-resolution time series of CO _2 concentration and specific discharge from sensors in twelve streams in the Swiss Alps, we studied over three years the responsiveness of both CO _2 concentration and evasion fluxes to specific discharge at annual scales and at the scale of the spring freshet. On an annual basis, our results show dilution responses of the streamwater CO _2 likely attributable to limited supply from sources within the catchment. Combining our sensor data with stable isotope analyses, we identify the spring freshet as a window where source limitation of the CO _2 evasion fluxes becomes relieved. CO _2 from soil respiration enters the streams during the freshet thereby facilitating CO _2 evasion fluxes that are potentially relevant for the carbon fluxes at catchment scale. Our study highlights the need for long-term measurements of CO _2 concentrations and fluxes to better understand and predict the role of streams for global carbon cycling.
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spelling doaj.art-53b41f3ed3d84e4b8a0903a8956947762023-08-09T15:01:59ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262019-01-01141212408210.1088/1748-9326/ab5cb8Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streamsÅsa Horgby0Lluís Gómez-Gener1Nicolas Escoffier2Tom J Battin3Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, SwitzerlandStream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne , CH-1015, Lausanne, SwitzerlandStream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, SwitzerlandCarbon dioxide (CO _2 ) evasion from streams greatly contributes to global carbon fluxes. Despite this, the temporal dynamics of CO _2 and its drivers remain poorly understood to date. This is particularly true for high-altitude streams. Using high-resolution time series of CO _2 concentration and specific discharge from sensors in twelve streams in the Swiss Alps, we studied over three years the responsiveness of both CO _2 concentration and evasion fluxes to specific discharge at annual scales and at the scale of the spring freshet. On an annual basis, our results show dilution responses of the streamwater CO _2 likely attributable to limited supply from sources within the catchment. Combining our sensor data with stable isotope analyses, we identify the spring freshet as a window where source limitation of the CO _2 evasion fluxes becomes relieved. CO _2 from soil respiration enters the streams during the freshet thereby facilitating CO _2 evasion fluxes that are potentially relevant for the carbon fluxes at catchment scale. Our study highlights the need for long-term measurements of CO _2 concentrations and fluxes to better understand and predict the role of streams for global carbon cycling.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab5cb8high-alpine streamsCO2 evasion fluxesresponsiveness to runoffspring freshetcarbon fluxes
spellingShingle Åsa Horgby
Lluís Gómez-Gener
Nicolas Escoffier
Tom J Battin
Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams
Environmental Research Letters
high-alpine streams
CO2 evasion fluxes
responsiveness to runoff
spring freshet
carbon fluxes
title Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams
title_full Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams
title_fullStr Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams
title_full_unstemmed Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams
title_short Dynamics and potential drivers of CO2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high-alpine streams
title_sort dynamics and potential drivers of co2 concentration and evasion across temporal scales in high alpine streams
topic high-alpine streams
CO2 evasion fluxes
responsiveness to runoff
spring freshet
carbon fluxes
url https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab5cb8
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